Q&A: Rico Tice

Life Explored is a new course that’s come out of Christianity Explored. Can you first of all explain what Christianity Explored is?

We basically look at Jesus in Mark’s Gospel. We look at three great themes: Who is Jesus? Why did he come? And what does it mean to follow him? It’s a journey together in groups.

What’s the difference between Alpha and Christianity Explored?

With Christianity Explored we say: ‘Here’s Jesus in Mark’s Gospel. Have a look, what do you think?’ Alpha is more of a helicopter around the key doctrines of the Christian faith.

So what’s Life Explored all about?

In week one, we look at Genesis 1 and the creation. Week two is the fall. So we’re dealing with key milestones in scripture. We’re hoping that as people come on the course, having looked at Jesus in Mark [on Christianity Explored], they now get an overview of what’s going on in the Bible. 

These films that accompany each session are a bit like modern-day parables. Interestingly, you’ve opted for no speech. What are you trying to do with that?

As an evangelist there are always three things to keep in mind. Sovereignty: we’re praying God will open blind eyes (2 Corinthians 4:4-6). Integrity: you want to tell the truth. Creativity: becoming all things to all men to win as many as possible (1 Corinthians 9:22). We are in a visual culture and a culture that’s finding propositional truth more and more difficult to hear. So we’re making these films saying, ‘Can you see the relational mayhem that occurs when you live without God?’

In week five we have a clip based on Hosea. This man’s wife goes off to become a geisha girl. He goes to find her and gets beaten up. He has to pay to bring her home. Their kids are thrilled but then two days later she’s off again. At the end their son stands there and says, ‘Dad, off you go again to get her.’ And we say, ‘Can you see how this is the way we treat God? He is like this man who comes for his wife just like Hosea does, and we’re like Gomer.’

We’ve spent a lot and there are a great deal of resources that have gone in to making you feel what you feel in the book of Hosea. 

Will an atheist who is convinced there’s no God get anything out of this course?

What’s really important is we’re aiming to mobilise the Church family in evangelism. As a leader I’m trying to get non-Christians on a table with leaders. We’re saying to leaders, ‘Here’s some core material, but your job is to help people with the questions they’ve got.’ So if you’ve got a hardened atheist who is gracious enough to come, then the table leaders you’d hope would pick up wherever they’re at.

Unashamedly we’ll look at God the Father and Jesus. But at the same time the nature of the discussion is you’re constantly exploring what people are thinking and trying to explain and encourage wherever they’re at.

I’ve been involved with evangelism in this country for 25 years and I haven’t seen stuff like what we’re trying to do. I don’t mean to sound pompous. I just really hope that people will give it a try.

For more information visit Life.explo.red