13.09.2022

Talking about faith authentically, inviting and respectfully

Searching for new language for christian faith: The ECPs, the Evangelism Contact Persons. © Charles Mugabo / Revival Studios

Until September 17, there are 19 young people from the UEM member churches meeting in Rwanda for the annual workshop of ECPs, Evangelism Contact Persons - to learn, share and network together.

"How can we evangelize better?" It's a question almost all UEM member churches are asking. Almost all live in an environment where many people belong to other religious communities or none at all. How can we talk about our own faith in a way that is inviting and respectful? And also in such a way that young people feel addressed?," asks Claudia Währisch-Oblau, head of the UEM's Evangelism Department.

Together, the participants develop new theologies and models for evangelism. This year there are a total of 25 people, under 40 years old, half of them men and half of them women. They are all full-time church workers, but not all pastors. They live and work in their respective member churches, but are also in regular contact with each other and work as a team on new approaches to talking publicly about the Christian faith. After returning to their churches, they develop their own formats and workshops locally to pass on new ideas and messages in their regions.