I'm afraid I have to disagree with Danny. Object lessons parables can be very much along the lines of what is done in gospel magic, where one thing represents another or there's an inference to be drawn from the routine that was presented. Jesus was using things like the parable of the sower or the woman who lost a coin, the parable of the lost sheep. or the parable of the mustard seed to make familiar and simple the things of God like the response to the gospel, the joy of God when a person is saved, the power of the almost invisible Kingdom of God, It's not so different from using a color changing coloring book to present the way of salvation or an number of other tricks where one thing stands for another and makes kids or grown ups think about the gospel.

I agree that gospel magic may not be the most efficient method of evangelism, but I think it's a nice way of teaching. Whatever we do should be undergirded with prayer.

I suppose it's okay to disagree, but I thought I would explain a little more about my position on this. I think it would take further study to explain my complete reasoning that Jesus' parables and using magic as object lessons are not the same thing biblically, but I'll give a short example from the Bible.

And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.”

Jesus didn't just use parables to explain the mysteries of God, he also did that so those who choose not to believe will not understand the mysteries because seeing see not; and hearing they hear not. It’s not that God doesn’t want the true believer to learn but He hides it from those who will not believe no matter what. I'd have to say this isn't a very good evangelical tool to use.

The parables did not make the meaning any clearer for people without the gift of spiritual insight. But the parables did not obscure their comprehension. Rather, God did not give them the ability to know the truth at that time. Because Christ chose easily recognizable illustrations and objects from everyday living for His parables, they actually helped to illustrate the truth to those God called to conversion, not as an evangelical tool to convert new believers.

"The purpose of a parable is not to entertain or inform but to change a person's attitude: the way
he sees things, and particularly, the way he sees himself." -- Edmund Flood (Catholic Bible
Scholar)

I am not saying that Gospel Magic is not effective, we should already know that it's not effective. The only thing effective is the power of the Holy Spirit's conviction in a person's life. What gospel magic allows us to do is use our talents to glorify God. We are told that in all things we do, Glorify God! If it doesn't glorify God, then the motive for performing Gospel magic maybe corrupted with our pride.

I think Gospel magic used properly can be effective to presenting the message of God to those who normally would never step in a church, but most Gospel magic shows are inside a church.