Church members find niche in drama

Drama ministries do much more than entertain and inform congregations, they also bring in new church members and serve as an effective missions tool and outreach for children.
   
When John and Michele Vermillion were relocated last year to Montgomery, they reluctantly left behind their drama team at Faith Baptist Church in Bartlett, Tenn. High on their wish list for a new church home was an active drama ministry.
   
On their first visit to Heritage Baptist Church, Montgomery, they were impressed by the amount of space given to drama ministry news in the church newsletter.
“Many churches just aren’t willing to devote resources to drama,” Michele Vermillion said. “It was clear that Heritage really supported their drama team, Visions.”
   
In fact, one of the objectives in the mission statement of Heritage is, “To be open to and take advantage of opportunities to go beyond the church walls to share through drama the gospel message.”
   
Michele Vermillion said, “We joined church one Sunday and Visions the following Wednesday.”
   
According to Charlie Martin, associate pastor of worship at NorthPark Baptist Church in Trussville, missionaries have long recognized the outreaching effectiveness of drama on the missions field. Drama crosses cultural lines and breaks down the language barrier, he said.
   
Martin said because many cultures incorporate drama into their most sacred rituals and rites of passage, they expect any life-changing message, which the gospel certainly is, to be conveyed through drama.
   
Students from NorthPark have crossed some of those cultural lines as they have ministered through “human videos” in Scotland, England and Myrtle Beach, S.C.
   
“Human videos” are pantomime dramas to songs, but this is not white-glove and greasepaint pantomime; it is an up-tempo and highly choreographed production that brings to life the story told in contemporary Christian songs such as “I Surrender All” and “Hands and Feet.”
   
Martin has found portraying a gospel truth against an appropriate secular song can be especially effective with a secular audience.
   
The church received many positive e-mails from Myrtle Beach about the human video team’s portrayal of Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” before they had even returned home.
   
Alabama churches recognize the usefulness of drama in missions closer to home as well.
   
Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Vestavia Hills calls on its drama team, the Crown Players, to reach the surrounding community in many ways. They annually entertain at “Shades Street,” an event designed to draw families with young children.
   
Crown Player Tracy Johnson said they are also invited to perform at secular events such as local business functions.
   
Drama also provides a great “excuse” to invite non-Christians to church. Most people are far more comfortable inviting someone to a church production than a revival meeting.
   
Michele Vermillion said Heritage makes a point to widely advertise special drama events. “I am constantly amazed at the number of people who will show up just because they saw our billboards.”
   
Children are particularly responsive to Christian drama, said Michele Vermillion.
   
She believes drama camps provide an excellent way to reach kids for Jesus Christ. Before moving to Alabama, she taught drama at camps for two years in Tennessee.
   
In her last camp she saw one boy profess his faith in Jesus as a result of hearing and seeing the gospel message anew.
   
“I know how powerful this ministry can be,” she explained.