Scroll down this page for Q&A
Frequently asked Questions
How are your programs presented?
Usually a program is presented during a worship service, in place of the sermon. I sometimes perform in a costume, wear a wireless microphone, and walk in and out of the congregation. It's like inviting someone from the past to speak at your church.
Do readings, hymns, or other elements need to be worked into the service?
The presentations are designed to fit into a regular church service, so you can plan your service as you normally would. I can provide you with a specific scripture passage and brief introduction to help you set the context for your congregation.
What is the fee for a presentation?
There is no fee. Many churches provide an honorarium to help cover expenses, which is appreciated, but not required.
Do you present programs in small churches?
The size of your congregation doesn't matter. I've recited to large groups in churches and auditoriums, and to small groups in homes. Once I gave a presentation at a church in North Dakota to 6 adults, counting my wife!
How far will you travel?
Most of the programs are presented within 50 miles of my home in the Chicago metropolitan area. But I try to book at least one out-of-state presentation a year.
Are all your programs performed throughout the year?
Yes, but That First Passion Week gets priority booking from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday.
What Others Have To Say
Excerpts from letters received from pastors who booked That First Passion Week:
- "You touched my own heart by bringing to life the events in Christ's life during the final week..."
- "It was one of the most effective presentations of the Easter story I have seen. I am confident our believers gained a deeper appreciation of our Lord's sacrifice and any unbelievers saw the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ."
- "There is an immediacy to the events as you relate them which is riveting to our attention..."
- "[the message] stirred both joy and sorrow in us as we thought of what it may have been like for those who were witnesses..."
About The Presenter
Caught up in a spiritual awakening during the 1970s, Stephen Goss has since spoken in hundreds of churches across the Midwest.
He holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in engineering from the University of Illinois. He has worked as an engineer for IBM and Bell Labs, and as a trader, consultant, certified technical trainer, videogame developer, and college instructor. He has spoken at international technical forums and at over a hundred technical sales meetings. He holds 8 patents, and has over a dozen published videogames to his credit – including FIX-IT, released in the 1980s by the Electronic Publishing Division of Random House.
His first novel (see below) is available at amazon.com.
Paul told the Ephesians that we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Stephen believes that presenting scripture-based drama is part of the work God prepared for him...
presentum veri serious
presentum notso serious
Bookings and Inquiries
Please email your booking request or inquiry to scgoss@ameritech.net
Heidi's Hope
"Is there life after death? And will I see her again?"
So begins this uplifting account of John Richards, a lifelong agnostic who tells his cathartic story ten years after the death of a faith-filled loved one. While the story speaks of loss, it is more a testimony to the treasures of everyday life. It's a reminder that life and hope are gifts. It's a call to hold dear to the people we love, and to live our lives in the hope of what lies ahead.
HEIDI'S HOPE is available in paperback and Kindle formats at amazon.com. You can learn more about the book by visiting amazon.com at one of the links below:
While HEIDI'S HOPE is complete in itself, it is not the end of either John's or Heidi's story. With enough reader support, I hope to reveal more of the larger story to readers in two more novels: HEIDI'S LOVE and HEIDI'S FAITH.
I hope you enjoy this book,
and that you tell others about it.
circa 1980
