Presents the stories of fifty-two Bible characters through short monologues.

The purpose of these dramatized hymn stories is to encourage a rediscovery by God's people of the events that underly some of the great hymns of our spiritual heritage.

A practical guide for pastors on how to bring Bible characters to life for a modern audience through biographical preaching.

How might women in the Bible tell their stories if they were prompted to do so by Eve Ensler's controversial play, The Vagina Monologues? This collection imagines some answers to that question. The monologues herein are written by a variety of authors, including scholars, undergraduates, clergy, and laywomen; the content of the narratives reflects this variety, being at times faithful or irreverent, tragic or even funny. All seek to give twenty-first-century voices to women in canonical texts--including the Hebrew Bible, Deuterocanonical books, and New Testament--who are often speechless, nameless, or otherwise marginalized. Not for the faint of heart, these monologues not only end the silences but also add flesh and bone to characters whose experiences have too easily been justified, metaphorized, or altogether ignored. By naming the torn places in these women's stories, this volume invites readers to encounter both the biblical characters and their contemporary interpreters with an attitude of compassionate listening. Our hope is that such compassionate listening may contribute not only to more just readings of sacred texts, but also to the mission of Eve Ensler and V-Day to end global violence against women and girls.

(Foreword by Cliff Barrows) More inspiring stories behind the hymns of past and contemporary favorites.

Insights into the stories of pain and hope that are behind the hymns that have inspired generations of Christians. CD and cassette tape include powerful renditions of each song in the book.

"Hymn singing reflects a congregation's spiritual vitality and their response to God's grace.

A step-by-step guide for training young actors to audition well by developing acting skills. No other book puts auditioning in the context of acting training-an all-encompassing audition text.

Amzaing grace, how sweet the sound...Familiar words of a familiar hymn--causing us to reflect on the greatness of our God, the grandeur of His redemption, and our respsonsibility in service.