Prep Rally SCRIPT

January 6, 2010

Preservice:

Lights: mid lighting in house, stage lights off

Audio: Pre-Service Music (get cd from Matt)


Service Starts:

Audio: Pre-Service Music (get cd from Matt)

Video: 3 minute Countdown
http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/countdowns/16133/Flourish-Countdown

Lights (for worship): dimmer lighting in house, stage lights on

Audio: fade out music

Worship: Mykaela & band

Announcements/Offering/Meet & Greet: PM/PC

Lights: mid lighting in house, stage lights off


Prep Rally Starts: (as people are returning to their seats)

Lights: dim lighting in house, mid stage lights on


Matt: (Comes out on stage with his church service survival kit)

Okay, well lets get this started.

Welcome! This is the Prep Rally.obviously, and tonight were determined to prepare
you - get it prep rally prep-are - well were going to prepare you for the week of
prayer and fasting. So Ive brought my church service survival kit, just in case tonight
goes a little long, andyes, Im going to share it with all of you. It has some great stuff in
it, like this bucket of popcorn (pulls out popcorn bucket)you know, in case a sermon
goes too long. And then there are earplugs (pulls out earplugs)in case the singers are
singing off key. (pulls out a tie) I also have a tie in case I need to get some brownie
points with Pastor. Theres a lot of great stuff in here.

Now I dont know about you but Im hungry and Im going to Chilis afterwards, so lets
just get right down to it. The first thing were going to talk about tonight is giving. Video
please! (claps twice)


Lights: IMMEDIATE BLACKOUT

Video: Give
http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/4496/Barry-Bates-Offering-Linebacker

Lights: dim lighting in house, mid stage lights on


Ashley: (comes on stage as video ends)
Hey Matt! Sorry I was late just got off work ohyou started already? (sarcastically)
Thanks for waiting. I though we decided on a different video. That ones kind of harsh.

Matt: Only if youre not giving 10%. Im not going to apologize for laying down the law.
Its who I amIm the lawgiver!

Ashley: Well, thanks Moses. I was just saying that we dont want people to get the
impression that someone in a football jersey will physically harm them if they dont give.

Matt: Well, it seems we need a little lesson on giving. So point number one(points to
himself) BARRY BATES is in the house! (pulls out yellow flag from survival kit) I keep
this for times just like this. (throws flag at someone) We got holding of money on the
church member. Thats $50 or a towed car. You see in this place, Im the player and ref.
You better know the definition of TITHE or Ill flag you down son.

Ashley: (motioning to the audience with embarrassment) No, No Dont listen to him
We dont have (looks at Matt) a Barry Bates here And Matt, giving is not just about
tithing.

Matt: (sarcastically) Yeah, and going to weddings isnt about eating. Whatever.

Ashley: *sigh* Matt, do YOU give?

Matt: (cocky) Um yeah.

Ashley: How much do you give every year?

Matt: (still cocky) I tithe. To the penny. I even cashed in some coupons to tithe ON the
pennies.

Ashley: Well how about after tithing? Do you give any more?

Matt: Umhello? Tithe. 10%. It wouldnt be called tithe if it was 13% or something.
That would be something like thir-tithe, and how DO you say tithe in Spanish?
Teeethe? Me giva teethe dinero?

Ashley: Matt! Focus with me here. I think that sometimes we tend to equate giving with
tithing and while tithing is giving, its only the beginning, not the end.

Matt: Yeah, yeah. Ive heard this before. I DID attend all of the Wednesday night Blessed
Life series.

Ashley: Great! So what did you learn?

Matt: Well he talked a lot about tithing (thumbs up to the congregation)and he started
talking about how we should do more but thats when I checked out. See, I have a few
problems with all this church money giving stuff. Okay? I mean, we have expenses and
missionaries and outreachesand now we have the new building and the view book. Its
a lot. But I dont see everyone giving, you know? So Im just going to wait for the
miraculous six million dollar check to come in because it seems like others are doing that
too.

Ashley: Look Matt, you need to do whatever GOD places on your heart to do for the new
building and stuffbut giving is a lifestyle. Its not just a 10% check every week. The
Bible says "whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows
generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his
heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

Matt: Come again. Translate please?

Giving is generosity. Its openhandedness. Its kindness. Its blessing others because
youve been blessed. Instead of just giving your tithe Matt, how about you also give from
your heart? How about you let generous be a word that people use to describe you.

Matt: Hmm well, my brother did say I was stingy the other day. (mumbling) I take him out
to eat for his birthday and he expected me to pay for his meal*exasperated sigh*

Ashley: Well there you go. Maybe for the week of prayer and fasting, you should fast
being stingy.

Matt: Funny. Real funny. Speaking of fasting, what are you talking about?

Ashley: Hmmgood point. Next video please. (claps twice)

Matt: (as lights go out) Thats my line.


Lights: IMMEDIATE BLACKOUT

Video: Fast
http://www.faithvisuals.com/content/highwayvideo/classic/thefast.html

Lights: dim lighting in house, mid stage lights on


Ashley: Matt, that guy kind of reminds me of you.

Matt: Listen, I feel his pain. The guy was surrounded by a bunch of insensitive jerks. No
wonder he couldnt wait till it was over! And that was only for ONE DAY! And we have to
fast for a week?! I better go after-Christmas shopping for a casket or something.

And I mean why do you have to starve yourself to seek God anyway? Cant God be
happy with me going to church every night of the week? (sarcastically) I mean, we all
know you cant get close to God if you dont attend all those services.

Ashley: Im sensing a little sarcasm. Are you sure you still want to do this? Cause if you
need to, we can take a moment to regroup

Matt: No no, thats ok. Im prepared for this. (looks at congregation) Okay! You can
survive the week of prayer and fasting with this. (pulls out a jumbo pack of gum) When
you get the urge to stuff your face, you better chew some gum and get on your face!
(softer) This also helps because when you fast, you breath really reeks, you know?...and
if Pastor made us pray for each other like thatwe all be meeting the Lord early. Bless
God.

Ashley: Matt Matt. Wait a sec, fasting isnt about not eating.

Matt: (sarcastically) Yeah, and Arbor Day isnt something the banks made up so they
could take off. Well then Ashley, enlighten me.

Ashley: Okay. Fasting is denying our flesh the desires it has and replacing those desires
with God. You know like for instance If I was addicted to my cell phone

Matt: Umyou are.

Ashley: Shhh! Be quiet!

Matt: Ok. (looks down looking corrected)

Ashley: Like I was saying, IF I was addicted to my cell phone, you know, constantly
texting and emailing, tweeting and suchI would take the next few days, put my phone
aside and spend that time with God, seeking Him and hearing Him clearly without all the
distractions my flesh craves.

Matt: And I thought going without food was hard. So what do you want on your
tombstone? You can just email it to me next week.oh wait, you wont be able to.

Ashley: Youre a jerk. (turns away)

Matt: Sorry. So can I just take a poll and see what everyone else is fasting? Its kind of
hard to give up texting or somethingwhen everyone keeps texting you! Yeah, Im
looking at YOU Pastor Nate. Cant I see if everyone else is giving up watching CSI
Miami or something and just join them. It would be kinda easy. The show really sucks.

Ashley. Yeah. No. Theres two rules to fasting. Only two. First, you cant mourn,
complain and mope around like the guy in the video was doing. Fasting is not about
impressing others. Its between you and God.

Matt: But I like to wear my heart on my sleeve and I think its only fair to give people
warning when I stop (gets cut off)

Ashley: (more strongly) Its between you and God.

Matt: *sigh* Ok. Whats the second rule?

Ashley: You dont tell anyone what youre fasting. Again, its between you and God. We
dont fast to get a gold star at church or from people. We do it to draw closer to
Godand that in itself IS the reward. Its a chance to focus more intensely to hear what
God would say to us(points to Matt) what God would say to you.(points to self) to
me.

Matt: *sigh* I guess I could do that for a week. Ill have to pray about what to give up.

Ashley: Yes, Pray. Thats the next point.

Matt: Wait! (more softly, shyly) Can I do it this time?

Ashley: *sigh* Sure.

Matt: Yes! Next video please! (claps twice)

Lights: IMMEDIATE BLACKOUT

Video: Pray
http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/13212/Killer-Prayer-Tips

Lights: dim lighting in house, mid stage lights on


Matt: WOW! Those tips will definitely come in handy! Thats way better than what I had
in my survival kit. I just had candles and some old 80s vintage worship music. (starts
singing In His Time)

Ashley: Well I wouldnt seriously recommend ANY of those six tips. Again, praying is not
about the right words or the length of time or the right moves or whatever.

Matt: (somewhat sincerely) Really?

Ashley: (a little shocked) What? No sarcastic parallel like (mocking Matts sarcastic tone)
yeah and people go to Wal-Mart to shop and NOT to visit their friends.

Matt: Thats terrible. Wal-Mart is an American (gets cut off)

Ashley: Nevermind. Back to the point. Theres more to prayer than positions or Father
Gods. Its about talking to Godfrom your heart. Although God knows everything, He
invites us to talk to Him about anything and everything, to ask Him for things, to believe
Him for things.

Matt: Um, that was last years theme. Do you see any yellow letters? No.

Ashley: We dont stop believing now that its a new year. And we dont stop asking
either.

Matt: Then what are we to be asking and believing for then?

Ashley: (sincerely) Miracles.

Matt: Funny cause Ive been praying for things to happen and well they havent
happened. SO whats up with that? Why havent my prayers been answered? What am I
doing wrong?

Ashley: Youre not doing anything wrong Matt. Some miracles are just a long time in the
making.

Matt: define long time.

Ashley: I cant tell you what a long time means for you, but I can tell you a story about
what it meant for me. (sits on stairs)

Lights: back stage lights fade out

You know, (slowly) I was two years old when my parents were divorced. (Matt sits next
to Ashley) My dad would tuck us in at night and say our prayers with us. He would
always pray for my mom - He would pray exactly these words: that she would come to a
saving knowledge of the truth. (breathe)

When I got older, I continued to pray for her. She hated me going to church and being so
involved in ministry. When I was in college, I started talking to her a little about church
and spirituality, all while still praying that she would experience God in a life changing
way. (breathe)

It was a process. And it still is. I went home for Thanksgiving and my mom asked me to
go to church with her that Sunday. Whats more is, I asked her what she wanted for
Christmas, and she said a Bible so she could use it at her small groups and church.
She told everyone that her favorite present was her Bible. On Christmas Eve and the
Sunday after Christmas, we ALL went to church together as a family, my step-dad even
went too. That started when I was two. This has been twenty years in the making.

Matt: (Matt stands up and walks) Twenty years? Thats a really long time.

Lights: back stage lights fade up

Ashley: (stands up) Yeah, but every moment has been worth seeing my prayers
answered.

Matt: So youre saying I should keep believing and praying?

Ashley: Yeah! In fact, become more passionate than ever to see God answer your
prayers. Use this upcoming week of prayer and fasting to focus in on those prayers you
have. Talk to God about them. See what He says. I promise you that Hell encourage
you not to give up believing or praying. Remember what the Bible says: He is faithful to
complete that work that He started in you. Hes not a man that He would lie Matt.
Everything He has told you WILL come to pass.

Matt: Yeah. Thats a pretty safe bet. Thanks for straightening me out Ashley. I have a lot
of stuff to work on this next week. Can you recap them for me?

Ashley: I have a better idea. Show that video please. (Matt and Ashley clap twice)


Lights: IMMEDIATE BLACKOUT

Video: Give, Fast, Pray
http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/7686/Give-Fast-Pray

Lights: dim lighting in house, mid-front stage lights on


(looking at congregation)

Matt: The psalmist said in the Bible the Lord has done great things for us! and tonight
we echo with him.

Ashley: The Lord has been good to us, not just last year but for years in our church and
in our lives.

Matt: We want to encourage you to take this next week to heart. Pray. Talk to God. Talk
to Him about fasting. See what He wants you to give up. And pray and fast next week
about giving.

Ashley: Yeah. Ask Him to show you the results of your givingwhat it is doing for our
future, who your giving will reach out to and touch. This churchs generosity and
sacrificeyour generosity and sacrifice, has already touched AND CHANGED many
lives. I think its time we remember some of them


Cardboard Testimonies:

Lights: house lights off, fade stage lights down to center stage only

Audio: You Love Never Fails by Chris McClarney

Video: project zoomed-in video camera image of the cardboard on the screens


Cardboard testimonies


Lights: at end of song (when Matt & Ashley come out),
fade up all stage and front row lights. Dim house lights.


After Matt & Ashley flip their cardboard testimony, PM comes to stage & closes.

Audio: Gabe on keyboard

Postservice:

Lights: mid lighting in house, stage lights off

Audio: Pre-Service Music (get cd from Matt)