ACTOR 1

(Points to the narrator)

You don’t agree on the ‘End Times’,

or baptism with full immersion,

nor how to counsel someone

after their conversion.

(Points to Actor 7)

Alcohol’s avoided

like poison in a glass.

ACTOR 2

(Points to Actor 8)

(A) and she says wearing jeans to church

just shows you are low-class.

ACTOR 3

(Points to Actor 7)

(B) You think he has a demon,

because he’s manifesting greatly,

but at other times, he walks about

unnaturally sedately.

ACTOR 8

(Points to Actor 3)

Well, I disagree and say

That really can’t be true.

If anything, my concerns are

what I see in you!

ACTOR 5

(Looks at the audience)

(C) There’s no physical fight,

but disagreement and debate,

while the Devil laughs aloud

because we’ve grabbed the bait.

We’re all signing up

to join the Squabble Squad,

while people are waiting

to be introduced to God.

ACTOR 2

(Looks at the audience)

(D) Lost souls are watching

disunity arising,

as we stick to our beliefs,

with no hearts compromising.

One person says, “It’s obvious!”

as arrogance creeps in.

Others are resentful,

but both are in sin.

ACTOR 4

(Gets up and walks around them anti clockwise)

(E) If our doctrines don’t match,

or our views are diverse,

becoming irritated

will only make things worse.

Our relationships

need to be restored,

for, many souls are dying

while we are in discord.

ACTOR 7

(Points to Actor 3)

(F) Who cares if he waves his arms

while worshipping the Lord,

(Points to Actor 1)

while the man on the other side,

stands rigid as a board?

(Arms in the air, palms upwards)

(G) Who cares if the Anti-Christ

is sixty or just two?

If he’s a Russian, or a Muslim,

or a Messianic Jew?

ACTOR 6

(Points to Actor 1)

Someone gets out their bible,

you say, “Don’t read that version!”

The translation’s been corrupted,

the text, full of perversion.

The reader gets quite angry.

ACTOR 1

(Looking at Actor 6)

(H) I’ve had this since my youth!

And even if you’re right,

how dare you speak the truth!

ACTOR 6

(Looks at Actor 7)

The music is beautiful.

you’re lost in serene praise,

then a brother comes along and says,

ACTOR 8

(Looking at Actor 7)

Understand the Devil’s ways.

He’s the inspiration

behind the rhythm in that song.

ACTOR 6

(Still looking at Actor 7)

He knows that he is right.

You know that he is wrong.

ACTOR 5

(Looking at the group, from one to the other)

(I) The relationship turns sour

as you grate each other’s nerves,

(Points to the ground)

while the one who inspired you,

jumps for joy as he observes.

He loves it when we fall out,

with our obstinate display,

for he knows there’ll be no power

next time we go to pray.

(pause)

ACTOR 2

(Looking at the audience)

It’s not so much the doctrine,

but the attitude of heart.

The contempt we are feeling

when we see we’re miles apart.

Someone gets confirmed

and we know they’re not saved yet,

for, they’ve come out with just a sprinkle

and their body is not wet.

We laugh at their ignorance,

and their structured, bible ways,

following a liturgy

that puts us in a haze.

But while we are assuming

they don’t know God that well,

their devotion to Jesus

has got them out of Hell.

Not because they’ve done things

in the way it’s documented,

but because their heart was pure

and have correctly repented.

ACTOR 5

(Looking at the audience)

And some of us think those

who jiggle to the beat

will be quivering in fear

at the Mercy Seat.

For, it must be a devil

that’s making them so sprightly

and we know the Holy Spirit

doesn’t take these matters lightly.

We say church is for the stoic,

the placid girl, the docile fellow.

Perfect reverence is shown in

the congregation that is mellow.

And what about the church

where many folks have left,

Leaving the poor pastor

rejected and bereft?

Aha! we say. Aha!

That won’t happen here.

Our congregation’s faultless.

We’re the Chapel of the Year.

What we don’t realise,

while we laugh and discuss,

all those rebellious leavers

are now worshipping with us.

They’ve skipped across the road

to join our judging brood

and now it’s our turn to suffer

their bad-mouth attitude.

ACTOR 6

(stands next to ACTOR 5 and points at them)

Yea…you told the Sunday School

To draw Noah and his creatures,

They took some crayons and drew a boat

With many other features.

But I am quite offended

So I want to know why,

They took my flag’s colours

And placed them in the sky.

I interpret the Bible

In my own, special way,

And it tells me I am perfect

No matter what you say.

I’m trying to be gracious,

Not wanting to be mean,

But if they don’t cross out their rainbows,

I’m going to make a scene!

ACTOR 7

I made a fuss last week.

I tried to be discreet,

But it got me mad as a box of frogs,

When the wine tasted too sweet.

Then they gave us wafers,

What happened to the bread?

I like big chunks of dough,

Got tracing paper instead!

ACTOR 3

We fuss about the service,

Nothing’s ever right.

We need to remember

We do this in God’s sight.

Let’s go back to loving.

And refuse to complain,

So the Lord can come and heal us,

And bring newbies in again.

(The narrator (gets up and moves anti-clockwise to the front of the stage and stands facing the audience, between Actor 5 & 2, but slightly further forward)

NARRATOR

It’s not about denominations.

Have you an elder or a pastor?

We’re all brothers and sisters

for, we serve the same Master.

And people from the same church

might not like how your mind swings,

but even amongst themselves,

they disagree on many things.

In our little circles

there’s all this ‘end-time chatter’.

“Are you pre-Trib or Post-Trib?”

Does it really matter?

What is most important

is that your soul is saved from Hell,

and that your ticket up to Heaven

brings many with you as well.

But they won’t get on board

if all they see is confliction –

followers of the Prince of Peace

displaying contradiction.

Some scholars try to prove

God’s preferred day of rest

was not planned for Sundays –

but Saturdays are best.

And others claim that Jesus

didn’t rise on Sunday morning.

While we dispute days and dates,

God is up ‘there’, yawning.

So, let’s accept our differences,

and don’t be so headstrong.

Let’s love those who mock us –

let’s love those we think are wrong.

Let’s forgive and admit

we are never always right.

Let us stand against the devil

and together, win the fight.

(pause)

(The narrator looks around the audience and smiles)

NARRATOR

We have all, at times, fallen into the trap of judging others in our family, church or from other churches and denominations. Let’s face it, there are so many different beliefs around the big things and the little things, that we are never, ever going to convince others that our viewpoint is the correct one. Even bible verses can be interpreted differently by those you worship with regularly.

Every second of every day, lost souls are flying into Hell to endure an existence of torment and anguish forever. Does it really matter that someone doesn’t see things our way?

I encourage you to humble your heart right now and let us come together in unity to ask our Father in Heaven to forgive us for our petty squabbles, bad attitudes to one another and pride for insisting we are the ones who are 100% correct on everything. God is compassionate and delights in forgiving us when we come to him with a contrite heart.

Dear Lord God, we are sorry for the time we have wasted, criticising, mocking arguing and getting angry at others, whose spiritual activities and beliefs are different from our own.

Please help us to focus on the bigger picture – the millions of people who you desire to be saved from their sins and ultimately, Hell.

Help us to realise that jumping from church to church won’t solve the problem of people not agreeing with our way of thinking and our interpretation of the words in the bible.

Give us a humble heart to have mercy on those who we consider are performing religious practices that you did not ever command.

Give us a humble heart to accept that if some people have unfortunately become overbalanced in their thinking, that only you can show them the truth and lead them back onto the right path. May we remember that it is a sin to mock and a sin to have contempt towards them.

Protect us from disunity and please bring restoration of relationships, so that we may stand as a body of ONE, all united for the same cause – to lead lost souls to Jesus and to glorify your holy name.

Thank you for having patience with us and thank you for your mercy and grace.

We praise you for setting us free from thinking in a way that displeases you and for bringing us back on track.

We love you Father and only want to bring you joy.

Amen.

-The End-