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Senor Fabuloso Inner circle 1243 Posts |
I'm not pastoral. Not at all. It's just not my calling. I do my best to live the Law and practice His teachings every day. I'm not perfect. not even close. I want to lead by example and help people to find Him in all they do. My life compass has taken me to to some deeply dark places and only through Him have seen the light. Question? How can I open the door to His grace WITHOUT preaching? How can I use my performance as an example of his love WITHOUT direct biblical offerings. Is it enough to live the life WITHOUT ministering? Any help would go a long way. Thank you brothers and sisters.
No matter how many times you say the wrong thing, it will NEVER be right.
If I'm not responding to you? It's because you're a TROLL! |
Mike Ince Inner circle 2048 Posts |
At minimum, you're giving people rest. You aim to help them relax and take their minds off of their worries for an appropriate length of time. Are you good at magic? Do you love doing it? God will be glorified in your favorite good pleasures and satisfactions. A scene of Eric Lidell from "Chariots of Fire" comes to mind. "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."
The secret of deception is in making the truth seem ridiculous.
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jdstewart New user 36 Posts |
I would suggest you take Martin Luther's advice. The cobbler does not serve God by putting crosses on shoes. He serves God by being the best cobbler he can be. Be the best entertainer you can be. Work at being better.
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MagicBus Inner circle Kalamazoo, Michigan 2870 Posts |
Audience Setting is very important. That's basically it in a nutshell.
____________ Kendrick "Ice" McDonald, for example, is a fine magician- he has performed his high energy stage/bird act at huge secular magic venues such as the Abbott's Get-Together. Same as Duane Laflin - he has performed at Abbott's on the main evening stage where a Gospel presentation would be inappropriate. My guess is Duane's usual "Grand Magic Show" is the same way. Ice is the son of a preacher and a good preacher in his own right. Ditto for Duane. So either of them can preach alone from a pulpit, or do very powerful "Gospel" specific Bible based routines, or do "regular" "secular" stage magic - all with excellence. MagicBob is another similar talented fellow: he can do a great close up or a full standard magic act, or preach (MagicBob is an ordained pastor with a seminary degree) or do a combination of both in a church or Sunday School setting. So if you are doing your magic act in front of a secular audience who is expecting to be entertained- by all means entertain! I wish I had the skills to do that well (but I don't). But if you have been asked to present a Bible message or story to a bunch of Sunday School kids (my usual audience) where one can use "magic" to assist in the Bible story or moral lesson being taught, by all means do use "Gospel Magic" as we have come to know it. These are "Biblical messages" where the taught patter is the most important thing, not the actual "trick" itself. It is a balancing act for sure. I have seen "secular" magicians try to tack on a Gospel message on the end of a totally unrelated trick- just makes the whole thing cringe-worthy. Or vice-versa: a "Gospel magician" would get no where on America's Got Talent- but an excellent magician who happened to be a Christian on America's Got Talent could go far. _______ Total Aside: An example that most sticks in my mind is Vonda Kay Van Dyke. She was "Miss America" 1965 and a very talented ventriloquist. She was a very well known Miss America- one of the most well known for years. Bert Parks asked her about the Bible in her interview on national television. When I saw Vonda perform in a Youth For Christ Rally in Portage, Michigan- she blew everyone away with her Gospel vent routine and personal testimony. Vonda did a terrific job as Miss America while using that as a platform to talk about her faith in an appropriate setting when she could. Although this video looks kinda old and corny now, there is a video posted on www.youtube.com entitled "Last Christian Miss America". You can view what a big deal Vonda Kay Van Dyke was- she had motorcades, mayors and reporters would meet her when coming to town, marching bands playing on her arrival, massive television coverage and special guest appearances on tv shows. But when she was asked questions about church or being a good kid, she would answer with Scripture. _________________ Ditto for Kurt Cousins, from nearby Holland Christian High School, he just signed an 84 million dollar contract with the Vikings. Or Tim Tebow, another fine Christian athlete. But if you went to a Mets game to see Tim Tebow bat and he preached instead, he would be an ex-ball player in about 30 seconds. But if Tebow or Cousins appeared with Frank Tanana (former Tigers pitcher and well known preacher) at a Teen Challenge Gospel outreach event, folks would be disappointed if they talked only about passes or curve balls without discussing their faith. _______________ So the audience setting is everything- whether in magic, Miss America contests, or sports. Excellent magic is may what your setting is being called for. All the best and be encouraged! |
4merryhearts New user Roanoke, VA 7 Posts |
Duane Laflin's book, "Greater Gospel Magic" is considered the textbook for gospel magicians... I see one is on ebay right now....
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Ed_Millis Inner circle Yuma, AZ 2292 Posts |
Then don't preach. Do what you do, and be that.
In any situation, we do no minister out of what we do - we are to use what we do as a means of communicating who we are. Many beginning "gospel" magicians get hung up on the magic and how to stuff a bit of gospel in there somewhere. That's backwards. On the other hand, since communication is the key goal, *IF* you are in a situation where you feel the need to communicate something of the gospel, or at least your personal connection to the Savior, then you probably want to make sure that is a deliberate and clear communication. There may be times where you need to make a more "round the bush" reference and let the others take the bait if they're interested - but still there needs to be something to follow. Think back on the situations that started this train of thought for you, and bring them to God in prayer. "Could I have done more here to better open a window to Who You are?" If your heart is to glorify Him, He will answer! Ed |
MSaber New user 50 Posts |
I guess it's cool to preach with magic, as long as you make it clear that what you're doing is just an illusion. Cause there really is some demonic stuff out there that calls itself magic, and you don't want people getting tangled up in that.
Also, I agree with Ed. The first priority should be preaching the gospel, and not entertaining an audience. |
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