Hello everyone. Did my first church show tonight. I did 45 min. of magic. All regular magic and one with a Gospel message. The newspaper tear is the one I used for the gospel routine. The show was good family fun. I just did not know that there was a market for church shows. Well talk to everyone later.

Bairefoot

Bairefoot, Great Job on your first church show. There is a market for this show depending on where you live and if the church has a budget to hire you. In most of my Gospel Programs I Perform 2 Gospel Routines and the rest is my normal show. That way the Person in Charge ie: Pastor, Father, Reverend, does not feel that I will say something to the congrgation that is unacceptable to the church as a whole. I find church's like our programs as long as we really DO NOT use the term Magic per say. In other words to work a FULL Schedule in a church we must call ourselves Gospel Entertainers, Gospel Illusionists, or something of the fact that we perform Object Lessons. I really like to perform in church's, but here, where I live it is hard because most of the church's are small and the congregations are fading away. I cannot hardly ever get my normal fee for a show. But I do have a lot of FUN when performing. Again Great Job keep up the good work and seek out some more church's.

Rodney

Thanks First Class.

Bairefoot

Hay Congratulations Bairefoot. The church needs to see wholesome entertainment just like everyone else. They also need to see that professionals like you are also followers of Christ. Well done!

As an old booking agent, I can assure you that the church market is very real and viable.

Plan well, be flexible and remember it is a business just like cable TV, air conditioner repair and carpet cleaning. Churches buy services regularly. (Ask the organist.) Congregational care cost money. They budget for it.

Good Luck!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Bairefoot,

Congratulations. If you discount the magic show I did for the Sunday School class I teach, I was like you and did my first two church shows Saturday, Oct. 27, and Sunday, Oct. 29.

The Saturday night show almost did not go. It was a mentalism act. The minister was very concerned about the content of the show. The church's elders and deacons know my background (served as bivocational minister for nine years), and they assured the minister if I was involved with it, it would bring glory and honor to God. (It is humbling to have others put their trust in you like that.)

So, I did a straight mentalism show, and I followed it up with a discussion about so-called psychic abilities, using Scripture and Andre Kohl's "Mind Games" to shape my discussion.

On Sunday morning, all of the Sunday School classes came in the sanctuary, and I performed for everyone. I have a Biblical application for every trick I perform. I keep the message basic, around doctrines all Christians can agree upon.

After seeing the mentalism show and hearing my talk, the minister seemed to accept it. He never had a problem with the Sunday morning show.

When I was ordained into the Independent Christian churches/churches of Christ, I asked the elders to ordain me into a ministry of communicating the Gospel in any manner. At the time, I thought it would include movies, I never imagined it would include magic.

Bobby

Some of us are called to a Church ministry featuring magic. I traveled full time doing 30 to 40 weeks a year, 6 days a week all in churches. But I don't look at them as another gig, it was ministry. Last month I had a grueling schedule one week, I was in 6 cities in 6 days with a full stage setup each day. Lots of fun, but it was a lot of work.

There's 2 approaches, one who does programs for churches because they want entertainment and that's okay, and there's the ministry side, where magic becomes one of the tools of ministry and should only be done by people who feel called to that type of ministry. The Lord has blessed me with doing both but the far more rewarding side is the ministry.

Terry,

It is encouraging to hear you approach this as a ministry. Stay strong with all of that travel.

Bobby

Thank you Bobby

Rob and Terry keep up the good work.

Bairefoot

Very good point Terry. There is nothing wrong with Christians who perform magic for entertainment purposes, but I like to think and believe that what I do is Ministry for God. I will usually illustrate 3 Biblical facts with at least 3 Biblical messages, using up to 6 tricks or illusions. My presentation will last no longer than 30 minutes, although many of them have only been 15-20 minutes long. The important thing for me to accomplish is to have my audience walk away thinking about the message. This idea contradicts Darwin Ortiz who says that the story/patter should never be stronger than the trick, but of course he wasn't talking about Gospel Magic! The message of Christ should always be the most important aspect of any Christian Magician weather you perform it for entertainment purpose of for ministry. God bless!