“Going to Introducing God, I felt the penny drop”
It’s been a big two years for Eve Dirago - around the world and from death to life in 12 months. Now her journey really begins.
Eve moved from England to Australia in 2003 to be with Sydneysider
Geoffrey, who she had met on a previous trip, and the pair were married
in April this year.
They heard about a course called Introducing God that was about
to kick off at local Anglican church, All Saints North Epping, and
decided to go along.
At the evangelistic course, which is aimed at a postmodern audience,
hosts and their guests eat a meal together, hear a Bible talk and
discuss ideas arising from the talk.
At the course, which is aimed at a postmodern audience, hosts and
their guests eat a meal together, hear a Bible talk and discuss ideas
arising from the talk.
Eve had grown up going to Sunday School, youth group and church but
says she never comprehended who Jesus was and what he had done.
“Going to Introducing God, I felt the penny drop - for me it was
understanding who Jesus was,” the 24-year-old Epping resident says.
“It’s through Jesus that I can relate to God.”
The administration and marketing assistant says she has a new inner peace and happiness.
“I carry God in my heart everyday. I didn’t before,” she says.
All Saints is a small church, so minister Roger Green was amazed to see
just over 60 people show up for the first week of the two-month course,
with guests numbering in the high twenties.
He says that while a few people dropped out early on and some did not attend every week, the retention rate was high.
“One of the real positives was that it felt like a very natural, normal environment for people to come along to,” he says.
A number of people have been “significantly impacted” by the course, he says.
Introducing God founder Dominic Steele says churches have traditionally
used controversial, all-or-nothing formats for evangelistic events,
which has meant Christians are more likely to invite people with whom
they have a more distant relationship.
“However, when people get a taste of what Introducing God is like, they
realise it’s relaxed, gentle and friendly… so that means I’m prepared
to invite people where the relationship is important,” he says.
by Carrie Adam.
Originally posted on SydneyAnglicans.net on October 2005.
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