Year: 2021
What Is Ministry?
The Christian Arts community is often clearly confused about what ministry IS. I’m clearly convinced of it! Not that other parts of the Christian community aren’t confused—they are. But Christians out of music and arts backgrounds oftentimes certainly face confusion when it comes to ministry. Let me see if I can help clear up some of that confusion by simply asking a few questions, then answering them biblically.
What Makes an Artistic Minister?
Do not see artistic expression as "secular." Don’t consider artistic expression as "worldly." As God created them they are reflections of His image in us; and in fact, it is our duty to dedicate them—all our imaginative expressions and efforts—to His glory and for His purposes . . . of reflecting His truth, and beauty, and reconciliation in Jesus!! (1 Cor. 10:31)
Arts in Evangelism … It won’t happen fast without Non-Artist-Advocates
Most Christians have some sense that artistic methods, and artists themselves, could be and should be powerful sources of evangelistic efforts. But most artists and musicians will confirm that they feel most conventionally trained and serving church leadership doesn’t have the foggiest idea or vision of how to envision artists to be used; nor even possess the simple conviction to give artists and musicians permission to come up with ideas on how to engage the community around them for the sake of the Gospel. In fact, often musicians and artists will tell you that they feel that church leadership doesn’t really trust that they will get the “content” of the Gospel right, or communicate it well.
Clothing the Gospel — The Arts in Missions
Worship and evangelism are central to the Christian faith, but worshiping God is much more than attending church on Sunday, just as evangelism is much more than saying religious words to an unbeliever. As artists, our missionary strategy needs to employ every available means of communication—speaking, listening, playing music, storytelling, using parables and proverbs, dancing, drama, visual arts—as we seek to make men, women, and children worshipers of God.
Discipling Worship Leadership
This article assumes the LORD is doing something new in the hearts of Church leaders: giving some a new desire to gather artistic Kingdom servants into their congregations, and disciple them for His service; especially for the service of facilitating innovative gathered worship. So, this paper looks to offer church leaders six principles that, if followed, will GATHER artistic worship leaders into their congregations, and accelerate releasing them into His service of worship.
Ethnic Arts — A Key to Mission Strategy
I strongly believe there exists (at least) one major area of neglect by most conservative evangelical mission works — THE ETHNIC ARTS. A close evaluation of a people’s music and other art forms provides the major road maps to grasping their thought patterns, value structures, and communication norms. Though cross-cultural missionaries have for years attempted to become more sensitized to anthropological considerations, because of our generally low view (or inadequate view) of the role of the arts within our humanity or our Christianity, very few have an awareness of the need to take care to observe a people closely in these areas.
AT REST IN GOD ALONE
If ever a succinct statement was written that presents the key to every man’s heart-cry for utter, complete peace of mind and heart, it was coined by King David in his beautiful 62nd psalm! Led by the Holy Spirit, David begins Psalm 62 with these words: “My soul finds rest in God alone…”
He goes on to write about how wicked men were bent on destroying him by means of deceitful lies fueled by corrupt hearts (vss. 3-4).
GOD’S POWERFUL WORD
God speaks these words to us in Isaiah 55:10-11, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”