Bellevue builds evangelistic bridge with Passion Play

What's your choice -- word or image, talk or action, sermon or drama? We learn by the use of the senses, and it is common wisdom that some methods of communication are more effective than others. Researchers have long recognized that concepts communicated through a combination of sensory stimuli will enhance the retention rate of what we encounter. (See sidebar)

Against that backdrop, communication through the dramatic arts is having a renewed impact in the church. Dr. Dale Savidge, executive director of Christians in Theatre Arts, said the variety of forms drama takes in today's culture is amazing. "It would be impossible to describe all of the things people are doing," he said. "Churches have been using drama since the Middle Ages, but it changes very rapidly."
 
Many of today's Christian artists, professional in every sense of the word, are engaged in full-time ministry. They offer their dramas, monologues, mime, dance and more to enhance the message of the local church.
 
Other drama ministries are church-based. For example, the Passion Play at Bellevue Baptist Church is a high-profile, professionally done stage production that the Memphis church has used as an evangelistic outreach for almost three decades.
 
"Bellevue was very much a pioneer [in contemporary church drama]," said Mark Blair, who joined the Bellevue staff in August 2007 as minister of music for special productions. "Christmas marked our 32nd annual Singing Christmas Tree and this will be the 28th annual Passion Play."
 
The Passion Play began as a much simpler production, a series of living pictures reflecting famous masterpieces of the life of Christ behind a scrim. Most of the story was conveyed by the church choir.
 
Over time the play evolved into a full-fledged theatrical event. "Including actors, singers, construction and technical crews, well over 1,000 people work on the play," Blair said. This year's Passion Play debuts February 29 when music, drama and message will fill Bellevue's huge auditorium in six presentations to a total of some 30,000 guests.
 
Blair said the church sees their seasonal dramatic productions as bridge builders to the community. "We very much see this as a step in an evangelistic process," he explained. "For people who become a part of the church, the top response [in surveys] is that their first time to attend Bellevue was one of our major productions."
 
Bellevue members believe the time and effort invested in such programs are worth the effort. They don't want to measure the "success" of a production in numbers alone, but the fact is, the harvest is impressive and abundant. The productions are unashamedly evangelistic and include a clear invitation to follow Christ. Blair said last year's Passion Play saw more than 1,100 people say they accepted Christ at the event, and almost 600 did so during the Christmas program.
 
Another thing he enjoys about drama is that it provides a great picture of the Body of Christ in action -- some people paint, some build sets, some sew costumes, some act and some handle sound and light.
 
Even for smaller churches, Blair said drama is a viable means to enhance worship and outreach. They just have to determine how it can best fit into their size and their capabilities. Short, simple scripts are available at denominational publishing houses and at Christian drama websites. "Start with a realistic view," he said, "but don't be afraid to dream big."
 
Blair emphasized that the Singing Christmas Tree or the Passion Play may be only a small step in the process of someone's life. "We try to build bridges," he said. "If we have something exciting enough that they would spend an evening with us, we have an opportunity to build relationships."
 
As drama builds the bridge, the community comes, the Bellevue faithful nourish those new relationships, and the harvest continues to be plentiful.