Christian Illusionists Use Sleight of Hand to Convey Gospel MessageInside MagicMagic News Updated Daily for the Professional Magician

The Man, Andre Kole Kickin’ It Krazy

Christian illusionists are using sleight of hand to share their faith, but the results are genuine. Christians tend to confuse “illusion” – which is commonly known as “magic” in today’s English – with the biblically forbidden occult arts of sorcery, magic and witchcraft described in Deuteronomy 18:10-14 and Exodus 7.

The art of illusion, however, has become a highly effective communication tool for sharing Christ with a postmodern world.

“I believe certainly we can use illusions [biblically], and they work very, very well, but they have to be performed according to God’s will and clearly as illusions,” illusionist Dave Horsager, who travels with his wife, Lisa, as the ministry team Special Delivery, told “Charisma” magazine in the November issue, out now.

Distinguished illusionist Andr? Kole said, “magic, sleight of hand, illusion – whatever term you want to use – is such a wonderful springboard to talk about Christ.”

He has been responsible for helping to develop such world-famous stunts as making the Washington Monument levitate and the Statue of Liberty disappear, feats made popular by Kole’s good friend and renowned illusionist David Copperfield.

After coming to Christ through an unsuccessful effort to discount Jesus’ miracles as “magic tricks,” Kole has dedicated himself to sharing the gospel through his abilities. While doing so he exposes the lie behind occultic “supernatural” activities such as astrology, necromancy and psychic fortunetelling.

Mr. Kole said, “[Magic] is probably the most universal form of…

The Man, Andre Kole Kickin’ It Krazy

The art of illusion, however, has become a highly effective communication tool for sharing Christ with a postmodern world.

Distinguished illusionist Andr? Kole said, “magic, sleight of hand, illusion – whatever term you want to use – is such a wonderful springboard to talk about Christ.”

Mr. Kole said, “[Magic] is probably the most universal form of entertainment.

“People like to be fooled, but I always make it very clear that an illusionist is one who presents an artistic effect creating the image of reality. A magician is one who uses natural means to create a ‘supernatural’ effect.”

For Kole, who has spent the last 40 years developing his craft and sharing Christ with his audiences, the church landscape has changed dramatically over his career.

Bill Bright, the late evangelist and founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, took a chance on Kole by allowing him to perform for the ministry’s college groups, despite disapproval by most of Bright’s staff. The decision paid big eternal dividends, as Kole has since performed at more than 3,000 universities and helped thousands come to know Christ.

“During the past 40 years, he has been used of God to reach literally millions of people around the world,” Bright once said of Kole.

Illusion offers great potential for cross-cultural evangelism. Travis has used illusion to preach to more than a half million people in Russia, South America and Europe. While he was stranded in India after 9/11, he spent the days it took to find a way home sharing the gospel through illusion with many of the country’s Muslims.

Dennis Blacksmith, a Christian illusionist and first vice president of the international group Fellowship of Christian Magicians, notes that interest in magic is at an all-time high in the United States and the rest of the world.

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