One Church of Christ congregation in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, is going all in on producing live theatre for its community. Since giving its first stage production a try, Bouldercrest Church of Christ is attracting casts and crews comprising Church of Christ members from all over the city. And thousands are attending performances like Scenes from the Life of Christ.
In this episode, we hear from the woman at the center of it all. Sheri Gilbert-Wilson is a professional actor, director and writer who felt the nudge to bring the story of God and God's people to the stage at Bouldercrest.
Gilbert-Wilson shares how putting on a live stage production turns out to be a powerful body (of Christ)-building, disciple-making experience. And how it attracts and connects with people who would otherwise never step foot in a church building. She also tells the story of how she gave up a successful paralegal career at age 48 to go "all in" on theatre.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
BT Irwin (00:04):
Family and friends, neighbors and, most of all,
strangers.
Welcome to the ChristianChronicle Podcast.
We're bringing you the storiesshaping Church of Christ
congregations and members aroundthe world.
I'm BT Irwin.
May what you are about to hearbless you and honor God.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (00:22):
You know I expose you because you do not
respect that I am the masterinstigator of your troubles and
you wake up daily andill-prepared to fight.
Do you ask me whether you needme to be the 6'10"?
BT Irwin (00:36):
You know Burks putting more on the whole armament
standing against my schemes.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (00:43):
the struggle is real.
No, you don't really.
They don't listen, they don'tapply what you say.
That's why you make my job soeasy.
BT Irwin (00:58):
You just heard a clip of actor Tony Noel performing as
the devil in a recent livetheater stage production called
the art of influence interviewwith the devil.
The play is what you might calla community theater production,
except it took place not at alocal playhouse or theater, but
on the stage at Boulder Crestchurch of Christ and Atlanta,
(01:20):
georgia.
Boulder Crest is becoming akind of community theater in its
own right as the congregationdiscovers how live drama can
communicate the story of God andconnect with people in a
powerful way.
Interview with the Devil is thesecond show that the
congregation put on this year.
Boulder Crest is the hub ofwhat may be a growing Church of
(01:42):
Christ theater movement inAtlanta, and behind that
movement is our guest today.
Sherry Gilbert Wilson is aprofessional actor, director and
writer in fine arts theater.
She's been acting in communitytheater for her entire adult
life and now serves as adjunctprofessor of theater at the
University of North Georgia inGainesville, georgia, usa.
(02:02):
You could say that GilbertWilson is the sail that caught
the wind of God that set hercongregation, boulder Crest
Church of Christ, on a course tobring live theater to audiences
in Atlanta, georgia.
Over the last year, gilbertWilson helped about 100 Church
of Christ members from all overAtlanta put on two live shows at
Boulder Crest Church of Christthis last Easter.
(02:25):
About 2,700 people watchedthree performances of Scenes
from the Life of Christ, a playwritten by Warren Sager and
transformed into a musical byGilbert Wilson.
More recently, gilbert Wilsondirected an ensemble of Church
of Christ actors who brought herown play, the Art of Influence
Interview with the Devil, to theBoulder Crest stage.
(02:51):
Apart from how Gilbert Wilson isgenerating so much energy and
organization behind such anextraordinary ministry, her
story is remarkable on its own.
For decades she worked as afull-time paralegal.
As a hobby, she acted in localcommunity theaters wherever her
Air Force husband got stationed.
But at the age of 48, she feltlike God nudged her to make
acting her full-time vocation.
She enrolled as a theater artsmajor at Mercer University,
(03:14):
where she graduated with herBachelor of Arts in 2013.
Then she went on to earn theMaster of Fine Arts in Classical
Acting from George WashingtonUniversity and the Academy at
the Shakespeare Theatre Companyin Washington DC.
Please pardon the pun, but sheis making the most of her second
act and she's here to sharethat with us today.
Sherry, thank you for beinghere to talk to a different kind
(03:36):
of audience than you're used to.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (03:38):
It is my pleasure.
BT Irwin (03:39):
I am very honored that you invited me, so thank you oh
well, we're all honored thatyou're here to share with us, so
thank you.
So, first of all, you've got agreat personal story that we've
read about in the ChristianChronicle.
I'm about to turn 50 this year,and what I did for most of my
career is what I hope to not dofor the rest of my life.
(04:02):
So your story encourages andinspires me, and I reckon it
would do the same for a lot ofother people who may be looking
to end one act in their livesand begin a new one that's
different from what they didbefore.
You were a paralegal, I believe,for many years.
I imagine that was stableincome and steady work, and then
you chose to leave that behindto become a full-time artist in
(04:27):
theater, and I have to say thatI doubt many people would have
the courage to do that.
How did that big change in yourlife come about?
When did you first have aninkling that you'd like to do
that, and how did it grow intoyour decision to devote yourself
to the stage?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (04:42):
I have to say, first of all, when you
mentioned you had a stableincome, I laughed because that's
something my husband constantlyteases me about.
So you left the stable incometo do this.
And I'm like yes, because Ilove it.
I would honestly say that itcame in increments because,
(05:02):
since my husband was active dutyair force, we traveled around
the country and were stationed,you know like, in Hawaii and Los
Angeles and Texas and Montanaand Washington DC and also here
in.
Georgia.
So one way that I chose to getout into the community and to
create kind of this hobby atfirst was to audition for
(05:27):
community theater.
Yeah, because a communitytheater is volunteer you don't
get paid but you know you canreally see some great shows.
And so that's where I starteddeveloping my love for theater,
because at first it kind of wasjust something to do and it's a
hobby.
At first it kind of was justsomething to do and it's a hobby
, but so incrementally,everywhere we were stationed, I
(06:00):
became more and more interestedin theater.
Because of my involvement intheater arts, because I enjoyed
the creativity license they gaveme.
I loved meeting so many peoplefrom different backgrounds and
the diversity of it, and sobecause of that, incrementally I
kept getting more and more andmore interested as the years
progressed and I think that iswhat continually just piled upon
my heart and my spirit.
You know what?
This is not just a hobby.
(06:24):
I honestly love this.
I love that creativity, I lovebeing around, this type of
energy, I love telling stories.
I think this is it, I thinkthis is what my passion is.
And so I think that's how Ibecame just totally enamored
(06:45):
with theater arts.
And then, by the time we got toAnthony's last base in Warner
Robins, Georgia, that's when heeven encouraged me hey, you know
what?
You've been doing this foryears.
Why don't you just go ahead andget your bachelor's degree,
undergrad degree in theater artsand make this official, which
is what I did in theater artsand make this official, which is
(07:05):
what I did.
BT Irwin (07:05):
Yeah, was that?
I mean this?
This is very personal question.
For me.
I, my career, has been innonprofit management and raising
money in particular, which notnot what I set out to do.
But I don't know aboutparalegals, but I was told in
college paralegal would be agood profession because I would
always work, and fundraising isone of those jobs that everybody
(07:27):
always wants you to do.
Right, if you're a fundraiseryou'll always be employed.
But as time has passed, as I gotinto my 30s, 40s and now almost
50, preaching, teaching,telling stories those things
just really captivated me and Iwanted to do those more and more
(07:50):
.
And so there was this tensioninside me the thing that I did
to earn an income, which was theresponsible thing, the steady
thing, sure thing, and then whatI felt like I was being called
to do, then what I felt like Iwas being called to do, and the
emotions that I had about thatwere, uh, first of all fear,
(08:11):
like here's the sure thing, andthen there's this other thing
that doesn't seem as responsible.
You know, am I sure that God iscalling me in this direction?
So I was afraid, and so Iwonder if you encountered any of
those emotions yourself as youconsidered stepping out.
You know the saying that wehave sometimes step out of the
(08:33):
boat right and onto the water.
What emotions did youexperience?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (08:37):
Yes, I absolutely did, Because, yes,
being a paralegal was verylucrative and I was a paralegal
for 26 years.
I worked in every field exceptfor criminal law, and the last
10, 12 years of my career Iworked in patents and trademarks
(08:59):
.
BT Irwin (08:59):
And.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (09:00):
I absolutely loved that.
I did love that field becausein some ways it's creative as
well, and, and so to leave that,or even to start to think about
leaving the income that I wasmaking, which was, you know, I
wouldn't have to worry aboutmany things at all, and that
(09:20):
including my husband's income,you know, we were pretty well
set.
And to say, you know what?
I know that I like law.
I never loved law.
I know I like law and I makegreat money.
But here's the thing that I havecome to absolutely adore and
love, and you're right aboutthat tension in my spirit.
(09:43):
I'm like, oh, but?
And then you always hear allthe horror stories You're
leaving someplace where you willalways be employed, to
someplace where there's like a99% unemployment rate, like
literally a 99% unemploymentrate, and so and so here I was
(10:04):
with that dilemma, and sometimesI would even laugh at myself
why would this be the thing youwant to do?
But I could not stay away fromthat pull, I honestly couldn't.
And so I had to answer thatcall.
And I didn't know, I did notknow how it was going to turn
out.
Didn't know, I did not know howit was going to turn out.
(10:27):
But I know, with the support andencouragement from my husband,
I was at least going to seewhere God was going to take it,
because I knew I had a passionfor it, I knew I loved it and I
knew I could encourage people ina different way, in a way that
I enjoyed.
So yeah, I was fearful, a lotof anxiety, but at the end of
the day, for whatever reasononly God knows I never allowed
(10:49):
that fear or anxiety stop mefrom pursuing it.
Now, it would give me pause,and there are a lot of nights
I'd be praying oh my Lord, whatam I doing?
But I just had to go out onfaith and know that I had to
overcome that fear.
And even now I still getnervous about auditions and
(11:10):
everything like that.
But I don't let that stop mefrom doing something that I love
to do.
BT Irwin (11:14):
Most people, I think.
In America, in the UnitedStates in particular, people
kind of define what they'redoing with their lives by their
careers.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (11:22):
So what career.
BT Irwin (11:23):
Are you in?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (11:24):
What ladder are you?
BT Irwin (11:25):
climbing, and so you got off the paralegal ladder,
which is unexpected.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilso (11:31):
Everybody's like why?
BT Irwin (11:32):
would you do that that ?
was a good career, you made lotsof money, you were, you were
climbing that ladder and youwent into theater, and that just
doesn't make sense in ourculture.
You're right, I agree.
When you're a person who isattempting to pursue the life of
Jesus Christ, on the one handyou feel like I should be
(11:55):
responsible, I should be a goodsteward of what the Lord has
given me.
I should be responsible andtake care of my family.
You know, make a lot of moneyso I can give it to the church
or whatever.
But then you feel this, thiswe'll call it irrational away
from career to something, inyour case, very creative.
(12:17):
But you're like this is anexpression that I feel, like I,
I imagine you felt like God waspulling you in that direction,
and so I've I've struggled withthis myself, like how do I make,
how do I discern?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (12:32):
Yeah.
BT Irwin (12:33):
Yeah, Sometimes I I I'll just put it in these real
blunt terms Sometimes like Godover here on the responsibility
side, right here on the step outof the boat and walk on water
side, and it's working through,it's trying to find a point
where I can make a decision andfeel like it's the right
(12:53):
decision.
I wonder if there's anythingyou learn from going through
that process that you can sharewith other people, who may be
also paralegals, for example,and thinking I'm thinking about
theater or I'm thinking aboutpreaching now, right, right, yes
, I have learned that you knoweverything that you do in your
(13:16):
life.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (13:17):
You know if you are a follower of Christ.
Of course, we know thateverything we do in our life has
a purpose and a meaning.
Right, some lessons are for us,some lessons we are just a part
of, because God needs someoneelse to see him in our lives.
Right, and what I learned aboutgetting off of the money train,
(13:39):
of being a paralegal and, bythe way, my mom was even like
why are you even being aparalegal?
You should just go ahead andget your degree and and become
an attorney.
You know what I mean?
I'm like, I don't love law.
I like it and I mentioned thatbefore and I think that's very
paramount.
That's what I learned.
Do you want to spend your lifedoing something you don't like
(13:59):
doing, and how is that servingGod?
How is that serving the kingdom?
How is that serving your lifeor your family?
How is that serving God?
(14:21):
How is that serving the kingdom?
How is that serving your lifeor your family?
Or do you have gifts andtalents that you don't know that
God can use in other ways?
Now am I going to in a littlebit of a unique situation
because my husband was activeduty military and he had a
full-time job, and so it wasn'tlike I was single and I only had
my income.
You know what I mean, eventhough there are people who will
still do that.
But I did feel a little bitmore comfortable leaving that
(14:44):
train and following my dream andfollowing that path because I
knew that it wouldn't be tooburdensome for my husband,
although in reality I do thinkeven if my husband was a person
who was like, well, no, you needto make this money.
He never was, although he wouldtease me about it.
He always said you have to gofor your dreams because you
(15:07):
don't know if that's what God iscalling you to do Now.
Those 26 years of being aparalegal, I learned a lot of
things that I'm able to apply towhat I'm doing now.
But that is the number onething I learned is like you
cannot spend your life doingsomething for the sake of a
paycheck.
Because, at the end of your life, when you look back, what
(15:28):
regret are you going to have?
You're going to have that.
And when I was a paralegal, youhave no idea how many attorneys
could not stay in their jobs.
They have big houses, big homes, big cars.
They make six figures and areabsolutely miserable.
And you know what that taughtme.
(15:49):
I did not want to be thatperson.
Now.
I wasn't miserable being aparalegal, but I knew how much I
loved this new creative thingthat God was pulling me toward.
And then I had to ask myselfwhy am I not going for that
dream?
And then I had to ask myselfwhy am I?
not going for that dream.
Why am I not going for thething that I absolutely love
(16:12):
doing?
And then I would talk to peoplewho said I love.
If you love what you're doing,it's not even a job.
You know, there's long hours,there's frustrations, there's
stresses, but it's not a jobbecause it's so passionate and
fulfilling and you love doing it.
And I think that's what I havelearned throughout this journey,
(16:32):
at least one of the lessons.
BT Irwin (16:33):
Did you imagine right away that theater would become
some kind of a ministry or partof your life in the church?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (16:42):
No, I didn't.
Well, I'll say no with a caveatThroughout having this hobby
and living in all of thesedifferent places, being involved
in all of the differentcongregations that Anthony and I
have been a part of small skitsfor ladies day programs or, you
(17:06):
know, like if we, ourcongregation, was having a new
year's Eve event, I wouldusually create a couple of skits
to do entertainment in that way.
So throughout the years I'vealways been involved in my
congregation, writing poetry,creating skits, being a part of
skits, and so it's kind ofalways been there.
(17:27):
But I never I never knew it orrealized that it would be like a
ministry.
You know what I mean.
That I will take, I will reallyput this together in a package
and this is like an actualministry.
It was just like something Idid for and to encourage the
congregation when they neededsomething.
(17:48):
Yeah, I never.
I never saw that coming.
I didn't.
BT Irwin (17:52):
So when did it?
When did the scales tip?
So describe the moment whereyou're like, oh wow, this is,
this is a spiritual gift forbuilding Christ, I can do
something with this.
How did it go from that toworking its way into reality?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (18:09):
I think that once I graduated from
Mercer University with mybachelor's degree in theater
arts and then we moved up hereto Atlanta when Anthony retired
and we joined Hillcrest Churchof Christ, I think it was then
well, first of all I starteddoing some plays and a few
(18:29):
independent films and whatever,and I always was very thankful
for those opportunities right,because I know again 99%
unemployment rate and I did havea little bit of success not a
lot, but a little bit of successearly on.
And so I was always grateful toGod.
And so then my heart started toshift.
(18:52):
And how can I thank God forblessing me with this gift and
talent, as I have been doing insmaller increments throughout
the years, but how can I make ita little bit more meaningful?
And then God put on my heart todirect a play Scenes from the
(19:13):
Life of Christ and I wanted itto be a musical.
And I spoke with our ministerat the time, brother Minister
Richard Barclay, and I asked himif he and the leadership would
be open to something like that.
Now I had already done a coupleof smaller things at the
congregation, so they they knewmy work was quality and you know
I'm not full of nonsense andwhatnot.
(19:33):
And so that's when I I startedtalking to a dear friend of mine
, carol Hunter, who wasdefinitely a visionary and she
was like you know what.
I honestly think you havesomething more here than just
putting on plays, because youcan already see the
encouragement that it isgarnering in our congregation
(19:54):
with the things that you havealready done, and look at how
excited people are becoming thatyou want to even put on this
musical and they're volunteeringand they want to be a part of
it.
So there is a seed of somethingmore than just putting on a
play.
And have you ever thought aboutthat?
And, to be honest, I was kindof I was a little like shocked
(20:19):
and nervous.
I'm like I've never eventhought about it in that way.
And she planted that seed in me.
And then when I produced anddirected that play, that play
was the tipping point because wehad about 70 people involved on
the stage.
Behind the scenes it was a bigdeal the choir we had, like a
(20:40):
mass choir, to be involved aspart of the musical.
And because of that and becausehow I saw, lives changed in
terms of relations.
Look, I have to say, behind thescenes, theater creates bonds
and relationships that you willnever understand unless you
(21:02):
experience it, and that is onething.
In the church, a lot of timeswe lack because people sit on
one side of the church.
A lot of times we lack becausepeople sit on one side of the
church, pews and people are onthe other side and we never talk
to each other.
We sort of say hi when we comein and hi when we leave.
But when you're putting on aplay, you have to be together
every week and you have to workthrough things and you have to
(21:23):
be in a scene together andyou're pouring through the word
of God and you're learning moreabout the life that you may not
have even paid attention to.
And when you are bringing it tolife, it hits a little different
than just looking at those,those words on a piece of paper
or or or in scripture in yourBible, than it does when it says
(21:43):
get up on this stage and now.
I want you to feel what thatwas like and I want you to help
tell the story to an audience sothat they can understand what
may it have felt like to be inthe room at the last supper or
what may it have felt like whenJesus was in that garden by
himself, crying and pleadingthat this cup could not be his
(22:06):
but not my will, and pleadingthat this cup could not be his
but not my will.
But yours be done, lord.
And so, when you are in thatcreative environment, the bonds
and the relationship thatflourishes from it, is priceless
.
I could sit here and try to talkabout it forever, and it was at
that moment that I realized,yeah, yeah, this is, this is.
(22:28):
This is a ministry.
It's not just about putting onplays and and even out in the
world.
When I do, when I perform in aplay, the relationships that I,
that I create and that I groware awesome, which is one reason
why I love theater arts.
But when I saw what it did inmy congregation, that was on a
(22:49):
different level, because nowwe're dealing with God's people
and the Word of God andencouraging the saints, and so
that's when I knew that this issomething more than just putting
on a couple of plays and skits.
BT Irwin (23:03):
We'll put a link to the story that Calvin Cockrell
wrote about you in the ChristianChronicle.
But you just said the firstplay that you attempted to put
on, you had 70 people in it,right?
70?
Yes, yes, that's blowing a lotof people's minds right now
because they're like we can'tfind that many people.
You know, we can't find 10people to run VBS, and you got
(23:23):
70.
I think one of the one of thethings I I remember from
Calvin's article, a lot of thosepeople maybe were having their
first experience in live theater.
So question number one is howdid you find 70 people, 70
church people that were willingto put on a production like this
(23:46):
?
And then there were some, maybemany, maybe most, that had no
prior experience, and that's ascary thing to do.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (23:55):
So talk about how you found well, I know
, sometimes when I think aboutit, I I am blown away, but it's
like but for god.
I think that part of it was,again, I had already done a few
smaller skits and like not plays, but smaller skits for events.
(24:18):
And so those volunteers werealready there because they truly
enjoyed the experience.
And then when I said, you knowwhat I'm going to think outside,
way outside the box, I wouldlove to do a play about the life
of Jesus Christ, and becausethose volunteers enjoyed the
skits that we had put on, thenthey started telling their
(24:41):
friends, and then we had aninterest meeting and at first
maybe 20, 30 people came andthen I would actually go.
You know what, to be honest, Iwould actually go and I would
see someone who I always knewwas kind of quiet and I would
just go approach him.
I said, hey, have you everthought about being in a play?
No, never thought about beingin a play.
And I'm like you know what,being this one, I've never been
(25:03):
on the stage.
It's okay, I will teach you.
I mean, yes, there arefundamentals to acting, yes, you
can go to school for acting,but this is not what this
ministry is about.
It's about telling the story ofJesus, and if you can have the
opportunity to do that and youall have a willing heart, a
willing spirit, I will get youthere.
(25:24):
I will get you there because Iknow that we can do this
together as a team.
And so, slowly but surely, moreand more people started to
volunteer.
And then when I told them itwas a musical, of course
everyone who loved the scenewere on board.
Right, they're like of coursewe'll be in a musical about the
life of Jesus, because, a we getto sing and B now we get to use
(25:47):
our talents for a play that'snever been done, that nobody had
ever heard of this happening atour congregation, or maybe even
in the Church of Christ, Idon't know.
So that garnered a lot ofinterest and a lot of excitement
, and so that was the foundationof it.
We had a really great scriptthat was literally based on just
(26:08):
going through christ's life,from when he was in the desert
for 40 days through hisresurrection, and it's a great
script by Warren Sager and itbasically is word for word the
scripture.
There's only a few places whereyou put in something that
transitions, or you may put insomething that kind of allows
(26:30):
the audience to understand whatthe emotional pool might be.
And then, of course, I woulddecide where a song might be
appropriate, right here or rightthere.
And even we had Jesus sing asong let them see you and me by
the week span.
And so because of that, it juststarted this ball rolling and
(26:52):
rolling and rolling and thenpeople started to get more
excited about it and I think, bythe grace of God, he gave me
the patience.
Look, I have to.
I have to be full disclosure.
Sometimes I needed the patienceof Job to get to pull things
out, but I am willing to do thatbecause I I was not.
(27:12):
No one is going to feel likethey're going to fail.
Sometimes people are like I'mnot going to be able to do this.
Like, yeah, you are.
If we have to have extrarehearsals, it is fine.
And plus, think about it,you're not trying to be on
Broadway, you're just tellingChrist's story.
And you'd be amazed becausethey knew that they would just
perk up and they would give ittheir all and give it their best
(27:34):
, because they know and theyknew that this really wasn't
about them.
It was about bringing the storyof Christ to life, which they
had the great privilege of doingand it was so much fun working
together toward this goal.
And, yes, there were struggles,there were challenges, but we
(27:54):
always did it together as agroup and we made it work and it
was such an amazing, amazingexperience for everyone.
And then I would just get peoplewho, hey, do you like doing
hair?
Great, how about you come andhelp us with?
And then I had a wonderful,talented sister.
Her name was Angela Morgan.
She's an interior decorator butshe also sold.
(28:18):
She got a team together becauseI said, angela, we don't have
any costumes.
And we went online and she said, hey, I just saw this site
where we can make.
We just ended up making all thecostumes out of bedsheets.
So every, everyone just broughtin a King size bed sheet and
(28:41):
she just measured them.
And she got a team of sewersthat she knew in the
congregation and some from othercongregations, and they got a
sewing party together for liketwo, three months and made like
70 costumes out, and so each,each actor would just bring
their costume, their bed sheetin, and what she created, what
(29:01):
that team created, is justphenomenal, to say the least, to
say the least, and so thatcaused a lot of wonderful
interest and excitement and itjust kept going.
And so people would start hey,what can I do to help?
(29:22):
Hey, do you need someone tousher?
Hey, what can?
And so I was like A, if youlove moving things, be part of
our, our crew, so you can movethe props from one scene to the
other.
And so there was a person whowas wonderfully gifted in
organization, so she was incharge of getting a crew
together and she was like,working it, everyone had a cup
to bring off or to bring on, andthe same with the mics, you
(29:43):
know.
And so it just became thiscommunity of believers, bound
and determined to bring thisvision to life.
And what we brought to life,glory to God.
It was just phenomenal.
And I'm telling you, by the timewe got to that resurrection
(30:03):
moment, one of our tech peoplehad come up with a great idea of
making the gentleman, tony Noel, who played Jesus, when he is
resurrected and he comes back tothe upper room to say goodbye
to the disciples, to put on thescreen him actually ascending
into the clouds.
So she created this slide wherehe's moving up and it just
(30:23):
looks like he's in the clouds.
And there was not a dry tearevery night, and even the last
night.
We're back there in the techroom just all bald and like this
is so beautiful.
Last night we were back therein the tech room, just all bald
and like this is so beautifuland to music and the mass choir
singing all praises to him and Imean you can't write this.
(30:44):
It's just something that Godallowed to come together and it
was at that moment that I knewit was a ministry.
After that there was no turningback.
BT Irwin (30:53):
This is something that means something there was no
turning back like, yeah, this issomething that means something.
I have to say this foreverybody listening everywhere.
I think sherry has just givenus the best description and
example of making disciples thatI've ever heard on this program
.
And and here's why, in our, inamerican churches and I know
(31:15):
we've got a lot of people thatlisten to this show all over the
world, and so I haven't visitedtheir countries but here in the
United States, I think in a lotof our churches, we have kind
of a sign up sheet mentality,where the church puts out some
kind of a program or thing thatthe church is going to do and
then the sign up sheet goes outsign up to volunteer.
(31:36):
And, sherry, what you did isyou recognized maybe, the latent
spiritual gifts in people?
or sometimes the spiritual giftsthat were very apparent to you.
And you went and you said topeople follow me.
That's what you did.
Well, I've never been on stage.
Follow me, do what I do.
(31:56):
I will teach you how to peoplefollow me.
That's what you did.
Well, I've never been on stage.
Follow me, do what I do, I willteach you how to do it.
And people responded, and so inthis production we see, I think
, one of the best examples ofthe body of Christ at work that
I've ever heard about on thisshow.
On this show because even theyou talked about, even the
(32:18):
people that made the costumes,or lifted and carried things, or
had one line, it all cametogether and the sum was greater
than its parts.
And so I want everyone to payclose attention and maybe rewind
and listen to that again, whatSherry just shared, because I
because that right there is whatmaking disciples means.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (32:39):
That's how you follow me.
BT Irwin (32:42):
I don't know how.
I'll show you what.
If I fail, I'll help you.
And then bringing all thosespiritual gifts together, the
diversity of those giftstogether, to make something.
The body of Christ shines quiteliterally in the production.
So I want to thank you for thatand I hope everybody really
(33:02):
paid close attention becausethat's how it's done.
What can art do that some ofour more popular forms of
formation and teaching cannot doas well?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (33:08):
What I have literally seen in these few
years and the case for allowingsomething like the theater arts
ministry to be alongside thoseother powerful things that you
can do to teach people is thatwhen people come to see a play
(33:28):
or to see a skit, they are notcoming with any preconceived
ideas.
Mostly they may know a littlebit what the show is about based
upon the title, but they don'treally come.
Many times people come tochurch service with a
preconceived idea.
They know what the preacher isgoing to say and when they do,
they get upset.
But they come into this relaxedenvironment where they do not
(33:53):
feel like they're going to beautomatically judged.
And even when preachers preacheven when preachers preach or
when you're in a Bible study youmay not try to judge, but
sometimes the word comes acrossas judgment.
Not to say that you don't needthat, sometimes right, because
that can convict you, but whatI'm saying is that this is a way
where you can get people intothose same seats where they're
(34:17):
not going to feel like they'rebeing watched, like they're
being judged automatically.
Nobody's looking at them for ananswer right away or you better
say the right thing or you'regoing to be wrong.
They just come in with theirminds and their hearts open and
when those lights go down, wepresent to them what we present.
(34:38):
They in turn get a chance toabsorb that, to digest that, to
maybe pick up things that theyrelate to, pick up things that
they never thought about before.
You know, versus many times whena preacher is preaching you
(34:59):
just you're listening to him,but sometimes you may wander off
or you may decide that youdon't agree with that and so you
just kind of clock out.
But a lot of times in theater,even if you don't maybe agree
with it, you want to see wherethe end goes right, because
(35:19):
again, you're not.
This fourth wall is present.
You don't have to worry aboutanybody looking at you or
requesting a response from you.
And so I think in that waytheater arts does that in a
wonderful way to help teachthese same principles, but in
such a different type of mentaland psychological and emotional
(35:41):
environment that sometimes youcan reach people in that way
than you ever would.
You don't know how many timesthere have been every play that
I've put on or every skit therehave been someone from the
community who has come and saidI would have never come to a
church service here, but myfriend invited me to see a play
and I like a good play, so Idecided to come and I can't
(36:04):
believe the things that Ilearned.
I never realized this or thishit me different.
I had heard it before from thepulpit years ago, but seeing it
and feeling it while I'mwatching it it just hits me
different and it makes me wantto ask different questions about
it, and so that is what I'mtrying to teach with theater
(36:27):
arts.
BT Irwin (36:27):
What would happen if Church of Christ preachers and
teachers had to take acting ortheater classes with you as part
of their ministry training?
What difference do you thinkthat would make to what people
in the pews hear and see fromtheir preachers and teachers?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (36:42):
When you are going through a teaching or
reciting a story, or retelling astory, or even reading a story,
read it with emotion, read itwith intention.
What do you want the people tofeel about this story?
(37:02):
Not just to know, but to feelabout this story, because again,
these things happened.
And so you're not only teachingus verbally, you're allowing us
to relive it or think about howthey would feel in that
situation.
And so if they had to take likea training class, those are
(37:23):
principles that they would learn, and so when they come and come
before people, maybe they wouldcome with a better fervor with
it, with more excitement with it, a better fervor with it, with
more excitement with it, withnot necessarily a better
understanding, but just theability to allow your listening
audience to relate to it.
(37:44):
By the way, you share it Right.
Think about an adult reading astory to kindergartners.
We do not go into that room andread it as if you're reading
something from a corporatedocument, and even if it you can
(38:05):
get, you can take a corporatedocument and make it sound
really fun just by theinflections of your voice,
laughing at the end of asentence.
The students may not know whatit, what it means, but they can
feel the emotion coming from youright?
BT Irwin (38:18):
yes, do you have any projects coming up right now
that?
Are you working on a newproduction for your church or
are you in any community theaterproductions?
What's uh, what do you got ontap?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (38:31):
well, we just yeah, I'm a professor, I'm
an adjunct professor at theUniversity of Georgia here in
Gainesville, and so we juststarted our classes back, so I'm
teaching acting one and actingthree there.
We just got finished with theproduction scenes from the Life
of Christ, the Art of Influence,so I usually need to take a
(38:51):
break after that.
It's a lot.
It's a lot, it's a huge that'sthe other thing I will say.
If you start a theater artsministry is a huge, huge time
commitment, so be ready for thatright.
And also, probably starting thelatter part of this year, we'll
start auditioning for a fewplays.
You know I'm a shakespeare geek.
My concentration for my masterof fine arts is in shakespeare,
(39:15):
and so I'll be hopefullyperforming in a few Shakespeare
shows in 2026.
And then whatever comes my way,and then, yes, probably kind of
rummage around for something tobring to my specific
congregation.
Last year in the fall I did ayouth Christmas program which
(39:37):
was really fun, and so the kidshave been begging me to do that.
But that's a whole other typeof that's a whole other type of
adventure to do children'stheater.
But even if I don't do that,something a little bit smaller,
maybe an end of year program todo skits or something like that,
because it's just about thecommunity and the encouragement
(39:57):
to bring the congregation and Ialso like to get other
congregations within Atlantaarea involved as well.
So that's always there in myheart and my spirit.
So we'll see what comes up,what God leads me to do.
So that's in the immediatefuture.
BT Irwin (40:14):
You got it Well.
If anybody's down aroundGeorgia near Gainesville, go see
if you can see some of Sherry'swork one of these days.
Sherry Gilbert Wilson, thankyou so much for sharing your
passion and your love, not onlyfor theater but for the people
who are involved in theater, forthe people who sit in the
(40:34):
audience and enjoy it and, mostof all, for the Church of Christ
.
Thank you for sharing.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (40:40):
Again, it has been my pleasure, my joy.
I give all glory and honor toGod.
I mean, it's because of Himthat I do this and, like you
said, it's truly a passion, andany way I can spread that I am
willing and ready to do it.
BT Irwin (40:55):
Thank you, listener.
Please be sure to check out thestory that the Christian
Chronicles, calvin Cockrell,wrote about Sherry and the live
theater ministry at BoulderCrest Church of Christ.
We'll put a link in the shownotes.
We hope that something youheard in this episode encouraged
, enlightened or enriched you insome way.
If it did, thanks be to God andplease pay it forward.
Subscribe to this podcast andshare it with a friend.
(41:17):
Recommend and review itwherever you listen to your
favorite podcasts.
Your subscription,recommendation and review help
us reach more people.
Please send your comments,ideas and suggestions to podcast
at christianchronicleorg anddon't forget our ministry to
inform and inspire Christiansand congregations around the
(41:38):
world is a nonprofit ministrythat relies on your generosity.
So if you like the show and youwant to keep it going and make
it even better, please make atax-deductible gift of any
amount to the ChristianChronicle at
christianchronicleorg slashdonate.
The Christian Chronicle podcastis a production of the
Christian Chronicle Incorporated, informing and inspiring Church
(42:01):
of Christ congregations,members and ministries around
the world since 1943.
The Christian Chronicle'smanaging editor is Calvin
Cockrell, editor-in-chief BobbyRoss Jr and president and CEO
Eric Trigestad.
The Christian Chronicle podcastis written, directed, hosted
and edited by BT Irwin and isproduced by James Flanagan at
(42:22):
Podcast your Voice Studios inthe Motor City Detroit, michigan
, usa.
Until next time, may grace andpeace be yours in abundance.
Family and friends, neighbors and, most of all,
strangers.
Welcome to the ChristianChronicle Podcast.
We're bringing you the storiesshaping Church of Christ
congregations and members aroundthe world.
I'm BT Irwin.
May what you are about to hearbless you and honor God.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (00:22):
You know I expose you because you do not
respect that I am the masterinstigator of your troubles and
you wake up daily andill-prepared to fight.
Do you ask me whether you needme to be the 6'10"?
BT Irwin (00:36):
You know Burks putting more on the whole armament
standing against my schemes.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (00:43):
the struggle is real.
No, you don't really.
They don't listen, they don'tapply what you say.
That's why you make my job soeasy.
BT Irwin (00:58):
You just heard a clip of actor Tony Noel performing as
the devil in a recent livetheater stage production called
the art of influence interviewwith the devil.
The play is what you might calla community theater production,
except it took place not at alocal playhouse or theater, but
on the stage at Boulder Crestchurch of Christ and Atlanta,
(01:20):
georgia.
Boulder Crest is becoming akind of community theater in its
own right as the congregationdiscovers how live drama can
communicate the story of God andconnect with people in a
powerful way.
Interview with the Devil is thesecond show that the
congregation put on this year.
Boulder Crest is the hub ofwhat may be a growing Church of
(01:42):
Christ theater movement inAtlanta, and behind that
movement is our guest today.
Sherry Gilbert Wilson is aprofessional actor, director and
writer in fine arts theater.
She's been acting in communitytheater for her entire adult
life and now serves as adjunctprofessor of theater at the
University of North Georgia inGainesville, georgia, usa.
(02:02):
You could say that GilbertWilson is the sail that caught
the wind of God that set hercongregation, boulder Crest
Church of Christ, on a course tobring live theater to audiences
in Atlanta, georgia.
Over the last year, gilbertWilson helped about 100 Church
of Christ members from all overAtlanta put on two live shows at
Boulder Crest Church of Christthis last Easter.
(02:25):
About 2,700 people watchedthree performances of Scenes
from the Life of Christ, a playwritten by Warren Sager and
transformed into a musical byGilbert Wilson.
More recently, gilbert Wilsondirected an ensemble of Church
of Christ actors who brought herown play, the Art of Influence
Interview with the Devil, to theBoulder Crest stage.
(02:51):
Apart from how Gilbert Wilson isgenerating so much energy and
organization behind such anextraordinary ministry, her
story is remarkable on its own.
For decades she worked as afull-time paralegal.
As a hobby, she acted in localcommunity theaters wherever her
Air Force husband got stationed.
But at the age of 48, she feltlike God nudged her to make
acting her full-time vocation.
She enrolled as a theater artsmajor at Mercer University,
(03:14):
where she graduated with herBachelor of Arts in 2013.
Then she went on to earn theMaster of Fine Arts in Classical
Acting from George WashingtonUniversity and the Academy at
the Shakespeare Theatre Companyin Washington DC.
Please pardon the pun, but sheis making the most of her second
act and she's here to sharethat with us today.
Sherry, thank you for beinghere to talk to a different kind
(03:36):
of audience than you're used to.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (03:38):
It is my pleasure.
BT Irwin (03:39):
I am very honored that you invited me, so thank you oh
well, we're all honored thatyou're here to share with us, so
thank you.
So, first of all, you've got agreat personal story that we've
read about in the ChristianChronicle.
I'm about to turn 50 this year,and what I did for most of my
career is what I hope to not dofor the rest of my life.
(04:02):
So your story encourages andinspires me, and I reckon it
would do the same for a lot ofother people who may be looking
to end one act in their livesand begin a new one that's
different from what they didbefore.
You were a paralegal, I believe,for many years.
I imagine that was stableincome and steady work, and then
you chose to leave that behindto become a full-time artist in
(04:27):
theater, and I have to say thatI doubt many people would have
the courage to do that.
How did that big change in yourlife come about?
When did you first have aninkling that you'd like to do
that, and how did it grow intoyour decision to devote yourself
to the stage?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (04:42):
I have to say, first of all, when you
mentioned you had a stableincome, I laughed because that's
something my husband constantlyteases me about.
So you left the stable incometo do this.
And I'm like yes, because Ilove it.
I would honestly say that itcame in increments because,
(05:02):
since my husband was active dutyair force, we traveled around
the country and were stationed,you know like, in Hawaii and Los
Angeles and Texas and Montanaand Washington DC and also here
in.
Georgia.
So one way that I chose to getout into the community and to
create kind of this hobby atfirst was to audition for
(05:27):
community theater.
Yeah, because a communitytheater is volunteer you don't
get paid but you know you canreally see some great shows.
And so that's where I starteddeveloping my love for theater,
because at first it kind of wasjust something to do and it's a
hobby.
At first it kind of was justsomething to do and it's a hobby
, but so incrementally,everywhere we were stationed, I
(06:00):
became more and more interestedin theater.
Because of my involvement intheater arts, because I enjoyed
the creativity license they gaveme.
I loved meeting so many peoplefrom different backgrounds and
the diversity of it, and sobecause of that, incrementally I
kept getting more and more andmore interested as the years
progressed and I think that iswhat continually just piled upon
my heart and my spirit.
You know what?
This is not just a hobby.
(06:24):
I honestly love this.
I love that creativity, I lovebeing around, this type of
energy, I love telling stories.
I think this is it, I thinkthis is what my passion is.
And so I think that's how Ibecame just totally enamored
(06:45):
with theater arts.
And then, by the time we got toAnthony's last base in Warner
Robins, Georgia, that's when heeven encouraged me hey, you know
what?
You've been doing this foryears.
Why don't you just go ahead andget your bachelor's degree,
undergrad degree in theater artsand make this official, which
is what I did in theater artsand make this official, which is
(07:05):
what I did.
BT Irwin (07:05):
Yeah, was that?
I mean this?
This is very personal question.
For me.
I, my career, has been innonprofit management and raising
money in particular, which notnot what I set out to do.
But I don't know aboutparalegals, but I was told in
college paralegal would be agood profession because I would
always work, and fundraising isone of those jobs that everybody
(07:27):
always wants you to do.
Right, if you're a fundraiseryou'll always be employed.
But as time has passed, as I gotinto my 30s, 40s and now almost
50, preaching, teaching,telling stories those things
just really captivated me and Iwanted to do those more and more
(07:50):
.
And so there was this tensioninside me the thing that I did
to earn an income, which was theresponsible thing, the steady
thing, sure thing, and then whatI felt like I was being called
to do, then what I felt like Iwas being called to do, and the
emotions that I had about thatwere, uh, first of all fear,
(08:11):
like here's the sure thing, andthen there's this other thing
that doesn't seem as responsible.
You know, am I sure that God iscalling me in this direction?
So I was afraid, and so Iwonder if you encountered any of
those emotions yourself as youconsidered stepping out.
You know the saying that wehave sometimes step out of the
(08:33):
boat right and onto the water.
What emotions did youexperience?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (08:37):
Yes, I absolutely did, Because, yes,
being a paralegal was verylucrative and I was a paralegal
for 26 years.
I worked in every field exceptfor criminal law, and the last
10, 12 years of my career Iworked in patents and trademarks
(08:59):
.
BT Irwin (08:59):
And.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (09:00):
I absolutely loved that.
I did love that field becausein some ways it's creative as
well, and, and so to leave that,or even to start to think about
leaving the income that I wasmaking, which was, you know, I
wouldn't have to worry aboutmany things at all, and that
(09:20):
including my husband's income,you know, we were pretty well
set.
And to say, you know what?
I know that I like law.
I never loved law.
I know I like law and I makegreat money.
But here's the thing that I havecome to absolutely adore and
love, and you're right aboutthat tension in my spirit.
(09:43):
I'm like, oh, but?
And then you always hear allthe horror stories You're
leaving someplace where you willalways be employed, to
someplace where there's like a99% unemployment rate, like
literally a 99% unemploymentrate, and so and so here I was
(10:04):
with that dilemma, and sometimesI would even laugh at myself
why would this be the thing youwant to do?
But I could not stay away fromthat pull, I honestly couldn't.
And so I had to answer thatcall.
And I didn't know, I did notknow how it was going to turn
out.
Didn't know, I did not know howit was going to turn out.
(10:27):
But I know, with the support andencouragement from my husband,
I was at least going to seewhere God was going to take it,
because I knew I had a passionfor it, I knew I loved it and I
knew I could encourage people ina different way, in a way that
I enjoyed.
So yeah, I was fearful, a lotof anxiety, but at the end of
the day, for whatever reasononly God knows I never allowed
(10:49):
that fear or anxiety stop mefrom pursuing it.
Now, it would give me pause,and there are a lot of nights
I'd be praying oh my Lord, whatam I doing?
But I just had to go out onfaith and know that I had to
overcome that fear.
And even now I still getnervous about auditions and
(11:10):
everything like that.
But I don't let that stop mefrom doing something that I love
to do.
BT Irwin (11:14):
Most people, I think.
In America, in the UnitedStates in particular, people
kind of define what they'redoing with their lives by their
careers.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (11:22):
So what career.
BT Irwin (11:23):
Are you in?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (11:24):
What ladder are you?
BT Irwin (11:25):
climbing, and so you got off the paralegal ladder,
which is unexpected.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilso (11:31):
Everybody's like why?
BT Irwin (11:32):
would you do that that ?
was a good career, you made lotsof money, you were, you were
climbing that ladder and youwent into theater, and that just
doesn't make sense in ourculture.
You're right, I agree.
When you're a person who isattempting to pursue the life of
Jesus Christ, on the one handyou feel like I should be
(11:55):
responsible, I should be a goodsteward of what the Lord has
given me.
I should be responsible andtake care of my family.
You know, make a lot of moneyso I can give it to the church
or whatever.
But then you feel this, thiswe'll call it irrational away
from career to something, inyour case, very creative.
(12:17):
But you're like this is anexpression that I feel, like I,
I imagine you felt like God waspulling you in that direction,
and so I've I've struggled withthis myself, like how do I make,
how do I discern?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (12:32):
Yeah.
BT Irwin (12:33):
Yeah, Sometimes I I I'll just put it in these real
blunt terms Sometimes like Godover here on the responsibility
side, right here on the step outof the boat and walk on water
side, and it's working through,it's trying to find a point
where I can make a decision andfeel like it's the right
(12:53):
decision.
I wonder if there's anythingyou learn from going through
that process that you can sharewith other people, who may be
also paralegals, for example,and thinking I'm thinking about
theater or I'm thinking aboutpreaching now, right, right, yes
, I have learned that you knoweverything that you do in your
(13:16):
life.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (13:17):
You know if you are a follower of Christ.
Of course, we know thateverything we do in our life has
a purpose and a meaning.
Right, some lessons are for us,some lessons we are just a part
of, because God needs someoneelse to see him in our lives.
Right, and what I learned aboutgetting off of the money train,
(13:39):
of being a paralegal and, bythe way, my mom was even like
why are you even being aparalegal?
You should just go ahead andget your degree and and become
an attorney.
You know what I mean?
I'm like, I don't love law.
I like it and I mentioned thatbefore and I think that's very
paramount.
That's what I learned.
Do you want to spend your lifedoing something you don't like
(13:59):
doing, and how is that servingGod?
How is that serving the kingdom?
How is that serving your lifeor your family?
How is that serving God?
(14:21):
How is that serving the kingdom?
How is that serving your lifeor your family?
Or do you have gifts andtalents that you don't know that
God can use in other ways?
Now am I going to in a littlebit of a unique situation
because my husband was activeduty military and he had a
full-time job, and so it wasn'tlike I was single and I only had
my income.
You know what I mean, eventhough there are people who will
still do that.
But I did feel a little bitmore comfortable leaving that
(14:44):
train and following my dream andfollowing that path because I
knew that it wouldn't be tooburdensome for my husband,
although in reality I do thinkeven if my husband was a person
who was like, well, no, you needto make this money.
He never was, although he wouldtease me about it.
He always said you have to gofor your dreams because you
(15:07):
don't know if that's what God iscalling you to do Now.
Those 26 years of being aparalegal, I learned a lot of
things that I'm able to apply towhat I'm doing now.
But that is the number onething I learned is like you
cannot spend your life doingsomething for the sake of a
paycheck.
Because, at the end of your life, when you look back, what
(15:28):
regret are you going to have?
You're going to have that.
And when I was a paralegal, youhave no idea how many attorneys
could not stay in their jobs.
They have big houses, big homes, big cars.
They make six figures and areabsolutely miserable.
And you know what that taughtme.
(15:49):
I did not want to be thatperson.
Now.
I wasn't miserable being aparalegal, but I knew how much I
loved this new creative thingthat God was pulling me toward.
And then I had to ask myselfwhy am I not going for that
dream?
And then I had to ask myselfwhy am I?
not going for that dream.
Why am I not going for thething that I absolutely love
(16:12):
doing?
And then I would talk to peoplewho said I love.
If you love what you're doing,it's not even a job.
You know, there's long hours,there's frustrations, there's
stresses, but it's not a jobbecause it's so passionate and
fulfilling and you love doing it.
And I think that's what I havelearned throughout this journey,
(16:32):
at least one of the lessons.
BT Irwin (16:33):
Did you imagine right away that theater would become
some kind of a ministry or partof your life in the church?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (16:42):
No, I didn't.
Well, I'll say no with a caveatThroughout having this hobby
and living in all of thesedifferent places, being involved
in all of the differentcongregations that Anthony and I
have been a part of small skitsfor ladies day programs or, you
(17:06):
know, like if we, ourcongregation, was having a new
year's Eve event, I wouldusually create a couple of skits
to do entertainment in that way.
So throughout the years I'vealways been involved in my
congregation, writing poetry,creating skits, being a part of
skits, and so it's kind ofalways been there.
(17:27):
But I never I never knew it orrealized that it would be like a
ministry.
You know what I mean.
That I will take, I will reallyput this together in a package
and this is like an actualministry.
It was just like something Idid for and to encourage the
congregation when they neededsomething.
(17:48):
Yeah, I never.
I never saw that coming.
I didn't.
BT Irwin (17:52):
So when did it?
When did the scales tip?
So describe the moment whereyou're like, oh wow, this is,
this is a spiritual gift forbuilding Christ, I can do
something with this.
How did it go from that toworking its way into reality?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (18:09):
I think that once I graduated from
Mercer University with mybachelor's degree in theater
arts and then we moved up hereto Atlanta when Anthony retired
and we joined Hillcrest Churchof Christ, I think it was then
well, first of all I starteddoing some plays and a few
(18:29):
independent films and whatever,and I always was very thankful
for those opportunities right,because I know again 99%
unemployment rate and I did havea little bit of success not a
lot, but a little bit of successearly on.
And so I was always grateful toGod.
And so then my heart started toshift.
(18:52):
And how can I thank God forblessing me with this gift and
talent, as I have been doing insmaller increments throughout
the years, but how can I make ita little bit more meaningful?
And then God put on my heart todirect a play Scenes from the
(19:13):
Life of Christ and I wanted itto be a musical.
And I spoke with our ministerat the time, brother Minister
Richard Barclay, and I asked himif he and the leadership would
be open to something like that.
Now I had already done a coupleof smaller things at the
congregation, so they they knewmy work was quality and you know
I'm not full of nonsense andwhatnot.
(19:33):
And so that's when I I startedtalking to a dear friend of mine
, carol Hunter, who wasdefinitely a visionary and she
was like you know what.
I honestly think you havesomething more here than just
putting on plays, because youcan already see the
encouragement that it isgarnering in our congregation
(19:54):
with the things that you havealready done, and look at how
excited people are becoming thatyou want to even put on this
musical and they're volunteeringand they want to be a part of
it.
So there is a seed of somethingmore than just putting on a
play.
And have you ever thought aboutthat?
And, to be honest, I was kindof I was a little like shocked
(20:19):
and nervous.
I'm like I've never eventhought about it in that way.
And she planted that seed in me.
And then when I produced anddirected that play, that play
was the tipping point because wehad about 70 people involved on
the stage.
Behind the scenes it was a bigdeal the choir we had, like a
(20:40):
mass choir, to be involved aspart of the musical.
And because of that and becausehow I saw, lives changed in
terms of relations.
Look, I have to say, behind thescenes, theater creates bonds
and relationships that you willnever understand unless you
(21:02):
experience it, and that is onething.
In the church, a lot of timeswe lack because people sit on
one side of the church.
A lot of times we lack becausepeople sit on one side of the
church, pews and people are onthe other side and we never talk
to each other.
We sort of say hi when we comein and hi when we leave.
But when you're putting on aplay, you have to be together
every week and you have to workthrough things and you have to
(21:23):
be in a scene together andyou're pouring through the word
of God and you're learning moreabout the life that you may not
have even paid attention to.
And when you are bringing it tolife, it hits a little different
than just looking at those,those words on a piece of paper
or or or in scripture in yourBible, than it does when it says
(21:43):
get up on this stage and now.
I want you to feel what thatwas like and I want you to help
tell the story to an audience sothat they can understand what
may it have felt like to be inthe room at the last supper or
what may it have felt like whenJesus was in that garden by
himself, crying and pleadingthat this cup could not be his
(22:06):
but not my will, and pleadingthat this cup could not be his
but not my will.
But yours be done, lord.
And so, when you are in thatcreative environment, the bonds
and the relationship thatflourishes from it, is priceless
.
I could sit here and try to talkabout it forever, and it was at
that moment that I realized,yeah, yeah, this is, this is.
(22:28):
This is a ministry.
It's not just about putting onplays and and even out in the
world.
When I do, when I perform in aplay, the relationships that I,
that I create and that I groware awesome, which is one reason
why I love theater arts.
But when I saw what it did inmy congregation, that was on a
(22:49):
different level, because nowwe're dealing with God's people
and the Word of God andencouraging the saints, and so
that's when I knew that this issomething more than just putting
on a couple of plays and skits.
BT Irwin (23:03):
We'll put a link to the story that Calvin Cockrell
wrote about you in the ChristianChronicle.
But you just said the firstplay that you attempted to put
on, you had 70 people in it,right?
70?
Yes, yes, that's blowing a lotof people's minds right now
because they're like we can'tfind that many people.
You know, we can't find 10people to run VBS, and you got
(23:23):
70.
I think one of the one of thethings I I remember from
Calvin's article, a lot of thosepeople maybe were having their
first experience in live theater.
So question number one is howdid you find 70 people, 70
church people that were willingto put on a production like this
(23:46):
?
And then there were some, maybemany, maybe most, that had no
prior experience, and that's ascary thing to do.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (23:55):
So talk about how you found well, I know
, sometimes when I think aboutit, I I am blown away, but it's
like but for god.
I think that part of it was,again, I had already done a few
smaller skits and like not plays, but smaller skits for events.
(24:18):
And so those volunteers werealready there because they truly
enjoyed the experience.
And then when I said, you knowwhat I'm going to think outside,
way outside the box, I wouldlove to do a play about the life
of Jesus Christ, and becausethose volunteers enjoyed the
skits that we had put on, thenthey started telling their
(24:41):
friends, and then we had aninterest meeting and at first
maybe 20, 30 people came andthen I would actually go.
You know what, to be honest, Iwould actually go and I would
see someone who I always knewwas kind of quiet and I would
just go approach him.
I said, hey, have you everthought about being in a play?
No, never thought about beingin a play.
And I'm like you know what,being this one, I've never been
(25:03):
on the stage.
It's okay, I will teach you.
I mean, yes, there arefundamentals to acting, yes, you
can go to school for acting,but this is not what this
ministry is about.
It's about telling the story ofJesus, and if you can have the
opportunity to do that and youall have a willing heart, a
willing spirit, I will get youthere.
(25:24):
I will get you there because Iknow that we can do this
together as a team.
And so, slowly but surely, moreand more people started to
volunteer.
And then when I told them itwas a musical, of course
everyone who loved the scenewere on board.
Right, they're like of coursewe'll be in a musical about the
life of Jesus, because, a we getto sing and B now we get to use
(25:47):
our talents for a play that'snever been done, that nobody had
ever heard of this happening atour congregation, or maybe even
in the Church of Christ, Idon't know.
So that garnered a lot ofinterest and a lot of excitement
, and so that was the foundationof it.
We had a really great scriptthat was literally based on just
(26:08):
going through christ's life,from when he was in the desert
for 40 days through hisresurrection, and it's a great
script by Warren Sager and itbasically is word for word the
scripture.
There's only a few places whereyou put in something that
transitions, or you may put insomething that kind of allows
(26:30):
the audience to understand whatthe emotional pool might be.
And then, of course, I woulddecide where a song might be
appropriate, right here or rightthere.
And even we had Jesus sing asong let them see you and me by
the week span.
And so because of that, it juststarted this ball rolling and
(26:52):
rolling and rolling and thenpeople started to get more
excited about it and I think, bythe grace of God, he gave me
the patience.
Look, I have to.
I have to be full disclosure.
Sometimes I needed the patienceof Job to get to pull things
out, but I am willing to do thatbecause I I was not.
(27:12):
No one is going to feel likethey're going to fail.
Sometimes people are like I'mnot going to be able to do this.
Like, yeah, you are.
If we have to have extrarehearsals, it is fine.
And plus, think about it,you're not trying to be on
Broadway, you're just tellingChrist's story.
And you'd be amazed becausethey knew that they would just
perk up and they would give ittheir all and give it their best
(27:34):
, because they know and theyknew that this really wasn't
about them.
It was about bringing the storyof Christ to life, which they
had the great privilege of doingand it was so much fun working
together toward this goal.
And, yes, there were struggles,there were challenges, but we
(27:54):
always did it together as agroup and we made it work and it
was such an amazing, amazingexperience for everyone.
And then I would just get peoplewho, hey, do you like doing
hair?
Great, how about you come andhelp us with?
And then I had a wonderful,talented sister.
Her name was Angela Morgan.
She's an interior decorator butshe also sold.
(28:18):
She got a team together becauseI said, angela, we don't have
any costumes.
And we went online and she said, hey, I just saw this site
where we can make.
We just ended up making all thecostumes out of bedsheets.
So every, everyone just broughtin a King size bed sheet and
(28:41):
she just measured them.
And she got a team of sewersthat she knew in the
congregation and some from othercongregations, and they got a
sewing party together for liketwo, three months and made like
70 costumes out, and so each,each actor would just bring
their costume, their bed sheetin, and what she created, what
(29:01):
that team created, is justphenomenal, to say the least, to
say the least, and so thatcaused a lot of wonderful
interest and excitement and itjust kept going.
And so people would start hey,what can I do to help?
(29:22):
Hey, do you need someone tousher?
Hey, what can?
And so I was like A, if youlove moving things, be part of
our, our crew, so you can movethe props from one scene to the
other.
And so there was a person whowas wonderfully gifted in
organization, so she was incharge of getting a crew
together and she was like,working it, everyone had a cup
to bring off or to bring on, andthe same with the mics, you
(29:43):
know.
And so it just became thiscommunity of believers, bound
and determined to bring thisvision to life.
And what we brought to life,glory to God.
It was just phenomenal.
And I'm telling you, by the timewe got to that resurrection
(30:03):
moment, one of our tech peoplehad come up with a great idea of
making the gentleman, tony Noel, who played Jesus, when he is
resurrected and he comes back tothe upper room to say goodbye
to the disciples, to put on thescreen him actually ascending
into the clouds.
So she created this slide wherehe's moving up and it just
(30:23):
looks like he's in the clouds.
And there was not a dry tearevery night, and even the last
night.
We're back there in the techroom just all bald and like this
is so beautiful.
Last night we were back therein the tech room, just all bald
and like this is so beautifuland to music and the mass choir
singing all praises to him and Imean you can't write this.
(30:44):
It's just something that Godallowed to come together and it
was at that moment that I knewit was a ministry.
After that there was no turningback.
BT Irwin (30:53):
This is something that means something there was no
turning back like, yeah, this issomething that means something.
I have to say this foreverybody listening everywhere.
I think sherry has just givenus the best description and
example of making disciples thatI've ever heard on this program
.
And and here's why, in our, inamerican churches and I know
(31:15):
we've got a lot of people thatlisten to this show all over the
world, and so I haven't visitedtheir countries but here in the
United States, I think in a lotof our churches, we have kind
of a sign up sheet mentality,where the church puts out some
kind of a program or thing thatthe church is going to do and
then the sign up sheet goes outsign up to volunteer.
(31:36):
And, sherry, what you did isyou recognized maybe, the latent
spiritual gifts in people?
or sometimes the spiritual giftsthat were very apparent to you.
And you went and you said topeople follow me.
That's what you did.
Well, I've never been on stage.
Follow me, do what I do.
(31:56):
I will teach you how to peoplefollow me.
That's what you did.
Well, I've never been on stage.
Follow me, do what I do, I willteach you how to do it.
And people responded, and so inthis production we see, I think
, one of the best examples ofthe body of Christ at work that
I've ever heard about on thisshow.
On this show because even theyou talked about, even the
(32:18):
people that made the costumes,or lifted and carried things, or
had one line, it all cametogether and the sum was greater
than its parts.
And so I want everyone to payclose attention and maybe rewind
and listen to that again, whatSherry just shared, because I
because that right there is whatmaking disciples means.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (32:39):
That's how you follow me.
BT Irwin (32:42):
I don't know how.
I'll show you what.
If I fail, I'll help you.
And then bringing all thosespiritual gifts together, the
diversity of those giftstogether, to make something.
The body of Christ shines quiteliterally in the production.
So I want to thank you for thatand I hope everybody really
(33:02):
paid close attention becausethat's how it's done.
What can art do that some ofour more popular forms of
formation and teaching cannot doas well?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (33:08):
What I have literally seen in these few
years and the case for allowingsomething like the theater arts
ministry to be alongside thoseother powerful things that you
can do to teach people is thatwhen people come to see a play
(33:28):
or to see a skit, they are notcoming with any preconceived
ideas.
Mostly they may know a littlebit what the show is about based
upon the title, but they don'treally come.
Many times people come tochurch service with a
preconceived idea.
They know what the preacher isgoing to say and when they do,
they get upset.
But they come into this relaxedenvironment where they do not
(33:53):
feel like they're going to beautomatically judged.
And even when preachers preacheven when preachers preach or
when you're in a Bible study youmay not try to judge, but
sometimes the word comes acrossas judgment.
Not to say that you don't needthat, sometimes right, because
that can convict you, but whatI'm saying is that this is a way
where you can get people intothose same seats where they're
(34:17):
not going to feel like they'rebeing watched, like they're
being judged automatically.
Nobody's looking at them for ananswer right away or you better
say the right thing or you'regoing to be wrong.
They just come in with theirminds and their hearts open and
when those lights go down, wepresent to them what we present.
(34:38):
They in turn get a chance toabsorb that, to digest that, to
maybe pick up things that theyrelate to, pick up things that
they never thought about before.
You know, versus many times whena preacher is preaching you
(34:59):
just you're listening to him,but sometimes you may wander off
or you may decide that youdon't agree with that and so you
just kind of clock out.
But a lot of times in theater,even if you don't maybe agree
with it, you want to see wherethe end goes right, because
(35:19):
again, you're not.
This fourth wall is present.
You don't have to worry aboutanybody looking at you or
requesting a response from you.
And so I think in that waytheater arts does that in a
wonderful way to help teachthese same principles, but in
such a different type of mentaland psychological and emotional
(35:41):
environment that sometimes youcan reach people in that way
than you ever would.
You don't know how many timesthere have been every play that
I've put on or every skit therehave been someone from the
community who has come and saidI would have never come to a
church service here, but myfriend invited me to see a play
and I like a good play, so Idecided to come and I can't
(36:04):
believe the things that Ilearned.
I never realized this or thishit me different.
I had heard it before from thepulpit years ago, but seeing it
and feeling it while I'mwatching it it just hits me
different and it makes me wantto ask different questions about
it, and so that is what I'mtrying to teach with theater
(36:27):
arts.
BT Irwin (36:27):
What would happen if Church of Christ preachers and
teachers had to take acting ortheater classes with you as part
of their ministry training?
What difference do you thinkthat would make to what people
in the pews hear and see fromtheir preachers and teachers?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (36:42):
When you are going through a teaching or
reciting a story, or retelling astory, or even reading a story,
read it with emotion, read itwith intention.
What do you want the people tofeel about this story?
(37:02):
Not just to know, but to feelabout this story, because again,
these things happened.
And so you're not only teachingus verbally, you're allowing us
to relive it or think about howthey would feel in that
situation.
And so if they had to take likea training class, those are
(37:23):
principles that they would learn, and so when they come and come
before people, maybe they wouldcome with a better fervor with
it, with more excitement with it, a better fervor with it, with
more excitement with it, withnot necessarily a better
understanding, but just theability to allow your listening
audience to relate to it.
(37:44):
By the way, you share it Right.
Think about an adult reading astory to kindergartners.
We do not go into that room andread it as if you're reading
something from a corporatedocument, and even if it you can
(38:05):
get, you can take a corporatedocument and make it sound
really fun just by theinflections of your voice,
laughing at the end of asentence.
The students may not know whatit, what it means, but they can
feel the emotion coming from youright?
BT Irwin (38:18):
yes, do you have any projects coming up right now
that?
Are you working on a newproduction for your church or
are you in any community theaterproductions?
What's uh, what do you got ontap?
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (38:31):
well, we just yeah, I'm a professor, I'm
an adjunct professor at theUniversity of Georgia here in
Gainesville, and so we juststarted our classes back, so I'm
teaching acting one and actingthree there.
We just got finished with theproduction scenes from the Life
of Christ, the Art of Influence,so I usually need to take a
(38:51):
break after that.
It's a lot.
It's a lot, it's a huge that'sthe other thing I will say.
If you start a theater artsministry is a huge, huge time
commitment, so be ready for thatright.
And also, probably starting thelatter part of this year, we'll
start auditioning for a fewplays.
You know I'm a shakespeare geek.
My concentration for my masterof fine arts is in shakespeare,
(39:15):
and so I'll be hopefullyperforming in a few Shakespeare
shows in 2026.
And then whatever comes my way,and then, yes, probably kind of
rummage around for something tobring to my specific
congregation.
Last year in the fall I did ayouth Christmas program which
(39:37):
was really fun, and so the kidshave been begging me to do that.
But that's a whole other typeof that's a whole other type of
adventure to do children'stheater.
But even if I don't do that,something a little bit smaller,
maybe an end of year program todo skits or something like that,
because it's just about thecommunity and the encouragement
(39:57):
to bring the congregation and Ialso like to get other
congregations within Atlantaarea involved as well.
So that's always there in myheart and my spirit.
So we'll see what comes up,what God leads me to do.
So that's in the immediatefuture.
BT Irwin (40:14):
You got it Well.
If anybody's down aroundGeorgia near Gainesville, go see
if you can see some of Sherry'swork one of these days.
Sherry Gilbert Wilson, thankyou so much for sharing your
passion and your love, not onlyfor theater but for the people
who are involved in theater, forthe people who sit in the
(40:34):
audience and enjoy it and, mostof all, for the Church of Christ
.
Thank you for sharing.
Sheri Gilbert-Wilson (40:40):
Again, it has been my pleasure, my joy.
I give all glory and honor toGod.
I mean, it's because of Himthat I do this and, like you
said, it's truly a passion, andany way I can spread that I am
willing and ready to do it.
BT Irwin (40:55):
Thank you, listener.
Please be sure to check out thestory that the Christian
Chronicles, calvin Cockrell,wrote about Sherry and the live
theater ministry at BoulderCrest Church of Christ.
We'll put a link in the shownotes.
We hope that something youheard in this episode encouraged
, enlightened or enriched you insome way.
If it did, thanks be to God andplease pay it forward.
Subscribe to this podcast andshare it with a friend.
(41:17):
Recommend and review itwherever you listen to your
favorite podcasts.
Your subscription,recommendation and review help
us reach more people.
Please send your comments,ideas and suggestions to podcast
at christianchronicleorg anddon't forget our ministry to
inform and inspire Christiansand congregations around the
(41:38):
world is a nonprofit ministrythat relies on your generosity.
So if you like the show and youwant to keep it going and make
it even better, please make atax-deductible gift of any
amount to the ChristianChronicle at
christianchronicleorg slashdonate.
The Christian Chronicle podcastis a production of the
Christian Chronicle Incorporated, informing and inspiring Church
(42:01):
of Christ congregations,members and ministries around
the world since 1943.
The Christian Chronicle'smanaging editor is Calvin
Cockrell, editor-in-chief BobbyRoss Jr and president and CEO
Eric Trigestad.
The Christian Chronicle podcastis written, directed, hosted
and edited by BT Irwin and isproduced by James Flanagan at
(42:22):
Podcast your Voice Studios inthe Motor City Detroit, michigan
, usa.
Until next time, may grace andpeace be yours in abundance.
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