Jesus emerges from the tomb. (Photo by Betsy Allen)

Teays Valley Baptist Church celebrated the true reason of the Easter season with three showings of their production, “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” over the two day period of Saturday, April 8, and Sunday, April 9. The production chronicled the life and miracles of Jesus, from His birth to the crucifixion and resurrection. Boasting a cast and crew of over 140 volunteers, the “Greatest Story” featured twenty-four different scenes from the Bible, lavish costumes, multiple set changes, and pyrotechnics.

Over 2,500 people came to Teays Valley Baptist Church Easter weekend to see the life of Christ depicted on the stage. This marked the first time that the church has presented the “Greatest Story” since 2019. The church does not offer the production every year due to the intense labor involved. An enormous amount of time and effort goes into making the “Greatest Story,” requiring volunteers to practice and rehearse for months.

Director Lois Gail prefaced the Saturday evening production stating: “From the manger to the cross to the empty tomb to the second coming, this is the greatest story ever told.”

In addition to being a church event, the production is also a family affair. Gail’s daughters, Stacie Howell and Shannon Davis, are also co-directors of the “Greatest Story.”

“It has been my privilege to direct this drama here at Teays Valley since the mid-nineties, and God has blessed me to be able to do that with my family,” Gail stated in the church program. “My son, Adam, is the narrator and has always been a part of the creative process. For the past twenty years, my daughters Stacie and Shannon have shared the directing with me and are instrumental in the creating as well.”

“It takes every one of the 140 plus cast and crew for the ‘Greatest Story’ to be what it is,” Gail related. “They are a great crew to work with.”