30 days ~ 30 videos ~ celebrating 30 years. When I began doing this interviews and meeting this SOJ family, I saw something that I was fascinated with. For years, I watched from the outside and attended the play and was captivated by it, no matter how many times I saw it. Last year my daughter was in it for the first time and I spent some time there during the practices and performances and got to see behind the scenes. Among all of the costumes, makeup, stage, props and animals ~ I found an incredible group of people that I think thought I was a bit crazy at first but now are used to seeing me behind the camera. Even though I don’t play a part or have a role in the production, they have welcomed me into the family and I am so blessed to be a part of it in a small way.
Today’s video is the visionary behind this production ~ Mike Graham. I have watched this man over the years and seen his heart through the continued pressing on of this ministry. The vision, dedication, love, heart and enduring spirit in Mike is amazing. I am sure that it is a difficult thing for anyone to play the parts of Jesus, Noah or Moses while feeling unworthy as we all would ~ when you see him up close and get to know him, you can see the humbleness of a man that had to overcome those feelings and relentless spiritual warfare so he could continue to share the Bible come to life that has changed countless lives with over 500,000 in attendance in the last 30 years. With any great difference you make for God, the battle will be fierce.
Unity in Christ. That is a passion of mine that God has laid on my heart over the years. It is not about the walls of the church that you attend. It is about Jesus. I love where he talks about the unity of this ministry. It is a group of people from different denominations, backgrounds, families and communities. As Mike talks about in this video, now that I think of it, besides a few people mentioning it to me when sharing their stories, in all the people I have met, we talk about Jesus and faith, but where they attend a church is never a focus. The focus is on Jesus and sharing his love to those in attendance and involved in the cast and crew. As with any family and with humans involved, there are challenges, but they make it work! I believe that it is because Jesus is at the center of this family!
Mike had a vision to produce The Story of Jesus, The Story of Noah and The Story of Moses. In the 30th year ~ he miraculously achieved that dream by bringing The Story of Moses to life. The challenge of bringing a new production together in the time they did it was enormous! It was truly a miracle to see how God worked to bring this story to life for the ministry and it has been an incredible journey for me to watch it happen. From the auditions to the production ~ I can not really put into words the blessing this has been to me and so many others.
Tonight is the final night of The Story of Moses. It is a bittersweet night for everyone because they have had a great extended family reunion like they do each year with an exhausting amount of work, but continually getting refueled by a new production, baptisms, lives changed, the faces and stories of the spectators and how far they travel and the relationships they have with each other.
With the final night comes the final task of the year. Tear down and clean up. If you have been there, you have seen the set and I hope you can imagine the work that it takes to construct it. Along with that, I hope you can imagine the work that it takes to tear it down. Especially after you have spent the last months working in the production along with the other things in your life. One of the things Mike describes in the video is the help that they could use. From laundry and packing of the costumes, trash pickup, cleaning, tear down of the set to the packing up of the props, putting a puzzle together getting all that stuff back in the trailers and countless other tasks ~ it is an exhausting job for the small group that remains.
THEY NEED HELP!!!!! Whether you attended the production or not, if you are able in any way to help, it starts tomorrow for 3 days. On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, they need willing and able people to help from teenagers to adults, the more the better. If you can come for one hour or a full day, they will put you to work ~ day and night. Every hour that someone shows up will take an hour off of one of the few remaining that don’t leave until the last thing is packed up and cleaned up. I have created a Facebook event for you to share and invite your friends to help. This is a perfect way to serve with a small group or as a family. I am asking that our community come around this ministry and take some of the load off those that have made this possible. Thank you in advance for your help and prayers! Let this be the easiest cleanup in 30 years!!!
May God bless the producer, production team, cast and crew tonight and in the years to come for their obedience. Deuteronomy 28:1-14
Last night ~ lets make sure it is a sell out!
Click here to access pictures of the performances, practices and construction.
Click here to access videos from previous days!
One more night to have the opportunity to see The Story of Moses. There are not many tickets left! Visit their website or call 863-375-4031 to purchase tickets. Don’t miss this chance! You will be blessed!
The Call 