Planting Seeds: A Collection Of Sermon Starter Sketches (Paperback)

Jill Lamkin has the gift of creative communication -- her work lives in that place where art and real life meet. She is uniquely gifted with an ability to recognize the truths of the human heart and to craft effective dramas that speak to our shared follies and foibles, dreams and desires. Over a period of 15 years, I have used Jill's material in multiple venues -- for women's retreats, as sermon vignettes, at marriage events, and in children's church. Her scripts offer the church drama ministry the opportunity to open hearts, challenge thinking, and encourage growth.
Judi Daniels
Former Drama Director, Warehouse Christian Ministries
Roseville, California

Seeing our thoughts and feelings acted out onstage can be a very powerful experience. Because we readily identify with the characters we watch -- their hopes and dreams as well as their frustrations and failures -- dramatic presentations hold up a mirror that lets us see things about ourselves we often overlook.

With this compelling anthology of 24 sketches, you can open the eyes of worshipers to God's truth and grace while planting dynamic seeds of change. Each scene is about five minutes in length and serves not only as a potent visual illustration but also helps congregations receive and retain major themes presented in the sermon. Appropriate for any denomination and audience, these easy-to-stage pieces utilize small casts and can be performed in any setting with minimal costumes and a few simple props, making them accessible to church drama groups of all sizes. In addition to sermon starter sketches, there are dramas appropriate for women's and men's retreats plus several monologues.

This collection will be an invaluable asset to any service. The simple yet powerful dramas not only draw in the attention of the audience, they also drive home a poignant message. We have used many of these sketches, and every time they added tremendously to our services and strengthened the message we were communicating in a very creative way.
Chris Jenson
Youth Pastor, Harvest Valley Christian Church
Pleasanton, California

Jill Lamkin is a freelance writer who leads the creative arts ministry at Harvest Valley Christian Church in Pleasanton, California. She is the author of Voices of the Nativity, a collection of Christmas monologues, as well as meditations published in The Upper Room, LIVE, and DramaShare. Lamkin is a graduate of California State University at Sacramento.