A Good Question by Steve Dunn

      At the 2008 Ritz Lectures, Scott McKnight said that churches need to create “safe place” for people to ask their questions about God, the Bible, and Christianity.  Such an opportunity is a key tool of pre-evangelism.  In late June, we created such a place as a part of our ministry at the Church of God of Landisville.  We left the church (churches are not always considered safe places to pre-Christians) and went a block away to Café on Main, a local coffee house. On the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays from 7:00-9:00 pm, I sit in the café and lead an open discussion on any question people have about God, the Bible, Christianity, or spiritual matters. This is not a class. People are not asked to join anything, decide anything, sign up for anything. Some of my people have brought friends who had questions. Our first attendance was 6, the most recent eleven—with 15 different people participating over the summer. The very first question: “If God knows everything and will do only what His will desires, why pray?” Other questions, “Why do some people in churches believe the whole Bible and others only part?” “Is there an unforgiveable sin?”

“If a person is raised in a church that doesn’t teach the truth, can they go to heaven?” “Was Mr. Obama responsible the racists remarks of his pastor?”  Last Sunday we had our first visitor at the church as a result of this group. For more information, go to our church website at www.coglandisville.org. A new link is being added on July 31st that outlines what we do.