OUTBREAK
Masterpiece Student Outreach ~ Student Service ~ Wednesday, June 6, 2002
OPENING ILLUSTRATION
NICOLE ALAIMO - "Hi! I am Nicole Alaimo from ABC News. It is a saturday night and I am right now in Valley Stream, NY. This quit urban village has been infected by an OUTBREAK. Officials are shocked! They have no idea how it started ... all we know for sure is that it is only infecting people under the age of 22. This OUTBREAK seems to have been air born for an unknown period of time. We know that 85 students are confirmed positive. The OUTBREAK has been affecting everyone ... parents ... friends ... classmates ... the only thing that we know for sure is that they all have ONE THING in common ... they seem to have been in contact with students at a Youth Ministry ... um ... called ... yes, here it is ... Masterpiece Student Outreach! Apparently, this epidemic started with a small group of students here that spread this OUTBREAK ... This OUTBREAK is contagious ... it affects everyone! We also discovered that those who are more recently infected with the OUTBREAK transmit it much quicker than those who have been contaminated much longer. The OUTBREAK is rare and extremely transferable. The carrier spreads the OUTBREAK stronger each time they come in contact with people. Wait ... yes ... I see Dr. Bishop. Dr. Bishop just a few words ... please ... What do know about the OUTBREAK?”
PASTOR TODD – “Well, we do not know much. We know that it is highly contagious. It spreads by the mouth … travels through the nervous system to the mind … and then gets lodged in the heart where the OUTBREAK reaches its most critical, life-altering stages …”
NICOLE ALAIMO – “Will this OUTBREAK ever be contained?”
PASTOR TODD – “I am not really sure if that is possible. Without knowing the source of the infection. I do believe that if we identify the carriers and isolate them, we will be able to slightly contain it.”
NICOLE ALAIMO – “Can you carry the OUTBREAK without be infected by it?”
PASTOR TODD – “Well, that is impossible! Once the OUTBREAK infects you it will overtake every area of your life. This epidemic is unlike any that I have ever seen in my extensive years in the medical profession. It shocks me to see that after people catch this virus … they are happy! Once you are infected YOU WILL INFECT OTHERS! It seems like you have no choice!
NICOLE ALAIMO – “What should someone do if they get infected by the OUTBREAK?”
PASTOR TODD – “To be honest … I do not know. It is highly contagious! I would find your nearest hospital. Get to the doctor. And hope that there is some kind of treatment for this virus. My colleagues and I are baffled … we only want to find the carriers and isolate them … then the OUTBREAK will be contained!”
NICOLE ALAIMO – “Thank you Dr. Bishop! That’s it for now from Valley Stream. I am Nicole Alaimo covering the OUTBREAK ... not because I have to, but because I have been infected. Until next time ... look out for the OUTBREAK!"
INTRODUCTION
Young person, I really believe that God wants to create an OUTBREAK EPIDEMIC that will cause us to infect truth into the lives of everyone we know!
I know that some of your schools need to experience the OUTBREAK!
I know that some of your families need to come in contact with the OUTBREAK!
I know that many of your friends need the touch of the OUTBREAK!
I know that this community is in desperate need of an OUTBREAK!
I also believe that this Student Ministry, once again, needs to be infected with the OUTBREAK!
In this little opening illustration … if you can remember … Dr. Bishop said, “If we can isolate the carriers, then the OUTBREAK will be contained.”
Friend, we have been isolated in the quarantine of Church … we have been isolated … and the OUTBREAK has stopped spreading!
George Gallup said, “North America is the only continent where Christianity is not growing. There has been a 5 million member decline in the churches in North America.”
George Barna recently said, “Half of all churches last year did not add one new member through conversion growth.”
The Barna Research Group released the following statistics:
* There are about 300 million people in the United States.
* 25% of the population has been invited to church.
* 15% (34 million) of those who have not been invited said they would accept if asked.
* 65% (146 million) unchurched people said that they would go to church if invited by a friend.
Young friend … there is a world out there that needs to be INFECTED by the OUTBREAK of Jesus Christ!
We have a responsibility to the unchurched! We have a responsibility to God!
Now, I know some of you may be thinking: “I am not good at evangelism. I am not really able to share my faith with people. I am not really gifted at that … I have a hard time going street witnessing … “
And then there are others who are really awesome at that … and that’s cool too!
So, Pastor Todd, what are you asking from us to help SPREAD THE OUTBREAK … okay … here it is … I want to give you some simple guidelines for spreading the OUTBREAK …
EVERYONE IN THIS STUDENT MINISTRY WILL NOT BE
AN EVANGELIST, BUT ALL OF YOU CAN BE INVITERS
It is really the heart of God that we begin to build intentional relationships with students in our community who aren’t yet Christians.
Now, I know some of you may be thinking … “No … this is watering down the message!”
Not at all friend! It is just packaging it in a way that you can INVITE your friends to a place where they will hear the truth of God!
Let me give you a biblical illustration of this process … John 4:25-41 … “The woman said, ‘I know the Messiah will come – the one who is called the Christ. When he comes he will explain everything to us. The Jesus told her, ‘I am the Messiah.” Just then his disciples arrived. They were astonished to find him talking to a woman, but none of them asked them why he was doing it or what they had been discussing. The woman left her water jar beside the well and went back to the village and told everyone, ‘Come and meet the man who told me everything I ever did! Can this be the Messiah?’ So the people came streaming from the village to see him.” …………. “Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’ When they came out to see him they begged him to stay at their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many of them to hear his message and believe …”
You can see three great things in this passage of Scripture …
1.THE ATTRACTION – Jesus was the Messiah. This woman was attracted to the Truth.
2.THE RELATION – This woman went back to HER village … she invited her circle of influence!
3.THE CONNECTION – Jesus then was connected to them … connection with Christ can happen anywhere … but you must bring your friends where they can truly meet Jesus!
Young person, not all of us are going to be gifted evangelists, but all of us can be INVITERS!
The most powerful connection tool à friends inviting friends!
EVERYONE IN THIS STUDENT MINISTRY MAY NOT BE OUTSPOKEN, BUT ALL OF YOU CAN INFECT TRUTH BY THE WAY YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE
Oh yes, there are some of you in this group that know how to talk … you know how to go on and on and on and on … you have more lasting power than the ENERGIZER BATTERY BUNNY …
And there are many of you that could care less how you dress … from alternative … to preppy … to sporty … to totally sloppy!
There are also some of you that very much are not LOUD in your dress or OUTSPOKEN with friends, but your life reflects Christ in everything that you do!
You can INFECT TRUTH in this world!
How can you INFECT TRUTH in a culture of compromise and low standards?
LIVE THE TRUTH … 365 days a year … 7 days a week … 24 hours a day … all the time!
REMAIN CLOSE TO THE CHEST OF GOD … rest your weary body in the arms of a loving Savior.
FIND TRUSTWORTHY FRIENDS TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE … don’t be a lone ranger … connect with peers that are going to help you live the truth!
OPEN YOUR MOUTH WHEN THE OPPORTUNITIES COME … don’t force truth … don’t shove Jesus down anyone’s throat … wait for God to open up the window … it usually take 6-10 hits for a person to actually listen to the words you speak … not just hear them!
In Psalm 15 David asks God two questions: “Who may worship in your sanctuary Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?” (15:1).
Friend, if you are longing for the presence of Christ IN your life listen to one of God’s answers … “Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts” (15:2).
Yes … you may have a very quiet personality, but all of us can INFECT TRUTH by our lifestyles!!!
EVERYONE IN THIS STUDENT MINISTRY PROBABLY
WON’T BE A PREACHER, BUT ALL OF YOU SHOULD
LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF THE UNCHURCHED
I really believe that many of us, myself included, have tried to use “religious” words to persuade people to follow Christ!
Think of this for a moment … we are going to Spain for a missions trip … we decide that we do not need an interpreter because God will speak to them in the Spirit. We will only speak to the Spanish-speaking people in English …
You and I both know … these people are going to hear you, but they will not understand you!!!
We have so many phrases in the church sub-culture that the world has no clue what they mean …
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?
Come to the altar and cry out to God and REPENT for wicked lifestyle!
Take and eat for this is my body!
Jesus wants to live in your heart!
The church should be saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost!
Are you backslidden?
You may lose your salvation!
You need to give your life to God!
God wants to BREAK YOU!
Now, as true as all of these are … many of the unchurched, if not all of them, will not understand and even misunderstand these buzz phrases!
CHURCHY WORDS USE INSTEAD
Fellowship Make new friends
Discipleship Grow spiritually
Worship Listen to some music
Sermon Message
I watched this video on Tuesday and the biggest excuse that people gave was that “Christianity is not relevant” (Highway Videos).
Most people have not even been in church. How can they say it is no relevant? WE ARE SPEAKING TWO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES!!!
If we want to reach the unchurched we must speak the LANGUAGE OF THE UNCHURCHED!
CONCLUSION
I am praying that there would be an OUTBREAK in this Student Ministry that would infect the unchurched with the love of Jesus Christ!
2 Thessalonians 3:1 reads, “Finally dear brothers and sisters, I ask you to pray for us. Pray first that the Lord’s message would spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you.”
We need an OUTBREAK of the message of Jesus Christ!
BE AN INVITER!!!
INFECT TRUTH!!!
SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF THE UNCHURCHED!!!
Let me show you what happens when there is an OUTBREAK … c’mon let’s go outside … (Illustration of the sparkles thrown from the top of the fire escape) … YOU HAVE ALL BEEN INFECTED … NOW GO AN INFECT OTHERS WITH THE OUTBREAK OF GOD’S LOVE!!!!
