Bringing Scripture ALIVE!

1. Bringing ScriptureALIVE! Carol Jaudes Arts Ministries Director The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory

2. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than a double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

3. The Benefits • Memorization of God’s Word • Scripture becomes so familiar to the one preparing it that it takes on new life and depth of meaning • Enhances personal study time • Comes alive for others as time and effort are put into the way it is read

4. The Basics Why do we sometimes tune out? What distracts us? Why do we stop listening when someone reads Scripture?

5. THE BASICS “I can’t hear a word she is saying. Can’t she speak any louder?”

6. THE BASICS pro·jec·tion Pronunciation: pr&-'jek-sh&n a: the act of projecting especially to an audience b: control of the volume, clarity, and distinctness of a voice to gain greater audibility

7. THE BASICS “I can’t understand her. What was that? Oh, forget it!”

8. THE BASICS e·nun·ci·a·tion Pronunciation: E-'n&n(t)-sE-'A-sh&n ARTICULATE <enunciate all the syllables> intransitive senses a: to utter articulate sounds b: to utter distinctly

9. THE BASICS “He pronounced ‘Johoahaz’ wrong a third time! Doesn’t he care enough to ask?”

10. THE BASICS pro·nun·ci·a·tion Pronunciation: pr&-"n&n(t)-sE-'A-sh&n a: the act or manner of pronouncing something (to employ the organs of speech to produce <pronounce these words>; especially : to say correctly).

11. THE BASICS “Wow, how boring! His voice is so monotonous. I thought the battle of Jericho was supposed to be exciting!”

12. THE BASICS in·flec·tion Pronunciation: in-'flek-sh&n a: change in pitch or loudness of the voice

13. You don’t mean that, do you?

14. THE BASICS em·pha·sis Pronunciation: 'em(p)-f&-s&s a: force or intensity of expression that gives impressiveness or importance to something b: a particular prominence given in reading or speaking to one or more words or syllables

15. I don’t know the man. I don’t know the man. I don’t know the man. I don’t know the man. I don’t know the man.

16. THE BASICS “She’s speaking so fast she sounds like a tape recorder on fast-forward! What’s the problem… does she have a bus to catch?”

17. THE BASICS pace Pronunciation: 'pAs a : rate of performance or delivery pause Pronunciation 'poz a: a temporary stop b: a break in a verse c: a brief suspension of the voice to indicate the limits and relations of sentences and their parts

18. THE BASICS “All I can see is the top of Harry’s head. I didn’t know he was going bald!”

19. THE BASICS eye con·tact Pronunciation 'I 'kän-"takt a : visual contact with another person's eyes

20. THE BASICS “How deadpan can you get? She’s saying ‘Rejoice!’ and she looks like her dog just died.”

21. THE BASICS fa·cial ex·pres·sion Pronunciation: 'fA-sh&l ik-'spre-sh&n a: felicitous or vivid indication or depiction of mood or sentiment b: facial aspect or vocal intonation as indicative of feeling. ges·ture Pronunciation: 'jes-ch&r a : a movement usually of the body or limbs that expresses or emphasizes an idea, sentiment, or attitude b: the use of motions of the limbs or body as a means of expression

22. THE BASICS “Look! Mike’s shirt is buttoned crooked! And how can he see with his hair in his eyes?”

23. THE BASICS ap·pear·ance Pronunciation: &-'pir-&n(t)s 1 a: external show : b: outward aspect : 2 a: a sense, impression, or aspect of a thing

24. Session 2 Preparation & Getting Creative

25. Preparing a Scripture Reading The key word here is “prepare.”

26. Preparing a Scripture Reading • Read the selected Scripture over several times to yourself. • Paraphrase the passage. Say it in your own words. • Answer this question as thoughtfully as possible: What does this Scripture mean to me? Pray and ask God to speak to you and give you revelation.

27. Preparing a Scripture Reading • If it is a single character Scripture, you must put yourself in the place of that person. • If the Scripture is narrative with multiple characters, you must understand the situation at hand. • If the Scripture is a Psalm, what is the writer’s point of view at that moment?

28. Preparing a Scripture Reading • REHEARSEout loud and on your feet. • Have someone listen to you to see if they understand your intentions.

29. “The reading [of Scripture] itself ought to be an act of worship.” -Andrew W. Blackwood

30. GETTING CREATIVE Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try! Dr. Seuss

31. 1.DO SOMETHING! An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied. Arnold Glascow, American humorist

32. 2. PUT IN TIME AND EFFORT TO MAKE IT EXCELLENT When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another. Helen Keller, activist

33. 3. LOOK AT OTHERS’ EXAMPLES. You start by copying other people’s paintings or music or whatever. You get all of those skills before you branch out. Really creative people have a fantastic ability to copy things and then combine them in new ways. Recombination is the real heart of creativity. Dr. Susan Blackmore, British psychologist

34. 4. SEEK SOMEONE TO PARTNER WITH. The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.  Linus Pauling, Nobel Prize recipient for chemistry

35. 5. LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES. Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. Albert Einstein, scientist

36. 6. KEEP LEARNING FROM YOUR MISTAKES. Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. Scott Adams, The Dilbert Principle (cartoon)

37. 7. HAVE FUN! We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. George Bernard Shaw, playwright

38. REMEMBER: IT IS A JOURNEY. Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun. Mary Lou Cook, American author

39. If God brings you to it, he will bring you through it. Happy moments – praise God. Difficult moments – seek God. Quiet moments – worship God. Painful moments – trust God. Every moment – thank God.