Founded on a history of the art of clowning in the American Circus and a deep theology of the Cross of Jesus Christ, the Life in Christ Circus reframes life for people to see the love of God and to live well in Christ through the healing power of laughter and play.
The Life In Christ Circus is a clown ministry troupe founded in 1977 in St. Petersburg, FL and led by Dr. Dick Hardel (Dr. H.). There are three performing units of the Life In Christ Circus in the United States: Eagan, Minnesota; Omaha, Nebraska; and Orlando, Florida.
Over the past few years we have established a new unit near Dziegielow, Poland. We are presently working to develop units in Latvia, Russia, Ukraine, Mexico, and in the Philippines. This has been a wonderful blessing to our ministry.
Traditional circus clowns, at their best, serve up generous portions of the foibles of our own human nature for our amusement. Christ Clowns add a new dimension to the circus clown. They are “fools for Christ: in the best sense of those words of St. Paul (1 Cor. 4: 8-13). With their colorful antics they reveal our human frailties and allow us to laugh at ourselves.
Christ Clowns explode into the humdrum of daily routine with colorful costumes and makeup. They play and laugh with children of all ages. They are tricked and trampled, but never defeated because they stand in the cross of Christ and in the glory of the resurrection.
The Life In Christ Circus has shared the Gospel throughout North America, also in Eastern Europe, Central America, Africa, and Australia.
You will see the Christ Clowns of the Life In Christ Circus bringing this unique ministry to nursing homes, hospitals, children’s hospitals, schools, civic organizations, disaster areas, in congregations, on street corners, in parks or in the malls.
Christ Clowns work with the handicapped, the elderly, and the young—Children of All Ages! They have been on television, in the newspapers, on film, in workshops, at ministry service projects, and countless youth gatherings. They work just as enthusiastically with audiences of two or three as they do with thousands.
