War Of The Wills

“War Of The Wills”
Written by Frederick Passmore
Copyright Sheep Laughs Publications 2007-2017

Synopsis: A reporter and her cameraman cover a breakout of violence around a church. As they interview various refugees from the war zone, they find out that it is a church war. A titanic battle of the wills is being waged between members who disagree on trivial details. Neither side wins, and the church splits in two. A defeated and wounded party of survivors, led by the pastor, are inspired by a child to return and rebuild what has been lost.

Soundtrack key: This is the type of script where your actors deliver their lines and the soundtrack supplies the background music and sound effects as the script calls for them.

Length of play: 10-15 minutes.
Number of cast: 6, with as many extras as possible
Category: Shorter Skits, Modern-Day Parable, Dramatic, Comedic,

Price of script PDF & MP3 Skit Trax: Instant Download ONLY: $12.99  Add to Cart

Price of script PDF & Physical Skit Trax CD: $14.99 plus shipping Add To Cart

YOU MAY ALSO ORDER THE SCRIPT AND SOUNDTRACK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

Time To Perform: Approximately 10-15 minutes.

Characters: Reporter Pamela Parfay, Cameraman Charles (Chuck) Wagon, Refugee #1, who is young man; Refugee #2, who is an older man, Refugee #3, who is an older woman; the Pastor, a Little Girl, and mixed age/gender group of 5-6 people, more or less according to your cast.

Note: If you wish to add more characters to accommodate a larger cast, you may have two people come up at a time for any of the refugees, and divide the lines of the one character between them. Such as Refugee #1, could be a young couple. Same with each of the other refugees, according to their age group. But they are really written to be individuals.

Costumes: Pamela is dressed nicely, befitting her TV status. But the refugees from the war zone can be dressed in torn or ragged clothes, as if they have been through a battle. The pastor is wearing gauze bandages on his head and has an arm in a makeshift sling. Others can wear similar evidences of being treated for wounds in a hurry.

Props: Video camera and microphone.

Setting: No special background is needed. The setting is outside, but the warfare around the church in the distance is only heard (via the soundtrack CD effects mentioned below) but not seen.

(A general description of the script; not all details or scenes are here, but it gives you an overall picture of what it is like.)

Reporter Pamela Parfay and her cameraman Chuck (recurring characters also seen in the script “A Canvas Of Lies”) arrive on the scene to cover a breakout of violence around a church in town. As she begins her live broadcast covering the incident, survivors of the battle begin to make their way out of the war zone, and she interviews them for information. As each one tells their story, it becomes clear that this is a war between the church members, and it began with differing opinions on how the church should be remodeled and redecorated.

The first refugee from the war zone is a young man (or woman, if desired)  that had been visiting the church with his family. As a new attendee, he is able to see what the trouble is and how it started, which he relates. He explains that there is a progressive camp that wants things done their way, and on the other side is the conservative camp who wants to keep things as they are. The talks broke down and a war broke out with people being forced to choose sides.

As the first person staggers away to find help, another person comes out and Pamela stops them to ask questions. This person is convinced that they are on the right side, and everyone else not with them is against them. He attempts to recruit Pamela to his side, and when she refuses to choose, he condemns her as the enemy and limps off, singing a battle hymn.

Preview a PDF page of the script that contains the scene above by clicking here:war_of_the_wills_sample_01

The next person to flee the battle and get interviewed is a lady that is the ringleader of the conservative camp that wants to control the designs of the carpet and the decor. She is indignant that they did not listen to her advice and went with a professional interior decorator instead. She insists that any changes made will ruin the church and destroy the history that she and her family have been involved with for many years.

As Pamela asks her some more questions, ones that highlight that she has been a major part of the problem, their attention is diverted to the raging battle doing on at the church. As they watch, the church splits apart and is destroyed (which can be heard on the soundtrack). The woman departs, blaming everything on the ones that disagreed with her and her viewpoint. She sings a victory song, feeling she has won, and looks forward to going somewhere else to share her talents.

Just then a small ragged party of wounded survivors emerge from the wreckage, gathered around a man that Pamela discovers to be the pastor. As they talk, we see the pain and hurt that the battle has caused and the lives impacted. His discouragement at not being able to stem the tide of disagreement is evident, and his defeat is complete as the war has taken a toll on everyone that went there. But a little girl slips her hand in his, and with a few simple words of wisdom, instills a spark of hope that things are not over yet.

Preview a PDF page of the script that contains the scene above by clicking here: war_of_the_wills_sample_02

As the pastor regains his hope and fervor to rebuild and tend to the wounded, he speaks words of encouragement to those with him, who all rally behind him and return to the church with a renewed sense of purpose. Pamela wraps up the broadcast with a summary statement that serves as a warning to others, and after signing off, she and her cameraman express their own personal regrets as what they have witnessed as they leave.

Preview some of the effects and music provided for the previous scene by clicking on the player below. COMING SOON

Read some of the testimonials about the script from just a few of the many users: 

Fred,

The Eastland Baptist of Bryan, Ohio is doing War of the Wills in July.

I’m lovin’ the creativity! God has gifted you, thank you for sharing! I am beginning a drama ministry for our church, and finding inexpensive, quality skits has been my biggest obstacle. I thank God for your site and your generosity to those who only want to minister to and maybe even change lives in this creative way! God bless you!
-Barbara Kuhn

Dear Fred,

The New Life Community Church in Huntingdon Valley, Pa performed “War of the Wills” on 2/27.

Thank you for helping us out. Each small group in our CBS Bible Study is expected to do something for our opening when everyone is all together. We were short on ideas when I came across your website. This skit was perfect for our study of 1 Corinthians. We had little time for practice but the script was easy to follow.

The skit provided opportunity for even our most timid members to participate. We received many compliments afterward and a few complaints that we now raised the bar for subsequent performances.
-Donna Woywod

Okay, if you liked the story breakdown, and enjoyed the Skit Trax previews, and were encouraged by the testimonials of those that have done it, buy the complete script and soundtrack here! 

Get the script PDF (to print out) and audio tracks (to burn to your own CD) here.
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Get the physical CD mailed to you by ordering here. You will be taken to a page where you can print out the script PDF as well as an email containing the script PDF.
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