Ways Artists Can Interface with God’s Mission (part 2)
In my last post on this matter, I discussed specific ways artists can imagine themselves as believers with specific gifts for God’s mission. They do not have to choose between the two: do I do art or missions?
In my next two posts, I will turn to Luke’s emphasis in the book of Acts. God’s heart is to both expand his kingdom as well as establish it. This post deals with the idea of arts in the use of kingdom expansion.
Exist as a Christian—be yourself—in the local art world. Whether you are a full-time vocational artist, part-time art enthusiast, artist by hobby or side hustle, we live in a time when you can find spaces to be 100% an artist and 100% a Christian without all the awkwardness. Existing and identifying yourself as an artist—regardless of skill—places you in a social status. This status shifts depending on the country or community you are in. The moment you own the fact that you are an artist, there are likely to be groups of people with that same or similar status within that community. Show your art within that community. Your art is symbolic capital (thanks to James Davison Hunter’s To Change the World for this phrase) for trust.
Help a community solve a problem using their own arts. I cannot brag enough on the work of Dallas International University and the Global Ethnodoxology Network (GEN) for this. God loves people. People form communities. Communities have needs. And communities have their own God-given ways of expressing themselves. Some might say the Western church has far too often imposed their expressive arts onto other cultures and communities. What if we sought to understand how a community’s own arts can connect to God’s heart to their identified hopes and yearnings? There is a great need for curious facilitators who have a deep heart for global-local arts. Check out the workshop Arts for a Better Future for this kind of specific training.
Build bridges with other cultures by learning their art. The photos that decorate our walls are not just photos. The song on repeat in your car isn’t just any old song. Our favorite movies, bands, TV shows, sports teams, and inside jokes are our favorites because “favorites” embody our values. We ought not bury our God-given genuine curiosities in the sand. If you naturally feel drawn to engage a community, attend their festivals (if you’re welcome), hit up that BBQ, delight in their foods, understand why they are laughing at that thing. If you’re so inclined to, learn that cross-cultural instrument. These are all actions which embody the incarnating love of Christ. Dwell.
Exegete the longings behind a community’s art and cultural artifacts. In Acts 17, we discover that Paul possessed an understanding of the Athenian idols, which, by the way, were sculptures. Despite feeling frustrated with the idols, he did not react impulsively. Instead, he discerned the desires that the people associated with these idols and engaged with them on that level. He affirmed their religious yearning, highlighted the gap in their approach to addressing it, and proclaimed Christ as the solution to that gap. Every individual assigns meaning and value to what we express, such as arts.
Explicitly share Christ directly in art. God, naturally, employs various methods to clearly convey His word through local symbols. Symbols serve as the fundamental elements of communication. This becomes evident when we consider artists using their skills to proclaim Christ. Painters, for example, can artfully incorporate a Bible verse onto a canvas, and musicians can compose songs based on Scripture. However, it's essential to recognize that these are not the sole means of communication.
Indirectly share the allusive characteristics of God’s kingdom in art. Artists often find comfort in indirectly expressing Christ through redemptive nuances, a concept articulated by Calvin Seerveld. However, this approach may be off-putting to non-artists, as it raises questions about how Christ can be conveyed directly without explicit statements.One challenge is that God designed us as more than mere cognitive processors. What of our imaginations—our internal image-contructing faculties of meaning (to quote C.S. Lewis)? When Jesus shared a parable, was he not revealing God? Did not Mark say he taught in parables? What was God telling his people when Isaiah walk around naked for those few years? Was the music indicated by the superscriptions not to color the meaning of the Psalms? God consistently conveys His word through local symbols, encompassing both direct and indirect means. Even in instances of direct communication, contextual symbols are invariably at play. Symbol-less communication of God's word is nonexistent. When an immorally-disqualified preacher approaches the pulpit and delivers the greatest, most truthfully accurate text-centered message, we know something is wrong because he himself is a symbol. Dr. Byron Spradlin calls artists “imagination expression specialists.” The church and mission are always in need of creative ways to reimagine engagement with the world, getting the church out of her ruts.
Learn how art history intersected with worldviews. One of my major regrets in art school was my approach to all my art history classes. Treating art history in isolation from the accompanying stories and historical context diminishes its significance. What I found more invigorating was delving into the narratives that art history is embedded in. Artists have consistently responded to the world around them, and this holds true even for those who aren't Christian. They often possess a prophetic urge, observing injustices, the neglect of fellow humans, and the flaws within the systems they navigate. Over the past 500 years of Western development, artists have played a crucial role in spotlighting the shortcomings of the church.
Explore in Scripture how God used art and symbol to extend the kingdom. It is worth rooting yourself in Scripture with questions such as: Where do we see God engaging man’s imagination? How does God assume people learn? What were all the components at play when the gospel was communicated cross-culturally? Consider inviting a few artist friends to join you in such a study!
What are other ways artists in your lane have plowed this path already? With the surge of the internet, encountering various stories has become quite common. If you're interested in specific resources on this matter, feel free to let me know!
Fill your social media timeline with art. Truly, human creativity is remarkable. I've discovered more joy in my life by following artists rather than accounts that spread fear or discourage my own art-making. One of the most effective ways to contribute to the expansion of the kingdom through the arts is to acknowledge and cultivate the specific gifts God has given you. Continue to develop, have fun, and keep exploring your artistic talents. "Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten. Then when you hit puberty they take the crayons away and replace them with books on algebra etc. Being suddenly hit years later with the creative bug is just a wee voice telling you, “Iʼd like my crayons back, please” (Hugh Macleod).
