Captain Jack is back! The hugely successful Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise has once again hit the theaters with #5: Dead Men Tell No Tales. So why not use the occasion to host a youth group movie night sometime this summer and pop in the DVD of one of the earlier classics in this popular seriesā Dead Manās Chest? But make it an Outreach Eventācomplete with a few cool door prizes just for showing up. Then, because Dead Manās Chest brushes up against the supernatural world and eternal destiny, purposefully use the movie to turn the conversation toward spiritual things.
Or as we like to say at Dare 2 Shareāgospelize it!
Encourage your students to invite their friends who wouldnāt normally consider darkening the door of a church. Then pull out the popcorn, pop in the DVD and have some fun. After the movie, break up into a few student-led small groups to briefly discuss the movie. Provide your student leaders with the discussion questions noted below. Coach them to approach this discussion time using the Ask ā Admire ā Admit approach to talking about spiritual things with their peers.
Try This! āÆ
Pull out your summer youth group calendar and schedule a Pirates of the Caribbean movie night. Then gospelize it!
By way of review, Dead Manās Chest follows Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he tries to escape the consequences of the deal he made with the legendary Davy Jones. Years ago Captain Jack sold his soul to Davy Jones, now the blood debt is coming due. A doom of eternal damnation and servitude in the afterlife await him. In his efforts to escape the curse, Jack drags Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann into his wild and crazy adventure, ruining their wedding plans and generally wreaking havoc.
What Do You Think?
- Colorful Captain Jack is Exhibit A for how to mess up your life with poor choices! What do you think was his biggest mistake? (Selling his soul to Davy Jones.)
- Do you think people can really āsell their soulā in this life and have it result in eternal consequences in the next? (Share what you believe.)
- What kinds of things do you think people āsell their souls toā today? (Money, power, fame, sex, porn, addictions, pleasure, popularity, etc.)
- What do you think happens after we die?
- Do you believe in heaven and hell? Why or why not? If you do, what do you think determines where we go? (Share what you believe about Jesus paying the price for our sin and giving us the free gift of eternal life.)
Share the Gospel!
Before your movie night ends, gather your studentsā attention back up front and transition to a clear presentation of the gospel and explain that Jesus paid the price and offers to rescue our souls from the eternal consequences of falling short of Godās perfect standard for entrance into heaven. Give an invitation to trust in Christ, and have a plan for following up with any new believers.
Then challenge your Christian students by saying something likeā¦Few people consciously āmake a deal with the devil (or Davy Jones),ā but unconsciously most of us find ourselves routinely compromising our principles as we face daily choices.
Just like Captain Jack Sparrow, weāve all make bad choices and need to be rescued! Share on XAs Christians, even as weāve escaped the ultimate eternal consequences of our sin because of our faith in Jesus, we still often live in servitude to the things that weāve come to idolize in this lifeāmoney and the stuff it buys, acceptance, popularity. But in Matthew 6:33, God calls us āseek first His kingdom.ā The Message paraphrase puts it like this, āSteep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.ā Do you live like that? Take a moment right now and consider a part of your life that you havenāt fully surrendered to God. Ask for His forgiveness, then invite Him into that place.
Just like Jack Sparrow, we all make bad choices and need to be rescued from the consequences. Fortunately, we have a God who specializes in rescuing us from eternal consequences! Because the old Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Manās Chest brushes up against the supernatural world and eternal destiny, why not use it to point teenagers toward the gospel?