Sacred Play: How Our Creative God Can Unlock the Creative Heart of Your Church

by Wanda Shereas and Wenda Shereos

In Sacred Play, readers will explore the need for creativity in the local church. Sacred play is that moment when intense joy find expression in a worship-like activity before God. Sacred play is your... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1578491665
• ISBN13: 9781578491667
• Release Date: October 1999
• Publisher: Mainstay Church Resources
• Length: 125 Pages

Customer Reviews

Sacred Play: Wisdom For Worship

Ecclesiastes 12:11 says the words of the wise are like goads and the masters of these are like well-driven tent stakes. Sacred Play qualifies as a word of wisdom for the church on both counts. A goad enters the hide of the ox and makes it advance. Well-driven tent stakes represent absolute anchors from which we can stretch our cords. Sacred Play pushes us beyond our conventional practice to rediscover a godly joy too often gone AWOL from church. Childlike play, dramatic art, and creative artists are introduced as critical and overlooked keys to this rediscovery. Sacred Play stretches the cord of conventional and familiar expressions of worship, yet it is also firmly attached to the well-driven stake of Scripture. Shereos, a professional actor and a pastor's wife, reveals the tensions created by the soul of an artist trapped in the body of a conservative church. Where does a gifted artist turn when number painting is the only course offered? Shereos gives us Spiritual direction. Through the encouragement of her pastor-husband, she became the founder and director of the Worship Programming Team of Hope Evangelical Free Church of Springfield, Illinois. She also headed up Prologue, Hope's drama team and is the executive director of Next Step Drama Ministries. Sacred Play is a call to rediscover the delight of God as creator and lover of our souls, the godly relevance of childhood play, and our unique beauty as human beings (vs. human doings),and the legitimate contribution of dramatic arts in the disciplines of church life. This call is also anchored in a deep yearning for God's people to rediscover our rich biblical heritage. Old Testament feasts, King David's expressions of worship, biblical exhortations to sing, shout and dance, and themes of God's extravagant delight in His people provide a biblical paradigm for authentic worship. Is it possible that our expressions of worship are more influenced by conservative culture than the Scriptures? As a timely goad Sacred Play pushes us in the direction of a godly joy waiting for us beyond our conventional borders. However, this joy is often missed because of unfounded fear and insensitivity to the gifts God has given to bless His church. As a well-driven tent stake this fresh picture of worship is firmly anchored in the witness of Scripture. A biblical, childlike faith is carefully distanced from a childish faith. Special care is taken to guard against the excesses of the creative personality with reference to biblical norms. Sacred Play does not advocate worshiping creativity. It calls us to worship God, our creator and redeemer. Creativity is offered as a means and a discipline of laying hold of the joy of the Lord. Real freedom is always tied to the post of obedience to God and His word. In Sacred Play artistic expression is given serious consideration as a legitimate and untapped

Sacred Play

This book was a very easy personal read. It spoke directly to the heart of the creative person. As an artist, there is often little encouragement to pursue art. Not so in Wenda's book. She helped me to understand why when I don't create I am not a complete person. As she shared from her heart her own experience it seemed as if she was writing my story. To make the reading more alive, rather than racing through the book, she included wonderful exercises to help deepen the experience. She replaced guilt with joy in the creative process. But least the gift she gives be selfish, she encourages you to share the gift of freedom to create with others. I highly recommend this book for anyone, not just the artist, or dancer or actor. Buy it for yourself or buy it for a friend. You won't be sorry!