I was wondering what your favorite change bag routine is for Gospel magic?

There is an excellent routine provided by gospelmagic.com where the true meaning of christmas is explained. beautiful silks are provided (four or three in all I think) and some excellent scripture references.

ths routine can be delivered with some great messages highlighting the often materialistic characteristics of the season. the routie closes with an excellent mesage.

nice trick.

Shadow ( aregular poster here, and good friend of mine) is adpating Andini's fishes and loaves routine to a change bag.

The effect is that a few go in, and many more are given out. It sounds really great and packs smaller than a chick pan, or dove pan.

I havent seen it yet, but may see it tonight as our Local FCM is doing a show at a local coffee house.

BroDavid

Let us know how it lookd Brodavid, I have heard a few people talk of this type of effect and ould love to learn more!

Well, I hate to be mundane, but I always had a lot of fun with a change bag and a Mis-made Christian Flag. That is something sold by Dock Haley Gospel Magic, now run by Steve Varro.

I do other mismade routines in my non-gospel family shows, and it was just a natural fit. Add some gag wands and have fun with the volunteer. Also very novel, as a lot of Christians haven't seen the Christian Flag.

You can even talk about the meaning of the parts and colours (explanations come with the directions).

- Donald.

Donald

Good to know that there are other "mundane" persons in this world besides me! I use the change bag in the same way that you do. It just seems like a natural fit to me also.

Jim

Interested to know what the mis-made christian flag looks like please and does anyone know if its available in the UK?

Click the link in my post above for some more information. You may want to look for U.K. dealers who carry the Dock Haley Gospel Magic line, as it is one of their items.

- Donald.

I really like Duane Laflin's routine with the Zebra silks. Nice twist on the "Blendo" type of effect.

Also, I use the change bag with the effect that I show these pieces of paper that are blank. I fold them up, and then show one piece that has a star printed on it. I fold that up as well, and put them in the bag. We play a game in which each kid picks a piece of paper, and the one who gets the star will be the one picked. "Don't show anyone your star until the end," I say.

Of course, I use the change bag so that they all pick pieces of paper with stars on them. And when I have the person with the star raise their hand, the reaction when all of them do is priceless.

I talk about how God wants all of us to be picked, and that Christ came for you and you and you... pointing to each of them.

John

Gospel items are difficult to find here in the UK, Jonty, I usually end up sending to the US

Turns out, Shadow didn't do his variation of the Andini routine. So I still havent seen it. The crowd that we were performing for, was older teens and I imagine that he thought they might not enjoy it as much as younger children would.

But he did use the change bag routine with another effect, and I saw a couple of things that surprised me.

First, he used a zipper change bag, and had the zipper open so when the "helper" went to put the silks into the bag he went right through it, "proving" that it was "just a bag". I liked that!

Then, I saw a look of amazement on the spectator/helper as Shadow took out the changed silks.

I really didn't think the change bag had that kind of impact, but I guess that just shows the difference between someone who knows how it works, and someone who just sees the magic!

BroDavid

I use the change bag as a "magic washing machine." First I produce a stained and tattered silk, which represents how sin affects us. "What we need is a magic washing machine," I explain. Out comes the change bag, in go the silks, and voila, out comes a clean, whole silk!

I conclude by expliaining that Jesus is our magic washing machine (except when Jesus does it, it is a miracle).

Great thoughts bruce, it sounds like a beautiful effect with many potential adaptations

I do a change bag routie that talks about the blood of christ and salvation. It involes 6 sliks and works great. If anyone wants to learn it Pm me and I will tell you how the trick is done.

Tom

I've been working out a number of effects that I can routine together to share the message of God loving everybody. The change bag is actually a key point in one of the effects. Here's the basic premise:

Four different colored silks are shown to everyone. You explain that each silk is a different color, was made somewhere different, and does things differently. Just like people! "Some people are from different countries and some do things differently. Well, does that mean that this red scarf shouldn't be friends with this blue one? Of course not!" The silks are placed one-by-one into the bag while you describe them. "All of these silks should work together and then they can make a beautiful, new silk like this one!" You pull a Tie-Die silk or the classic Blendo silk to show all of the colors in one.

"Does everybody see how strong we can be if we work together, despite our differences?" The multi-colored silk is put back into the bag. "This works for one very simple reason. You see, even though we're all different, we are all one in Christ!" You pull out the large silk with an image of Jesus on it.

It uses a three chamber change bag (all I've ever used) with everything preloaded. I'm a little hesitant to use the Jesus silk. It seems like it's an inaccurate image of Him. I may use it anyway because it gives kids the general idea that Jesus was human. I may also do something else to end it. Still rough.

Also, Duane Laflin has a booklet with Gospel Lessons with a Change Bag. I have it here in front of me, but I've only skimmed it once a while ago. It may be a good thing to pick up if you still want more ideas.

Do any of you ever use the pastor, and do the cut and rstored tie?

I used my pastor with a cut and restored tie at a banquet once.

I had him in on it, and I was doing a comedy magic show. So I gave him the tie in advance and told him to let a few people know that this was his favorite tie.

Well I got there at the last minute, (ever notice how things always happen to delay you when you are doing something for God?) and didn't know that he had really hammed it up, greeting everyone and telling them about his favorite tie... .

Well, the way I had it planned, I asked for a volunteer, and chose him. I Had him give me the tie, with him protesting loudly about being careful with his favorite tie. I assured him that no harm would come to his favorite tie, and then I cut it in half.

There was an audible gasp from the crowd.

I again assured the audience that everything would be ok, and then turned my back to the audience and duck tapped and stapled it back together really loudly and badly. Turned back to the audience and said Ta Da good as new. The whole audience seemed to be in shock, and I didn't have a clue as to why. But the Pastor had walked back to his seat, and was hysterical, almost rolling on the floor. The Lynch mob was subverted(but only because the Pastor explained what we had done, cause I was sweating as they put the rope around my neck.) and I survived the ordeal, but just barely.

It was actually one of my better nights. I usually do comedy type stuff for the adults and save the sleight type stuff for the kids. But I usually put in one serious trick with a message at the end.

Godspeed
Steve

That is great. Always good to have a pastor willing to be in on a trick!

I did a short routine today when talking about God the Creator. I had put a large white silk in the bag in advance and talked about that in the beginning everything was darkness and emptyness. I let one child have a look in the bag to confirm that it was both dark and empty. I continued by saying that God once said "Be light", and it was light. I then pulled out the white silk and explained that our heavenly Father wants to give us his light. I also quoted Psalms 119:105.

Lately my faith has come into question, so I have updated some of my effects to mirror my position. I've actually recieved a decent response, in that many people are willing to help lead me back to the road of sheep and away from the goats