{"product_id":"9780986412424","title":"Christmas Play: The Story of the Coming of Jesus, for Production in Churches, Using the Text of the English Standard Version of the Bible","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy Gary Neal Hansen’s \u003cem\u003eChristmas Play\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYour church wants to put on a pageant this December. You want more than kids as shepherds in bathrobes and tinsel-winged angels. Sure, they’re cute, but you want your congregation to know why the baby Jesus matters.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou want to show the real meaning of Christmas: the story of the coming of Christ into the world, Jesus born of Mary, the Son of God.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is easy to go wrong in a play about Christmas. In a heartbeat things can get too sweet, or too preachy, or downright tacky.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite the best of intentions, plays can even take our attention away from Jesus. Focusing too hard on modern problems like materialism, they can almost forget to show the world-changing story of the coming of Christ. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo you fear that your play will aim too low. You fear missing the once-a-year opportunity to help people see and feel the story of how our salvation began to be revealed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGary Neal Hansen’s \u003cem\u003eChristmas Play\u003c\/em\u003e tells the whole biblical story of the coming of Jesus in the Bible’s own words. It weaves all the relevant Gospel passages into one seamless drama. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the story of the Light coming into a world of shadows -- the Light that darkness can never overcome.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGary Neal Hansen is the award-winning author of \u003cem\u003eKneeling with Giants: Learning to Pray with History’s Best Teachers\u003c\/em\u003e (InterVarsity, 2012), and \u003cem\u003eLove Your Bible: Finding Your Way to the Presence of God with a 12th Century Monk\u003c\/em\u003e (Climacus, 2015). He serves as Associate Professor of Church History at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eConnect with him (and get free books!) at GaryNealHansen.com\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gary Neal Hansen","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47013955797232,"sku":"9780986412424","price":5.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780986412424_p0.jpg?v=1763892105","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780986412424","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}