‘You have to hear it to believe it’

Gospel of John performance tonight at First Presbyterian
By JOHN CARLSON
jcarlson@muncie.gannett.com

MUNCIE -- Talk about a tough script: The Gospel of John has more than 20,000 words in it.

Atlanta actor Brad Sherrill has committed them all to memory, however, and will employ many of them in what promises to be a stirring performance set for 7 p.m. tonight at First Presbyterian Church, 1400 W. Riverside Ave.

"This is not an Amateur Hour kind of thing," said Dave Jewett, the church's associate pastor.

Indeed, the flier announcing the performance, which is free, cites enthusiastic reviews of Sherrill's production in The Washington Post, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The New York Times.

"We're excited about this," Jewett said, adding that church officials hope to see the 700-seat sanctuary packed with a mixture of folks who regularly attend, and folks who never attend.

"We're inviting those who've never had a chance to hear the gospel in any form," he emphasized.

The performance lasts two hours, not counting an intermission. A free-will offering will be collected.

Jewett noted that the church had first considered promoting the show with the phrase, "You have to see it to believe it." Then, mindful of the story of the disciple Doubting Thomas that is included in that gospel, it was changed to, "You have to hear it to believe it."

The associate pastor added that church officials hope lives will be changed by people witnessing Sherrill's performance.

They're also hoping for something else, to measure the event's success.

"We're hoping to have parking problems and all that," he said.