Church topic is Britney; RELIGION: Bid to attract youth.

Byline: By Jasbir Authi

A CHURCH is trying to attract a younger flock - by asking what would have happened if Britney Spears or Bart Simpson ever bumped into Jesus.

Stechford Baptist Church will be posing questions such as 'What would Jesus say to Britney Spears?'or 'What would Jesus say to Tupac?' in an attempt to increase churchgoers aged between 15 and 27.

The church claims the Christian superstar may say she is the happiest person in the world but she is also known for lyrics such as "my loneliness is killing me" from her hit song 'Hit Me Baby One More Time.'

Guest speaker and church-goer Ray Jellicoe, from Stechford, 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 - beauty, fame and fortune. 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?"

Other well-known figures who will come up for discussion during the 11-week series, kicking off on Sunday, include the eminent scientist Stephen Hawking, dead rapper Tupac and the prince of underachievers Bart Simpson.

Debate organiser Martin Turner, aged 39, from Stechford, 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 a sense of humour to help ask and answer these questions."

Anyone interested in joining in should go a long to Stechford Baptist Church in Victoria Road on Sundays from 6.30pm to 7.45pm or call Martin on 0121 244 2724.

CAPTION(S):

FOCUS... Britney Spears.