"Jesus Christ Superstar,

Do you think you're what they say you are?"

Members of several Auburn churches are expected to gather on Good Friday to share the Word of God and the Lord’s Supper. This year, however, Pastor Rob Patterson (Bell Road Baptist Church) won't be heading home after the Community Worship Service.

Instead, he has decided to offer a rather unusual opportunity for those who do not share his firm belief that Jesus is God.

At 9:00pm, Pastor Rob and others from Bell Road will host a free showing of "Jesus Christ Superstar" on the Big Screen with Big Sound at their church building: 707 Bell Road, Auburn, California (Auburn Exit 123 at Interstate 80). The film will include closed-captions for hearing-impaired and for aging hippies who decide to singalong.

Patterson can easily rewind to 1969: "The Beatles were closing the decade with news of their break-up. Neil Armstrong had taken his small step on the moon while I was sneaking cigarettes with my buddy, Scott, at Boy Scout Summer Camp.We had heard about Woodstock--but we were too young to do anything about it. We were searching..."

It was in that context that he recalls hearing yet another song about Jesus playing on the radio. Although the boy was actively pursuing an immoral lifestyle, the melody and lyrics of this particular song stirred his imagination. It made him want to reacquaint himself with the story of Jesus--a story that hadn't been heard since early childhood.

Judas: "Every time I look at you I don't understand,

Why you let the things you did get so out of hand,

You'd have managed better if you'd had it planned. . .

The following year, the double album was released. On the original album, the part of Jesus was sung by Ian Gillan, the lead singer of Deep Purple. The 1970 boxed-set issue of this 2-record set contained two vinyl records and a 28-page libretto.

The film version of Jesus Christ Superstar was released in 1973. Although Director, Norman Jewison had wanted Ian Gillian to perform in the role of Jesus, he chose to tour with Deep Purple. Ted Neeley was then cast in the role of Jesus.

"The film...was criticized by religious groups. Tim Rice [Composer] said Jesus was seen through Judas' eyes as a mere human being. Some Christians found this remark, as well as the fact that the musical did not show the resurrection, to be blasphemous. Biblical purists pointed out a small number of deviations from biblical text as additional concerns; for example, Pilate himself having the dream instead of his wife." (wikipedia)

When asked about the appropriateness of showing this film at church, the pastor recalls, "Although the movie was controversial among church folks, church seemed irrelevant to my life in those days. I was only thirteen years old when the album came out and didn't want to spend money on it. After school, my friends and I would go to the public library and take their copy into a small closet that they had equipped with a record-player. We pulled out the booklet and read all the lyrics. In this way, we became even more acquainted with the story of Jesus.That was the closest we would come to attending a Bible Study!"

St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Coldwater, Michigan operated a popular, teen hang-out called 'Charlie's'. A couple years after the album had been released, Charlie's promoted an evening of listening to "Jesus Christ Superstar" through a P.A. Even though the album had already run its course as a pop hit, a great number of teens showed up, sat down, and simply listened. "Again, that was the closest we would come to going to church!"

Years passed. 1n 1978, Rob was a student at Western Michigan University and living a life akin to that of Augustine before his conversion. At a used bookstore he saw a copy of the double album, bought it and took it home. "I remember putting on the album, kicking back with the libretto, and seeking to understand the story of Jesus--all by myself. Lennon's published opinions of Jesus seemed to coincide with my own thoughts--as spurred on by these songs. Perhaps John had listened to this same album to satisfy his own ongoing curiousity about Jesus."

"Everytime I think of that day, I am reminded of Acts 8:30-31 however God didn't send anyone to me who would know to ask me the question Philip asked the Ethiopian:

"Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.

"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?"

Another four years would pass without faith in the whole truth about Jesus. Yet, less than a decade after he first saw the movie, Patterson would confess his sinfulness and pray to receive Christ Jesus as his Savior.

In the first eighteen months of living life as a Christian, Rob was the only white man attending a small, black church. His first pastor was Elder Ezell Plair, a humble man who had migrated from Mississippi to work in a paper mill. Rob was faithful in attendance at all of the Church Services. The regular schedule included Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Tuesday night, Choir on Wednesday, and Friday night Service.

Music and Spirit-led spontaneity played a primary role in the early days of Patterson's new life in Christ. Before the preaching of the Word, there was a time for personal testimonies and spontaneous singing. It was normal fare for one of the older sisters to break into a song. Sitting at the piano, Patterson would quickly discover the key and play along, as a teen played congas, and Pastor Plair joined in with his hand cymbals.

“It was at the House of Prayer, that I also learned to be actively involved in the public reading of the Bible,” Patterson recalls. “When Pastor Plair began to quote a passage, we were all expected to search through our Bibles and join him! I had to be ready…because if he noticed that I had located the passage, he might nod at me and say, ‘Read!’”

“I would stand, and boldly read the Word aloud until I heard his voice break in—when the Spirit would begin to move through him. Others would voice 'the Amen' as our Pastor began to preach and teach us about God's ways. I carefully kept my place in the Bible, and prayerfully listened until I again heard my pastor say, “Read!” We continued into the night until we had ‘had church.’

"Jesus Christ Superstar probably played no role whatsover in Pastor Plair's life. Yet, during these days in preparation for Easter, everything and everyone that God has used in my life seems joyfully co-incident. By sharing this highly-personal retrospective, Pastor Rob hopes to make some new friends who share a common interest in the story of Jesus. If you haven't even yet considering going to church on Easter this year, you should give thought to Rob's public invitation for Friday night.

"You've come this far. Why not come a little closer?", asks the aging shepherd (through the 55% transparent, third-person singular).

"What's the buzz? Tell me what's a happenin'...What's the buzz? Tell me what's a happenin'..."