A Pastor's Recommendation:
Dear Fellow Pastors,
As an expression of love during Clergy Appreciation Month, my church gave me a Sunday to sit with my family and enjoy the ministry of Dale Phillips of CareActor Inc. He provided us with a powerful dramatic presentation clearly illustrating the saving truth of the Gospel message in a way that was both entertaining - holding the interest and attention of even small children - and the powerful - provoking an emotional response from a number of people. Following the service, a number of my parishioners shared with me that they were deeply touched by his presentation and were thankful for the clear and powerful message he conveyed in his ministry to us.
I know that it is sometimes difficult for many of us, as pastors who care deeply for our flocks, to relinquish our pulpits to an "outsider." As do most pastors, I carefully screen anyone who approaches me about bringing a message to my congregation. But I also know that there can be great value in allowing my congregation to hear the truth through a different voice from time to time. It is with that in mind, and with a confidence of his faithfulness to the Word of God, that I offered to write this letter of recommendation for Dale. Dale has been a pastor and has a pastor's heart. He understands the great responsibility God has given each of us to shepherd our flocks faithfully, and I believe it is his heart's desire to help us in our efforts to do so.
Please consider allowing Dale to minister to your congregation. I do not believe you will be disappointed in the excellence of his ministry or the faithfulness of his message.
Your fellow servant of Christ Jesus,
Rev. Bryan A. Balasa
(From the Franklin Missionary Church - Franklin, NE, written fall of 2002)
A Pastor's Newsletter Article:
Can the Good News be told through drama? Can puppets lead people to worship?
Can make-believe characters convincingly tell the greatest Truths of all?
Last weekend, we found out! CareActor was here presenting wonderful truths
from God’s word in marvelous ways.
We heard about recognizing truth from puppets. We heard about redemption
from an overgrown “Scottie Scout.” We heard about Jesus’
love and grace extended to a hillbilly leper. We heard about the Good
Shepherd from an imaginary shepherd - one who heard the angel’s
announcement and saw the baby in the manger - one who saw the King enter
Jerusalem - one who saw the Savior dying on the cross - one who saw and
believed in the Risen Lord.
Character after character emerged from Dale’s “tool box”
to relate stories and truths from God’s word. Indeed, his “tool
box” became a “treasure box” of wonderful characters
and eternal truth.
Those who saw and heard the presentations over the weekend had plenty
to say about CareActor. I heard expressions like, “Powerful!”
“Awesome!” and “Wonderful!” I heard people say
that Dale is wonderfully gifted for this ministry. Others said that we
have to have him back! Very few could experience the ministry and not
feel the power of what was expressed.
From the youngest children to senior adults, imaginations were tweaked
and hearts were stirred. We laughed. We sighed. Some even cried. Through
the weekend, we saw and we heard God’s story. We heard about what
God has done, and about what God wants to do. We sensed that God is not
finished with His story - or with our story - not yet.
Without a doubt, we would say that drama can be used to tell the Good
News! Puppets can lead us to worship! God’s greatest truths can
speak forth from the mouths of make-believe, imaginary characters.
Perhaps the question we really want to ask is a different one. Should
drama and puppets and make-believe characters proclaim something so important?
Should the sacred sprout forth out of silliness? Should God’s greatest
truths be spoken from the lips of imaginary people who never existed.
When those kinds of questions are asked, I can’t help but think
of scripture. In I Corinthians, Paul tells us that the word of the cross
is always foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being
saved it is the power of God. He goes on to say that “God was well-pleased
through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
In Philippians, we are told of those who preach Christ out of love - and
those who preach Him out of envy and strife. God’s word says, “What
then, only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ
is proclaimed!” Even Jesus, in the parables, related eternal truth
through fictitious characters and events.
It’s not the method of the proclamation - or the validity of the
presenter - but the truth of the Gospel presented that matters. If a make-believe
character can help us to see God and His truth better, then by all means,
let that character speak out loud and clear. As with any preaching of
the Gospel, however, it’s not hearing the message that makes a difference
- it’s what we do with the message that matters.
I, for one, am grateful for the ministry of CareActor. I pray that his
message will be eternally effective!
Bro. Doug (Doug Hall, Pastor First Baptist Church, Windsor, MO, written
spring of 2004)
A Pastor's Thanks:
Thanks so very much for ministering to us last Sunday. How beautiful to see the Christmas story from a different view. How refreshing to see the truth of God's Word presented as you did. Everyone was spellbound & on the edge of their seats. I can see why God will bless your efforts. What you are doing is very much needed in our world.
Another Pastor's Thanks:
I wanted to thank you for the time & ministry that you shared with our youth. Even more though I want to let you know how much I appreciated your openness and ability to reach out to others.
A Christian School's Administrator's Thanks:
What a vivid portrayal of the thankful lepar and Levi! I especially appreciated your emphasis on taking time to be grateful instead of being caught up with the "busy-ness" of the schedule. Our freedom in Christ is indeed a precious freedom (Gal. 5:13-15) Thanks very much for taking time from your schedule to be a part of our chapel program.
Another Christian School's Administrator's Thanks:
Thank you so much for sharing your ministry with us. The children responded so well to your puppets and characters. Each different scenario reinforced truths we track here! And the children loved it! (Teachers too!)
Chair Person of an Event for High School Seniors
Thank you so much for bringing such a challenging and appropriate message to our seniors at the Senior Tea! Your specific proints of challenge to them were thought out, were illustrated and well received. Everyone certainly seemed to be listening and interacting with what you said! You did exactly what we wanted and prayed for!!
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