Using Bridges and Barriers

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Using Bridges and Barriers

• Obstacles to and Opportunities for Sharing the
  Gospel...

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Worldview issues, along with basic doctrinal
truths for salvation, give us clues on how to
effectively bring a people from where they are in
their spiritual interests and beliefs to a saving
knowledge and belief in Jesus Christ as their
Lord and Savoir.
Two Important Elements of Worldview are Bridges
and Barriers
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Bridges deal with those aspects of culture,
religion, knowledge and interests that can have a
positive influence on a persons consideration of
the Gospel. Interest comes as the one deals with
issues deemed important or significant to the
people in their worldview.
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Bridges often provide openings for greater
interest and relevancy of the message to a
persons worldview. They are God-given
opportunities for witness in which a bridge
occurs consisting of an existing interest,
concept, concern, situation or other factor which
predisposes a person to the Gospel.
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• Bridges to the Gospel
• Dreams and visions about Jesus
• Brokenness due to physical, social, or spiritual
  causes
• Testimonies from peers or respected persons
• Redemptive analogies
• Cultural stories that parallel the Bible
• Desire for relief from fear, danger, oppression,
  etc.
• Moral or spiritual desire for a better way
• Exposure to persistent and persuasive media
  messages
• Desire for literacy, English as a second
  language, etc.
• Curiosity about what the Bible says and teaches
• Prior knowledge about God, Jesus, Christianity
• A failed religion

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Barriers develop from ones experiences,
circumstances and reasoning. What a person sees,
hears, smells, tastes, touches, and experiences
during his life becomes part of his thinking and
value system. These become a set of filters
through which a person processes, interprets,
evaluates, accepts or rejects information.
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Barriers deal with the negative aspects of
culture, religion, knowledge, interest and other
influences that hinder a listener in his hearing,
understanding or acting upon the message of the
Gospel. These issues require more emphasis to
disarm them, demolish them, or otherwise nullify
the barrier as a hindrance. Not knowing
significant barriers can mean ineffective sharing
while failing to deal with the real stumbling
block issues.
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Not all barriers require up-front assault. Deal
initially with spiritual barriers and only those
necessary to move the Bible story toward the
cross.
Some worldview issues can be better dealt with
later during discipleship lessons after a basis
for a changed life has been established.
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• Types of Barriers to the Gospel
• Religious Barriers cultic beliefs and doctrines
  religious persecution.
• Intellectual Barriers barriers of the mind,
  including reasoning ability, philosophies,
  principles, logic, literacy, thought processes,
  words and terms that affect ones understanding
  of biblical truth.
• Heart Barriers worldly affection that prevents
  one from loving God and truth- love of money,
  pleasures, sex,vice, worldly concerns and honors.
• Supernatural Barriers demon possession, spirit
  mediums, witchcraft, charms, meditation,
  spiritism.
• Physical Barriers physical and mental defects,
  deaf mute, poverty, hunger, sickness.

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• Social Barriers family persecution, gangs, peer
  pressure, prostitution, status, power.
• Psychological Barriers shame, phobias, biases,
  insanity, complexes.
• Artificial Barriers caused by lack of cultural
  knowledge, use of wrong words, bad habits, lack
  of discipline, insensitivity to needs,
  prejudices, lack of respect, indifference.
• Believers Barriers caused by Christians living
  an irresponsible Christian life.
• Language Barriers misunderstandings caused by
  not being able to present the Gospel in the heart
  language of the people.

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• General Worldview Barriers to the Gospel
• Ignorance of Spiritual Truth
• Apathy resignation to fate moral insensitivity
  secularism
• Cultural Traditions which conflict with Gods
  Word and not consistent with Christianity
• Religious Beliefs and Practices
• Nominalism Christian by birth self
  righteousness
• Fear of Persecution
• Fear of Losing Material or Social Benefits
• Fear of Disturbing Community Harmony
• Fear of Disturbing Spirit World
• Misinformation about Christianity, Biases

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Learn about bridges and barriers from your study
of the target population. Look for the trends and
general characteristics within culture, taking
time to interview or dialog with representatives
of the people. Talk with those who have made
recent decisions for Christ to see what their
turning points were and what attracted them to
the message of the Gospel.
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In short, look at their total culture and think
about issues they will have to deal with in
becoming believers.
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Constructing a Simple Worldview

• Through the Discovery of Barriers to the Gospel

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Following are some questions and topics you will
want to explore among the target people you work
with in order to arrive at a workable barriers to
the Gospel list. (At the same time, you will be
able to begin constructing an adequate Worldview
of the same people.) You will also want to look
at the list of general barriers, since there is
often a relationship between the spiritual issues
and other worldview issues.
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Then you are ready to select some older person to
talk with who would likely know myths, religious
beliefs and taboos. Engage in a conversation
about origins and the spirit world. Listen for
clues to explore later. Ask what they do when
things happen that need changing. Do they seek
to appease some deity? How do they relate to the
spirit world? Talk with both men and women about
their world. 
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Then consider the issues that need further
exploring. Look over the lists of worldview
issues, barriers and bridges. Make your own list
of questions to those issues you dont have
information about. Remember, you are looking for
those issues which are stumbling blocks to
hearing the Gospel, understanding, it, believing
it, and acting upon what the Bible teaches about
salvation.
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Also look for any evidences of prior knowledge,
especially misconceptions and deliberate
misinformation the people may have about the
Bible, the Godhead, Jesus, and Christianity.
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Before you spend a lot of time asking questions,
you should First think about all the things you
have observed and heard that characterize the
spiritual beliefs of you target people. Next,
look for sources of information that have been
published about your people and their belief
system and practices.