UNSHACKLED! Audio Dramas

Philip moves into a new rooming house and makes friends with Jack, another atheist. Phil goes out to dinner and is pressured into drinking whiskey for the first and last time. Because he and Jack return to the rooming house late, they are moved into a room with two Christians, considered fanatics. Humorous attempts to discourage the believers fail, and Phil comes under conviction as the two pray openly for him. He and Jack finally go to church and are saved. Phil walks eight miles in the rain to witness to old friends who are also saved. After 40 years of ministry, Phil is listed in Who’s Who in the World.

Although her family drinks too much and doesn’t go to church, Amy has a grandmother whose talk of God’s judgment frightens her. At 17 she is diagnosed with lupus, which devastates her body in many ways. Her grandmother encourages her to thank God for everything, and Amy reads the Bible and is saved. Her sister provides humor and compassion, helping Amy persevere. Amy meets and marries a man when she is 36. Still with lupus, she gives flute lessons.

Kathy has a hunger for God as a child but cannot keep the rules and gives up. Goes to public high school and is exposed to immorality. Begins readings in eastern religion and witchcraft but fear leads her to discard such books. Goes to college, immerses herself in the party life, gets bored with drunks. Starts reading the Bible, doesn’t understand. An old friend tells her to read the Gospel of John, which she loves. Goes to Bible study, tries another party, feels dirty, goes back to her dorm and prays for salvation. Becomes a nurse, marries a mechanic. She and husband in training with Wycliffe.

Sam grows up in a very religious atmosphere at home, following his religion faithfully yet unable to control his lustful thoughts. He begins piano lessons at age nine, has talent and dedication, wins competitions and a place at the Julliard School of Music. There he discontinues going to synagogue but still prays at night. Part 1 ends when Sam meets and is confronted with the claims of three born-again students who say Jesus is the Messiah.

Sam is a third year piano student at Julliard when Christians challenge him to read the New Testament and see that Jesus is the Messiah. Sam reads and is astonished at the claims of Christ. He reads the whole New Testament, ignoring piano practice for a week, and prays to receive Christ. His parents disown him. He marries Deborah, competes in several international piano competitions and is acclaimed. When his children are born, his parents soften a bit. He goes into ministry as a pastor and then as a musical missionary, giving his testimony during each concert he performs.

Christopher’s father is the headman of his Banjara village of Untouchable people. A missionary offers to take the children and educate them at a local mission. Christopher learns English. At fifteen he is injured playing soccer. His leg becomes gangrenous, and a Christian doctor presents the gospel and tells him only Jesus can save him. Christopher prays for salvation. When he is healed, he goes to his village to tell them about the Savior, is nearly killed by his father. He marries a girl who first gives her life to Christ. A missionary helps him go to Bible college and he now has a ministry to his Banjara people.

Ken becomes a Mama’s boy while his brother becomes a favorite of his pop. He goes to church with his mother but rejects the church in high school to hang out in pool rooms. He runs with a con-man, drives drunk and has close calls. Becomes disillusioned with life after an abortive trip to California, tries therapy but efforts to reform himself fail. Pretending to be Christians, he and a friend go to a Bible camp where Ken is saved but the friend wanders away. Ken marries and has a ministry in Mexico. Now retired with disabilities.

Randy grows up in a Christian family, taught to work hard and finish whatever he starts. His dad becomes a pastor when Randy is twelve. Randy is working his way through Bible college, goes forward to gain assurance of salvation, and marries Tina, also a student. After three children are born, he drops out to pay debts, opens a painting business. He falls from a scaffold and breaks his neck. The first part ends as he survives surgery but faces grueling rehabilitation as a quadriplegic.

Randy suffers many setbacks but finally leaves the hospital for a rehab center. After one day there he is rushed back to the hospital where, after two weeks of tests, he despairs of getting well and decides to starve himself. A Christian friend confronts him, and Randy decides to try again. He sees many others suffering and witnesses to one disfigured man. After four months, he finally goes home. Church becomes a lifeline. He tries to return to college but abandons classes because of his poor health. He manages to preach some and write a book.

Jesse is a moonshiner, barely able to survive as a hardscrabble farmer in West Virginia. Government agents raid his farm but cannot find his still. He is arrested but the sheriff lets him go. He moves his family to Ohio but cannot find work because of the Depression, so he moves to a farm intending to make moonshine again. A neighbor tries to help but Jesse rebuffs him. The neighbor prays, then the whole church comes to help Jesse plant corn as the first part ends.