Barriers - Ministry Exchange (MX)

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Barriers By Curtis Chang

Topic: Barriers to our friends’ feeling comfortable checking out

Christianity via the fellowship

Amy sitting in chair studying. Sani enters.
Sani: Hey, I’m back roomie. Did I get any messages?
Amy: No, sorry, all your admirers must’ve found something else to do

tonight!
Sani: Ha, ha, very funny. What are you doing?
Amy: Trying not to repeat what happened last semester. I’m trying to actually keep up with my work. But its too early in the semeste, and besides its Thursday night. Its practically the weekend! What were you doing? You seem like you’re always gone on Thursday nights.
Sani: Uh, well, uh I was at small group.
Amy: Small group! What’s that?
Sani: Well, some of us get together to study the Bible. And we discuss it. [long pause] Tonight we studied 1 Kings 9.
Amy: Hmmm, that’s nice. So who runs this bible study?
Sani: TCF
Amy: TCF? What’s that?
Sani: Oh, sorry. Tufts Christian Fellowship.
Amy: So, its a group for Christians, huh?
Sani: Yeah…. but I mean I suppose anybody can join.
Amy: So, what other sort of things do you guys do?
Sani: Well, besides bible studies, we go on retreats like the Winter Retreat coming up in two weeks, and chapter camp at the end of the year. Oh, of course, there’s the weekly Friday night large group meetings.
Amy: What happens there?
Sani: Well, we hear a speaker. And other stuff. Oh, and of course we worship also.
Amy: That sounds interesting. . [long pause]
Sani: So, uh, um, are you interested? I mean in coming to a TCF meeting?
Amy: Uh, no. I was just curious.

THE TWO FIGURES FREEZE. Gene walks out.
Gene: An ordinary, innocent, and brief conversation. Or was it? What was

really happening during it? In here (pointing to Amy’s head) where its most important? Let’s find out.
THE TWO FIGURES REWIND ACTIONS AND REDO SCENE up to Sani: Oh, well we study the Bible and discuss it. Tonight we studied 1 Kings 9. Amy: Hmmm. PUTS HAND TO CHIN AND LOOKS WONDERINGLY TO RIGHT.
TRANSITION (Music?) TO STAGE RIGHT
Jared, Gene, and Curtis are gathered around the table amidst a mound of thick books.
Amy slowly joins them in the middle of their conversation with a small, old Bible in hand.

Jared (in British accent): Now, we will commence with our study of the

First Book of Kings, chapter 9, versus two to eleven. As you all know, the background for this is the chronic dysfunction in the monarchial system and the socio-religio ramification of deviance from the prescribed Yahweh cult. Let’s turn to the text, shall we? Any opening comments?
Gene: Well, of course this passage must be read in light of Second Kings and the historical tension between the Northern tribes and the tribes of Judah. Look here, in Second Kings 4:11, and 2:13, we find references to Moab and the high places of Chemosh. And then of course, there is the famous reference in 3:23.
Jared: Ah, yes. Good point, good point.
Curtis: I disagree. Gene, there you go again. Grossly overestimating the historical factors and neglecting close linguistic and textual analysis. Anybody can see that the passage utilizes the phrase “praise be to God” which of course, if we turn to our original Hebrew text, ah yes here it is, “Baruch adah adonoi” Notice the adonoi, not Elohim, not Yahweh. which thus shows, well, I mean, I think it is all too obvious.
Jared: Ah yes. Good point, good point.
Gene: But, Curtis, there you go again. Neglecting the latest archaeological findings regarding such inscriptions. Look here….
Jared: Ah, yes. Good point, good point.
Amy: Uh, I’m sorry, but I’m not following. I just have this old Bible that was sitting on my shelf. I haven’t looked at it in years. I was just curious whether it had anything relevant to say… uh, I don’t think this is for me.

Amy returns to frozen posture with Sani and resumes original conversation.

”... Hmmm that’s nice..” up until Sani repeats ”.... but I suppose anybody can join.”
Amy again strikes thinking posture and looks left. Scene shift left.
Curtis with stick, Gene and Jared lined up next to him. Amy lines up behind Jared.

Curtis: Halt! Please identify yourself.
Gene: Gene Choi! TCF member # 2432765!
Curtis: Present membership card.
Gene hands over card. Curtis scrutinizes.
Curtis: You may pass. But member Choi, please note that your membership is

due to expire next month.
Gene: Thank you, sir, I’ll remember to go to the office to get it renewed.
Curtis: Next!
Jared: Jared Amaral! TCF member #356454!
Curtis: Present membership card.
Jared searches all over his body. Curtis looms over him with each failed search.
Jared: Oh, I know its here somewhere. I don’t think I left it at home. Oh, whew, here it is.
Curtis scrutinizes. Looks back to Jared and then back to card.
Jared: I shaved off the mustache.
Curtis: You may pass. Next!
Amy: Ah, ummm. I’m not really a member. I was just curious about…
Curtis: Not a member? Are you a Christian?
Amy: Well, I don’t think so, I don’t know, I’m not sure…
Curtis: TCF member Choi, administer the test!
Gene comes up to Amy and reads quickly out of a book: Do you believe in God the father, Christ his only son, and the Holy Spirit? Do you believe in the subsitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ for your sin? Do you believe the Scriptures are the inspired and uniquely reliable word of God? Do you believe…
Amy: I don’t know! I don’t know what I believe. That’s why I came! I was just curious about what were some options!
Amy runs back and resumes conversation ”....so what other things does TCF do?” up to when Sani says: ”...and of course we worship also.”
Same Transition Left.

Gene, Jared, Curtis are sitting in three chairs. Eyes closed and hands

folded in prayer. Amy cautiously joins them. Pokes at Jared.
Amy: Is this the Christian Fellowship meeting?
Jared: Yes, shhhhh. We are about to begin worshipping.
Amy: What am I supposed to do?
Gene (solemnly): Let us begin the worship.
The three do a synchronized but elaborately silly, Monty Pythonesque routine. Amy tries to keep up but cannot. Finally the three stop and stare at her.
Amy: I’m sorry, I’ve never done this before, I didn’t even know if I wanted to. I was just curious why you thought it was so important to worship.
Amy flees back to conversation and resumes until the final line: ”... no, I was just curious.”

Gene: We are the Salt and Light Team of TCF. Our mission is invite our

friends to find true life in Jesus, and to help the entire fellowship invite their friends to find Jesus. We believe all of us has at least one friend who is curious about God, who wants more than what he or she has now. But they probably have mental barriers that prevent them from just walking into a TCF meeting to find out more about Jesus on their own. One way we can help them is to invite them to a setting which is low key, safe, and where they can meet other Christians which can slowly break down those barriers.

Jared introduces the Coffehouse and describes how it hopes to be that.

”... we are deliberately not publicizing this because we want people to personally invite at least one friend and actually come with him or her. For instance, I’m inviting…..

A few other team members give quick descriptions (whether by name or not)

of who they’ll be inviting.

Jared: So, remember, that’s DATE, TIME, PLACE.