Artists – Did You Know
WE are the New Millennium
Vanguard Ministers in Christ’s Kingdom Work
Artistic Christian hold
the potential of being the vanguard ministers of Christ’s ministry force
in the 21st Century. Most artistic Christians don’t realize
this. But it’s true.
Artistic Christians are wired by God to touch hearts, as
they create the environments into which people have the opportunity to
touch the transcendent realities of life, not to mention their Creator
God, the lover of their souls. But most artistic Christians don’t
realize that they listen more to, and believe more of, the mainstream
culture’s point of view about the arts than they do the Bible’s point of
view. And the result is confusion, intimidation, and inactivity—either
for art or for God. And … what a shame that is when so much potential
exists … both for God and for personal fulfillment.
Therefore I’m pressing more than ever before that artistic
Christians start listening more to the God-of-the-cultures and less to
the culture-of-the-arts.
Unfortunately also, most ministers, mission leaders and
Christian academics—often the opinion-leaders of the Christian
Church—don’t get it either. They seem to be so wrapped up in “the ways
we’ve been doing it” coupled with an unconscious emphasis on
“information” alone, that they fail to see … and therefore affirm … the
reality that God has shaped and “capacity-ed” artistic Christians to be
leaders in declaring God’s glory, announcing His salvation,
encapsulating through story His reality and truth, and providing the
conduits through whom HE moves to encounter the masses.
The time for this trend to stop was a long time ago. But it
seems, through the gradual moving of God Himself, change is coming.
Artists in Christian Testimony Int’l [A.C.T. Int’l]
is trying to stay in step with the LORD here. This year—2006—A.C.T.
Int’l is going to make a lot more noise about artistic Christians taking
action … especially by getting busier in ‘community ministry’.
Why? Several reasons. First there are just so many of us.
So A.C.T. Int’l is going to get more active in ‘permission giving’ to
these artistic Christians to get on out into the community doing
ministry. That’s why here in Nashville we’ve tried to stay so busy
going to the jails and prisons [now having taken some 300 artists,
through over 200 ministry events, into 12 of the prison institutions in
the area], and doing artists nights at coffee houses and cafés—including
Borders Book Stores.
Second, the churches are often swamped with administration
focused on their own organizational health and growth. They can’t help
that. But that inward focus often obscures their view of the need to
engage the community outside the walls of their own church. Along with
that they are swamped, understaffed and under-financed to meet all the
pastoral care needs that generally come out of their own ministry. So
they just never get the space to think much beyond those pressures. But
that still does not let us—as Christians in general, as artistic
Christians in specific—off the hook !!! We must think about impacting
the community with the Gospel and God’s values or we are, in fact,
ignoring the ultimate mandates of Scripture.
Third, artistic Christians are often focused on art more
than on the LORD. Sad as it is, that’s often the truth. And that’s got
to change. I’m laughing as I write this. Why? Because thirty-five
years ago I wrote a chapter for the book, What Do You Say To A Naked
Spotlight? by Steve Hilson, with the Forward by Ralf Carmichael.
The title of my little chapter was this: “Christian MUSICIAN or
CHRISTIAN Musicians?” It seems we’re STILL trying to figure out where
the emphasis of artists ought to be.
That’s
got to change. So A.C.T. Int’l is putting fresh effort into giving
artistic Christians permission and challenge to get off there spiritual
rears and ‘just do it.’ Just get going in ministry—whether or not they
are paid, recognized, affirmed, or applauded. Just get going. Why?
Because God has called and equipped us.
We are
uniquely equipped by HIM with the capacities to express HIS reality, HIS
presence, HIS power, HIS Word, HIS healing, HIS health, and HIS
available forgiveness and salvation. If we artistic Christians don’t
declare HIS reality, truth, beauty and goodness, who else is? Was it a
fluke that you happen to be unusually gifted in some of these abilities
to express beautifully and imaginatively?
So what are we waiting for? A gallery deal, a Broadway audition, a
book deal, a recording contract, a call from the local newspaper or the
Washington Post? For most reading this piece it’s not going to
happen. So what does that mean?
Oh God [and I’m not
swearing, I’m praying] I hope we’re not waiting for those things.
I’ll say it again:
Christ created artists to lead humanity into touching the
transcendent things of life … and of God, Himself. He’s capacitied
artists to reveal truth more powerfully and on more levels than any
other kind of human ‘expresser.’ Jesus created artistic Christians to
be a conduit through whom He encounters people, touches people, embraces
people, engages people … with Himself, His truth, His beauty, His
healing, His realty, His glory.
So here’s the
challenge: WE at A.C.T. Int’l DARE YOU to step out into your
community—through your artistic capacities—to make Jesus an unavoidable
issue in the marketplaces of your region !!! Explore new ways to take
the public venues of your community …the little league festivities,
community celebrations, Kiwanis Clubs, seniors centers, regional
memorials, etc….for Christ through your artistic skills!!!
Artistic Christian do hold the potential of being the vanguard ministers
of Christ’s ministry force in the 21st Century. It’s true.
In our communities and our culture as a whole we have left the Age of
the Orator, and have entered the Age of the Artist. Plan strategies
with this reality in mind.
And, as
you get the lead out … and step out in ministry … contact us here at
A.C.T. Int’l and let us know [info@ACTinternational.org;
www.ACTinternational.org ]. We’ll even put your story in our eNews
Updates.
And
then who knows: you might even become an artist in Christian
testimony yourself. And in the process you might even inspire some
other artistic Christian to step with more gusto into their own
destiny. Who knows?
May God
give us each new prompting to tap the power He’s already made available
to be one of those vanguard ministers of Christ’s ministry force in
these early days of HIS 21st Century.
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