(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.
