On the day of the event, we impress upon our team the importance of not engaging in theological discussions unless they are prompted, and then only to inform rather than convince. Our goal is to engage in dialogue and interaction with others while respecting their perspectives and beliefs.
We've found that much of the advice in these sections, and especially the checklist, is also relevant for large community events in marquees and large university events.
It is important for us to remember that the purpose of these events is to interact and engage with people of other cultures or faiths. When approaching religious congregations, community groups, or other organizations to suggest holding these events, they may be initially hesitant for a variety of reasons. One common concern is that the event may be an attempt to proselytize or convert others. To alleviate these concerns, we make sure to clearly explain at the outset that our intention is simply to engage and interact with the other group, rather than to convince them of our own faith.
