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Although Martin has a
long list of accomplishments as an actor, author, storyteller and
a standup comedian, he prefers to use his gifts for laughter, writing
and entertaining to bring serious messages to audiences through
the softening blows of humor.
After
telling a typical "Torry Story" revolving around his own blundering
and misfortune, Martin pulls in the spiritual lesson in a sometimes
subtle way. "If I can keep them laughing while they're learning
it doesn't hurt their brains as much."
Martin
was a standup comic and actor in Los Angeles before he became a
Christian. After finding the Lord, Martin moved to Alaska and lived
in a remote cabin with a friend who was studying for ministry. He
gave up acting and comedy for two years and studied the bible while
becoming grounded in his faith. After being encouraged by some friends
at his church, Torry began writing comedy sketches which he entered
into the national competition sponsored by the Gospel Music Association
called Christian Artists, now called Seminar in the Rockies. He
won the grand prize two years in a row and now returns annually
as an instructor.
Martin
has written for "Adventures in Odyssey," a children's radio series
produced by Focus on the Family. For this self-proclaimed "hippie-for-the-Holy-One,"
the melding of talent and faith have also resulted in the release
of several books, including "Under the Circumstances," and "What
a Character," both are collections of comedy sketches about Christian
life. Published by Lillenas Drama, the books are available in Christian
bookstores worldwide. While the sketches rely heavily on comedy
to convey their messages, they also harbor moments of drama, often
pulling no punches to get the point across. "I like using comedy
in my writing because we need to be able to make fun of ourselves,"
Martin says. "We take ourselves too seriously, but we don't take
God seriously enough and that needs some fixing."
Martin
says he hopes his material will help an audience focus more on their
relationships with God and place less emphasis on the technicalities
of differing denominations or outside appearances. His blend of
hilarious personal experiences, human observations and spiritual
applications have made him one of the most entertaining and comical
speakers around. From
churches to corporate functions, banquets to biker rally's, or prison's
to praise gatherings, the appeal of Torry Martin's material makes
him a perfect choice for groups and gatherings of all kinds.
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