Christian Dramatic Artist Brings Revelation to Life
by Mary Rettig and Jenni Parker
February 15, 2005
(AgapePress) - Although lots of Christians have found the Bible's Book of Revelation confusing, one woman is using her gifts to bring a fresh understanding of the book to many.Christian minister and speaker Karen Heimbuch has memorized the Book of Revelation in its entirety, a task that took her a number of months to accomplish. The reason she undertook it has to do with something that happened 12 years ago, when she was doing her daily devotions. Something in the word struck her in a new way, and that very moment, she says God planted an idea for a ministry in her heart -- a way to bring the text vividly to life for others.
Heimbuch, who is also a songwriter and worship leader, has become widely known since then for her stirring dramatic presentations from the biblical passages she has memorized. Her passion for the word of God is both engaging and contagious, and she says the vision for sharing Revelation in particular arose from its text. Specifically, it was inspired by the first chapter and third verse of that book, which says, "Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near."
The Christian spoken-word artist says the moment she read that verse God dropped a desire in her heart to share the book with others. "That's where the blessing is," she says, "and that's what the body of Christ needs to be hearing." Upon realizing that the Bible gives an outright guarantee of blessing just for reading or hearing the words of Revelation, she decided to commit the book to memory and deliver those words so that others could share in the promise of God's blessing.
Heimbuch began presenting Revelation to audiences, and eventually she incorporated classical music into the dramatic recitation as well. That was another labor of love that required patience, and she says it was several years before she was able to get an original score written, but she feels the music has truly enhanced the already powerful presentation of the word.
As a Christian performer, Heimbuch finds that audience reactions to the presentation vary widely, but most people seem to engage with the word in a way that is different from simply reading it or hearing it without the dramatic interpretation. "That's the beauty of having that much of the word put to memory," she says. "Then I'm able to look at the people, eyeball to eyeball, and it becomes much more personal. It's not like somebody just reciting a book -- it comes to life, especially with the music. Everything comes to life."
Heimbuch says often Christians view Revelation as a book of gloom and doom because of the judgment in it. But really, she notes, the last book of the New Testament is really one of praise and worship of Jesus Christ. She has captured that essence, both in her live presentations and in an audio recording titled The Revelation.
Available on CD or cassette from Revelation Media International, The Revelation includes the Heimbuch's dramatic vocal delivery of all 22 chapters of the biblical book. Underscoring this powerful rendition of the word is the London Symphony Orchestra's performance of the original score, conducted by composer Michael Harriton.
