Real Puppets, Real Issues

About the Book

It is no secret that some people are feeling alienated from the church, for various reasons; social status, sexual orientation, or how they dress, among others. For these reasons, as well as others, some have felt compelled to leave the church. The purpose of this book is to minister to those very people; to show them that although the church is not perfect, Jesus Christ is real and alive and will never mistreat them or abuse them; that in His heart there is a place for them too. Perhaps the most important part of ministering to those feeling like there is no spiritual home for them in the church, is to demonstrate that, while the church struggles to exemplify the love of Christ, Christ Himself is still real and is still alive and loves each and every one with a deep and abiding love. It is my hope that those who either read these scripts or see them performed will come to realize that Christ is calling us all and we have only to say Yes!

About the Author

Originally from the small town of Orange, Vermont, I was a shy, quiet, awkward kid who had trouble socializing with most people outside my family. With a deep-seeded passion in me to share my faith in Christ, I faced a constant frustration of social anxiety, preventing me from sharing my faith to the extent that I desired. At age seventeen, however, I found a way to remedy this conundrum. In the summer of 2001, my church’s youth group was going on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. During this trip, we performed puppet shows for local churches, schools, etc. I volunteered to perform in these shows and quickly discovered my gift for puppeteering and how much it helped bring me out of my shell. Upon returning to the states, I also quickly discovered my gift of writing and began writing my own puppet scripts. From that point on, I started writing and performing puppet shows for my home church, as well as other churches throughout Vermont and various other states. Puppetry has proven to be an effective outlet for me to reach others for Christ. In more recent years, I have used it to address serious issues in the American Church, which I have either seen or experienced personally.