INTRO
ƒ{ The stumbling block has become the Christian Subculture
ƒ{ Much of what we do today at Citipoint is not only trying to tell people about Jesus
ƒ{ But getting them beyond this Christian subculture barrier that we've created
ƒ{ Jesus never wanted us to create a subculture
ƒ{ Jesus hung out with the non-Christians
„X Talked with them
„X Listened to them
„X Cared for them
„X Cried with them
„X Partied with them
„X Died for them
ƒ{ He only rebuked religious people
ƒ{ Last week we started and talked about
THE BUBBLE
ƒ{ Today I want to talk about
THE BATTLE
THE BARRIERS
THE BREAKTHROUGH
2. THE BATTLE
* The enemy has always waited to destroy Christianity
* Starting with Christ himself
* Paul killing Steven
* Disciples
Disciple Death By
Simon Peter Crucified upside down
Andrew Beaten then crucified
James the Great Beheaded
John Exiled, died of old age
Matthew Speared to death
Bartholomew/Nathaniel Flayed alive then crucified
Philip Crucified
Thomas Speared to death
Simon Crucified
James the Less Stoned to death
Judas Suicide by hanging
Thaddaeus (Judas son of James) Stoned to death
* And Christianity has always had misunderstanding and bad representation
* In the first few hundred years of Christianity
* Christians were thought of as:
o Cannibals
o Atheists
o Perverts
Cannibalism - Because rumors got out about Christians
Drank blood and ate flesh when they were partaking of communion
Atheists- Because prior to Christianity, most Greek and Roman religion worshipped statues
Since Christians didn't have a physical representation
of their god
They were accused of being Atheists.
Perverts - Because of calling each other brother & sister
Outsiders hearing even husbands and wives call each other brother & sister
It looked like incest
* Today, there are a lot of misconceptions also:
„X Mean
„X Judgmental
„X Spooky
Video
* Bombing abortion clinics
* Telling people they are going to hell
Video Walk the Line - Divorce scene
* Language we use is spooky
„X I am covered in the blood
„X The Holy Ghost came on me
„X Y2K
„X And what's up with Christian TV?
3. THE BARRIER
* Have you ever invited someone to church
* Only to get snubbed
* Perceptions of church is the barrier to God
o Not relevant
o Judgmental
o Boring
o Political
o Homophobic
o Exclusive
o Weird
* When I was a kid
o I remember the classic bridge illustration of man needing God
o And Jesus was the bridge
EXPLAIN Easter Message
* But in our world today, it's become more complex
o I was driving Aaron & Amanda over Deception Pass
o 2 bridges
o And came to realize that it takes
o 2 bridges to get people to God
* If we don't realize this then we are deceived
* Man needs a bridge called friendship
* To get over -
o The wrong perceptions
o And attitudes of the church
o Then we can discuss
o The theology of sin & salvation
o And the bridge of Jesus
o To get them to God
* And we can't build the bridge of friendship
* If we piously live in a bubble of Christianity!
* I understand
* That this gospel is a stumbling block to some -- 1 Corinthians 1:23
* But I don't want to be guilty of...
* Making them stumble before I even introduce them to the gospel
* We've become so impersonal with the gospel
o Picket signs
o Mass mailings
o Turn or burn tracts
o Preaching like they're not in the room
* If we don't get out of the bubble and become;
o Missionaries
o Friends
* It doesn't matter how cool our service is
o We can serve coffee
o Have cool bands
o Good preaching
„X But it doesn't matter if they're afraid to come
„X Or don't want to come because of who they see outside the service
* Let's face it...
o I am a Christian
o But even I view Christians as
o Weird and mean
* We can't get over emphasized on how good the church service looks
* Because it doesn't matter if we don't:
o First build a bridge of friendship
o That's what eventually will get them to church
o Then we can help them cross the
„X Chasm of sin
„X And find God
* But finding God is a process (explain)
* The Holy Spirit will convert
o Explain the Dove & Raven
o John 16:8-13
* The bridge of friendship must be genuine
o Not with a purpose
o Or ulterior motive
* People aren't:
o Objects
o Targets
o Goals
* The bridge of friendship breaks the barriers of misconception
EXAMPLE: My Dad's friend said to me
"I wish more Christians were like you"
