Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE - "Jews for Jesus Players" will perform at the Winona Lake Free Methodist Church, 902 College Ave., at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
"Jews for Jesus Players" is an evangelistic drama troupe comprising more than 100 actors based in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France, Ukraine, Russia, South Africa and Israel.
The drama group is an independent missionary organization founded in 1973 by Moishe Rosen.
One of the team's goals is to "let Jewish people know that the gospel is for them - that belief in Jesus does not take away one's Jewish culture and heritage.
"The fact that we say Jesus is the Messiah is not enough to make it so. And the fact that the majority of the Jewish community says that He isn't is not enough to make it not so," Rosen said. "Our job is to get out and let our people know that the issue is too important to ignore."
The drama team performing in Winona Lake includes five Messianic Jews from San Francisco, Calif. All members are in their early 20s.
Winona Lake Free Methodist Church Pastor Doug Vogel said the drama team is "a reputable ministry group in the U.S."
He also said Messianic Jews are "Jews that believe in the Messiah."
In the past, Vogel said, "Jews didn't believe that Jesus was the Christ. (But now,) when they do believe in Jesus, (they're) called Messianic Jews."
The drama team will present skits and give testimony Sunday. Vogel said the presentation will "have an evangelist focus" and will last approximately 45 minutes.
"Their (drama team) burden is to reach Jews for Christ," Vogel said.
Jews for Jesus began using drama as a method of street campus evangelism. Their brightly painted faces and highly kinetic movements attracted crowds of people who stopped to hear their message.
Besides performing in churches, the drama team also has made presentations on street corners and college campuses throughout the United States.
The team's presentations include the use of drama, music and the spoken and written word of Jesus.
Sunday's presentation at Winona Lake will include each of these elements.
Vogel feels lucky and blessed that he and the Free Methodist Church were able to book the drama team.
"Mondays are their day off and they have nearly every day filled for July," Vogel said. "It's really great that we got them."
The drama team has been traveling throughout Ohio, Michigan and Indiana this month, but makes its way all over the United States throughout the year.
"We're getting this off (the ground)," Vogel said.
He hopes for a big turnout and encourages all ages to attend the dramatic presentation.
"We have (a) responsibility to expose good work to the public," Vogel said.
And "good work" is just what Vogel is hoping to see at the drama team's presentation Sunday.
