DCBC’s latest round of evangelistic dinners took up all five Saturday evenings of March – 3 to 31, 2007 – at the UP School of Statistics auditorium. No less than 34 of all those invited showed up for the latest Discovery Meetings, though 18 invitees came only once. Four invitees attended only twice, another four invitees three times, and six invitees four out of the five evenings. Two invitees had a perfect attendance record. (One invitee brought in four of his friends, one of whom brought in two of her friends.)

Several of the March DM participants now form a new Bible study group that meets at the UP residence of Ate Aida Mojica. The Bible study is well on its way led by DCBC Elder Kuya Jess Espina.

This was the seventh edition over six consecutive years, and the fourth at the Stat auditorium. Still, the DCBC Discovery Meetings continue to shift in focus, format, topics, content, audience, and approach (also schedule) in a constant quest to improve its delivery of the Gospel.

Focus, format, topics, content, audience, approach
For the March DM, the focus was Christian apologetics, by no means apologizing for but rather explaining and defending Biblical Christianity. Biblical truths were held up to the scrutiny of DM guests in comparison to the world view, to the worldly view of things.

The format for a session was basically the same as last year’s. There was a simple early dinner, short introductory talk, first group discussion with dessert (the audience divided into four to six groups), then message on the topic. After the message, there was a second group discussion over coffee, and take-home questions on the night’s burning issue.

However, in the weeks before the first session the topics (and number of sessions), content, and home study questions were revised yet again to fit the focus on apologetics. The DM committee would meet for early dinner, or after dinner, at someone’s home then map out the next DM session over coffee. (One time it was at Pastor Bel Magalit’s cozy residence, over a bowl — and then another — of Ate Lety Magalit’s light and creamy guinataan.)

At a planning meeting, the DM committee helped the next assigned speaker-apologist refine his talk and follow-on questions. The committee decided on five topics, and so five speakers, five evenings, five DM sessions. (March with its five Saturdays ending just before Holy Week was just the right fit.)

The first topic, “Is the Bible reliable?” had DCBC Elder and Council Chairman Kuya Mon Rocha as speaker-apologist, the second, “Who is Jesus?” had Pastor Bel. The third, “Why did Jesus have to die?” was tackled (for the third time in as many years) by Kuya Jess Espina, and the fourth, “Do all religions lead to God?” by DCBC Elder Manny Portugal. The fifth and last, “Is science against faith?” was left to DCBC Elder Dr. Ken Villanueva to investigate with the audience. (This last session had no take-home questions.)

The audience had to be made up of seekers comfortable in the English language. (For seekers comfortable in the Tagalog language, there is a variant of the DM series conducted in Tagalog.)

The approach was a bolder one compared to that in past years with the audience regularly invited to accept Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior.

Each session could stand alone. Except for a personal testimony that linked a session to the one before (and the home-study questions to be submitted at the next first group discussion), each session was designed to have standalone impact. This grew out of the recognition that very few invitees are ever able to attend all sessions, many might attend only once, or attend for the first time near or at the end of the series.

Each session had to contain a kairos moment. The “golden opportunity” had to be seized every time to present the Gospel and invite the participants to ask Christ into their hearts and lives.

Of course, they had to be convinced in their minds (as well as convicted by the Spirit in their hearts) by the Biblical argument. And since the message analyzed, explored, and argued for the Biblical view on the topic (within twenty-five minutes), it always led to the person of Jesus and His offer for anybody’s taking.

Faithfully contending for the faith
One feature that was woven firmly into the March DM sessions was the personal testimony, right after dinner and before the first group discussion.

The five-minute testimony served to put a reassuring face on the topic of the previous session, to personify what was discussed the week before. Here was someone saying that the Bible is the Living Word of God for him, speaking to him, guiding him in large and small matters. This very ordinary man was urging the listener to discover for himself, for herself this amazing come-alive book. Here was another saying that, yes she has a personal relationship with Jesus, that it is neither just a catch phrase nor a myth. This very ordinary woman was telling the listener that he could, she could also get up close and personal with the Lord and Savior of the whole world.

Even Masahiro Urakata who belongs to a Japanese congregation that meets in Union Church in Makati, brought the difficult topic, “Do all religions lead to God?” down to earth with his guest testimony. He was invited through his pastor June Griffiths, a member of DCBC’s English congregation. Mr. Urakata actually speaks little English, but gave his testimony in fluent Tagalog. He went from Buddhism to a Japanese monotheistic religion before he came to Christ. He brought along his Filipina wife, a Filipino friend, and a Korean friend, wanting them to hear the Gospel along with everybody else in the room. (They came early, all the way from Cavite.)

A personal testimony helps to bring the Gospel near. It also helps the group discussion leaders do their part.

The role of the group discussion leader is very important. The group discussion leader draws out responses to the home-study questions on the previous topic (nudged along by the personal testimony just heard). The group discussion leader guides his, her group members as they examine and compare views, talk about personal problems and concerns, and share ideas.

Because the message is limited to only 25 minutes, the group discussion leader must also be an able speaker-apologist during the second group discussion which is on the current topic.

A special feature that was inserted into some sessions was an open forum. This was an additional question-and-answer portion that attempted to address those lingering issues related to the topic that people carry around. This was useful mainly to reveal the need to work additional whole sessions into the next DM.

Just as last year, there will be a second series of Discovery Meetings this year. Primarily but not only for the student seeker, this second round will be increased to seven sessions, incorporating two important subjects, Pain and Suffering, and Heaven and Hell. The series will run from July into August, and will take place on seven consecutive Wednesdays. Christian Apologetics, DCBC-style, will again be the focus. And, again, there will be no apologies. Just some explaining to do.