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Portraying Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames

Scott McIntyre/Staff Bodee Harp, 8, prays while his mother Jodee Tharp holds him in her arms alongside Drew Ruroede and his son Max, 8, after the drama, Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames, was performed at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers. After the play is over, audience members who were moved by the performance are asked to come forward and pray together.

Photo by SCOTT MCINTYRE

Scott McIntyre/Staff Bodee Harp, 8, prays while his mother Jodee Tharp holds him in her arms alongside Drew Ruroede and his son Max, 8, after the drama, Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames, was performed at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers. After the play is over, audience members who were moved by the performance are asked to come forward and pray together.

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  • Scott McIntyre/Staff The beginning of the drama Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames begins with Jesus being crucified in front of a crowd at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff In the drama, Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames, various skits portray characters who either accept Jesus Christ as the savior or they don't and when they don't, Satan drags them to hell.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Michael Burnette stands in silence while he has his makeup applied for his role as Satan in the play Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Various skits involving a school shooting, a suicide, car accidents and other real life situations are used in Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames to relate to the people in the audience at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Hal Deel, who performs as Jesus, falls as he carries the cross up the aisle toward the stage at the beginning of the drama, Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Hal Deel, who plays the role of Jesus Christ in the drama Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames walks through a doorway that symbolizes the gates of heaven at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff The audience for Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God packed the church on opening night in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Before the first performance of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God, members of the cast gather backstage to pray together for each other, the drama, and members of the audience.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Various skits involving a school shooting, a suicide, car accidents and other real life situations are used in Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames to relate to the people in the audience at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Before the first performance of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God, members of the cast gather backstage to pray together for each other, the drama, and members of the audience.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff The cast members of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames project their hands in prayer toward Hal Deel, who plays the role Jesus Christ in the drama, during a prayer before the play at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff After a scene where a family dies in a car accident driving home from church, the family celebrates when they realize they're in heaven.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Michael Burnette walks down the steps towards the stage after he has his makeup applied for his role as Satan in the play Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Michael Burnette tosses his hood over his head after he has his makeup applied for his role as Satan in the play Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Before the first performance of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God, members of the cast gather backstage to pray together for each other, the drama, and members of the audience.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Before the first performance of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God, members of the cast gather backstage to pray together for each other, the drama, and members of the audience.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Rev. Rick Dougherty, center, prays along with the rest of the cast. Dougherty is one of the traveling directors of the drama. Before the first performance of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God, members of the cast gather backstage to pray together for each other, the drama, and members of the audience.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Before the first performance of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God, members of the cast gather backstage to pray together for each other, the drama, and members of the audience.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Before the first performance of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God, members of the cast gather backstage to pray together for each other, the drama, and members of the audience.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Before the first performance of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames at the First Assembly of God, members of the cast gather backstage to pray together for each other, the drama, and members of the audience.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff After their last dress rehearsal, the cast members of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames pray along the alter at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers. The cast of the play consists of church members who learn their roles in less than a week.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Bodee Harp, 8, prays while his mother Jodee Tharp holds him in her arms alongside Drew Ruroede and his son Max, 8, after the drama, Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames, was performed at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers. After the play is over, audience members who were moved by the performance are asked to come forward and pray together.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff The cast of Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames watch the play from a screen in the backstage area at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff During Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames, various real life issues like suicide are addressed. Here, Satan and Jesus can be seen getting closer before the character dies in her mother's arms.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff Bodee Harp, 8, prays while his mother Jodee Tharp holds him in her arms alongside Sharon Ruroede, center, and her husband Drew Ruroede and their son Max, 8, after the drama, Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames, was performed at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers. After the play is over, audience members who were moved by the performance are asked to come forward and pray together.
  • Scott McIntyre/Staff At the end Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames, Jesus comes to embrace the crowd at the First Assembly of God in Fort Myers.

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