24 Hours That Changed the World
Script to Introduce the Program

Tonight I want to tell you about an exciting new opportunity for our church. It’s a video study and worship event that can be a powerful tool for evangelism, energizing our congregation and bringing new people into the church.
 
The program is called “24 Hours That Changed the World,” and it is based on the writings of Adam Hamilton, pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas.
 
“24 Hours That Changed the World” is a seven-week study that we can make into a churchwide event. The study consists of resources for adults, youth, younger children, and older children. We can have Worship, Education, and Evangelism working together on this program that will reach out to our members and into the community.
 
The aim of this study is to help us better understand the events that occurred during the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life, see more clearly the theological significance of Christ’s suffering and death, and reflect upon the meaning of these events for our own lives. To do this, we will look at the geographical and historical setting of the events of that fateful day; reflect theologically on Jesus’ death; and, ultimately, look to see ourselves in the story, considering how we are like Pilate or Peter, Judas or John.
 
“24 Hours That Changed the World” is already a successful, tested program. During the seven-week series at the Church of the Resurrection, worship attendance increased dramatically. 
 
I’d like to share a clip from one of the videos in the study series. The speaker is Adam Hamilton. 
 
[Show promotional video from DVD.]

Here’s how the program works: 
•	We publicize the study to church members through the newsletter, bulletin, handouts at worship, and announcements from the pulpit. We publicize it to our community through postcards, flyers, posters, a banner, and announcements in our local newspapers. Text and images for these materials are included with the program.
•	We ask adult Sunday school classes to participate in the study. We also create new study groups of adults, youth, and children. 
•	Our pastor may choose to plan sermons, incorporating ideas and video clips from the program.
•	Then, the program begins. It can include sermons and small-group studies for adults, youth, and children happening at the same time. Here are the subjects that will be covered during the seven weeks of the program for adults and youth:
1.	The Last Supper
2.	The Garden of Gethsemane
3.	Condemned by the Righteous
4.	Jesus, Barabbas, and Pilate
5.	The Torture and Humiliation of the King
6.	The Crucifixion
7.	Christ the Victor

The lesson topics for younger children are:
1.	The Triumphal Entry
2.	Jesus Washes Disciples’ Feet
3.	The Last Supper
4.	The Garden of Gethsemane
5.	Arrest and Peter’s Denial
6.	Good Friday
7.	The Resurrection

The lesson topics for older children are:
1.	The Triumphal Entry
2.	Jesus Washes Disciples’ Feet
3.	The Last Supper
4.	The Garden of Gethsemane
5.	Arrest and Peter’s Denial
6.	The Crucifixion
7.	The Resurrection

•	When the series ends, we evaluate and analyze what we learned, using tools provided with the program.

Using this series, we can touch people deeply. We can bring new members into our church. We can remind people about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and how these can help us grow in faith. And we can help the members of our church and community grow together by providing a place where all of us can learn together.