Skit Training 101

 

Tommy and I believe that something as simple as a skit can be a very powerful tool. Hey, we’ve spent the last…okay, it’s been a lot of years…using skits to talk to kids about God and his plan for their lives. We believe in it. We’ve seen it work. We want you to use skits too.

 

When Tommy and I were in high school, our youth pastor noticed how much energy we had and decided to figure out how to put us to good use. Since he wanted us to use our powers for good and not for evil, he told us that every Wednesday we were in charge of putting together a skit for that night’s youth meeting. This was a crash course in Drama Team Fundamentals.

 

We weren’t always spot-on, and the skits didn’t always work, but each week we’d be a little better than the last.  And thanks to our humble beginnings, patient audience, and trial-and-error approach, we’ve developed some easy ways to write and perform skits. In our new DVD, Skit Training 101, we talk about all the different methods for developing, writing, and performing skits. We break things down and make it sound really easy . . . because it is! Don’t get me wrong, it takes a lot of practice and commitment. But if Tommy and I can do it, anybody can.

 

Starting a drama team can seem very daunting. Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start and who to include. But honestly, it begins with the two-fold desire to be creative about sharing a message and to see teenagers and adults find their niche in the church. Then you find a time and a place and a couple of other people who share the same desire. Once you’ve gathered your team, picked your time, and settled on a place, then you get to work!

 

Drama and comedy are, at their best, ways to break down walls. It’s sort of the “ninja” method of communication! You draw people in with a great story or a funny illustration and then present them with a biblical truth that they may have not seen coming. It’s thought-provoking and memorable. We’ve had the time of our lives being involved in just about every facet of church drama possible and we’ve experienced firsthand what drama ministry can do. 

 

Here are some things we already know: Your team won’t be perfect actors. Your process won’t always work. Your team members won’t always show up on time or even at all. But we also know that there will be those moments when a simple phrase, a clever line, or a verse from the Bible will cause someone to say, “Huh, I never thought of it that way.” And that’s what it’s all about.

 

We sincerely hope that you have great success with your drama team. And while you’re at it, have a little fun too!

 

Eddie is one half of The Skit Guys.