Theater?  In  our church? 

 © 2004 Randy Manning

“…and that is the word of the Lord.  Amen.” 

The Pastor closed his bible, looked up from his notes and scanned the congregation.  Several were staring past him at the wall.  Two were “fanning” themselves with the bulletin.  Someone coughed.  Outside a dog barked. 

The organist, realizing that the sermon was over, sat up and started the last song of the service.

The congregation instinctively reached for the hymnals.  A few stood up. 

The pastor, seeing that the service was winding up, stepped back, away from the pulpit and started toward his chair.  He suddenly stopped, frowned and struggled internally for a moment.  Then he came to a decision. 

He turned back toward the congregation and said, “Wait.” 

No one heard him.  Everyone was busy with the first verse of the closing hymn.  He stepped boldly back to the pulpit, leaned down into the microphone and said, “No.  Wait!” 

The organist looked up from her music, found the pastor, and asked him ‘what?’ by raising her eyebrows.  The pastor waved at her to ‘stop’.  Her eyes widened and she shook her head ‘no’.  He gritted his teeth and told her ‘stop’ again by cutting his throat with his finger.  She stopped. 

Within a half a verse, the congregation realized the organ was quiet.  The sound of voices trailed off to nothing.  Except for Mabel Carlson’s.  She continued to belt out the chorus to “The Old Rugged Cross” like she was Ethyl Merman. 

Herman elbowed her.  She stopped singing and looked up.  Everyone was quiet and looking at the pastor.  She quickly turned up one of her hearing aids. 

The pastor now stood in the pulpit with everyone’s attention. 

‘This is different’, he thought.  He couldn’t remember ever having every last eye in the building looking at him.

The congregation knew something was not right.  The pastor had finished.  They had one more song.  They finish the song, shake the pastor’s hand at the door, tell him he ‘made some good points in the sermon’ and then go to the Chinese buffet for lunch. 

The congregation and the pastor studied each other in silence. 

 Then the pastor said, “Ok…everyone take out a pencil and a piece of paper.” 

A universal murmur of “What?” traveled through the room.

The pastor continued, “Number your paper from one to ten”.

A hand appeared in the back. 

“Yes, Ted?”

“Pastor!  What are we doing?”

The pastor replied, “I’m giving you a pop-quiz.”

“Huh?” traveled through the room.  It was followed with several “I nevers”, a couple of “This is not how we worship”, and ended with one, “I don’t test well” 

The pastor held his hand up in a calming gesture.  The congregation quieted.  The pastor then said, “Don’t worry.  If you were paying attention, you’ll do fine.”

The crowd groaned.

“Question number one…what was the sermon topic?”

The universal groan was replaced with whispers. 

“No talking.”  And after a moment…”Ralph!  Keep your eyes on your own paper.” 

The room was quiet.  The pastor paused and, after a moment, said with a trace of a smile, “Number two.”

We all want the congregation to come to the service, listen and come away with something.  A moral, a bit of wisdom, etc.  Something like….”God is good”.  “Love one another”.  “Don’t waste your money”.  Whatever the sermon topic is that week. 

So, one job of the service is to teach.  Impart pearls of wisdom, motivate, etc.  How is that accomplished?  Through songs, prayers, the sermon.  All of those things are used to make a point.  Maybe several points.  Perhaps the sermon topic is “be good to your neighbor”, but one of the songs that Sunday is “Amazing Grace” and maybe the prayers mention “wisdom for our leaders”, “good weather for the church picnic”, etc.  

So, if that’s our job, how are we doing? 

If we started pop quizzes, would we be disappointed with how much of the sermon people take home with them?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  But regardless of how “good” or “bad” the retention of information might be, I suggest we try to increase it. 

Why not add another method to your arsenal of weapons to use when making your point.

Another weapon?  Theater.

Now I’m not talking about full-blown theatrical productions with three acts, lighting, makeup, temperamental actors, curtains, stages, etc., (although you could do that).  Nope.  At this point I’m simply talking about short sketches to illuminate your topic or subject. 

Psychologists who study learning say…

If you “increase the number of times information is entered into the brain” you will increase learning.  It’s easier to recall.  If you’re trying to memorize a poem, isn’t it easier to memorize if you read it more than once?

If you “increase the pathways that information enters the brain” you will increase learning.  What about that poem you’re trying to memorize by reading it?  Wouldn’t it be easier to remember if you read it plus sing it as a song? 

Schools use this principle all the time.  Ever heard the “ABC Song”?  That’s why they put pictures in books.  That’s why teachers write on the chalkboard.  That’s why schools schedule “field trips”.  That’s why school have science labs.  That’s why History teachers show movies of historical events in their classroom.  It just sticks in the student’s mind easier, faster, better. 

Students know this too.  That’s why they take notes.  That’s why there are study groups.

Not only can the students remember it.  It becomes real for them.  It’s easier to remember on “test day”.

So, let’s go back to the classroom.  Shall we? 

You’re a teacher.  No wait, a Science teacher.  No wait, a Biology teacher.  What are we teaching today?  Ummmmm.  How about…”fish use swim bladders to help them swim”? 

Ok.  What is the best method to teach your students?  What will happen if you…

Have your students read the section in the textbook about how fish use their swim bladders.  Then you give them a test.  What will the average test score be?

Ok.  What if you had them read it, and then stood in front of the class and told them about swim bladders, so they could “hear” it?  Would the average test score increase? 

Or if you had them read it, told them about it, and then wrote the major points on the chalkboard so they could “see” it?  What happens to the test scores then?

Maybe they should write the information down on paper too?

And then show a film about the swim bladder in a fish?

How about a field trip to an Aquarium?

Then have them dissect a fish and identify the swim bladder?

As you go further down the list, wouldn’t the average test scores increase? 

Afraid the congregation might “tune out” during parts of the service?  Afraid they’ll “miss the point”?  Want to get their attention?  Want to raise their average test scores?  I think it’s pretty simple.

Use drama, (sketches/theater), in the church.  It gets “their” attention.  After all, isn’t that why you read this article?  Didn’t the opening story get “your” attention?

What a wonderful tool.