The New Berlin Wall

Jeff Serio, International Director
Monday, August 15th 2011

50 years ago this month Berlin blinked.  Just after midnight on August 13, 1961, as Berliners slept Russian officers instructed their East German subordinates to begin building a wall through the heart of the city.  The free world was shaken as East Berlin virtually became a prison.  The Wall became the rallying cry throughout the world for freedom.  Fifty years later a team of Americans came to Berlin with a new wall and heralded a message of a new freedom.

Die Mauer, The Wall.  That’s the name of an original drama performed in Berlin’s massive squares by an energetic and talented team from Shady Grove Church in Grand Prairie, Texas.   And just like Texas, this team was big - 37 strong.  The Texans came with that Lone Star swagger and can-do optimism.  They also came with compassionate hearts hoping to bring Berliners into a true freedom and joy that only comes through knowing Jesus Christ.

The Shady Grove Church team made a decision to take a risk in their ministry approach.  Rather than going headfirst into performing the drama in Berlin’s busy squares, they decided to have some fun and draw crowds with a dance.  They discovered that a simple American hip-hop dance became an incredible catalyst to make friends and create openness to the gospel.

In Berlin’s massive Alexander Platz the outreach begins with the catchy Cupid Shuffle blasting through the square on EI’s sound system.  One of the young men on the team begins to dance.  His talented dancing skill draws a crowd, and within minutes several others from the Texas team jump in to dance.  Berliners follow in droves!   It becomes a flash mob scene with more than 100 young people dancing in the public square.  With an audience exceeding 300 people, it is now the time to reach their hearts.

The drama begins with 25 people standing shoulder to shoulder forming a human wall.  The aura of the wall is enhanced as they are wearing custom designed t-shirts emblazoned with authentic Berlin Wall graffiti graphics.

The lead actress dances in front of the wall, and one by one different characters come out from the wall representing trials of life.  The trials cause devastation, and as she loses all hope she peers through the wall to see a man on the other side, trying to reach her.  The man breaks through the wall, only to later be crucified on it.  But within seconds he comes back to life and rescues the woman from her torment.

What happens next is astounding.  The Texas Christians rush into the crowd and begin one-to-one conversations with the onlookers.  Hearts had been softened by the dance, and now they have been pierced by the compelling drama.  Tears begin to flow and prayers are prayed.  Hundreds of seeds are sown.  This scene is repeated throughout the week and 30 Europeans are gloriously saved!

On the last afternoon of outreaches the team leader, Pastor Josh Briscoe, boldly prayed that 20 more people would be saved to reach a goal of 50 new believers for the week.  To our sheer joy, exactly 20 persons gave their lives to Christ that afternoon!  What a finish to 9 days of extraordinary ministry!

In August 1961, the world wept as the Berlin Wall slammed the door on freedom.  In August 2011, a new wall brought many Berliners to tears of joy as they experienced a deep personal freedom.  Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.”  (John 8:32).   Fifty years later, there are fifty new believers in Europe who broke through walls of unbelief.  Free at last!

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