The Musical and Visual Arts in Worship
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.
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.
Evangelism, Imagination, and Artists – A Critical Mix for Modern Evangelism
My life’s work and my passion are to motivate the Church toward thinking more deeply and seriously about the importance of creatives and artists who serve as “imaginative expression specialists.” And, toward these ends, my goal is for pastors and others in church leadership to treat singers, musicians, fine artists, dancers, and others as not just performers but as key strategists on the evangelism and outreach teams. Why? Because God has gifted artists with the ability to uniquely communicate his infinite, unfathomable transcendence.
Imagination & Artistic Human Expression — Toward A Beginning Theology
To craft a theology of imagination and artistic human expression I believe there are six basic – but foundationally important – theological principles that both church and mission leaders in general, and worship, music, and arts-ministry practitioners in specific, need to understand. It’s necessary to establish these six principles if we are going to responsibly and energetically help church and mission leaders around the world better re-engage and integrate imaginative expression specialists into ministry strategy development and missional ministry practices.
JESUS, THY BLOOD AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
Count Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf, the founder of the religious community of Herrnhut and the apostle of the United Brethren, was born in Dresden in1700. It is not often that noble blood and worldly wealth are allied with true piety and missionary zeal. Such, however, was the case with Count Zinzendorf. In 1731 Zinzendorf resigned from all public duties and devoted himself to missionary work.
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, LORD
Christopher Wordsworth was born in Lambeth, England in 1807. At Trinity College, Cambridge he won numerous university honors before graduating in 1830. In 1836 he became headmaster of Harrow School and was later appointed a canon of Westminster, in 1844.