Art Ministry

Wow, has it really been a month since I've last written? Who knew?

I've been my random self as usual. Had a good visit with some New Zealand friends and they were sweet enough to give me some New Zealand chocolate that I've been craving for the last year or so lol. I even got to see a New Zealand band, Rapture Ruckus, in concert which was amazing! Pretty good month all in all.

I've also been thinking about this art ministry dream that I've had for awhile now. What is it? Well, let me begin with what God's been doing...

Being unemployed for so long has really got me thinking about what I want to do with my life. The re-igniting of my creative fire began with me taking a spiritual gifts test and my top 3 gifts being Music, Art, and Encouragement. It really challenged me to think about how I've been using these gifts and how I can in the future. Music, being the highest on the list, really got me thinking about what I can be doing with my musical skill. Currently I'm not singing or playing in a praise band, or even singing a choir, but I have been writing tons of music that I haven't uploaded onto my myspace music page yet. Yes, I have a music website. I'm still trying to figure out what I should be doing with my music but it's got me thinking...

Then about 4 months ago God put the desire in my heart to paint portraits of people from around the world again...in other words, doing something that I love as a means of getting myself back into regular painting...with a massive art project in mind.

Then, about a month ago when I was at my brothers church for the 4:12 BBQ and his elder came up to me and asked if I was still making movies. It may sound random to some of you who don't know, but I wrote, directed and edited 2 short films while I was in college and I had a lot of fun with them. I even held auditions lol. SO anyway, I told him that I wasn't and he asked me why not. I sat there and thought about it for a while and then said that I didn't really know why, except that I don't have a video camera. He gave me this weird look and then said why don't I grab someone who does and get to work. I laughed but seriously, the thought had never entered my mind. Duh! Afterwards and almost everyday since then I keep thinking about how I need to make a short film about something! I have a digital camera and can make like a low quality 5 min thing until I find someone with a video camera, but wow! How could I have forgotten one of my passions?

Finally, 2 weeks ago I was doing a career assessment with a friend and it challenged me to really think deeply about what I want to do. The three things that kept coming up were art, music, and helping people.

All of this has been drawing me to my dream of creating an art ministry. I don't have all the details of what I'm imagining but let me try to name a few keys things:

First of all I think it would be really cool to use art and reflection stations in the church to visually help people understand a sermon topic and/or sermon series. I did some stuff with this at my church in New Zealand and it was completely amazing and useful for guiding people to a deeper relationship with God. Another part of this ministry would be possibly holding free community art classes (not so much about teaching but everyone painting together with some teaching mixed in if need be) so that the focus is on community and creating together as a way to connect with each other and express themselves. There is something that it so completely freeing about doing art with others and I want to give people the opportunity to do that and have all of the materials there that they need too if possible. I'm also trying to figure out ways to use art to reach people for Christ and even as an encouragement to people who need encouragement in their lives.

A big part of this art ministry would be to help artists and creative types from all backgrounds to find ways to use their talents in the church...including painters, sculptors, graphic designers, photographers, playwrights, actors, chefs, filmmakers, musicians, singers, dancers, writers, interior designers, etc, etc. Artists tend to either get overlooked and ignored in church or be placed in ministries that are deemed 'artsy' but don't really tap in on the skills that they have. For example someone may be a musician, but be told to sing in the choir...even though they can't sing. Another person may be a painter and be told to design a website even though they know nothing of web design. An actress may be told to teach sunday school even though they're not really gifted in teaching.

The scope of this art ministry idea is so overwhelming sometimes that it often brings tears to my eyes. Sometimes I feel like this dream is so big that it could never happen. There are people everywhere telling me what I should and shouldn't do. What I should dream and shouldn't dream. That I should 'be realistic' etc. The funny thing is that God's been preparing me for this. I wanted to live by the Spirit and really listen to what God's telling me and this...this is what he keeps saying. I have no idea where to begin. No idea if this dream will ever be realized. No idea of anything. It's such a scary and yet exciting place to be in. But I am confident that as I continue to seek God with the direction my life is taking, he will show me what to do, and help me step out in faith.