2 of 4
A Dramatic Addition to Worship
Drama helps satisfy the desire within all of us to be understood, even in our secret parts.
2 of 4
But entertainment itself is not evil. Entertainment can move us powerfully and touch us deeply with truth. When it paves the way for the pastor to deal with a significant, deeply felt issue, entertainment can be a positive addition to the service. It can be used to create a response of adoration or thanksgiving or confession, as a hymn or song might do. Satisfying Secret DesiresI was a professor at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, when Willow Creek contacted me to direct their drama ministry. Frankly, I was not all that excited. My initial reaction was, "No, I don't think so." The little drama I had observed in church settings I didn't like. Most churches tended to define drama too narrowly. Either they would limit it to retelling biblical stories and dressing all the characters in bathrobes, or worse yet, they would attempt to preach a sermon through it, wrapping up everything with tidy answers in an eight-minute sketch. The drama didn't reflect reality as most people experienced it. But after a closer look, I found the type of drama Willow Creek used to be appealing. Rather than trying to raise and answer all the questions through the sketch, they were content to raise the relevant issues, to show the tensions. Then the pastor addressed the issues in the sermon. So rather than using drama to solve the problem, Willow Creek wanted to expose the pain and get the audience to identify with the characters. Drama creates identification by helping the audience see themselves in the characters. That's why we use primarily contemporary drama based on real-life experiences. The characters talk, act, and look like normal people. The audience members then realize the characters are dealing with the same problems found regularly at home, at work, or in marriage. In that sense, drama helps satisfy the desire within all of us to be understood, even the secret parts of who we are. Drama is people revealing their hidden parts, enabling us all to understand better the human condition. It creates a beginning place for the Holy Spirit to work in people's lives. Hidden TalentDrama that works well begins with qualified leadership. At least one person with a working knowledge of the craft must be willing to lead the charge. The person doesn't need a Ph.D. in theater, but he or she does need to be gifted in the area of drama. If the person lacks training, the church could invest in sending a promising person to a local college to take courses in directing and acting. I've seen too many church productions where some basic elements of good directing were absent. Bad drama is worse than no drama. |             |
share this page
