More than eighty years ago, a missionary family living in Jerusalem used to act out Bible scenes on Sunday evenings. The youngest of the family, Lawrence Waddy, never forgot those evenings. Now, at ninety years old, after a lifetime of acting, writing and directing plays of all kinds, he looks back and forward at the value of drama in teaching our faith.

When I collect a group to read and present Bible scenes, I tell them that they should experience four things together: Fun, Friendship, Skills and Service. It does not matter what their age is so long as they can read simple lines. My youngest regular groups have been 3rd graders; my oldest meets in a retirement home, their average age is 85. Some families use the book to act out scenes at home, as we did in Jerusalem. It does not matter what church or school you attend. These plays are for everyone who wants to know the Bible better and to feel it come alive.

I am writing this soon after a production of "Zacchaeus" (Luke 19:1-10) at my church. We had a cast of twenty, most of them forming a noisy crowd. It takes many phone calls and hours of work to achieve a two minute production like this one, but the rewards are huge. It was our sixth Sunday play in 2004, and the congregation was both grateful and receptive. The other plays were: "The Temptation of Jesus"; "The Sin of David"; "The Good Samaritan"; "The Lost Sheep" (cast of twenty); and "The Rich Farmer". I am always being asked, "When will the next play be?" Drama can be as important a part of worship as music; but, not many churches make the effort to establish a program. I hope that this book will show you the way and inspire you to succeed. A dozen of the plays are musicals. Please e-mail me for information about scores and about ways to make your drama program a treasure for your people!