An innovative seeker course with excellent apologetic content that can help people at all stages of faith. It offers a fast-paced exploration of life’s big questions followed by an imaginative presentation of Jesus’ life. The style is contemporary and interactive, offering bite-sized presentations on DVD and big open questions to be thrashed out by a small group.
Aims
The material took shape from an international survey of students: ‘If you could ask God one question and knew you would receive an answer, what would it be?’
The course provides an open forum to consider some of the most popular questions, while at the same time presenting the Gospel in a non-threatening way.
It aims to model three values:
- Reality (found only in God).
- Relationships (respect, care and compassion for each individual)
- Discovery (questions are warmly welcomed, and people allowed to form their own conclusions).
Aimed at
- Anyone on a spiritual search
- Anyone interested in discussing life's impossible questions.
- Try it with an older youth group.
Format
Needs a small group of 5-8 people. The recommended balance is 1/3 Christian, 2/3 non-Christians.
Each session (1-2 hours) includes:
- Optional ice-breaker
- Creative activity to start thinking about the topic
- DVD brief interviews, alternated with the item below
- Open questions on-screen, for disussion
- Personal reflection and further discussion
Note: the interviews include (1) a different group of experts for each session, (2) 'talking head' comments from the public, (3) an occasional testimony.
Scope
There are 10 topics, divided into two sections.
- Sessions 1-5 (6 weeks) include the existence of God, suffering, other faiths, hypocrisy, and trusting the Bible.(suitable for use on their own as an apologetic module)
- Sessions 6-10 present the life of Christ through questions that he himself asked.
Commitment
Allow 1-2 hours over a 11-week period, or 12 weeks if the group includes a social event mid-way. (Note 2006 edition: the original Session 1 has been divided into two weekly parts, to make more sense of the material).
There are suggestions in the manual for follow-up material if the group decides to continue.
Leadership
Leaders need to understand and model the values of Glad You Asked, and encourage others to do this also. Asking good questions and being keen to listen rather than teach is important. Each session requires thorough preparation, including understanding the material and being prepared for the possible questions and answers that may arise during the meeting.
Training is provided in a 4-session workshop and an online forum enables leaders to continue their learning together.
It's recommended that a specific group be asked to pray for the course.
Teaching/Learning style
The key elements are open questions, brief DVD presentations, and discussion. There are a variety of creative and reflective activities for both the individual and the group, in order to provoke thinking, discovery and debate.
Growth Opportunities
Participants will be able to ponder some significant issues and also hear the life of Christ as presented through the gospels. They should gain better listening skills and a greater awareness of the wide variety of viewpoints offered by themselves, their friends and the DVD presenters. It's likely that this course will provoke, challenge, excite, and hopefully inspire.
Strengths
- Multi-media format.
- Good stories & testimonies.
- Confronts the questions that people are asking.
- Variety of views offered on screen.
- Great open questions (no 'yes/no' answers).
- Very challenging.
- Information is delivered in contemporary soundbites.
- Combines theory and experience.
- Gets a message across but allows for a variety of responses and differences of opinion.
Weaknesses
- The change between sessions 1-5 to sessions 6-10 can seem rather abrupt.
- Does assume a high level of participation, at least in each opening activity.
User Comments
"It provokes structured conversations in terms of apologetics."
"Suitable for students, thinkers, readers."
"There is a change of pace after section 5. Sections 6-10 about Jesus have more focus. Some people were offended once we were onto this part of the course and did not continue with the group. This was partly to do with bad past experience of church."
"The session on suffering was very good."
"We took the youth group through this course, but used only some of the material for each session. It made them ask different questions and broke them out of their box."
Practical Information
To better serve the unique needs of churches, Innovista now offers a DVD package designed to help churches start and run 'Glad You Asked'. This package includes:
- 1 'Glad You Asked' DVD
- 3 Leader's Guides
- 1 Promotional DVD
- a 20% reduction on 'Glad You Asked' training
UK product first published in 2003, but significantly updated in 2006. The material is available in several languages, and the DVD comes with optional English subtitles. The individual pack (DVD plus one leader’s manual) costs £29.99. Order direct from Innovista http://www.innovista.org/sales/gyaorder1.asp
Note: copies of the first edition, on Video or DVD, are at reduced sale price while stocks last.
The leader’s manual includes handouts which can be photocopied, possible answers to the on-screen questions, and a list of other useful resources.
Innovista
317 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7JZ
Tel: 01865 510313
Fax: 08701 320511
Email: info@innovista.org
Web: www.innovista.org