Creativity points youth to unseen Creator

Lively music played by a group, a puppet theatre, and colourful art presentations all caught the interest of families enjoying a riverside park.

A dedicated team from OAC (formerly Open Air Campaigners) conducted this outreach in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, on 23 May.

The West Midlands team members come from different local churches and they believe the success of their family outreach comes as a result of their praying during the winter.

Two of them had trained in puppetry and everyone saw the potential to use this creativity to point youth to their Creator, but they also recognised the need to reach young working parents, which this family day achieved.

"The Good News of Jesus is unchanging," explains OAC evangelist John Heywood.

"But our methods need to be suitable for the people to whom we minister. We wanted an approach that was more youth and child oriented."

This afternoon programme marked a first time effort to use the puppet theatre outdoors. Spirited tunes of contemporary Christian music were accompanied by puppetry mime to draw not only children and teenagers, but parents too.

After this initial ice-breaker, a brief Gospel message followed using creative visual aids. Because the song ‘You Raise Me Up’ talks about God giving us an inner strength, it served as a talking point about the things which are not seen being greater than those which we see.

In this part of the programme, John blew bubbles in the air to everyone’s delight before adding a bit of drama when he was able to pick up a small glass ball from the grass.

"Here’s a bubble that’s going to last, that will stand the test of time," he commented. Then he applied this to the biblical message that things which are unseen are eternal.

Throughout the afternoon, this varied line-up alternated with music, puppetry, visual arts – and the creative use of Black Country toys. It culminated with an informal time of conversation over cool drinks when specialised team members were able to answer questions posed by teenagers and young parents who had followed the events closely.

"This one to one work by the team is really important," explains John. "Friendship evangelism is firmly built into our whole approach."

Literature distribution included Alpha magazines and Gideon New Testaments but as often as possible, team members forge a stronger link and onlookers can be referred to a local church.