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Participantswillneed:• Bibles• Participantnotes• WritingutensilsIllustrationoptions:• Erasableboardand

supplies• Severallargesheetsof

drawingpaper• Coloredpencilsor

crayonsormarkers(optional)

• Flatblockofwoodwithonenailhammeredintoitandsixflat-toppednails

Mediaoptions:• PowerPointslidesforthis

lesson• “IftheWorldWere100

People”video

Instructor’sGuideLESSON6-0BuildingBridgesofOutreach

Objectives• Toidentifyneedsofchildreninthecommunity.• Toconsiderspecificwaystobuildbridgesofoutreachtochildrenin

participant’scommunities,especiallythosewhodonotyetfollowChrist.

• Toprayaboutnextstepstobeginreachingmorechildreninthecommunity.

LessonOverviewWelcomeandWarmUp 10minutesCommunityOutreachAssessment 20minutesWhatisOutreach? 10minutesIdeasforOutreach 10minutesImpossibilities 10minutesWrapUp(JoshuaPrinciple) 10minutes ApproximateTotalTime: 70minutes

BeforeYouBegin• Pray.AskGodtoopentheheartsofparticipantsandtohelpyoushare

fromyourheartaboutthisimportanttopic.• Gatherallmaterials(seeright).Makesubstitutionsasnecessary.• Readthroughthelessontofindplaceswhereyouwillbeaskedtogivea

personalstoryorthought.Planaheadtochoosepowerfulexamples.

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Playagame:LostGenerationHaveparticipantsformgroupsofthreepeopleinanopenspace.Twopeoplejoinhandsandmakea“tent”overthethird.Thetwoholdinghandsrepresentthechurch,andthethirdrepresentsthechild.Participantsmustfollowtheinstructionsoftheleader.Leadercallsthecommandsinanyordermultipletimes:

“Childgotochurch”–allthe“children”movetostandunderadifferentsetofhands.“Churchgotochild”–allthe“churches”moveandfindanotherchildtostandover.“LostGeneration”–everyonemovesandformsanewgroupofthree.

Manytimeswefocusourministryonthechildrenwhocometothechurch.Butnoteverychildgoestochurch.Howcanwereachthem?Thechurchmustfindwaystogotothechild.Andwemustlookcreativelyatchangingwhatwearedoingforchildreninordertomoreeffectivelyreachthem,orwemayloseageneration.Whatarewedoingtogotothechild?Andarewechangingourstrategiessowecanreachthelostgeneration?

Videooption:“IftheWorldwere100People” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFrqTFRy-LU)

(Toprepareforthisactivity,drawyourowncommunitymaponpaperorbepreparedtodrawitonaboardfortheparticipantsduringthelesson.)ReadMatthew24:14.Jesuspointedouttheimportanceofthegospelgoingtoeverynation,andthatincludesthechildrenofthosenations.

3. Whatarethebarriersorobstaclesthatneedtobeconsideredorovercomebeforetheycanbereachedwiththegospel?

4. Howmightwereachthem?Howdowebuildbridgesofrelationship?

Welcome&WarmUp (10minutes)

CommunityOutreachAssessment (20minutes)

Beforemissionariesorchurch-plantersbeginworkinginanewcommunityorwithanunreachedpeoplegroup,theyattempttounderstandthatgroupofpeople.Sometypeofassessmentisdoneofthecommunitytofindoutaboutthepeoplelivingthere.TheprocessiscalledCommunityOutreachAssessmentandinvolvesaskingfourbigquestions(seeparticipantnotes):

1. Whoarethesepeople?Whatactivitiesdotheydo?2. Whataretheirneeds–spiritual,physical,emotionalorother?

Intheworldtoday,atleast2/3ofthechildrenstillneedtoknowChrist.Thislessonhelpsusfocusonbuildingbridgesofoutreachtothesechildren.THE1for50HAND:Thislessonhelpsusconsiderhowto“ReachtheUnreached.”

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Thepeopleweareseekingtoreacharechildren,sointhisactivitywewillassessthechildrenofourcommunitybydrawingapictureofthecommunityandansweringthefirstthreebigquestions.(Showyourdrawingtotheclass,describingyourcommunityandpointingouttheanswerstoquestions1,2and3inthedrawing,ordrawasamplepictureontheboard.)

(Divideparticipantsintogroupsoffourtosixpeopleorintochurch/ministrygroups.Giveeachgroupablanksheetofpaperandcrayonsormarkers.AskeachgrouptochooseONEcommunityonwhichtofocusanddrawapictureofthechildren’sworldinthatcommunity.Thepictureshouldhavesimpledrawingsthatillustrateanswerstothedetailedquestionsunder1,2&3ontheCommunityOutreachAssessmentGuide.Question4willbedealtwithlaterinthelesson.Thepicturesdonothavetobephysicalrepresentationsofacommunity—theydonothavetodrawallthestreets—butpicturescanbesymbolicoftheneedsintheworldofthechildrenofthecommunity.NOTE:Ifhandoutsarenotavailable,writethefourmainquestionsonaboardorreadthemforthegrouptoremember.

Allowgroupstodiscussanddrawfor10-12minutes.Thenhaveeachgroupfindoneothergroupwithwhomtosharetheirassessmentpictures,describingtheneedsandrealitiesofchildrenintheircommunity.Ifyouhaveonlyafewgroups,allgroupsmaysharetheirassessmentpictureswiththewholegroup.Notethecommonneedsanddifficultiessharedbygroups.)SharesometruthsaboutchildreninyourcommunitythatreallychallengeyoubutalsomotivateyoutoreachouttothemwiththeloveofChrist.

Somepeopledefineoutreachasanyactivitythatoccursoutsidethechurchbuilding.Othersdefineoutreachaseventsthatinvitepeopleinsidethechurchwalls.Somethinkit’sonlyoutreachifthegospelmessageisshared.Howdoyoudefineoutreach?(Hearseveralresponses.)

TrueorFalse?Askparticipantstostandinacirclefacingthemiddle.Explainthatyouaregoingtoreadsomestatementsaboutoutreach.Asyoureadeachstatement,participantsmustturntotheRIGHTiftheythinkitisTRUEandtotheLEFTiftheythinkitisFALSE.Iftheyfindthemselvesfacetofacewiththepersonnexttothem,theyareofdifferentopinionsandmustexplainwhytheyhaveansweredthewaytheydid.Enjoythedialogue.Therearenorightorwronganswers;thestatementsareaccordingtopeople’sopinions.Iftimeisshort,selectonlyfiveorsixstatements.)

WhatisOutreach? (10minutes)

Onlyafterwehaveanunderstandingofthelocalcommunitycanwebegintoplanoutreachministriesthatareappropriateforbuildingbridgesofrelationshipwithunreachedchildren.Butwhatdowemeanbytheword“outreach”?

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1. SundaySchoolandoutreacharethesame. 2. Youcandooutreachevenifyouhaveverylittlemoney.3. Non-ChristianchildrenarejustlikeChristianchildren.4. Ifwepresentthegospel,childrenwillalwayslistenandunderstand.5. Childrendonotneedwords.Theywillunderstandthegospelifwe

simplyshowthemlove.6. Childrenaretooyoungtomakeaseriouscommitmenttofollow

Jesus.7. Thebiggertheoutreachevent,thebetteritis.8. Whatworksinoneplacewillworkeverywheretoreachchildren.9. ChildrencanleadotherchildrentoChrist.10. IfchildrendonotreceiveChristatanoutreach,itisafailure.11. Itisokaytohavehumororgamesatanoutreach.12. Parentsshouldnotwatchanoutreachevent.

Discusssomeofthefollowingoutreachprinciplesastheyarise:

• OutreachcanbeverydifferentfromSundaySchool.• Outreachdoesnotneedtotakealotofmoney.• Thegospelneedstobegiveninachild’slanguage.• ChildrenareoldenoughtoconsiderfollowingJesus.• Itisveryeasytocompareourselveswithothersinoutreach.

Haveparticipantssitdownanddiscussthefollowingquestionwithapartner:Whichofthesestatementschallengesyouthemost?

Shareastoryofanoutreacheventorprogramthatworkedwelloronethatwasnoteffective.Whatdidyoulearnfromthisexperience?

BrainstormcontestNowitistimetothinkofoutreachideasthatcanbuildbridgestounreachedchildren.Itmaybeafeedingprogram,showingaChristianfilm,havingachildren’scarnivalorsomethingelsethatbuildsrelationalbridgestochildren.

(Dividetheclassintotwotofourgroups.Explainthatyouaregoingtohaveacompetition.Groupswillhavefiveminutestocreatealistofpossibleoutreachideas,programs,ormethods.Inthisexercise,thereisnosuchthingasabadidea.Encourageparticipantstothinkabouttheircommunityoutreachassessmentsforideasonwhatissuesmayofferopportunitiesto

IdeasforOutreach (10minutes)

Jesushasalreadydonetherealworkofsalvation.Childrensimplyneedtoknowaboutwhathedidandbeofferedanopportunitytochoosehimforthemselves.Godiscallingustobuildbridgesfromhishearttothechildreninourneighborhoods.Butwhatmightthosebridgeslooklike?

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buildbridgestochildrenandtheirfamilies.Orconsiderideastheyhaveheardothersdo.

Afterfiveminutes,haveallgroupssharetheirlistsorselectthetopideasfromtheirlistandsharethoseideas.Celebratethediversityofideas.Optional:giveaprizetothegroupwiththelongestlist.)

Now,gobacktoyourCommunityOutreachAssessmentgroup.Choosetwoorthreeoutreachandbridge-buildingideasthatcouldpossiblybeeffectiveforthecommunitythatyourgrouphasdrawn.LookattheCommunityOutreachAssessmentquestionsandconsider#4asyoudiscuss.

• Whatmethodscouldbeused?• Whatkindofoutreachwillbebestforthechildrenyouhopeto

reach?• Whatresourcesdoyouhave?• Whatcanyoudowithinthelimitsoftheseresources?• Whatmustbeconsideredforlastingimpactwithchildren?• Howwillyouconnectwithfamilies?• Howwillthisbelinkedtotheministryofthelocalchurch?• Whoshouldbeinvitedtobepartnersinthis?• Whatarethechallengesthatwillrequireprayer?Whowillpray?

(Afterafewminutes,haveeachgroupfindoneothergroupandsharetheirideaswitheachother,orasktwoorthreegroupstosharetheirideaswiththewholegroup.)

TheSix-NailChallenge(Beforethelessoncollectasmallblockofwoodandhammeroneflat-toppednailintoit.)Sometimeswhenweconsiderideastoreachourchildren,theyseemimpossible,toodifficultornotlikelytowork.ButwhenwelistentoGodandfollowhisplan,wediscoverthatitreallyISpossible.

Showtheblockofwoodwiththenailinit.Inviteavolunteertobalanceonenailonthetopofthenailthatishammeredintotheblockofwood.Thisisusuallyaccomplishedeasily.Great.Next,givethevolunteerasecondnailandaskthemtobalancetwonailsontopofthenailintheblockofwood.Letthemtryafewtimes.Beforethetaskcanbecompleted,interrupt.Askthemtodoanevenbiggertask:givethemallsixnailsandaskthemtobalancesixnailsontheheadoftheonenail.Thenailscannottouchtheblockofwoodandtheycannotuseanyothermaterials.Continueencouragingthevolunteertotry,togetideasfromothers,nottogiveup.Eventuallytheywillgiveupsaying,“It’simpossible.”)Sometimeswhenwethinkaboutreachingthechildrenofourcommunity,itseemsimpossible.Theobstaclesaretoogreat.WhenJesus’discipleswere

Impossibilities (10minutes)

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facedwithaquestionaboutwhocouldbesaved,Jesussharedadifferentperspective.ReadMatthew19:26.JesusremindedhisdisciplesthatALLthingsarepossiblewithGod.ItISpossibletoreachthechildrenofyourcommunity.YoujustneedGod’sstrategy.

ItISpossibletobalancesixnailsononenail!Doyouwanttoknowthestrategy?(Demonstratehowtoaccomplishthetask.Afterthelesson,allowtheparticipantstotryitforthemselves.Forademonstrationonhowtobalancesixnailsononenail,goto:www.youtube.com/watch?v=blZ4OpLLxs0

Shareastoryof“impossible”outreach,whereGodworkedtobringpeopletohimselfthatpeoplethoughtcouldnotbereached.

TheJoshuaPrincipleInmissionandinevangelism,weneedtorememberthestoryofJoshua.Jerichopresentedahugeobstacle.JoshuawaitedontheLordfordirection,andtheLordgaveittohim.Joshuafollowedthedirectionsexactly,andtheIsraeliteswerevictorious(Joshua2,5,6).Thenextbattle,however,wasdifferent.Therewassininthecamp.Thenextbattlerequiredanewstrategy.JoshuaandtheIsraelitesmovedahead,thinkingthatwithGodontheirsidetheywereassuredvictory.Theylost.Astheyreturnedtotheirknees,Godshowedthemanewstrategyforsuccess.InthebookofJoshua,everytimetheIsraelitesforgottoaskGodforhisplan,theyhadproblems.EverytimetheylistenedforGod’splanandobeyed,theyexperiencedsuccess.Wemustdothesameinoutreach.WhatisGodsayingtoyou?WhatisGodleadingyoutodotoreachthechildrenofyourcommunity?(Praytogetherfortheunreachedchildrenofyourcommunity,usingthecommunityoutreachpictures,askingGodtoshowyouhowtobuildbridgestoreachthemwiththegospel.)

WrapUpandPrayer (10minutes)

Godasksustoreachonechild,andsowedo.Thenheasksustoreachourneighborhood,anditseemsimpossible.ButGodhasaplan.Hiswaysarehigherthanourways,andbecausehehasaplanandstrategytohelpusreachourchildren,hisplanswillsucceed.WithGodallthingsarepossible.Wemustgotohiminprayerandaskforhiswisdomandinstruction,believingthathewillleadus!