I'm looking for suggestions from people who perform Escapes either for church shows or for evangelistic outreaches.

If you're like me, and I know I am, you struggle with creating gospel patter for your effects. So I thought, why re-invent the wheel? I thought it would be smarter to ask this wonderful group of people.

So, do any of you perform some type of escape and present a gospel message with it?

It can be as small as a Siberian chain escape or as large as an escape from an iron cell which was pushed out of an airplane, while in cuffs and needing to grab a parashute and get it opened before hitting the ground and dying a horrible death ala Gunnerson.

Please describe the escape you perform, and in what venue. And please tell us the message that you are sharing, if you wouldn't mind.

Thanks.

Joe Marotta

Okay, I'll go first.

I perform a straitjacket escape with legirons and 10 feet of chain padlocked around me. All the items are first introduced, quickly inspected to be found genuine (they are), then locked on me.

My gospel message follows along the idea of this: I mention how temptations can get a grip on us and prevent us from being effective for God. I use James 4:7 and also I Cor 10:13. The visual is three different temptations "gripping" me but I use the instructions given to us in the scriptures to gain victroy over them.

When I finish the patter, I perform the escape without any music. I think that it gets a better response that way.

Joe Marotta

Greetings Joe,

I started out doing escapes (rope) but now the only thing I do similar to escapes is the thumb tie (there's a tough one!) and the substitution box.
I suppose the major Biblical concept that can be applied is anything that refers the fact that at one time we were bound, but now we are free indeed! There are many verses of this nature that can be quoted, but that would be the major point.
I suppose this hasn't been too helpful, but this is something I'll ponder for awhile and see what comes about in this head of mine.

Anyone else out there?

Have a great day.

Andrew

I do a handcuff escape using my ADA-100's in a similar manner as the siberian chain escape, or a thumbcuff escape. The handcuffs get a good reaction because they are supposed to be something you can't get out of. As I'm securing the cuffs, I talk about getting caught up in "stuff" and taking your eyes off the One who made it all possible. Until we know the key....then use the key to open the cuffs, that is the only way we can be free. Of course, it doesn't end there...I reattach the cuffs, give the key to someone to hold for me, and talk about how sometimes the "key" to the Kingdom gets lost. I then pull out a red silk and talk about the blood of Jesus being the key, I use the silk to cover my hands, then end with escaping from the cuffs and saying that the blood of Jesus is what truly makes us free.

That's one of my routines.

Margarette

Thanks Margarette and Andrew. Those are great ideas!

Escapes are always a visual struggle on the performer's part to free him/herself. I find it difficult to use the expression "God sets us free" when our demonstration shows US freeing ourselves. So I am always cautious on how I phrase my patter. It needs to be accurate in its doctrinal teaching.

Margarette has that covered with using a silk to represent Christ's provision for our sins, showing the end result being free of them. That teaches that it's not OUR efforts that set us free, but God's grace through what Christ did for us. Good one Margarette!

Let's keep the ideas and suggestions coming!

Joe Marotta

Ah, good point, Joe!

Though I haven't used escapes to present the Word, I see that it would be very easy to free one's self, and then imply incorrectly that it is by our own efforts rather than His.
Margarette, you cover this beautifully by use of the red silk.
Thanks to both of you for bringing this important aspect to light.

Andrew

Perhaps simply "re-enact" a famous escape (Acts 16:16-34). Lots of dramatic elements there: doors opening, chains falling off, earthquake...

It even has an opportunity for a prediction effect before hand (i.e. the slave girl who predicted the future). You could have an assistant or spectator make a few successful predictions and then pray as Paul did for the spirit to come out. [OK, tread VERY lightly here - but this is a great teaching moment!]. Then her predictions fail.

This could make for a very dramatic presentation and easily take 15-20 minutes.

In California, you might even be able to arrange the earthquake

You might also find some ideas here (though this is not a Gospel effect, it's pretty easy to see how to make it such)

http://steven.i.am/magic/roadlesstraveled.html

Sorry folks, looks like the URL forwarding service I use is busted at the moment. Try this link:

http://www.employees.org/~slc/magic/roadlesstraveled.html

Hi Steven,

Thanks for sharing with us the Rope Less Traveled routine that you created. A very good story fitting perfectly with a good trick.

BTW, you have a very nice website. I especially like the stir-fry recipies!

Joe Marotta