On Wednesday Night, , we will discuss Methods of Evangelism. In 1 Corinthians 22, the Apostle Paul writes “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”  In other words, the Apostle Paul seems to be willing to try “all means” or all methods to try to win people to faith in Jesus Christ.

In a recent article in the New York Times, the Church of England is taking Paul’s words to the extreme. Several of their churches are renovating their Medieval Cathedrals to include amusements that will hopefully attract younger families into their congregations.

Norwich Cathedral has added a 55 foot tall sliding board inside their 12^th Century stone church. On Sunday Mornings, the Sermons are delivered from the Top of the Slide. They charge $2.50 for admission.

Lichfield Cathedral has a space theme this summer in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing, allowing visitors to walk along a reproduction of the surface of the moon.

Peterborough Cathedral has a model of Earth on display. The replica uses high-resolution NASA imagery to give a sense of the Earth as seen from space.

In Rochester Cathedral, people can play a round of mini golf in the church’s sanctuary. The nine-hole course has a bridge theme, which church leaders say was intended to spark conversations about spiritual bridge-building.

Leaders of the Church of England say that failing attendance in recent years is the main reason for these changes in methods. It seems that the English culture has given up on spiritual things. One of the Pastors explained that bringing people in for the amusements also gives people an opportunity to re-engage with the Biblical scenes portrayed in stained glass and other art displays within the church. He continues “We are sharing our building with lots of new people and having conversations about faith. The cathedral is full of smiling, happy people.”

One of the church growth maxims is “methods are many, principles are few – methods may change but principles never do.”  What do you think of the Church of England’s non-traditional evangelism method?

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