Author Archives: Senti

Some of you may recognize the actors in this 1997 musical version of “Cinderella”.  I also want to share a comedy in one act as an example of theater:

A TABLE FOR THREE (A One Act Play)

(It is a nice restaurant, but not too nice mind you, just nice.  There is a table and two chairs.  Maybe some other tables in the background with people eating and talking quietly.  The table is nicely arranged and there is nice music playing lightly in the background.  The server is young, somewhat odd looking, but just well groomed enough to be a server in a nice restaurant.  He has the typical dress of a server, black pants, a tie, a white shirt and a white towel.  Also, he has a server’s moneybag around his waist for his pad and pen and extra change.  The couple is also nicely dressed for a night out.  She has a nice skirt and he a shirt and tie and they have all the other trappings of course.  They are young, polite, and are just thinking of whether or not their relationship could be more serious.)

(Server, Chris, enters stage left, preparing the table.  He exits and returns shortly.  Rob and Tami enter behind him.  He shows them their table.)

Chris: Does this look good?

Rob: (smiling) Yes, thank you.

(Rob and Tami take a seat and Chris gives each of them a menu.)

Chris:  My name is Chris.  I’ll be your server tonight.  Our special is chicken cordon bleu smothered in rich white sauce with steamed vegetables on the side.  Can I get you both something to drink?  (Takes out his pad and pencil.)

Rob:  How about a bottle of White Zinfandel?

(Tami nods her approval.)

Chris:  (putting away his pad and pencil) All right then.  I’ll be right back.

Tami:  Thank you.

(They begin to look at their menus while Chris departs and comes back very quickly with a bottle and two wineglasses.  Rob and Tami have only been able to exchange looks.  Chris sets up the bottle, pours the drinks, and takes out his pad and pencil again.)

Chris:  Have you decided?

Rob:  (confused) No, we really haven’t had much time to look at the menu.

Chris:  Oh, take your time.  (He watches them as they try to decide their orders.  After a brief pause he speaks again.)  My personal favorite is the Halibut.  I really like fish.

Tami:  Oh really?  So do I.  Maybe I’ll get that.

Rob:  Not me.  I hate fish.  I think I’ll try the ribs or something.  Just need a second.

Chris:  Oh I don’t like the ribs here.

Rob:  You don’t?  (Looking at him)

Chris:  No, the cook isn’t very good at making them.  But he is good at making Halibut.

Rob:  Well, I don’t want the Halibut.  I want something else.

Tami:  But I’ll take the Halibut.  (She gives Chris her menu and smiles.)

Chris:  (He smiles back and puts the menu under his arm.)  Oh, very good then.  You’ll like it very much.  And you sir?

Rob:  Give me a minute.

Chris:  Of course.  (He waits again, still holding up the pad and pencil.  He eventually turns to Tami as he waits.)  So what do you do for a living, if I may ask?

Tami:  (smiles) You may.  I’m actually studying to be a nurse.

Chris:  Really?  I think that’s wonderful!  I’ve always admired people who can do that kind of work.  I could never do it.  Always faint at the sight of blood, you know, and…well I just admire you.

Tami:  Well, thank you.  That’s very nice…

Rob:  I’ve decided then!  I want the ribs!

Chris:  Oh very good!  (He jots it down, takes the menu and puts it under his arm.)  I doubt you’ll like it, but that’s your choice of course.  Be back right away.  (He departs.)

Rob:  Take your time.  (He turns to Tami and smiles.)

{More to come on the next blog- find out what happens with Chris and Tami…and Rob}

Do you recognize these high schoolers from a 1997 performance of Cinderella at Lynden Christian?

To welcome performance as a means of influence is to welcome theater. The beginning of creation from Genesis 1 in the Bible is a kind of theater performance in the imagination of the hearer. We are the audience and God is the actor. The conflict is the chaos and we behold the stage of the heavens and the earth. Our imagination can see it all happening and we are influenced by it. If we acknowledge Jesus’ parables as a kind of theater, then all Biblical narrative/story is potentially a kind of theater as well.

Jesus did warn in one of his parables against what he called the yeast of the pharisees, which he described as hypocrisy. We earlier defined hypocrisy as acting, but it is not disdainful when a person puts on a virtue such as kindness even if he or she doesn’t feel like being kind in the moment. If I ultimately want to be kind in the situation, but in an immediate sense I do not feel like being kind, yet I “put on” kindness, this is not hypocrisy. Instead we are putting on the clothing of kindness until the emotion catches up to the will. It is when one has no intention or to desire to be kind and then pretends to be that such a thing is disdainful. (“Clothe yourselves with…kindness…” Colossians 3:12 NIV.)

Humor also has a place in theater in that it is a part of God’s creative order, humans can appropriately laugh at their own fallibility, and this laughter brings an audience joy as well as it can bring the actor(s) joy, which is a reflection of God’s redemption of sinners to saints. Sin is serious and its consequences dire. Just as we should not underestimate the enemy of our souls, satan, so we should not underestimate the power of sin. Yet on the Cross Jesus made a public spectacle of satan and sin’s power. He is so much greater than all of it that He could step right into it, conquer it and bring salvation to the very ones who sinned against Him. This is the ultimate source of our joy as Christians. Humor is connected to the joy of the Divine. Thus the picture of little human beings trying to defy God in Psalm 2, describes God laughing at the wicked in their foolish pride against Him. The narrative of a donkey speaking to his master and giving him advice in Numbers 22 and Jesus describing a hypocrite as having a log in his eye while trying to get a speck out of his neighbor’s are all examples of humor in Scripture that could be portrayed in a theatrical way. (From Luke 6:41-42.)

But theater brings up many questions for Christians: do we break the second commandment (from Exodus 20:4) if we portray God in a theatrical situation? Jesus never directly portrayed God the Father in his parables, but did so by the characterization of good fathers, kings and masters. The church has historically permitted the image of Jesus to be portrayed because the Son of God is the personification of God in human form. God Himself gave us an image of Himself in the form of His Son. Therefore plays, movies and musicals portraying Jesus would be not only justified but very helpful for an audience in coming to know the One who is being portrayed. Yet to portray God in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ, is good, since it was God’s design to let His Son demonstrate His image in His Son. (Colossians 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God…” Hebrews 1:3 “…the exact imprint of His nature…” John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh…” 14:9 “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” ESV)

Can a Christian be involved in a show that has scenes that are sexually explicit or philosophies he or she does not agree with? Is it beneficial to watch such a show? For all such questions I refer to my blog post: “What is a disputable matter?”

In summary theater, for the Christian, must have its proper place in the context of story, for an audience, acted on a stage by performers. The audience welcomes this performance simply by listening and beholding. This is all for the glory of God and the benefit of the audience, whether or not they agree with the message. So go and watch plays, movies, and musicals. Enjoy them and discern them!

Next time I’ll share a one act play called “A Table For Three” as an example of theater.

In this picture my wife Rochelle is on the far right.  It’s from a musical called HMS Pinafore that Lynden Christian High School put on in 1995.  My father-in-law was in the pit as some may recognize just below my wife’s picture.  She and I were in plays and musicals every year in high school.  We prayed before each performance as a cast and crew.  Those were marvelous times!  But why pray beforehand?  Is this a spiritual exercise or simply a secular activity devoid of God?                 

Have you ever been in a play, musical or – dare I ask- a film? 

We are probably more influenced by theatre, especially movies, than by Scripture or Church in western culture.  So it’s important to consider the place of theatre in the life of faith.  As stated last week, Jesus’ use of parables points to a type of theatre in his Messianic ministry.  He even could have acted out parts of his stories as a monologue for his listeners.  He couldn’t have been a Jewish Rabbi without at least using hand motions to make his points!  And he certainly left room for us to do so by telling such engaging stories. 

                Throughout history the Passion of Jesus has been acted out by thousands of His followers as a means of expressing God’s great design in redemption.  The theme of wellness, agitation, salvation (though a “savior”), and restoration of wellness is basic to all well-loved stories from time memorial.  Some stories emphasize different parts of this Creation, Fall, Redemption monomyth, such as those that emphasize man’s fallen state, like Hamlet (play) or Magnolia (movie).  But all the most popular ones follow this mono-myth.  Think of any Shakespeare play, classic opera, or movies like Superman or Star Wars.  That’s because these stories reflect the ultimate story and we all know this intuitively.

                The importance of an audience cannot be understated.  Even if a person preforms for themselves, as the Pharisee does in Jesus’ Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14), it is still a performance.  Actors often practice alone, using themselves as the audience, frequently with a mirror to show themselves the effectiveness of their body language.  This too is theatre and no less so.  The use of theatre in preaching is grossly understated and unacknowledged.  Good preaching can and must involve the use of theatrical elements.  Often a story is told, speech is manipulated, songs sung, body language intensified, and always an audience is present to behold it.

                The use of a stage is broadly defined as a platform from which to perform.  The mirror or living room for an audience of one is transformed in the imagination’s eye into another world.  The platform of the pulpit, an actual stage, or any place that can be transformed by the imagination’s eye into another reality will suffice.  It is the place the audience is held captive to see.  It has boundaries, which the mind’s eye keeps firmly throughout the time allotted.  It is the frame and canvas of the theatrical painter. 

                To perform upon a stage is then the primary and basic element of theatre.  It is intentional.  It is for the benefit of the audience.  It is not just to be, or to live.  It is to do so that others and/or self can behold the action.  Here the great doctrines of Election and Grace keep the faithful from using reality as a stage to perform in.  To perform is the work of one who must earn favor, must gain agreement, must teach a lesson, must produce a pleasant and beneficial result.  It is not a mere outflow of gratitude.  It is merited favor.  It is a means of influencing another, even manipulating if deemed necessary by the actor or writer, fortunately or unfortunately.  The actor is imitating someone or something with a certain end in mind.  Namely, to win over the audience.  Again, this is rebuked by Jesus if done as a means of looking good or lying in real life.  But it has a marvelous place in communication when all parties involved are aware of its presence and welcome it.  That is theatre. 

(More next week and then a play called “A Table for Three” as an example.)

Towards a Theology of Theater

By theater we mean to perform, as on a stage, for an audience by means of acting out characters in the context of a story.

Is theater merely a human construct or it is of God?

Many ancient cultures have had theater plays of some kind, whether Asian, Greek/Roman or Egyptian. Western postmodern culture has begun to reject the concept of story in theater, but I suggest that story is part of theater’s definition. Our television culture has been greatly affected by this. Do you remember watching Johnny Carson and Carol Burnett? They had curtains, acts, audience and it was like watching a theater show on television. Sitcoms continued this paradigm by having a live audience, or at least having laugh tracks to help the audience laugh along with the funny parts. Now reality television has changed that. There is no definite story and all semblance of theater is lost as people who are disconnected from each other basically watch each other doing life in order to stay connected somehow.

Some theater shows are now short and seemingly unrelated vignettes. Here we must part with the postmodern definition of theater. I would suggest that the lack of story in theatrical pieces is nothing less than the result of satanic influence.

Why? For at least three reasons:

1- It is destructive of something; in this case story and therefore the enrichment of society. It is always satan’s goal to destroy rather than to give life to good things. “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 The Bible English Standard Version)

2- The basic philosophy of satan is to achieve divinity apart from God’s design and succor. “…you will be like God…” (Genesis 3:5 The Bible ESV). Thus the concept of design is rejected in favor of anything that is anti-design. Design implies aforethought of a starting point, substance and completion. And these are the basic elements of story.

3- God’s design of creation, fall and redemption is a kind of performance with the powers of the universe as its audience. Therefore reality is a kind of story with an author and an audience. Shakespeare wrote, “All the world’s a stage.” God inspired the Apostle Paul to write, “…so that he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7 ESV) “…so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 3:10 ESV)

The means of acting out characters in theater differs from God’s design in one important respect: In creation God’s people are not characters who are acting in order to suspend an audience’s perception of reality. God’s people are real. They have no stage, except time. When they use life as a stage, their Redeemer rebukes them, calling them hypocrites. The Greek word, “hypocritus” simply means actor. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees according to Matthew 23 calling them hypocrites six times in that chapter alone for acting righteous even though they weren’t.

Theater, therefore, is a reflection of God’s design and story. Its purpose is to reflect that design and story in such a way as to help its audience see reality anew: to live differently, to change thinking, to inspire, to amuse, to entertain, and so much more.

Men and women are capable of acting. Thus God must have intended acting to have a positive use; a place in his creation of human society. Because Jesus uses the word “actor” to rebuke should not lead us to conclude that all acting is false or evil. It is only false or evil when it is used as a means of performing for others in real life situations in order to look righteous, instead of being righteous. But it is good when used in the context of story-telling.

Christ used the art of story-telling in his use of parables… (More next week and eventually I will share one of my own plays, “A Table for Three” as a one act comedy.)

Is it wrong to have a tattoo?

For the sake of my kids I got one of those temporary tattoos with a dinosaur on it. But are permanent tattoos UN-Biblical? (For non-Christians, that’s “Christian-ESE” for something that is not permitted according to the standards of the Bible.

What about dinosaurs? How do we explain them from a Biblical standpoint? I’m sure we all have answers we can give, but do we really know for sure?

There are some matters that are disputable among Christians, according to the Apostle Paul in the letter he wrote to the Christians in Rome in the first century. He said, “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.” (Romans 14:1 New International Version)

So how do we know if something is a disputable matter? We can ask ourselves some questions: – Is it clear from Scripture? Is it something that Jesus and the Apostles considered important?

– Has it been disputed by faithful Christians through the centuries?

– If it is a new controversy, why is it new? Did past generations lack some information? If in fact they did, then are faithful Christians who consider Scripture authoritative for truth and life disputing it?

-On what level is it disputable? If it is outside what is Orthodox, we mean it is outside of what can be deemed true by a disciple of Christ Jesus. We’ve used the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed as doctrinal statements in most expressions of Christianity. What about in regard to Ortho-praxis (that is not just what we believe to be true, but what is righteous in terms of the practice of Christianity)? Baptism and the Eucharist/Communion are essential to all Christians on one level or another, but there is great disagreement as to how they are practiced.

What about lifestyle? I believe it is clear from Scripture (Romans 1 for instance) that all forms of sexual immorality are a sin against God. I do not consider that a disputable matter. That’s a controversial view nowadays.

There are a lot of things I don’t know for sure. There are many mysteries in our faith. We hold that God is One and yet three persons. We hold that Christ is fully God and fully man. We hold that He was born of a Virgin. We hold that God is Almighty and yet we hold that sin exists too. We hold that God breathed Scripture, yet men wrote it.

I know for sure that Christ died for our sins, that He rose again on the third day and that He is coming again. How that all works I don’t even know. But I believe it. I believe in Him. I trust in Him. I don’t know a whole lot else for sure. I have strong opinions, but I don’t know very many things for sure. I’ve determined to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified.

Here’s a poem I got in 2012 that articulates it better. I think art does a better job than our narrative prose can:

Behold the Mystery

The immoral becomes immortal

because incarnation goes through crucifixion

turns it to resurrection, then ascension

Sends His Spirit, can you hear it?

Tongues are speaking to anyone seeking

to find what is brought because they’ve been sought

before the beginning of time

2nd Chronicles 20:12 “…we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us.  We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

The narrow gate, the very entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven is in recognizing that we are poor and powerless apart from the Spirit of God and of Christ.  “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”  (Matthew 5:3)  Yet we do not enter through this gate only once in our lives.  We must enter through it many times.  Often circumstances of our lives bring us back to this point when we realize that we’ve been trying to do something in our own strength instead of His.  We must come to a point where we say, “I can’t do this!”  Then the aha moment comes where God tells us that of course He knew all along that we could not.  Then we must ask for help and He comes through in ways we couldn’t anticipate.  Then we remember that all along, whatever we have done through His power and strength in us.  Then we give Him glory and thanks.

Yet like King Jehoshaphat in the passage above, we must learn to give Him glory and thanks before the circumstances get better.  When His Word reminds us to trust Him and give thanks “for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (Ephesians 5:20b)  We must do this before we’ve seen the answer to prayer.  King Jehoshaphat, instead of sending his army, sends some worshippers forward to face Judah’s enemies.  They sing “Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever.”  (2nd Chronicles 20:21b)  As they do so in faith, the LORD sets an ambush against their enemies.  He changes the circumstance so that Judah is victorious.

As we give thanks and sing praise to God, it even changes our brain chemistry.  As the saying goes, sometimes He calms the storm, sometimes He calms the one in the storm.  But God in his sovereignty brings us to these points where we realize our need for Him.  Even His Son, when faced with the cross went to the garden and prayed fervently in faith.  And because He was forsaken for us, we shall never be forsaken!  So let’s sing praise and give thanks NOW while the difficulty is present and see what the LORD will do on our behalf.

We at Envision Mission could use your prayers for these things as we give thanks and look to the LORD together:

1. Healing for many of our friends from mental illness by whatever means the LORD wants to do so

1. So many of our friends are homeless and in need of housing or on the edge of homelessness

1. That workers would be raised up for the harvest who are willing to get into people’s lives and help them for the long term

Pastor Mitchell Senti

Do you have any real friends?

Authentic Community in the Church: What is it? By Mitchell Senti www.envisionmission.org

Mitchell Senti is a church planter/pastor/evangelist in downtown Bellingham with a ministry called Envision. His ministry is often to the disenfranchised in the downtown culture along with his wife, 3 kids and ministry team.

• The more I minister to people who are disenfranchised, the more I realize that a lot of us feel like we don’t fit, especially in the church. We’re busy and we get disconnected easily in this culture. It’s like a big monster that we all hate, but everyone submits to. So consider these following thoughts and see if they don’t meet something in your heart that you have a tough time articulating, but are there nonetheless. Check it out:

• After the Fall of Man, the world built the Tower of Babel to the heavens in order to come together in unity around the power of mankind. The power of man displayed itself in technological progress, a common language, and hard work. God scattered the world by confusing them with many languages because He knew that they will accomplish great progress but would never find true peace and community in that context. See Genesis 11 – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2011&version=ESV#

• Then He called Abraham out of Ur and led Him to a Promised Land. Abraham trusted God’s voice and God began to build His community of peace through that one man. He continued doing this through Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, David, the Prophets and finally perfectly through Jesus the Messiah. But many children of Abraham rejected this call and went back to the world’s way of doing things. Some who were not children of Abraham aligned themselves with God’s community, such as Rahab and Ruth. But there was only a remnant. See Acts 7 – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%207&version=ESV

• So God scattered the children of Abraham to the nations of the earth. After Jesus died for the sins of the world and rose again from death, He told his disciples to go to Jerusalem. He ascended to Heaven and from the right hand of God’s majesty the Spirit poured out upon the disciples in Jerusalem. See Acts 1:4-9- http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%201:4-9&version=ESV

• Children of Abraham came from all the scattered nations to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost, and there God poured out His Spirit along with the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Messiah. In that place He reversed the Tower of Babel so that everyone there could understand the message of Jesus Messiah as one language. He brought men and women together in peace and community by His Spirit, instead of by the power of man. See Acts 2- http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202&version=ESV

• Now anyone, who aligns themselves with that community under Jesus as King, has true peace and authentic community within them. We live in a very busy, lonely culture. America is a veritable Tower of Babel with great technological progress, a common language, and lots of hours of busy work to that end. The values of the American dream are quickly spreading throughout the globe, even through the spread of the English language, internet/computer technology, comforts, consumerism and economic advancement. However, this unity of the power of mankind around building this Tower does not bring peace or true community to people. That can only come through the Holy Spirit of God being poured into the hearts of little groups of disciples who love each other as God has loved them. As Abraham was a friend of God, we must first be friends with God in Jesus Messiah who is the friend of sinners. Then we can have true friendship with one another. See John 15:9-17 – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2015:9-17&version=ESV

• And this Message we are called to spread to the whole world by disciple-ing others to Jesus as He has taught us. The model of Jesus was not to try to reach crowds of people and set up another program or Tower for everyone to gather around. His model was to spend time with twelve men and live life with them, to teach them in that context, and then commission them to go and do the same. See Matthew 28:16-20 – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2028:16-20&version=ESV

A couple questions:

1. Could you start skipping that weekly TV program, cut Facebook time in half, and simply decide to spend time with someone who needs to be disciple-ed face to face at least once a week?
2. Is Christ a friend to you? Do you have any real, genuine friendships in Christ?