Why Do Churches and Artists Need Each Other?

Ryan Lister, Brett McCracken, and Thomas Terry discuss artistic gifting, creative voices in the church, artistic inspiration, and the value of guardrails in art.

[@RenewalCreations]

Art is an expression of worship....music, film, writing, dance, storytelling/acting, arts and crafts, painting/drawing/sculpting/carpentry, etc...a way to present the gospel, worship, or bless the body or others thru your gift

[@nickrandomph7153]

Same😇✌️😎💪

[@jcwt_pdx]

How can I, as a figurative and symbolistic artist, use the talents God gave me for service to Him?

[@j.h.christianartist5659]

Find stories in the Bible verses that speak to you and imagine what they look like in your heart and put it into art form! I just started this year it's been amazing sharing this gift with everyone in my church

[@figurematrix7319]

The most common arts that are used on church are performing arts( dance, and music) but as a painter/ visual artist, how could I use my gift and talent to contribute to the church and ministry in general?

[@jcwt_pdx]

That's what I would like to know myself.

[@AWalkingHat]

If more care and creativity was invested into beautifying our buildings, it would be a start! Christian artists could finally contribute. Our churches are merely functional, no sculpture, no paintings, nothing. The Old Testament temple had splendid decorations and illustrations.

[@Greywolfgrafix]

I'm still trying to figure that out. They seem to frown on us graphic / visual artists.

[@ewene2656]

This was a disappointing video. Artists need the church so they have inspiration for their art and aren’t stuck in a bubble? Very little said about artists’ need of discipleship and the church being the pillar of the truth. Nothing about the historic role art has played in church history. I thought the answers were pretty weak theologically.

[@FlowLai]

I agree. Also, nothing said about the artist's need for the truth of the gospel and how the truth can help reveal what is beautiful art and what isn't. They touched on this at the end, how the truth leads to greater artistic freedom

[@richardbond258]

The Bubble thing was very untrue though. Some of the best art in history was created in a bubble, for example Van Gogh, Monet, and Michelangelo's Sistine chapel. Did they study less but were they socializing, no. Why does an Artist need the church, because the church is the body of God. If you love God, you want to be a part of His Church. As an Artist, the reason why I want to create art for the church is that I love and honor God. I want to create art that praises him. The reason why visual artists leave the church is because the church has abandoned them.

[@WilliamFAlmeida]

I agree that Brett made it seem like at first, that the Gospel is boring unless we add something to it. But he clarified and that's not his position. The Gospel is already beautiful and we tend to get lazy and make it less beautiful because we lack imagination in presentation. All this to say: don't be lazy, God made us creative for a reason and His glory. He also went on to point out that artists need the church because that's where the Gospel is

[@NewHeartCreationz]

It's a struggle since I've been attempting it. I feel I'm never good enough, and not doing justice to Gods creation. It would be great if we had a good Christian community of artists able to connect with each other.

[@expressionworship4085]

is there any article only with all this videos about Artist and Church? Thank you!

[@rjthomasindyusa]

"Stale, tired, old words" Did he really say that? This is everything that is wrong with the 'church' They think they can repackage the gospel to make it 'palatable' for a bunch of goats... meanwhile the sheep go hungry. Faith comes by hearing.... the message of the cross if foolishness for those who are perishing. So lets make art... that will get em' saved. I honestly believe that the majority of local 'churches' have been compromised and there is only a small remnant of true Believers that are scattered throughout the land. How many people are having a hard time finding a solid Biblical Church?

[@juliemaldonado5660]

Came across this video I appreciate where he says artists thrive most when there's limitations. I was so thankful to hear him say that, I often feel too scattered like going in too many directions but definitely need assignments. haa

[@klonsagaen]

What kind of things do you Draw? i like to draw superheroes

[@j.h.christianartist5659]

I recently got the opportunity to share Gods word through art in the church it's been amazing! Iv been painting for the church for a year now!

[@Greywolfgrafix]

I'm 60 years old, and have been artistic all of my life. I have been looked down on over being an artist as if I were somehow "mentally inferior". I've also been told that if I got into ministry I would have to "give up all that art stuff. It has no place in the church"... So, I quit attending church in 1992, over this arrogant, condescending attitude. They made feel as though I was always on the outside looking in, and never accepted.

[@malooly]

Sorry to hear this mate. It was completely false what they told you. I'm a full time creator for a church planting organisation in London and I have a full time graphic designer on my team. You CAN be in ministry and be creative. They had no idea what they were talking about. Hope you can find a different church family that can value that and you can ask how you can get involved creatively. Don't let a couple dummies from 1992 ruin having real authentic Christian community and being able to bring your talents to serve Jesus!

[@Greywolfgrafix]

@@malooly The anti-art and anti-intellectual sentiment seems to be a hallmark of American fundamentalism, sadly.

[@HearGodsWord]

I wouldn't say 'need' but there's certainly a place for art as a form and expression of worship.

[@radicalchangeofmind1368]

Good discussion. Be careful however of artist. Just like their creative minds, they can get theologically creative as well. Remember the Renaissance in Florence, those artist were painting nudes. In the name of art some woman had to uncloth herself, but the church was O.K with that because it was art right? That is a lie! The Renaissance was a revival of Greco-Roman art, produced by men with a depraved mind and a depraved culture, lots of sodomy going on there. Before Martin Luther came to the stage, reformer Guillermo Savenarola in his famous Bonfire of Vanities motivated these art loving Christians to give up on those vanities. The SAME thing has to happen today: STOP in the name of art making all those vanities, the vanities of accepting nudity in movies, the vanity of all those sensualities in the name of art. These artist and TGC theologians often live in a PARRALLEL World. In the world of 'art' they can cross boundaries, that is why TGC folks LOVE Harry Potter, because the withcraft part is not real right? But that line of reasoning is deceptive and wrong. TGC produces a lot of worldly Christians and they have to give an account for this one day.

[@Greywolfgrafix]

This is the unfortunate image that many ignorant people in the church have of us artists. Not all of us paint nudes. This is a slander that needs to be quashed. I'm fed up with church folks staring down their noses at me as though I were beneath them. Personally, I believe it's a control thing. They are intimidated by creatives because they, themselves, are creatively retarded.

[@Greywolfgrafix]

Let me guess. I bet you're an independent fundamental Baptist... That's the CULT I left in 1992.

[@richardbond258]

The nude body was created by God. Painting and drawing a female nude does not lead to a path of lust and debauchery. Your sin does that. If you respect God and commit to Him then drawing a nude can be about honoring and respecting God's creation. If the viewer cannot see that in nude art then that is due to the viewer's sinful lustful desires, not the artist's. Don't project your lust onto the Artist.