EASTER DRIVE THRU DRAMA

EASTER DRIVE THRU DRAMA - posted in neon letters caught our eye as we drove into Columbia SC on a busy 4 lane highway. The sign invited one to travel into the past and to witness the sites of the week that changed the world.

The experience started at dusk with people dressed in authentic garb waving cars into their parking lot with flashlights. The winding road through the sites was defined by cement blocks covered in burlap sacks with metal open-flame kerosene lamps on top. -Very effective-

After being welcomed and given literature which explained each site we drove slowly around the two small adjoining parking lots. The first stop was the Last Supper. As we stared at the characters, background, table and food we wondered where this church could find so many lifelike yet mannequin men in different still poses, one person moved his eyes and then we realized that they were real. Details, makeup and spot-lighting made this so realistic! We stopped at each site to look and to hear the dialog as some displays were still while others were acted out. The sites were:
1. The Last Supper
2. In the Garden
3. The Betrayal
4. The Trial
5. Stations of the Cross
6. The Crucifixion
7. The Tomb
8. The Resurrection

We were so fascinated by this authentic community outreach that we did not think of taking pictures until we were near the end. Amazingly the sky above the black and burlap backdrops had a pink hue as the sun was setting. After the last site several people continued the theme.
They were dressed in Old Testament attire as they spoke with the passengers of every car personally. We were given a square-head nail to keep and the salvation message orally (brief and direct) by an upbeat happy woman. She invited us to their Easter service and told us about their LAST SUPPER re-enactment that would occur in their sanctuary this coming Thursday evening.
After we left we had time to examine the literature we had received. One booklet clearly explained each site with scriptural references and listed all their regular church activities.

The second piece of literature was in the form of a card explaining the steps to salvation plus a prayer that could be said with repentance:
Gods love is revealed
Man is sinful by nature
Sin has a penalty
Christ paid the penalty in full
Salvation is a free gift
(Charitable works and leading a good life are not enough)
We must repent of our sins
We must ask Jesus to be the Lord of our life

Part of the card could be mailed back to the church if you wished and without doubt they would follow up.
We marveled at this impressive outreach so simply told for anybody who wanted to "Drive Through". What an excellent way of planting a seed in a drive through nation.