|PIC1|Youthwork, one if the UK’s leading youth ministry bodies is promoting an 11-week series that will direct its works towards the deprived areas of Birmingham, asking the question ‘What would Jesus say to our heroes and idols?’

The first week of the series will look at the more specific question: “What would Jesus say to Britney Spears?”, and young people will debate the star’s life. In particular, they will look into why with so much fame, money and beauty that she claims to be unhappy in her life.

As the series continues, other famous personalities will be added to the debate including cartoon character Bart Simpson, physics professor Stephen Hawking, as well as the murdered rapper Tupac.

The event has been backed by the members of Stechford Baptist Church, who have hope that the series will facilitate youth contemplating how they personally could relate to the real person of Jesus.

|TOP|One of the organisers of the event, Martin Turner said, “We're not out to knock any of these people down. 'This series is about what Jesus the person would say to the people that a lot of us look up to, or associate with, or would like to be like. We're using creative arts and a fairly large dose of humour to help ask and answer these questions.”

The first session of the series will take place on Sunday 29th January. Ray Jellicoe is guest speaker at the first session said, “This event is not about pointing the finger at Britney Spears and saying, "look how bad she is". We picked Britney because she's got what so many people want, but she's still not happy. And then there's Jesus, whose own heart went out to the broken-hearted. So we're asking the question, if Britney Spears turned up some place and found that Jesus was there, what would she say to him, and what would he say to her?”

The 11-week series runs at Stechford Baptist Church, Victoria Road, Stechford, Birmingham, B33 8AH every Sunday from 29th January until 9th April, between 6.30pm-7.45pm