Not Just Music
By Jack Hall
CHARACTERS
Reverend Mike
Bobby- A writer
The setting is a church. A praise band is on stage. The Reverend Mike, a crazed, music-obsessed worship leader with a mistaken belief that music is the ONLY way to praise the Lord enters.
MIKE- Good morning, brothers and sisters. I’m Reverend Mike. Isn’t it a beautiful day the Lord has made? The sun is high in the heavens. The sky is blue. The weather is just perfect.
Sound of thunder outside.
MIKE- But rain or shine the Lord is good. Does anyone here wanna worship him? (wait for response) I said does anyone here wanna worship??? Then let’s worship. Crank up that worship band! Let’s rock for the Lord! Get on your feet! I wanna see every seat empty and every hand up!
Mike starts leading the congregation in a praise song. Bobby stays seated, writing. Midway through the chorus, he stops
MIKE- Hold on a sec, hold on a sec. You guys are doing great, really. I know the Lord is just loving this, but not everyone is worshipping. Not everyone is worshipping. You! Right there. Hey, wake up! Someone hit the geek sitting down writing for me.
After being nudged, Bobby looks up.
MIKE- What’s the matter with you?
BOBBY- Nothing.
MIKE- You having a bad day?
BOBBY- No.
MIKE- Has the Lord not been good to you?
BOBBY- We’re cool.
MIKE- Then worship him!!! Come on, people, let ‘em here you in the Holy Land!!
Mike dives back into a worship song. Bobby stays where he is. Mike kills the song.
MIKE- All right, wise guy. You’re just determined to hold out on us, aren’t you?
BOBBY- No.
MIKE- You know what? I have an idea. Get up here.
BOBBY- What?
MIKE- Come on, get up here. On stage, right now!
BOBBY- No.
MIKE- Don’t say no when your soul says yes. I want you right up here, leading worship with me!
Bobby closes his notebook and slowly walks to the stage.
MIKE- Come on, pal. We’re gonna make a joyful noise for the Lord! Crank that music!
The song starts again. Mike takes the notebook and throws it on stage. He hands Bobby a microphone. Mike sings like a mad man, while Bobby timidly sings along. Mike shouts instructions to him.
MIKE- Lift those arms up, pal! Sing it louder! Lift those arms! Let me see it in your face! Stop the music, stop it! Look, what’s your name, buddy?
BOBBY- Bobby.
MIKE- Bobby, why don’t you love Jesus?
BOBBY- What?
MIKE- Why don’t you love Jesus? What’s he ever done for you, except give you life, good health, and rainbows?
BOBBY- Lots of stuff. I have a good family, a talent for writing—
MIKE- All right then! So why don’t you let him know you love him?
BOBBY- I do.
MIKE- No you don’t!
BOBBY- Yes, I do!
MIKE- Then why aren’t you singing, Bobby?
BOBBY- Because I don’t like to sing.
MIKE- (nearly has a heart attack) You don’t like to WORSHIP???
BOBBY- No. I love worship. I hate singing.
MIKE- Singing is worship!
BOBBY- It’s not the only thing that’s worship.
MIKE- What?
BOBBY- Worship isn’t just music.
MIKE- Yes it is.
BOBBY- Worship is a lifestyle. It’s glorifying God not matter what you do.
MIKE- By singing.
BOBBY- Not just by singing. I worshipped God this morning over breakfast.
MIKE- What did you sing?
BOBBY- Nothing! I just worshipped him, just like I do every day on the way to work.
MIKE- You sing in the car?
BOBBY- No I don’t. Sometimes I listen to sermons, other times I just thank God that I have a job and a great family.
MIKE- By singing?
BOBBY- Not by singing! I hate singing.
MIKE- So you hate worship?
BOBBY- No! I love worshipping God! I do it all the time! I was just doing it there in the pew.
MIKE- You were not.
BOBBY- I was so! I was writing. It’s a gift God gave me, to write, and when I use it, it’s an act of worship.
MIKE- Ohhh, I see.
BOBBY- Yes.
MIKE- So instead of singing, you write worship songs!
BOBBY- I don’t write songs!
MIKE- Then it’s not worship.
BOBBY- I write poems. I write stories. I write my thoughts and praise reports about God. Sometimes I even write skits.
MIKE- You write skits about worship songs?
BOBBY- No! No! I write skits and poems about God, not music!
MIKE- But why?
BOBBY- Because worship is about God, not music.
MIKE- You saying what we do here is not worship?
BOBBY- Of course it’s worship. But you can worship God in a million ways besides singing.
MIKE- You really think that’s true?
BOBBY- It has to be.
MIKE- Why?
BOBBY- Because I love God with all my heart… but I hate to sing.
MIKE- I see. So when I said everybody worship… you pulled out your notebook so you could worship God?
BOBBY- Yes.
MIKE- Huh. You, uh, think you could show me what you were writing?
BOBBY- Sure.
Bobby opens the notebook, hands it to Mike.
MIKE- The setting is a church. A praise band is on stage. Pastor Mike, a crazed, music-obsessed worship leader with a mistaken belief that music is the ONLY way to praise the Lord enters.
BOBBY- Nice start, huh?
MIKE- Sacrilege.
BOBBY- Sacrilege?
MIKE- It’s REVEREND Mike, not Pastor Mike!
Copyright 2006 by Sunday School Dropouts