A SEASON OF JOY #31

 (From my column “Looking Forward and Glancing Back” in the SGT monthly newsletter, October, 1991)

On Friday evening, September 20, at approximately 7:35, (we were a little late getting started) the house lights at Stained Glass Theatre dimmed and the follow spot faded up on a young man sitting on stage alone—pad and pencil in hand. He spoke aloud the words he was writing on the pad, “In the Steps of the Dreamer by Coty Sabine.” And with those opening words from DREAMER, our Season of Joy was underway.

I stood in the back that evening, as I usually do, and the heart pounded a little harder and the usual lump in the throat was felt. Another season had just begun—the ninth season for Stained Glass Theatre. And as always, there were the mixed feelings of excitement, fear, and expectation of what the year would bring. Yet, in those moments and throughout the evening, there was the peace of knowing that God would be with us no matter what.

Soon the stage was bright with light and filled with performers in colorful costumes as music and singing filled the air. The words were of praise—“Praise His name and see it happen.” What a wonderful challenge and testimony to all that God has done and is doing in the ministry of SGT. The years have come and gone and always there is “praise” for Him who makes it all “happen.”

As I’ve said many times before, night after night, performance after performance, as I watch from the back of the theatre, I stand amazed and awed at all the miracles God has performed to bring Stained Glass Theatre from just a dream into a reality that is far greater than anything I could have imagined. Yes, we do “Praise His Name!” And yes, we do “see it happen” as God showers us with blessing upon blessing. Thank You, Father!

Now, with the Season of Joy underway, let me take just a moment to share the convictions we feel for the season. We believe it’s harvest time. We believe we must do better in reaching the lost. To do that, we need the help of all who faithfully support this ministry. We need you to invite and/or bring those you know who are unchurched or unsaved to the theatre. They will never come to a Christian Theatre on their own no matter how much we advertise—they will only come if you personally encourage them to do so.

We truly want our Season of Joy to be one of evangelism and of winning the lost! What greater “Joy” or purpose could there be? Please pray for SGT—pray that many souls will be brought into His Kingdom this season! And we will give God all the praise and glory. Thank You, Father. Praise Your Holy Name, Jehovah!

COMING NEXT: PRESSING ON!

We must not grow weary in the work. Pray for God to continue to use this ministry to be a catalyst for revival.

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE #30

 

(From my column “Looking Forward and Glancing Back” in the SGT monthly newsletter, June 28, 1991)

As we look forward to next season, we have been seeking God’s direction. God has been good to us over the years and has met our needs as we have been obedient to His will. As we have settled into our “Promised Land,” we have found it to be easy to get too comfortable and stop growing. We do not believe that is God’s will for Stained Glass Theatre, nor do we believe that he will continue to bless us if we just sit back and relax. We must move forward; we must seek new ways to better serve the Lord with all that He has given us.

This past year has been for us, perhaps, an oasis, a time to rest and gather strength. But there is a growing sense among those who lead SGT that the “breather” is over and it is now time to plunge into the 90s. And it is with resolve and God’s leadership that we do so.

So where will that resolve take us? We don’t have all the answers, yet. We will move forward one step at a time as we feel God leading us. Some of those steps have already been revealed and set into motion. Others will follow in the weeks, months, and years to come. We covet your prayers and support as we move forward. It’s going to be exciting to see and experience all that God intends.

Growth and forward movement require a new vision—a vision we now have. The new vision is really an old vision that has somehow been neglected. That vision is to REACH THE LOST! Of course, you say, isn’t it always? Well, to tell the truth, no, not always. In fact, it is often the very thing that gets lost in the hustle and bustle of serving the Lord.

When we began SGT nine years ago, it was a goal and dream that the Theatre would be a place (neutral ground, non-denominational) where Christians would feel free and comfortable to invite non-Christians to hear of the saving power of Jesus. In truth, that has not been the reality of what has happened. We soon discovered that most (99.9%) of our audiences were Christians, already churched and active. So we began to develop shows for Christians. Don’t get me wrong; we cherish our Christian patrons, and we need them. They serve as the backbone of our support and make the ministry possible. What we are saying is that we must now get on with the task of reaching lost people. And we have now learned that to do that we must have your help.

The future of SGT is going to be about soul winning. We begin with a season of shows all with evangelistic themes—telling the Good News, sharing the JOY of Christ. It will be our Season of Joy. Yes, we have a vision and YOU, our loyal patrons, are very much a part of that vision. We cannot get the lost and unchurched to SGT to see shows that present a message of salvation, but you can. That will be our focus for next year—to encourage our patrons to help us by inviting friends, neighbors, or co-workers to SGT. And one of the best ways to get new people to SGT is to buy tickets and give them away. Please consider making SGT a tool for you to use in REACHING THOSE WHO NEED THE LORD. 

Looking to the future is exciting. We hope that you will catch the vision of winning the lost and help us to reach out to Springfield and beyond. There is a lost world—people who need to hear of our loving Savior. Help us to help! God has created and developed Stained Glass Theatre to be a mighty showcase for proclaiming the Gospel! We have the golden opportunity to do wonderful things in the name of the Lord and for His Kingdom. Let’s do it together! Let’s begin now!

COMING NEXT: A SEASON OF JOY

We believe that we must do better in reaching the lost. To do that, we need the help of all who faithfully support this ministry.

GOD HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO US #29

(From my column “Looking Forward and Glancing Back” in the SGT monthly newsletter, June, 1990)

 God has blessed Stained Glass Theatre in so many ways in the past and continues to bless us in new ways week by week. We pray that we will always feel His pleasure as we do now. Thank You, Father, for Your lovingkindness!

 As we complete the second season in our “Promised Land” and begin preparations for a third, we continue to stand amazed at all God has done. The growth has truly been phenomenal! And we praise God for that growth! We are excited about being all that God wants us to be. Our heart is to serve the Lord by proclaiming His word to you in bold and courageous ways—ways that will inspire you, encourage you, and strengthen you in your walk with the Lord. Our desire is to be the best we can be. Therefore, we continue to examine all that we do in an effort to improve our professional growth and our spiritual growth. We pray for a servant heart and spirit, for we believe that we best serve God when we best serve you, the army of patrons God has sent our way.

 This is not as easy as it sounds, for people have grown to expect (or perhaps I should say “demand”) a kind of “secular service” that is not always possible for a small non-profit Christian organization to provide. (Particularly one that operates on a $2 ticket and a volunteer work force.) But please know that we do try! We try very hard to meet every need. We do try to handle your tickets and reservations efficiently—yet we sometimes “mess up.” We do try to seat everyone comfortably—yet sometimes you may be overcrowded or have to sit in a folding chair at the back. We know parking is often a problem—we apologize. We know that the restroom facilities are inadequate—but we are working on plans to correct that problem. Yes, we know we still have a long way to go to serve you the way we would like. Please be patient with us and rejoice with us that God is filling the theatre night after night.

 We long for professionalism in meeting our patrons’ comfort needs, but we also long for professionalism in the shows that we present. We desire to be second to none in quality of performance. Yet we feel a God-directed responsibility not to be frivolous or imprudent in the use of funds God has provided. Therefore, we strive to operate in a spirit of good stewardship and judgement rather than yield to the needless expense of glitz and glitter which is often associated with secular theatre. We believe our patrons are more concerned with substance than glamour.

 We want, more than anything else, to contribute to our patrons’ spiritual growth. We believe that is why God put us in the ministry and that is why He has blessed the ministry with growth. God’s people don’t need just another form of entertainment. God’s people need to grow in Him. If we can help people to stretch their reach for God and to find a closer walk with Him, then we believe we will be serving His Kingdom in the way He would have us to serve. Our prayer is that SGT will always be a place where you can experience in a real and exciting way the love and peace of God. We ask you to pray with us that the very Spirit of God will fill our building in such a powerful way that all who attend will leave having felt a special touch from Him. We seek His presence in all that we do. And may all that we do glorify the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit! [NOTE added in 2022: Take a moment to reread this paragraph. This is still the heart and soul of Stained Glass Theatre. And may it always be so!]

 Thank You, Father. Praise Your Holy Name, Jehovah!

 COMING NEXT: A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

It is now time to plunge into the 90s. And it is with resolve and God’s leadership that we do so!