Through Fear and Trembling

The Criminalization of Christianity by Robert Alan Ward

What happens when faith collides with government control?

When the beloved pastor of Green Valley Community Church suddenly dies, youth pastor Brandon Mills unexpectedly steps into leadership. Just weeks later, he’s summoned by Justinian Lubinecek of the Bureau of Governmental Affairs and confronted with a chilling demand: cooperate with government oversight of the church—or face devastating consequences.

As laws tighten and persecution escalates, Brandon and his congregation find themselves under surveillance, threatened with fines, imprisonment, and even death. With betrayal lurking within the church and freedoms stripped away, they must decide—will they compromise, or stand firm in Christ “through fear and trembling”?

• Theme: The criminalization of Christianity and the cost of discipleship
• Bible Reference: Acts 14:22
• Cast: 16 speaking roles (5 men, 8 women, 2 either gender, plus 1 child)
• Run Time: ~80 minutes
• Tone: A suspenseful and thought-provoking thriller with powerful spiritual application

Sample Script

Act One, Scene One – The Summons (Sunday Morning)

Download Sample Script:  Through Fear and Trembling

(The stage is darkened. A NEWSCASTER’S voice penetrates the darkness.)

NEWSCASTER:
In other news today, the Senate ratified the Global Preservation Family Planning Directive on a seventy-four to twenty-six vote, making America the twenty-third nation of the world to endorse compulsory population control…

(Voice fades as the lights rise on a Sunday morning service at Green Valley Community Church. PASTOR BRANDON speaks to the audience, who represent the congregation.)

BRANDON:
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
Brothers and sisters, let us not be ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

(Pauses, then bows his head.)
Dear Father, help us to stand firm in faith in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation. Thank you for the freedom to speak Your Word, however long it will last. In Jesus’ name, amen.

(As service ends, ACTORS and extras planted in the audience come forward to shake PASTOR BRANDON’S hand. Conversations follow: Angela returns Lisa’s church key, Philip criticizes the sermon, Jessica shares pregnancy news, Edwina offers encouragement, Ryan and Heidi chat about school and faith. Each interaction highlights the growing tension in the church.)

Thanks for listening this morning. Now go out from here and work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

(ACTORS and extras planted in the audience come up on the stage and form a line to greet PASTOR BRANDON as they leave. Elderly Edwina comes slowly and is last in line. ANGELA approaches LISA, who has PATRICIA at her side.)

Angela: Here’s your church key back, Lisa. I’m sorry. I meant to get it to you earlier last week, but the thought got lost in those millions of errands I had to run.

Lisa: That’s all right, Angela. We were still able to get into the church this morning. My husband has a duplicate. Did you find your hat?

Angela: Sure did. See?
(ANGELA points to the rather fancy hat on her head. She looks at little PATRICIA and greets her warmly.)

Good morning, Patricia, my little peachy pie. How did your piano solo go at school?

Patricia: It went very well, Miss Thurston. Thank you.
Angela: I can’t wait to hear you play.

(PATRICIA curtsies to ANGELA and exits to stage left.)

LISA:
How do you do it, Angela? You’ve only been here three months and it seems like you know everybody in the church.

ANGELA:
I try to make it my business to remember people’s names and little details about their lives—Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends stuff.

LISA:
Well, you’ve certainly won friends and influenced a lot of people around here. By the way, can you make it to the ladies’ tea this Wednesday at 10:00am? We all want to hear your story on how you came to faith in Christ.

ANGELA:
I’m sorry, I have something going on then. But I am so honored. Can we make it the next time?

(The attention shifts to PASTOR BRANDON, who is still shaking hands. During this time, RYAN escorts EDWINA, who can’t stand for long, to the front of the line. She gratefully accepts.)

PHILIP:
Your message was too confrontive, Reverend Mills, and your delivery was sub-par. And I’d like to see a little more cohesion. Some of your points were disorganized.

BRANDON:
I’m working on it, Philip.

PHILIP:
And we’re working hard on finding a new senior pastor while you fill in. Pastor Martin’s sudden passing caught us all off guard.

BRANDON:
It certainly caught me off guard. . . . . (End of Sample)

Act One, Scene Two – Triple Chocolate Decadence (Sunday Afternoon)

(At Wilson Gardens Park. RYAN and HEIDI enter from stage right, holding hands and talking. They sit on a bench.)

RYAN:
So did I get a decent lottery number? Noooo. I had to draw number 714—which means I’ll probably have to wait until I’m eighty to get my driver’s license. Why do I always get shafted?

HEIDI:
My dad says they never had driver’s license quotas when he was a kid. I guess they want to relieve traffic congestion.

RYAN:
Like my one car would make any difference. How am I ever going to take you out if I can’t drive?

HEIDI:
It’s okay, Ryan. We can ride buses—or just walk to places.

RYAN:
It ain’t the same. Denying a guy his wheels is like cutting off his legs.

HEIDI (teasing):
Pretty sure you’d still rather keep your legs.

(They laugh. HEIDI leans back against the bench, smiling.)

HEIDI:
Guess who I wrote about as my greatest hero for my English class assignment?

RYAN:
I don’t know. Joan of Arc? Oprah Winfrey?

HEIDI:
Nope. I wrote about Jesus Christ, and why He’s my hero. Personally, I think it’s my best paper ever.

RYAN:
I don’t know… Ms. Buckman might not like you writin’ about Jesus. Remember what you told me she said when you wanted to do a book report on Pilgrim’s Progress?

HEIDI (shrugs):
She kind of shocked me. But she asked us to write about our biggest hero, so I did. Pastor B. told us to never be ashamed of being Christians.

RYAN:
Well, I hope she doesn’t grade you down.

HEIDI:
If she does, she does. Nothing changes who my hero is.

(RYAN reaches for her hand, softening.)

RYAN:
You’re something else, Heidi. But I still say you should’ve written about me. I’m pretty heroic, ain’t I?

(He flexes his arm muscles. HEIDI rolls her eyes with a laugh as they exit toward the concession stand.)

HEIDI (blissfully):
Triple chocolate decadence. You’ve found my weak spot.

Download Sample Script:  Through Fear and Trembling

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