Kapler: So this is quite different from the church seminars you’ve done in the past?
West: It’s much more like a night at the theater, a kind of living, moving performance. The art, the music, and the spoken presentation are all woven together to create a cohesive whole. I’ve always tried to keep my presentations lively, but you can only go so far with the spoken word. Art is the language of the heart. A song, a melody, a movie clip, a beautiful painting projected on the big screen takes the message to an entirely new level. And the highlight of the evening for almost everyone is the sand-painting. If you’ve never seen this form of art before, you won’t want to miss it. It pierces the heart and communicates the message at a much more profound level than a mere lecture ever could.
Kapler: Who is your target audience for this event and where can people learn more?
West: We want this event to be something that Catholics can invite their fallen-away or even un-churched friends and family to. This is one of the reasons we typically hold these events in theaters rather than churches. It is certainly intended to enrich the faith of those who are already active in the Church, but we also want to reach out to those who might not be inclined to attend a “church event.” We have one more event in 2012, in Sylvania, Ohio, on Nov 17. Then we’ll be launching a national tour in 2013 in tandem with the release of the book. If you’d like to attend or inquire about bringing one of these events to your area, you can learn more at www.fillthesehearts.org.
By Shane Kapler
Shane Kapler is the author of The God Who is Love: Explaining Christianity From Its Center and co-author of Tending The Temple: 365 Days of Spiritual and Physical Devotions. You can visit him at his website, www.explainingchristianity.com.
