The Question:
Do you feel dramas have a place in our churches? I feel as though it is just a form of entertainment entering in the church. And if you believe this is acceptable please give me scriptural insight. Thanks.
– No name or city given
Part 1: By All Means
By All Means (Part 1)
I believe it is acceptable to preach the gospel in all ways that produce good fruit for the kingdom of God. Song – dance – drama – pantomime – books – comic books – magazines – tracks – preaching – teaching – movie clips – counseling – and all the other creative ways that man can come up with to proclaim Christ and make disciples for him.
The apostle Paul said; “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (1 Cor. 9:22) Paul’s goal was converts and he was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen. For instance, when he was preaching in Athens, the city was so overtaken with idols they couldn’t understand him. Some philosophers said about him; “What does this babbler want to say?” (Acts 17:18)
If you read this incident, you see that Paul was not preaching in a church at all. He went to the people who needed his message most and really, that is what the church should be doing today. Anyhow, he actually used one of their own pagan alters to try to preach Christ. He said; “for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an alter with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you.”(Acts 17:22-23)
Therefore, yes, I believe drama has a place in our churches and also out in the marketplace. Just like Paul, I think we must become all things to all people in order to save some. Methods to reach people will change through the years but our heart to fulfill the Great Commission “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15) should never change.
You probably agree with all that but your real objection is that you are afraid that the church will just turn into an entertainment center and you do not feel that is appropriate. I understand that and of course that can happen. Instead of being about lifting up the name of Jesus, the church becomes a feel good center where people can kick back and have their ears tickled.
Any ministry that exists for its own sake (instead of for the sake of Jesus) is off base. Any ministry style can get out of balance and this would certainly be true of drama. If the drama becomes a way to promote an individual or an end in itself, it is not going to bear the kind of good fruit I was talking about in the beginning.
Therefore, look past the drama and look to the motivation behind it and look to the fruit it produces. Are people saved? Are people’s lives changed? Is the name of Jesus Christ lifted up? Is the glory given to God? If the answer is yes, let’s say a big YES to drama.
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