By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

Saturday’s event at Marion Performing Arts Center was about more than magic, it was about faith too.

As he went along, illusionist Jared Hall joked with the audience, sharing his experiences with Christianity and the magic world.

Growing up in a church, Hall knew he wanted to do something where he could share his faith.

“I knew I wanted to do some sort of ministry,” he said. “I was a musician and I played in the band, played in the worship team.”

His first performance was in ninth grade, when a youth pastor from another church asked Hall to try a show.

“So I did some magic and I just presented the Gospel because I didn’t know what my story was yet,” Hall said. “I loved it, it was amazing.”

Going with the flow is something that is sometimes necessary for tricks also.

One of the routines loved by the Marion audience was his Rubik’s Cube trick. Hall selected a member of the audience and each scrambled a Rubik’s Cubes without looking. Hall then displayed for onlookers that he had matched all six sides to the volunteer’s, then capped it off by solving one of the cubes.

There was once a show where Hall failed to solve the cube. Instead of panicking, he played it off as purposeful. Surprisingly, the crowd loved it, he said.

People love to laugh,” Hall said. “People can only swallow so much amazement. They can only process so many wow moments before they’re done.”

Youth pastor Chris Ensley, of Marion Christian Church, first met Hall at a youth pastor’s conference a decade ago.

“He had a booth there, just to promote what he does and his ministry, and how it can help out to do the things he does with the show,” he said.

Hosting events like Saturday’s are important for Ensley important because the youth need to exposure to Christianity in creative ways.

The event was only possible, he said, because of the support from the community and Marion school district, he said.

“It’s such a blessing for us to have that kind of partnership,” he said. “It’s not just this school district, but other, surrounding school districts have been supportive of this.”

According to Hall, he frequently does smaller shows, but he has also performed for 1,000s of people at concerts and conventions.

“It’s crazy man, some nights I’m performing for just under 100 people,” he said. “And then other nights I’m opening for Toby Mac, whoever else.”

At the end of the day, it’s still about sharing the message of Christianity.