See - Isa 64:8 & Jer 18:6
Dear friends,
Worship and art are ever on my mind. They always are, as you know, but at present with a more poignant tone. Cynthia and I spent the last year on an interim music team for a church where our colleague is director – Cynthia as organist/violinist/pianist and I as choral conductor/violist/singer and sometimes worship planner. It is a church with deep needs for healing. So as I prepare to share this second installment on the topic of artist “health”, my heart is full and somewhat heavy with how important and serious a topic the spiritual well being of artists in the church is. I’m aware more than ever that many artists aren’t even thinking about it – many clergy are apprehensive to address it – and the people worshipping surely haven’t considered it. This happens not by purpose, but more times than not by avoidance.
It must be said, that as worship so deeply depends on art and the artists who create it, we ALL need to talk, think, and pray about spiritual transformation and health of the artists. They need prayer, support, and sometimes a good swift, but loving kick! I wonder what the community of Levites was really like in the Old Testament - artists of all kinds and talents – living together, practicing, planning, and executing art together. Since we know of battles mentioned in the Old Testament where these artists were at the front to sound God’s call, I would venture their spiritual state was always a matter of concern. After all, how could one face front line work without considering the cost? There isn’t a great deal of detail about their daily life but I’m thinking it was quite a bit different than most of us artists these days. One thing seems clear to me – it was an honor to be in their company. I think it still is! And, as I’ve taught my sons for years, with honor comes responsibility, hardship, and the nagging need for humility.
Last time, we began discussing the need and reasons for healing for those who do art in God’s house. Next, while praying for God’s wisdom, let’s look with greater detail at some crucial questions in the matter. How should we best live as artists in God’s service? What kind of people are we if we are not growing and being transformed? Where should we give our art if we find ourselves in a worship house that is unwelcoming? Let’s see...
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest is love” 1 Corinthians 13: 12-13
“We don’t see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it as clearly as God sees us, knowing Him directly as He knows us. But for right now, until that completeness we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love” 1 Corinthians 13:12-13
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Working for The Designer II
What kind of people are we in the worship leading mix if all this isn’t major in our pilgrimage as artists? I’m sure each of you has tales about the dysfunctional behavior that comes from artists who are misguided and/or lacking spiritual movement! We could tell them and have a good laugh – but more times than not, a good cry. And, some of them are about ourselves – let’s be honest. The stories involve egos out of check, critical spirits running people into the ground, my way or the highway leadership that kills creative hearts, spiritual shallowness that is unfit to be discerning in planning and leading worship, lazy work ethics, etc. But my friends, and this is a most crucial point, the problem producing and unfruitful things are frequently the hidden hurts and broken places that fester in many of us. These are the shadows of those who have wounded us, taken our self worth, and convinced us we are of no value. Untended to, these shadows send fissures of negative behavior into everyday life that are self deprecating and painful to all. THIS is the main reason we must commit to spiritual transformation – openly, honestly, linked arm in arm, and with Christ as head counselor/healer/hope. He alone points the way to freedom – and that road is paved with forgiveness. Finding and then living in a house of worship that fosters this spiritual transformation in a healthy way can be mildly frustrating to impossible. Furthermore in many places the platform people, with all their artistic gifts in worship design and leading, are held accountable only to please the likes and dislikes of their congregations and not to the pilgrimage of spiritual wholeness. It would be dishonest not to admit that the church universal is rarely the “house of healing” Jesus means it to be. I would encourage artists, at whatever stage you are in this discussion of working for the Designer, to seek a place to share your gifts that openly holds you lovingly accountable for spiritual growth and healing. Next time I want to focus our discussion on this very point – how to find a good “work space”, when to do art in the church and when not to. It might be time to move on – it might be time to hunker down and “bloom where you’re planted” – no matter if you’re presently a rose, a weed, or just a seedling
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I came away from this show convinced more than ever about the need for artists to find healing. But I also was struck by memories of how I have said and done things that hurt others while expressing myself as a worship leader. When I came to Christ I was in need of abundant tender grace. Now, with my heart so much freer and whole than it was, it is my duty of love to give that grace however and wherever I am able. Lord give me strength and humility – I am in deep need.
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Your responses to these musings are deeply needed and appreciated. Please drop me a line or pick up the phone. I could talk all day about worship! And I pray that you will be blessed in some way by what God is doing here – so much so that you will share this with others and maybe even bring me to your worship space….for sharing, coffee, great music, fellowship, and strength in the journeying. Click to read our previous newsletter
Please note that we now have audio clips from all three discs at the product page and that we also have Pay Pal for you to conveniently purchase those discs! Enjoy this new feature yourself and send a friend, a pastor, or a fellow artist to the site for a brief listen to the sound of A CrossBetween!
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