“Can we at least listen?” That was the question posed to students at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point this past September. Several students responded to the invitation and met on campus with some members of the Stevens Point Seventh-day Adventist Church to discuss issues such as the existence of God, the meaning of life, the problem with evil, and the nature of worship.
The format of the meetings was very different from the usual approach to evangelism. Instead of a presentation, and carefully prepared remarks, the church held unscripted discussions which proved to be dynamic and very rewarding.
Ardis Burke prepared questions for each night, and quotations from various philosophers, writers and scientists were added to spur the flow of ideas. The students enthusiastically participated, speaking frankly and courteously even when people disagreed. At no point did any of the students or church members react in an unkind manner.
That was the point of this evangelistic experiment. They wanted to know:
- Could people from various religious and nonreligious backgrounds discuss religious topics without rancor?
- Could we Seventh-day Adventists come prepared to really listen and not dominate the discussion?
- Could we respect non-Christians and come away from the discussions with new appreciation for the young people who gave this unconventional approach a try?
When the church members explained that they wanted to do better as Christians and really listen and not argue, one young man said, “Well, I think you have come a long way already because no other religious groups are really listening to each other.”
That was nice to hear, but it gets better! On the last night, the students didn’t want the meetings to end and insisted that the church hold more meetings in the future. So right then and there the church members promised to hold another discussion series after the holidays. Then the students made another request: Let’s discuss evolution and creation.
So, everyone agreed to come prepared with their research and, of course, come prepared to at least listen.
Reflecting on the meetings with the students Ardis said, “I believe the Lord is very pleased and will continue to bless as we form connections with these bright young adults.”
Ardis Burke, member of Stevens Point Church