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!

AND THE ARMY OF THE LORD HOLDS FORTH! #25

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

If you remember, we have been sharing with you what we believe have been some answers to a simple and beautiful prayer of the heart prayed by Larry Sneed. That prayer, “Lord, send them an army . . .” was prayed over four years ago, yet, at Stained Glass Theatre, we still feel and see the results of that prayer every day. Thank you again, Larry, for your heart and spirit.

Since that prayer, so many Spirit-filled, committed men, women, young people, boys, and girls have joined ranks with SGT to form a mighty army of volunteers to march shoulder to shoulder in carrying the growing load of a ministry the Lord has raised up. Some have served for a few months and some have served for years, but all have blessed the ministry.

It might surprise many to know just how many people and how many “man-hours” are required in order to produce one show each season—and remember, we mount five shows a season. On the average, it takes 25 to 35 people per show. This includes cast, director, writer, light and sound crew, stage and prop crew, costume and makeup workers, and individuals who perform pre-show entertainment. To have so many who come and work what is the equivalent to a second job is nothing less than a miracle of God. This is even more astounding when you consider that no one gets paid. That’s right, hundreds—nay, two thousand plus—“man-hours” volunteered, not once, but five times a year. Yes, that is indeed a miracle of God. Everyone serves because they want to serve the Lord and they believe that SGT is a ministry of God. They have to believe that SGT is a work of the Lord, or else they would not be working their hearts out week after week. No one would work that hard just to serve a work of man.

As with most anything, I guess, there are those who seem to be in positions where they receive recognition, while there are those who serve with equal loyalty, diligence, and love who often go unnoticed. This does not seem exactly just. So let us take time now to focus on those unsung heroes who work behind the scenes and hardly ever get the credit they deserve. I dare not start to name names, for there have been, and are now, so many it would not be practical. Even so, names or not, these individuals should know that their faithful work is greatly appreciated.

For certain, those who are up on stage in the spotlight deserve the recognition, applause, and words of praise which come to them. They have faithfully worked many hours learning lines (for major roles, that is not an easy feat), spent, long days and nights in rehearsals, and committed almost three months of their time from beginning rehearsals until final performance. There is no doubt that these faithful performers deserve our respect and gratitude; however, we must also never forget that there could be no show without the dozen or so, just as faithful, individuals who build the set, make the costumes, run the lights and sound, sell the tickets, seat the audience, sell the concessions, or park the cars These dedicated heroes deserve our hearts perhaps even more than the performers, for they do their work quietly behind the scenes. They aren’t motivated by the glare of the spotlight or the roar of the crowd. They don’t leave the theatre each night with the memory of applause still fresh on their ears. Nor is their weariness of a long evening of work eased by the many “thank yous” and compliments they have received; for, more likely than not, they will have heard none. When I used the term “dedicated heroes,” I was not using the term lightly. They are heroes—the unsung heroes of God’s army. SGT could not function without them. The ministry would not be possible without them. They are the backbone of all we do. So we want to say thank you to all who serve SGT behind the scenes. You work so hard and ask so little. You are very special to us. We love you and we praise God for each and every precious servant He has sent to us. Thank You, Father. Praise Your Holy Name, Jehovah!

COMING NEXT: SEASON OF WARFARE

The naming of a season is a very important and sacred decision for SGT. It captures the spirit and goals of the season. So why a “Season of Warfare”?