May 8-9: Two workshops with John Bowen this May

Crosstalk Ministries together with the Anglican Diocese of Montreal have invited Dr. John P. Bowen to Montreal for two important events.

Friday May 8

Evangelism in a post-Christian World.

The CEO of Starbucks has said he wants every Starbucks customer to become a Starbucks evangelist. In other words, his goal is that every customer should be so excited about their “experience” at Starbucks that they spontaneously share it with their friends.

Ironically, while the secular world embraces “evangelism,” in recent years there has been a reaction in much of the church against evangelism, because it can often seem programmed, artificial, and lacking integrity. John Bowen will look at how people actually come to Christian faith, and present a model of evangelism that is authentic and personal. Most of us will always find evangelism a challenge, but at least it can become a skill that we can feel good about learning.

For church leaders, lay and ordained. 10.00am-3.00pm at St. Peter's Anglican Church, 920 Laird, TMR.

Saturday May 9

Roots and Wings: Being Church in the 21st Century

What does it take for the church to thrive and grow in this post-Christendom culture?

John believes we need first of all to rediscover that Christianity is about good news: our “roots.” Two practical strategies follow. One is for existing churches to find new ways to touch their communities with the Gospel. The other is to start new Christian communities, sometimes called “fresh expressions of church,” which reach people traditional churches can’t. These are our “wings.”

The three sessions will be illustrated with video and PowerPoint, and there will be lots of opportunity for questions and discussion. You will find that these talks are full of insight, practical ideas, challenge, and hope.

10.00am-3.00pm at Fulford Hall, 1444 Union Ave, Montreal. This event is open to all.

Cost for each event is $20 per person and includes lunch.

To register for each event, email programme.office@montreal.anglican.ca or call 514-843 6577

John Bowen taught evangelism at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, from 1997 till 2013. He now directs two departments of the college: Wycliffe Serves!, which co-ordinates the external ministries of the college; and the Institute of Evangelism, which helps churches across Canada with resources for congregational vitality and evangelism.

Before coming to Wycliffe, John worked for twenty-four years for Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, including some years as a university evangelist. One of his regular assignments from 1981 till 1997 was to teach in the Leader-in-Training program at Ontario Pioneer Camp.

He was educated at Oxford University and Trinity College (Bristol, UK), and has a Doctor of Ministry degree from McMaster University (1999). He is the author of three books:—Evangelism for ‘Normal’ People (2002), The Spirituality of Narnia (2004), Growing up Christian (2010)—and editor of two others—The Missionary Letters of Vincent Donovan 1957-1973 (2011), and Green Shoots out of Dry Ground (2013).

John is married to Deborah, an English professor. They have two adult children and four grandchildren.