HUNGRY FOR REVIVAL #27

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

The 1980s brought forth both the “Dream” and the “Reality” of Stained Glass Theatre, the Midwest’s first and only full-time Christian Theatre. The past eight years have been exciting and unbelievable for SGT—years filled with dreams and miracles, joy and heartache, struggles and victories, physical growth and spiritual growth. God has brought us further during this time than I could have imagined. For instance, back at the end of our second season when I was discouraged, defeated, heartsick, and ready to quit because attendance was averaging 10 to 30 people a performance and we were $1800 in debt, how could I have imagined then what it would be like today? How could I have imagined that just five years later, through God’s Grace and Miracles, we would be debt free, be housed in a beautiful building which is totally paid for, and that we would be performing to sold-out crowds of 200 plus with many people on waiting lists for tickets? Yes, the 80s have been exciting, unbelievable years! Praise You, Father, for all You have done!

While the physical growth over the past eight years has been extraordinary, the spiritual growth has been phenomenal. God has worked miracle after miracle in the lives and hearts of those involved in the SGT Ministry. We have seen the lofty words and slogans of the early years become the true heartbeat of the Ministry. As God has broken us, He has been able to move us from goals of just providing Christian “entertainment” into goals of “ministry”—from tickling ears to boldly proclaiming His Word! We have no doubt that it is because of the spiritual growth that God has blessed us with the physical growth. We also have no doubt that we must continue to seek His face and remain humble and repentant if we are to continue in His Grace.

We look to our past and praise God for everything, but we also look to our future with expectant hearts. We don’t believe God is done with us yet. In fact, our prayer is that He has just begun to perfect a work in us. We have seen God move us from entertainers to sowers of seeds, from sowers to those who water, and now our prayer is that God will move us from those who water to those who reap. We believe that God is about to do a mighty work in this land, and we want to be in the forefront.

Our name for this year, Season of Warfare, is not just a slogan, it is a battle cry—a commitment. We are hungry—hungry for Revival. And we believe that it’s coming. We believe that God is ready now, here in this city, to do great things if we are ready. At SGT, there is a spirit of expectancy filling the place. That spirit pervades rehearsals for BOCHIM, our next production. That spirit is felt at devotion times before rehearsals. And that spirit is expressed at our Saturday prayer times. We do not understand all that is happening at SGT or know all that God would have us to do. We do know that we all feel the urgency to be ready. So we invite you, our faithful friends, to join with us in prayer for God to begin to move in our midst. We invite you to come to BOCHIM expecting mighty things to happen. Come expecting God to bless your life, and through you, the life of your church. Come expecting revival!  So pray with us, dear friends. Pray for us. Ask your friends to pray—your church. Let us together fill the days of BOCHIM with prayer.

We praise You, Lord, for everything You have done for SGT and for everything You want to do in the days ahead! May we be worthy warriors in Your army! Thank You, Father. Praise Your Holy Name, Jehovah!

 

COMING NEXT: THE EXCITING DAYS OF BOCHIM

God’s presence was felt in a mighty way at SGT during the days of BOCHIM. BOCHIM is about judgment, yes, but it is mainly about a call for revival—a call for spiritual awakening.

SEASON OF WARFARE #26

(From my column “Looking Forward and Glancing Back” in the SGT monthly newsletter, August, 1989)

“Why?” Some have asked, “Why a Season of Warfare?” And they have asked with good reason. Admittedly, it may sound a little more like “Championship Wrestling” than Christian theatre. So, why did we dub the coming year Season of Warfare? Believe it or not, the answer is not simple.

The naming of a season is a very important and sacred decision for Stained Glass Theatre. We believe that our season title says something about who we are and what we’re about. It captures the spirit and goals of the season. Two years ago when we selected Season of Praise, it was out of a real heartfelt sense that we should be about the business of praising God for His goodness in having shown us our Promised Land and for the many other miraculous blessings He had poured out on the ministry. Last year, our Season of Victory title was chosen in anticipation of the victory which would give us possession of our Promised Land. That victory came, of course, and we are now in that beautiful new building. Yes, season titles mean a lot to SGT.

But what about this year’s title? Well, it all started with the selection process for deciding which plays would be presented in the coming season. That process began in late fall of last year and continued through this spring as the SGT Board read scripts and listened to ideas for proposed plays from SGT’s resident playwright, who shall remain nameless for fear of incrimination. Scripts and ideas were read over and prayed over and passed on to others. Then in late spring, the Board met to make the final selections. Again, prayer became a part of the process as we prayed together for God’s direction and leadership in the selections.

By selection time, we had already tentatively chosen another title for the season. However, as the discussion, voting, and selection process for the plays went forward, it seemed that each new show which was added to the lineup had something to do with spiritual warfare. Of course, that was not apparent to any of us at first. Then, as we made the decision on the last play, it was as if God spoke to all of us at once, seemingly at the same moment, as we suddenly realized what had happened—we had selected a season of warfare. It was startling, exciting, and too obvious to ignore. The Holy Spirit had led us to select five plays for five different reasons and had unified those selections with a common theme. Yes, we had selected five different plays of different styles and moods and targeted for different age groups, yet ALL had a message of WARFARE, even the children’s show. It was amazing, for the theme of spiritual warfare had not been a factor in the selection of any one show.

So, what do you do when the Lord hits the entire Board over the head at once with the same conclusion? Well, if you have any sense, you don’t ignore it. You don’t ignore it even if it does scare the life out of you. Could we, with good sense, be so daring and bold at to stand up and say to the world that we intended to declare a Season of Warfare as a hallmark for the year? Actually, we could do nothing less and be obedient to what God was telling us. Are we scared? You’d better believe it. Satan is real! Spiritual warfare is real! We do not take the Enemy lightly. Yet we take comfort in knowing that “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:30).

The title was selected not yet knowing or understanding all that it imports for us. Yet we do know that it is God’s call upon the ministry. And we sense that God is continuing to give us direction through the book of Joshua. After crossing into the Promised Land, the children of Israel did indeed have a season—many years, in fact—of warfare which was necessary in order to possess the land. Likewise, we at SGT intend to be about the Lord’s business—the business of possessing the land. Our prayer is that we will not stand alone. We pray that you, our friends, will rise up and march with us and that you will intercede for us daily. We know that the prayers of many can stand in the gap and bear us up in perilous times. So, please be diligent! We need prayer warriors now more than ever.

Let us rejoice together! Let us move boldly forward and watch the mighty hand of God work miracles! Let us remember our charge from Him—To be a showcase of praise where God the Father is glorified and Jesus Christ is proclaimed as Lord and Savior! And in all things, we give thanks to the Lord. For He will sustain us! Thank You, Father. Praise Your Holy Name, Jehovah!

COMING NEXT: HUNGRY FOR REVIVAL!

We look to our future with expectant hearts. We do not understand all that is happening at SGT, but we do know that we feel the urgency to be ready!