Lunchbar & CPSG Speakers
Speakers: Where do I start?
You can imagine the slightly condescending tone: “God gave you two ears and one mouth, so use them in that proportion“. But it’s the best advice I know for starting to write a Lunchbar talk. Our two greatest needs are to know what we’re talking about, and who we’re talking to. Therefore, before speaking we start …
Speakers: What makes a good Lunchbar talk?
We suggest there are three main elements to a good Lunchbar talk. We call them ‘Identification, Persuasion and Invitation’. We then give you a bonus ball; Structure. You can see them in our standard Lunchbar Talk Feedback Form here. But what are they, and why are they so important? 1. Identification: You’re at a wedding, seated between …
Speakers: How Do I Prepare For The Q&A?
Perhaps the most significant part of the Lunchbar event is the Q&A. This offers the speaker a valuable insight into their audience, and offers the audience an opportunity for test the credibility and clarity of the speaker. I’d be so bold to say the Q&A makes or breaks the event. Gulp. So how can we …
Speakers: Memorable Messages
Are you ‘sticky’? A friend of a friend of mine is a banker who frequently flies to America. He went to a local bar in Atlantic City one evening, and had just finished a drink when an attractive woman approached and asked if she could buy him another. He was surprised, but flattered (assuming she …
Speakers: What Can We Learn From A Singing Footballer?
What Can We Learn From A Singing Footballer? Graham Daniels (above) began his message at FORUM by telling the story of Dennis Bailey. Dennis was a striker for QPR in the 1980s who scored a hat-trick against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Let’s just pause and enjoy that fact for a moment. Ah. Anyway, the …
Speaking on… Suffering?
Here are three articles and one talk from Bethinking to get you started. 1. Dave Burke’s piece on the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami models aspects of an excellent lunchbar. He demonstrates good Identification by describing his own struggles, wrestling in prayer while walking behind his house. This is the ‘voice’ he uses in his introduction to …
Speaking on… Exclusivism?
To believe that Jesus is the exclusive way to God is controversial on at least two levels. It’s seen as socially undesirable (arrogant, dismissive of others, divisive, distasteful) and frankly implausible (how can you be so convinced that your religion is right, given how many billions would disagree?). But what could we say to those …
Speaking on… Truth?
Here are three pieces from Bethinking to get you started. Esther Jervis, quoting Greg Koukl, summarizes the problem nicely: “The non-believer does not have in his perception of reality that there is such a thing as truth… Christianity is just a preferred activity of the Christian, or preferred notion or belief. It’s simply a preference. …
Speaking on… Freedom?
“Won’t Christianity take away my freedom?” I haven’t come across many bethinking articles that engage specifically with the issues of freedom and lifestyle, so I’m offering a couple of alternatives to get you started. These deal in different ways with the perception that becoming a Christian is to put yourself behind bars, restricting yourself and …
Speaking on… Science?
Some articles from Bethinking to get you started. 1. Chris Knight, who co-ordinates Bethinking, has drawn together various important articles that you can read here. 2. Simon Wenham, who works at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, has written a helpful piece on why the ‘conflict thesis’ (between science and religion) has been so popular …
Question: Is there Christian Eloquence?
This is taken from John Piper’s talk Is there Christian eloquence? “Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” (1 Corinthians 1:17) And what of 1 Corinthians 2:1, “When I came to you, brothers, I did not …
Speakers: Wisdom From The Wise
If you could interview an experienced Lunchbar speaker, what would you ask them? Sadly, I didn’t have your questions so I had to make up my own. But it was fascinating talking to… Richard Cunningham about ‘identification, persuasion and invitation’ Amy Orr-Ewing about preaching in Clint Eastwood’s church Michael Ramsden about using contemporary culture in talks …
Question: What are ‘Defeater Beliefs’?
It’s not what you say, it’s what they hear. Despite your best efforts in preparing and delivering a persuasive apologetic talk, do you ever suspect what is heard is ‘Jesus blah blah nonsense nonsense objection objection’? Tim Keller give us a handle on this with the ‘defeater belief’ concept. 1. ‘DEFEATERS’ ARE THE ROOT OF …
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