I think it's good to revisit our vision and mission statement. I really wish to talk again about the vision, but suffice to say that if you believe that God's intention of salvation was for all creation to have happiness in living, together with all God's children, a temporal earthly life of knowing, and learning of, and glorifying Him, then we are on the same page. With this as our vision, we then find or mission --or commission, as we shall see--, in Christ, who gave us that Great Commission that is for us to 'go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything' He has commanded us.
The very first principle I like to remind us is this: the fact that we are called to be teachers, first and foremost. Only till we realize this can we truly find our place, our part, and our ministry, in God's grand work, in which we are privileged to have the offer --command, even-- of the Great Commission.
Back to Basics: On Ministries (and ministers)
I'll just say it as it is: a ministry always relates with need. When there is no need, then there is no ministry. However, the always obvious problem is that sick sinners often know not what they need, only what they want. And in saying this I am not singling any person or group out; we all fall under the same category. Yet it is God's grace that some of us has grown to know and understand Him and His will, and hence our needs (sin) and its fulfillment (salvation), better. This is not a virtue we can boast in, because this is solely God's grace. Far from boasting, if we truly understand this, then we know that with this great grace comes also great responsibility: we teachers are to teach our --or rather, Christ's-- disciples, in careful and fearful sincereness, what we have known of God's great love and His will to them and all creation.
Back to Basics: On Drama
It is quite intriguing to know that the word 'drama' comes from 'action', or even, 'to do'. How very accurate this is. Drama is a part of every action - in fact, an action itself is a drama. Early philosophers argued a lot in trying to really understand what 'action' is really all about. I find it's of little benefit to follow in their footsteps: it is enough for me to believe that God is a God of will, not mere mindless counteraction. In fact, it is He himself who is the originator of any action. And for us to be created in His image and likeness, I believe it entails that we too have a will, and desire to act. Hence, we are creatures of drama. Such sad state it is for a man to have the drama in himself oppressed, through subjugation, or suppressed even, voluntarily.
Back to Basics: On Ministries (and ministers)
I'll just say it as it is: a ministry always relates with need. When there is no need, then there is no ministry. However, the always obvious problem is that sick sinners often know not what they need, only what they want. And in saying this I am not singling any person or group out; we all fall under the same category. Yet it is God's grace that some of us has grown to know and understand Him and His will, and hence our needs (sin) and its fulfillment (salvation), better. This is not a virtue we can boast in, because this is solely God's grace. Far from boasting, if we truly understand this, then we know that with this great grace comes also great responsibility: we teachers are to teach our --or rather, Christ's-- disciples, in careful and fearful sincereness, what we have known of God's great love and His will to them and all creation.
Back to Basics: On Drama
It is quite intriguing to know that the word 'drama' comes from 'action', or even, 'to do'. How very accurate this is. Drama is a part of every action - in fact, an action itself is a drama. Early philosophers argued a lot in trying to really understand what 'action' is really all about. I find it's of little benefit to follow in their footsteps: it is enough for me to believe that God is a God of will, not mere mindless counteraction. In fact, it is He himself who is the originator of any action. And for us to be created in His image and likeness, I believe it entails that we too have a will, and desire to act. Hence, we are creatures of drama. Such sad state it is for a man to have the drama in himself oppressed, through subjugation, or suppressed even, voluntarily.
Back to Basics: On Drama Ministry
I shall conclude quickly here, by saying that: our action --hence, our drama-- itself is not untainted by sin. In fact, can there be anything more tainted by sin than our actions, for God said that the heart of man is corrupt, and from it flows out everything he does, or acts (read: dramatize)? The world knows little of this fact, and so at the same time belittles the very disastrous effect their drama has in life, not just for oneself, but also to all life, for man is connected and intertwined with one another in so many ways. The actions, and drama, of this sinful world is tainted at best, and venomous at worst. But then, what should we do? shall we distance ourselves from it? why such torture, when there is a need in all of us to be in it, for drama is the very breathing, and living warmth of life. So what, then, must we do?
We do this: we present a drama that is different from the world, because it is not of the world, yet is in the world. We have the drama of the eternal Creator, who wills to be called Father, and does everything unthinkable to His rebel creation, so that through redemption, and slow --and often, painful-- sanctification, they will in the end, may finally become His eternal children. And all this we can do, from the church, through the church, and for the church.
Drama ministry is God's gift and answer to a world whose soul craves to know and finally be able to have that true relationship with the true and infinitely loving God. May all teachers and servants of God use all their divine gifts to teach and serve with zeal and love to Him, and to His lost children.
Soli Deo Gloria, drama teams.
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