Date: September 2, 2026
The Rev. Christian Anderson was a fabulous student and now he is a compelling and remarkable priest. One of the great questions of the Christian life is deceptively simple: how do we know what God is calling us to do? Tonight, Virginia Theological Seminary has the privilege of hosting Jesus Was Not a Doorman, an extraordinary one-man show written and performed by Christian. His story begins in a wonderfully unlikely place: working as a Hollywood actor by day and as a doorman at one of Los Angeles’s most exclusive nightclubs by night, all while beginning to wonder whether God might be calling him to the priesthood.
What makes this evening especially compelling is that Christian tells his story through 27 different characters. The result is funny, energetic, deeply human, and ultimately very moving. This is not simply a story about someone leaving Hollywood for the Church. It is about discovering God in the middle of ordinary life – in work, relationships, ambitions, disappointments, and unexpected encounters. Christian’s journey reminds us that vocation rarely arrives neatly packaged. More often, God works through the circumstances already around us, inviting us to pay attention and to imagine that our lives might have a purpose we have not yet recognized.
I warmly encourage you to come. For all of us, learning the story of discernment of another is fascinating. Jesus Was Not a Doorman promises laughter, honesty, and a fresh invitation to think about grace and calling. The performance is Wednesday, September 2, from 7:00–8:00 p.m. in Bicentennial Hall at Virginia Theological Seminary. Admission is free. Come, bring a friend, and enjoy an evening that may leave you looking at your own story—and God’s presence within it – a little differently. You can learn more about the show here.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and the President of The General Theological Seminary.Â