Friday, November 12, 2004

Musical encourages audiences to anticipate Christ's second coming
February 16, 2004
By David Roach

In March audiences will hear musical encouragement to live in anticipation of Christ’s second coming. And they will hear it in both Korean and English.

The encouragement will come in the form of a new musical entitled “The Seventh Trumpet” written by Mozelle Sherman, senior professor of church music at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and translated into Korean by a group of Korean students at Southern’s School of Church Music and Worship led by Mi-Ae Yoon.

“The Seventh Trumpet” features dramatic and musical reenactments of Bible stories along with scenes depicting contemporary characters struggling with the challenges of being a Christian in the 21st century. The plot centers around trumpeters sounding the seven trumpet blasts depicted in Revelation.

“The Seventh Trumpet,” which takes 80 percent of its text directly from the Bible, is set to premier on the Louisville, Ky. campus March 23 in English and March 25 in Korean.

In preparation for the March premier, two casts (one English-speaking and one Korean-speaking) have been rehearsing the musical. As a compliment to the adult casts, “The Seventh Trumpet” will feature the singing of two youth , Truman Simpson (English) and Sung Hyun Kim (Korean).

“The powerful words of the Bible that are spoken in two active languages … will encourage our congregations to ‘walk in the shoes’ of persons in the biblical events,” said Sherman, who is founding director emeritus of the Church Music Drama Theater at Southern.

The English-speaking cast will present two performances in addition to the March 23 premier, one on March 26 and another on March 27. The Korean-speaking cast will present one performance.

As audiences watch “The Seventh Trumpet,” they will learn biblical principles that are meant to encourage Christians in the days preceding Christ’s second coming, Sherman said.

“Some biblical stories are told with live characters such as Noah and his wife, David, Bathsheba, Nathan, Joshua, Peter and the Pharisees,” said Sherman. “As a trumpeter declares the seven blasts of the Revelation passages, contemporary characters will struggle with the challenges of being a Christian in today’s world.”

Musical and dramatic presentations such as “The Seventh Trumpet” are valuable ways of expressing the truths of Scripture in the present visual age, Sherman said.

“Music and drama in worship are a powerful means for corporate and personal praise,” she said. “… By using the Christian arts of music, drama and the fine arts, we are speaking the language … that may assist in proclaiming, teaching, edifying and praising.”

As audiences experience “The Seventh Trumpet,” they will be encouraged to proclaim the message of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and second coming, Sherman said.

“Through the use of the beautiful scriptural passages from the Bible, God’s Word, and the use of beauty itself—in music, in costuming and lighting effects—the Christian arts seek to move our churches to action,” she said. “Those witnessing ‘The Seventh Trumpet’ will be renewed by it and sent forth to witness for Christ as we follow His words.”

For further information on “The Seventh Trumpet” or for tickets, call Southern’s School of Church Music and Worship at .