Newsletter 15
Newsletter 15.
Contents.
Evangelising children - Your response.
O.L. 36. The fair distribution of food (Involving the children).
O.L. 37. God can do things instantly (Two instant calculations).
Testimony - Miracles do happen!
Evangelising Children.
In my last Newsletter, I posed the question "Is Christian teaching (where evangelism is not allowed) likely to be a benefit or a hindrance to children in their ultimate acceptance or rejection of Christ?" I received four responses to this, all of which I found encouraging and challenging. They are therefore shown below.
1. "In response to your last question! I feel that presenting the Truth is our responsibility and the working in the heart of a child is the job of the Holy Spirit. Thus, as we share the truth, the Holy Spirit has the opportunity at His Time, to work in the life of each one. We are sowers and others come along to water and harvest as the Holy Spirit works in ones life. Thus, I encourage one to share truth even with out a response time, and know that it is now in hands of Holy Spirit."
Dean Bohl, Dublin, Ohio
2. "About the question of teaching without evangelizing. I took the early CEF training and we were told kids do get Gospel hardened if they hear the gospel over and over without being offered a chance to receive Christ. That could be true. I had a Bible Club for years before taking the training and then the children were given the chance to respond and 22 did at one class. However--some children may never hear the Gospel anywhere except at a place where no invitation is given. The Bible says preach the Word in season and out of season and also, the Word of the Lord will not return to Him void. I am convinced the Holy Spirit is the one who does the work anyway, so I depend on Him to do it.
When my youngest daughter was four, she had heard the Gospel many times without any response. I asked the church to pray. Very soon, she received Christ.
I think if I was in a situation where the state would not allow me to give an invitation, I would say what was allowed and tell the children if any of them would like for me to visit their homes and tell them how they could be saved, let me know. Or maybe stay after class and I could give them a tract.
I thank the Lord for all who work with children. They need the Savior, just as older people."
In Christ,
Helen Setser
3. "In newsletter 14, you asked the question, "Is Christian teaching (where evangelism is not allowed) likely to be a benefit or a hindrance to children in their ultimate acceptance or rejection of Christ?" I would like to give you my view on this matter.
I have been involved with children's & youth ministry in several capacities for the past 18 years. The last 8 have been concentrated on the children as a lay person and now a Children's Pastor. The areas I have worked in are: an evangelistic program for the church and Religious Education in primary schools.
I have found that teaching in an environment such as a school, where you aren't allowed to evangelise, is beneficial and doesn't hinder children accepting Jesus as their Lord & Saviour. I look at it as seed planting. It has been amazing the response you get from children if the program in the school is run effectively. If you can get down to real life issues when teaching in the schools, children are quite open to hear what you have to say in spiritual areas and will make a response to accept Jesus at the appropriate time.
Being in schools gives an opportunity to build relationships with the children, staff and parents, building credibility to then invite children to an evangelistic program where they have the opportunity to receive Jesus.
If people have the chance to get into schools, even if it isn't teaching Religious Education, the doors God can open up for some kind of ministry is unbelievable.
The saying, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care" definitely applies to children in today's society..
Ps. Trevor Arandale
4. "The question you raise in Newsletter 14 certainly is not new. The problem comes when one tries to justify a particular part of evangelism as if it stands alone.
We too easily forget that the church is a body -- His body and Christ is the head -- and as such, one part of the body has no right to criticize what another part of the body is doing on behalf of the head.
If all that took place in evangelism was an invitation that said, "Would you like to accept Christ as your savior?" I doubt that evangelism would be very useful. However, in the context of a clear presentation of the Gospel if one asks that question, the sentence becomes useful.
In the same way if all that "the Body" does is to educate children in the philosophy of Christianity with no one ever asking the question, we have done little to further the Kingdom. However, I have never seen that to be true even in the most restrictive of environments. Someone always asks to know more about this hope we have within us. And when they do they usually accept Christ in the process.
We tend to give too much emphasis and too much credit to what we do in the evangelism process and not enough to what God is doing through us. I have personally led a large number of people to Christ. Not one of those people ever accepted their Savior because of me (sometimes I think they did it in spite of me.).
Look to Scripture where Paul could easily have condemned those who were preaching Christ out of less than perfect motives. Instead he rejoices that Christ was being preached.
If God is leading you to evangelize by planting seeds and cultivating a garden, then be content to do so, even if that means you never see part of the harvest. If God is leading you to harvest and never plant any seeds, then harvest. But none of us should ever think that one job is more important than another. Or that somehow you are wrong if you do not do evangelism my way. God is greater than that. The body is greater than that.
On another note that Mr. Miller brings up at the end of his article. The concept that old people probably cannot be saved is a lie from the pit of Hell. I have led people to Christ who were in their 70s and 80s. Yes that is rare, but I think it is rare not because older people will not believe, but because of the lack of evangelism directed to that demographic group. Look at the massive amounts of time energy and programs directed at the unsaved children and youth around us. If we were to direct a similar amount of energy and resources at senior citizens we would see them coming to Christ in similar ratios.
While the average church often makes evangelistic appeals to unsaved children and youth, they almost never make evangelistic appeals to unsaved senior adults. In fact most of the ministry resources given to senior adults in our churches are directed toward "saved" senior adults. The Lost seldom even attend those services. It has been my experience that whenever Christ is high and lifted up people get saved. It doesn't matter what their age is."
Walter Leyerle
Associate Pastor
First Baptist Church
The Colony Texas
Object Lessons.
36. The fair distribution of food.
Many children believe that there are starving people in some countries because there is a world-wide food shortage. Here is an illustration to help children understand that the problem is not one of food shortage, but rather one of unfair or unequal food distribution.
Preparation. Get a piece of cardboard, and write on it the letters and numbers as shown below :-
A = 1
B = 2
C = 3
D = 4
E = 0
Cover each number with individual small pieces of card or paper.
Next, get as many pieces of plain paper as their are children in your group, write on each one A,B,C,D, or E. Ensure you have far more E's than the other letters, and the total of the corresponding numbers add up to the total number of children. For example, if I have 30 children in my group, I will write out three A's (total = 3), three B's (total = 6), three C's (total = 9), three D's (total = 12) and eighteen E's (total = 0). Fold the papers over, and place in a box.
Get a bag of sweets (lollies / candies ), just enough for one per child.
Presentation. Produce your sweets, box of folded papers, and prepared card. Announce that you are going to share the sweets with the group, according to what is written on the paper each child is about to receive. Let each child choose a paper and unfold it to reveal the letter.
Ask "Who has got an 'A'?" Take the cover off the number next to your 'A' to reveal a '1'. "You will all get 1 sweet."
"Who has got a 'B'? ------------------------- You will all get 2 sweets."
"Who has got a 'C'? ------------------------- You will all get 3 sweets." ( By now, those with an 'E' will be getting excited).
"Who has got a 'D'? ------------------------- You will all get 4 sweets."
"Who has got an 'E'. More than half the children will put their hands up in eager anticipation. Remove the last cover. ------------------ "Oh dear! You will get no sweets!"
After the 'groans' have died down, ask the children if they think it fair that some children should get 3 or 4 sweets while many others will get none? Even those children due to get 3 or 4 sweets will usually agree that this is not a fair way of sharing. Ask the children if they can think of a fairer way of sharing the sweets? Mention that you have just noticed that the total number of sweets is the same as the number of children present. The children should soon come to a consensus that a better way of sharing out the sweets is for each child to get one each. State that you agree with them. and distribute accordingly.
Conclusion. "In some countries many boys and girls go to bed hungry every night because they don't have enough food to eat. The problem is not because of a world food shortage, but rather an unequal distribution of the ample food that is grown. As Christians, we should be thinking of ways in which we can make this distribution more fair, and ensure that everyone gets enough food to eat."
37. God can do things instantly.
Here are two 'instant addition' illustrations to help children understand that God doesn't need time to do what He wants to do, rather He can do things instantly.
A. Get a volunteer to write any two four-digit numbers on the board. You then write out the third four-digit number, ensuring that the product of the second and third numbers is 9999. For example, if the second number is 3785, the third number will be 6214. Get your volunteer to write out the fourth four-digit number. You then write out the fifth number, ensuring that the product of the fourth and fifth numbers is again 9999. You are now ready to amaze your class by adding up all five numbers instantly. Your answer will be 2, followed by the first number minus 2. i.e. If the first number is 4567, your answer will be 24565. Here is an example :-
Volunteer 4567
Volunteer 4291
Self 5708
Volunteer 6235
Self 3764
Total = 24565
Get the children to confirm your answer - with their calculators if these are available.
B. Prepare four cards (A,B,C,D), each with a five-digit number on them written from top to bottom as shown.
A B C D
9 6 1 8
1 4 5 7
5 2 4 1
4 7 7 7
2 5 8 4
Get a volunteer to come and stick the cards on the board, in any order they choose, to thus form five four-digit numbers - as per the example above. Remind the children that there are twenty four different ways in which your volunteer could have arranged the cards.
As soon as the cards are in place, write down the product of the five numbers. You could get the children to be adding up the numbers with their calculators at the same time - but you will have the correct answer long before them! To get your instant answer, write down 2, followed by two plus each number in your second four-digit number (1457 in above example), except for the last number (7) which remains unaltered. Thus the answer is 23677.
You may wish to get a second volunteer to come and rearrange the cards, and repeat the procedure. If the cards were rearranged C.B.D,A for example, your answer will be 27691.
Testimony.
I recently received the following testimony from Jim Hill of Puppet2Puppet Puppet Productions. I think it will bless you.
I don’t know what the promoters were thinking when they asked our puppet troupe to play their rock and roll club in Hollywood. Maybe they thought it would be a laugh to watch the “crazy Christians” and their puppets.
Our attitude was “let them laugh” as long as one single soul was brought to Christ...
By the end of the evening, we had 57 Professions of Faith!
57 souls were saved that night!
MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!
Please let me share this uplifting story with you. I had better start at the beginning...
I was a little surprised when we received the phone call. I had never heard of The Key Club, but I was told it was located on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, right next to all the rock and roll clubs with names like The Roxy and The Whiskey.
I was even more surprised when they sent us the flyer for the event. It was called “Puppet Terror”. Apparently we would be sharing the bill with a heavy metal band and someone calling herself “Miss Satanica.”
In Puppet2Puppet’s 12 years of puppet ministry, we have performed in some “far-out” places -- in the terminal wings of hospitals, at an inner-city park recreation center for At-Risk kids, even in a Juvenile Detention facility. But this was a first! I prayed that night and the answer was clear. “Have Puppets, Will Travel” has always been our motto, and nothing was going to change that.
The night of the show, as I waited backstage, I must admit that I was nervous. The load-in had gone smoothly, but there had been some snickers and knowing looks from the heavy metal band during our soundcheck. I knew by now that this club had once been called Gazarri’s and that bands like The Doors and Van Halen had started out here. I swear I could almost smell the years of sin.
Our puppeteers were tucked away behind our puppet stage, waiting for me to introduce them and the curtains to open. I heard the announcer call my name and I walked into the lights.
I looked out and 500 rowdy strangers looked back! The crowd seemed to me a sea of black clothing and tattoos. I felt out-of-place in my sweater vest and carrying my bible. I took some comfort knowing that 30 of our people were out there, good Christians who had braved the traffic and the rock and rollers -- people from churches as far away as Orange County and Riverside. A group of young adults from our church even joined me on-stage, to lend moral support...and to get a front row seat, I’m sure!
The rest was a blur. I said something into the microphone about our ministry and the Lord’s work. And then I introduced the play.
I must say I was proud of our puppeteers that evening! We performed “Heaven Needs Firemen”, one of our most popular and effective puppet plays. The timing and puppetry were impeccable. The club’s crew had done a great job, real professionals! We had 7 microphones inside our puppet stage, one for each puppeteer! The lighting was very dramatic -- especially when the firemen appeared in Heaven to fight back Satan and the flames of Hell. Our “fire-hose” worked great, even if our puppeteer did get a little over-eager -- I’m afraid a good many people in the front row got more than a little wet!
We had added a special ending just for the occasion. Our Jesus puppet appeared in our Heaven set to thank the Firemen and welcome them to their eternal reward. He then asked the audience if they were ready to meet their Maker.
The show ended, I mumbled some thanks and a “God Bless” and walked backstage.
That’s when the real Miracles began!
Backstage, a crew-member from the club approached me. Voice trembling, he asked me if I would pray with him. My answer was a hearty “Yes!”
But the real surprise happened when I made it out front of the club. I couldn’t believe my eyes! There was what seemed like half the audience! They were surrounding our friends from church, some gathered in groups, some talking one-on-one with one of our people.
As the heavy metal music blared from inside, they began to pray. They knelt, right there on the sidewalk! Right there on the Sunset Strip!
By the end of the evening, we had received 57 Professions of Faith! I personally witnessed to a couple with matching devil-head tattoos on their necks and rings through every part of their bodies. Watching their joy as the Lord enter their hearts will be a memory I will cherish forever.
Thank you for letting me share this story. All of us involved in Puppet Ministry know that it can be a sometimes tiring and sometimes thankless task. But the real joy is not in the souls we reach, but in the act of celebrating the love of our Lord!
Please feel free to share this with other Christians who could use a boost!
“Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His name; give to Him glorious praise!” Psalms 66, 1.
Yours in Puppets and in His name,
REVEREND JIM HILL
If you’d like to read “Heaven Needs Firemen”, please go to: http://www.puppetresources.com/index.php?scriptID=376&what=viewscript&t=1061182385
If you’d like to know more about Puppet2Puppet Puppet Productions, please go to: http://puppet2puppet.tripod.com/
Contents.
Evangelising children - Your response.
O.L. 36. The fair distribution of food (Involving the children).
O.L. 37. God can do things instantly (Two instant calculations).
Testimony - Miracles do happen!
Evangelising Children.
In my last Newsletter, I posed the question "Is Christian teaching (where evangelism is not allowed) likely to be a benefit or a hindrance to children in their ultimate acceptance or rejection of Christ?" I received four responses to this, all of which I found encouraging and challenging. They are therefore shown below.
1. "In response to your last question! I feel that presenting the Truth is our responsibility and the working in the heart of a child is the job of the Holy Spirit. Thus, as we share the truth, the Holy Spirit has the opportunity at His Time, to work in the life of each one. We are sowers and others come along to water and harvest as the Holy Spirit works in ones life. Thus, I encourage one to share truth even with out a response time, and know that it is now in hands of Holy Spirit."
Dean Bohl, Dublin, Ohio
2. "About the question of teaching without evangelizing. I took the early CEF training and we were told kids do get Gospel hardened if they hear the gospel over and over without being offered a chance to receive Christ. That could be true. I had a Bible Club for years before taking the training and then the children were given the chance to respond and 22 did at one class. However--some children may never hear the Gospel anywhere except at a place where no invitation is given. The Bible says preach the Word in season and out of season and also, the Word of the Lord will not return to Him void. I am convinced the Holy Spirit is the one who does the work anyway, so I depend on Him to do it.
When my youngest daughter was four, she had heard the Gospel many times without any response. I asked the church to pray. Very soon, she received Christ.
I think if I was in a situation where the state would not allow me to give an invitation, I would say what was allowed and tell the children if any of them would like for me to visit their homes and tell them how they could be saved, let me know. Or maybe stay after class and I could give them a tract.
I thank the Lord for all who work with children. They need the Savior, just as older people."
In Christ,
Helen Setser
3. "In newsletter 14, you asked the question, "Is Christian teaching (where evangelism is not allowed) likely to be a benefit or a hindrance to children in their ultimate acceptance or rejection of Christ?" I would like to give you my view on this matter.
I have been involved with children's & youth ministry in several capacities for the past 18 years. The last 8 have been concentrated on the children as a lay person and now a Children's Pastor. The areas I have worked in are: an evangelistic program for the church and Religious Education in primary schools.
I have found that teaching in an environment such as a school, where you aren't allowed to evangelise, is beneficial and doesn't hinder children accepting Jesus as their Lord & Saviour. I look at it as seed planting. It has been amazing the response you get from children if the program in the school is run effectively. If you can get down to real life issues when teaching in the schools, children are quite open to hear what you have to say in spiritual areas and will make a response to accept Jesus at the appropriate time.
Being in schools gives an opportunity to build relationships with the children, staff and parents, building credibility to then invite children to an evangelistic program where they have the opportunity to receive Jesus.
If people have the chance to get into schools, even if it isn't teaching Religious Education, the doors God can open up for some kind of ministry is unbelievable.
The saying, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care" definitely applies to children in today's society..
Ps. Trevor Arandale
4. "The question you raise in Newsletter 14 certainly is not new. The problem comes when one tries to justify a particular part of evangelism as if it stands alone.
We too easily forget that the church is a body -- His body and Christ is the head -- and as such, one part of the body has no right to criticize what another part of the body is doing on behalf of the head.
If all that took place in evangelism was an invitation that said, "Would you like to accept Christ as your savior?" I doubt that evangelism would be very useful. However, in the context of a clear presentation of the Gospel if one asks that question, the sentence becomes useful.
In the same way if all that "the Body" does is to educate children in the philosophy of Christianity with no one ever asking the question, we have done little to further the Kingdom. However, I have never seen that to be true even in the most restrictive of environments. Someone always asks to know more about this hope we have within us. And when they do they usually accept Christ in the process.
We tend to give too much emphasis and too much credit to what we do in the evangelism process and not enough to what God is doing through us. I have personally led a large number of people to Christ. Not one of those people ever accepted their Savior because of me (sometimes I think they did it in spite of me.).
Look to Scripture where Paul could easily have condemned those who were preaching Christ out of less than perfect motives. Instead he rejoices that Christ was being preached.
If God is leading you to evangelize by planting seeds and cultivating a garden, then be content to do so, even if that means you never see part of the harvest. If God is leading you to harvest and never plant any seeds, then harvest. But none of us should ever think that one job is more important than another. Or that somehow you are wrong if you do not do evangelism my way. God is greater than that. The body is greater than that.
On another note that Mr. Miller brings up at the end of his article. The concept that old people probably cannot be saved is a lie from the pit of Hell. I have led people to Christ who were in their 70s and 80s. Yes that is rare, but I think it is rare not because older people will not believe, but because of the lack of evangelism directed to that demographic group. Look at the massive amounts of time energy and programs directed at the unsaved children and youth around us. If we were to direct a similar amount of energy and resources at senior citizens we would see them coming to Christ in similar ratios.
While the average church often makes evangelistic appeals to unsaved children and youth, they almost never make evangelistic appeals to unsaved senior adults. In fact most of the ministry resources given to senior adults in our churches are directed toward "saved" senior adults. The Lost seldom even attend those services. It has been my experience that whenever Christ is high and lifted up people get saved. It doesn't matter what their age is."
Walter Leyerle
Associate Pastor
First Baptist Church
The Colony Texas
Object Lessons.
36. The fair distribution of food.
Many children believe that there are starving people in some countries because there is a world-wide food shortage. Here is an illustration to help children understand that the problem is not one of food shortage, but rather one of unfair or unequal food distribution.
Preparation. Get a piece of cardboard, and write on it the letters and numbers as shown below :-
A = 1
B = 2
C = 3
D = 4
E = 0
Cover each number with individual small pieces of card or paper.
Next, get as many pieces of plain paper as their are children in your group, write on each one A,B,C,D, or E. Ensure you have far more E's than the other letters, and the total of the corresponding numbers add up to the total number of children. For example, if I have 30 children in my group, I will write out three A's (total = 3), three B's (total = 6), three C's (total = 9), three D's (total = 12) and eighteen E's (total = 0). Fold the papers over, and place in a box.
Get a bag of sweets (lollies / candies ), just enough for one per child.
Presentation. Produce your sweets, box of folded papers, and prepared card. Announce that you are going to share the sweets with the group, according to what is written on the paper each child is about to receive. Let each child choose a paper and unfold it to reveal the letter.
Ask "Who has got an 'A'?" Take the cover off the number next to your 'A' to reveal a '1'. "You will all get 1 sweet."
"Who has got a 'B'? ------------------------- You will all get 2 sweets."
"Who has got a 'C'? ------------------------- You will all get 3 sweets." ( By now, those with an 'E' will be getting excited).
"Who has got a 'D'? ------------------------- You will all get 4 sweets."
"Who has got an 'E'. More than half the children will put their hands up in eager anticipation. Remove the last cover. ------------------ "Oh dear! You will get no sweets!"
After the 'groans' have died down, ask the children if they think it fair that some children should get 3 or 4 sweets while many others will get none? Even those children due to get 3 or 4 sweets will usually agree that this is not a fair way of sharing. Ask the children if they can think of a fairer way of sharing the sweets? Mention that you have just noticed that the total number of sweets is the same as the number of children present. The children should soon come to a consensus that a better way of sharing out the sweets is for each child to get one each. State that you agree with them. and distribute accordingly.
Conclusion. "In some countries many boys and girls go to bed hungry every night because they don't have enough food to eat. The problem is not because of a world food shortage, but rather an unequal distribution of the ample food that is grown. As Christians, we should be thinking of ways in which we can make this distribution more fair, and ensure that everyone gets enough food to eat."
37. God can do things instantly.
Here are two 'instant addition' illustrations to help children understand that God doesn't need time to do what He wants to do, rather He can do things instantly.
A. Get a volunteer to write any two four-digit numbers on the board. You then write out the third four-digit number, ensuring that the product of the second and third numbers is 9999. For example, if the second number is 3785, the third number will be 6214. Get your volunteer to write out the fourth four-digit number. You then write out the fifth number, ensuring that the product of the fourth and fifth numbers is again 9999. You are now ready to amaze your class by adding up all five numbers instantly. Your answer will be 2, followed by the first number minus 2. i.e. If the first number is 4567, your answer will be 24565. Here is an example :-
Volunteer 4567
Volunteer 4291
Self 5708
Volunteer 6235
Self 3764
Total = 24565
Get the children to confirm your answer - with their calculators if these are available.
B. Prepare four cards (A,B,C,D), each with a five-digit number on them written from top to bottom as shown.
A B C D
9 6 1 8
1 4 5 7
5 2 4 1
4 7 7 7
2 5 8 4
Get a volunteer to come and stick the cards on the board, in any order they choose, to thus form five four-digit numbers - as per the example above. Remind the children that there are twenty four different ways in which your volunteer could have arranged the cards.
As soon as the cards are in place, write down the product of the five numbers. You could get the children to be adding up the numbers with their calculators at the same time - but you will have the correct answer long before them! To get your instant answer, write down 2, followed by two plus each number in your second four-digit number (1457 in above example), except for the last number (7) which remains unaltered. Thus the answer is 23677.
You may wish to get a second volunteer to come and rearrange the cards, and repeat the procedure. If the cards were rearranged C.B.D,A for example, your answer will be 27691.
Testimony.
I recently received the following testimony from Jim Hill of Puppet2Puppet Puppet Productions. I think it will bless you.
I don’t know what the promoters were thinking when they asked our puppet troupe to play their rock and roll club in Hollywood. Maybe they thought it would be a laugh to watch the “crazy Christians” and their puppets.
Our attitude was “let them laugh” as long as one single soul was brought to Christ...
By the end of the evening, we had 57 Professions of Faith!
57 souls were saved that night!
MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!
Please let me share this uplifting story with you. I had better start at the beginning...
I was a little surprised when we received the phone call. I had never heard of The Key Club, but I was told it was located on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, right next to all the rock and roll clubs with names like The Roxy and The Whiskey.
I was even more surprised when they sent us the flyer for the event. It was called “Puppet Terror”. Apparently we would be sharing the bill with a heavy metal band and someone calling herself “Miss Satanica.”
In Puppet2Puppet’s 12 years of puppet ministry, we have performed in some “far-out” places -- in the terminal wings of hospitals, at an inner-city park recreation center for At-Risk kids, even in a Juvenile Detention facility. But this was a first! I prayed that night and the answer was clear. “Have Puppets, Will Travel” has always been our motto, and nothing was going to change that.
The night of the show, as I waited backstage, I must admit that I was nervous. The load-in had gone smoothly, but there had been some snickers and knowing looks from the heavy metal band during our soundcheck. I knew by now that this club had once been called Gazarri’s and that bands like The Doors and Van Halen had started out here. I swear I could almost smell the years of sin.
Our puppeteers were tucked away behind our puppet stage, waiting for me to introduce them and the curtains to open. I heard the announcer call my name and I walked into the lights.
I looked out and 500 rowdy strangers looked back! The crowd seemed to me a sea of black clothing and tattoos. I felt out-of-place in my sweater vest and carrying my bible. I took some comfort knowing that 30 of our people were out there, good Christians who had braved the traffic and the rock and rollers -- people from churches as far away as Orange County and Riverside. A group of young adults from our church even joined me on-stage, to lend moral support...and to get a front row seat, I’m sure!
The rest was a blur. I said something into the microphone about our ministry and the Lord’s work. And then I introduced the play.
I must say I was proud of our puppeteers that evening! We performed “Heaven Needs Firemen”, one of our most popular and effective puppet plays. The timing and puppetry were impeccable. The club’s crew had done a great job, real professionals! We had 7 microphones inside our puppet stage, one for each puppeteer! The lighting was very dramatic -- especially when the firemen appeared in Heaven to fight back Satan and the flames of Hell. Our “fire-hose” worked great, even if our puppeteer did get a little over-eager -- I’m afraid a good many people in the front row got more than a little wet!
We had added a special ending just for the occasion. Our Jesus puppet appeared in our Heaven set to thank the Firemen and welcome them to their eternal reward. He then asked the audience if they were ready to meet their Maker.
The show ended, I mumbled some thanks and a “God Bless” and walked backstage.
That’s when the real Miracles began!
Backstage, a crew-member from the club approached me. Voice trembling, he asked me if I would pray with him. My answer was a hearty “Yes!”
But the real surprise happened when I made it out front of the club. I couldn’t believe my eyes! There was what seemed like half the audience! They were surrounding our friends from church, some gathered in groups, some talking one-on-one with one of our people.
As the heavy metal music blared from inside, they began to pray. They knelt, right there on the sidewalk! Right there on the Sunset Strip!
By the end of the evening, we had received 57 Professions of Faith! I personally witnessed to a couple with matching devil-head tattoos on their necks and rings through every part of their bodies. Watching their joy as the Lord enter their hearts will be a memory I will cherish forever.
Thank you for letting me share this story. All of us involved in Puppet Ministry know that it can be a sometimes tiring and sometimes thankless task. But the real joy is not in the souls we reach, but in the act of celebrating the love of our Lord!
Please feel free to share this with other Christians who could use a boost!
“Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His name; give to Him glorious praise!” Psalms 66, 1.
Yours in Puppets and in His name,
REVEREND JIM HILL
If you’d like to read “Heaven Needs Firemen”, please go to: http://www.puppetresources.com/index.php?scriptID=376&what=viewscript&t=1061182385
If you’d like to know more about Puppet2Puppet Puppet Productions, please go to: http://puppet2puppet.tripod.com/
posted by Maurice Sweetsur @ 1:19 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home