Hello, for a while now I've been unsatisfied with the various sponge ball routines I've learned/made-up. They've been getting good reactions and all, but none of them quite seem to fit what I want to do. I was wondering if there is a good gospel routine, seen as I intend to take my magic more to this side of things. Thanks for your help,
Paul

If you already have the moves down on some routines, think about applying a Christian message to what you already know.

For example if you have an "appear and disappear, and reappear" sponge routine (and who doesn't?) a red sponge that disappears and then suddenly reappears in the other hand could be a lead in to "This little light of mine." You could hold it up and start singing the song. And then stop and explain what the Light is, and what it means to Shine.

And then have it disappear, and go into
"Hide it under a bushel?" And talk about what it means when we hide our light. Then show it again and Shout "NO!" and so on.

I think you could have some fun with a routine like this. And I think I may just try putting something like this together for myself too!

Thanks for the thought about sponges!

BroDavid

Hey... check out Spotlight by Dean Dill for a clever twist on the "this little light of mine". Dean is a Christian also, and I suspect he probably has a Gospel routine for this effect.

Even if not, BroDavid's idea will literally SHINE with Spotlight.

Thanks BroDavid!

There is a sponge "cube" routine on the market, where the climax is the 4 cubes "meld" into a cross. It may even include a gospel routine with it. Duane Laflin has sold it in the past at http://www.laflinmagic.com, but I can't find it on his web site. Perhaps you can e-mail him or checkout http://www.gospelmagic.com and see if they sell it.

You can email Duane Laflin if you can't find it on his web site. I do know he has it available in his catalog. I'm not sure if Doc Hailey has it, but email Steve Varro and I am sure he can help you out.

As I was re-reading this topic and thinking about the "this little light of mine" theme, I am wondering if a d'Lite or two used in conjunction with the spongeball might add a little something.

Anyone use D'Lites with sponges?

BroDavid

Bro David,
I think that is a great idea. D'lites for me with little kids is a smash hit. If there was a way to incorporate a light into a sponge ball the effect could take on new and exciting directions. For gospel magic I think it would be wonderful at least.
JoJo

I'll say again... check out Dean Dill's
"Spotlight". It does just what JoJo and BroDavid have asked. I provided a link in my previous post. Used with a D'Lite you could illustrate, for example, God placing His Spirit (light) in the body of the believer. Thinking a bit more about it, I can imagine the following:

You've done two in the hand or something where the spectator has held a red sponge ball and have switched out for the Spotlight gimmick. Now you talk about how our bodies are vessels (temples) of the Holy Spirit. Using the flashlight you explain that God dwells in unapproachable light - there is no shadow in Him unlike this wimpy thing. Some people think they can substitute their own meager "goodness" for God's Holiness. They think that somehow God is fooled into seeing only their goodness (shine light on ball). But God cannot be fooled. Man's light is inconsequential - no matter how "good" he is, there is still the shadow of sin.

Put away the flashlight in your inside coat pocket fetching the D'Lite. Instead God has told us that from his very heart he sends his Holy Spirit (Remove hand with D'Lite lit). This Holy Spirit will live in us if we but believe what God has told us and ask Him in. And just like that (make slight throwing gesture) we are changed. (Light the Sponge Ball, extinguish the D'Lite)

And the wonderful thing is that we can share this great work of God never losing it ourselves. All we must do is share what God had done in our lives, and he will take that same light of his and give it to each who asks (pull "lights" from your heart and "toss
out" to people in the room).

And that one day - not so far away - when our body fails us God will take His Spirit together with our soul to dwell with Him forever. (Extinguish spotlight, light D'Lite and take it into your inside coat pocket, ditch the D'Lite, and while doing all that switch the spotlight gimmick with a ball you've been holding in that same hand [oh, did I forget to tell you that part?].

Finish as you find appropriate.

I welcome suggestions for clean up as this is just a rough idea. But it got me to thinkin'

I do sponge balls for gospel magic. I say that a ball represents the love of the lord and how it can travel around from place to place just like the real love of the lord

at the end I turn a ball into a cube using the trick that you can buy in magic shops and say "love god or be square". It always gets a reaction.

Steven, my apologies for not seeing the link to Spotlight. Thanks for the resource!

God Bless, and thanks again.

BroDavid

I use the moves for "Flight Through Space," that come with the Goshman Sponges. But I talk about how many times we think we have run far away from God. That we get so far, God won't want anything to do with us.

At this point, I have the assistant move to the back of the church or performing area. "But all you have to do is turn around, make a u-turn and you will find God standing right next to you."

I have the assistant open their hands, and there you go.

I find that simple routine as a strong effect on Adults and Children alike, the persistent nature of God.

John

I recently bought Spotlight. I really like Steven's routine with the Spotlight, D'lites and sponge balls. Steven, I hope you don't mind if I try that out sometime. Only problem is that my d'lites are green instead or red. So I'm thinking of getting some green spongeballs as well, and see if I can make up a patter with changing red sponge balls into green sponge balls.

The color change from Red (Danger/Stop/Etc) to Green (Safe/Go/etc) sounds like a good concept to build patter on. And then go straight to the classic multiplying sponges and show how good can grow in the light or spotlight as the case may be.

Good ideas guys! Keep them coming.

BroDavid

Three sponges...
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Just popped in my head, I am surely going to work something out with this theme.

I was thinking of incorporating the Talents into a sponge ball routine. We will have to see how that goes.

I'm working on a routine with 2 d'lites and the music, "This Little Light of Mine." I think the kids will like it.

Well I cut a cross out of a sponge and did a christian version of ding dong(non explict) and put a message of christ towards it(if you know how the trick goes all the sponge balls vanish and they will be left with a cross you can make some good christian patter towards this trick).


god bless xtreme

This is an old topic, but instead of starting a new one, I thought I would just add my comments to this thread:

I use spongeballs to talk about sharing the love of God. I typically start out with a production from a "Gozinta Box". I have a set of red and black boxes and discuss how our lives were black from sin and empty, but Jesus is just the right size to fill that emptiness (put red in black). And when we ask Jesus into our lives, His blood covers over us (put black in red). Then He puts His love into our hearts (open black, there's a red sponge ball inside).

Then I go into a multiplying sponge ball routine and explain how we are asked to share the love of God. I include one production in a spectator's hand, commenting that it's not just preachers or speakers like me, but everyone can share God's love. I finish with a "Color-Changing Ball to Jumbo Square", noting that God loves everyone, no matter what shape, size, or color you are.

This has always been a big hit.

My two cents...

I don't do gospel yet, but I have always opened my children’s sponge ball routine with the old gag where you throw an "invisible" ball into a paper bag and you can see and hear the ball land in the bag...all the children get a chance to throw the invisible ball in the bag and hear and see it land in the bag, as I catch them in the bag in funny ways... with the bag behind my back, or under my leg and stuff...

The gospel principle easily utilize with this gag, is that although you can not necessarily see or touch God you know he is real by the evidence that He creates. You can also discuss the same thing with wind... all though you can not see wind you know it’s there by the evidence it leaves...and so forth...

The entire time 2 sponge balls are waiting inside the assumed empty bag, so that when every child has thrown the pretend ball once, I reach in and finger palm one ball out, and ask a child what color do they think the invisible ball is? If they respond "red" then you tell them to reach inside the bag and pull out the single red ball that remained in the bag. Which gets a strong response if it works out.

But there are plenty of outs if they say a different color than red. Let’s say they say "green"? In that case you give them another chance to say red by say something like..."No, how about red or blue, which color?" If they fail to say "red" again and say blue this time, you can always try the "No, No "RED or blue"(with a exaggerated over emphasis on the word "red") as if you are trying influence their decision....Well, you are trying to influence there decision and they know it.... which makes it funny.

However it goes, the spectator reaches in and pulls out one sponge ball, so in the end you’re left with one sponge ball in the spectators hand and one finger palmed in yours and your ready for your sponge ball routine….