Page 16 - Empowering Missional Artists - Jim Mills.pdf

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Sofia Life, Bulgaria

In view of this, while some would conclude that it is a priority to become active in the arts, it

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is not that simple. Actor and writer Garold Andersen explains…

Contrary to the thoughts of some Christians, filling this void is not a one step process of
deciding that Christians should be involved in the arts. So much bad art (religious
propaganda) and poor communication has been done in the name of Christianity that it
takes time to build a reputation for producing good art. Great art should help us to see
things in a new light. The Christian artist has for so long been reduced to regurgitating
denominational doctrines that his/her art lacks any revealing light at all. The thought
behind most Christian art can be summed up in the phrase, "the Bible tells me so."
Though Christians in the arts must view the Bible as the core of truth, if they want to
communicate to others, they need to know why these things are true. They must
understand the concept of life in God, as well as its implications to the individual and
society. They need to be able to speak as creatively and intelligently as the apostle Paul
when he spoke on Mars Hill in Athens. He did not reject the culture of the Greeks but was
wise enough to see God within it. (Anderson 2007)

As church leaders, we have a responsibility to mentor and send mature, thinking,

passionate and compassionate artists into the real world, as hope and light disseminators. They,

however, must be properly prepared. It is true that “the foundations are being destroyed” so the

question is, what can the church, do? One thing is, we can begin to speak the language of the

people, as Christ did. The artists have an audience in a postmodern world, yet they will need our

care, our prayers, our counsel, our affirmation, finances and our Biblical worldview teaching so

that they may confidently navigate culture as postmodern visionaries.