Page 17 - Empowering Missional Artists - Jim Mills.pdf

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THE CHURCH’S MARGINALIZATION OF ART AND ARTISTS

“Does it matter how we the church view the arts?” (Taylor 2007) is the question that we

must ask ourselves as church leaders. For the better part of the last 100 years, the artists and

the arts have been completely marginalized in our thinking in the church. One pastor had this to

say about our general attitude towards artists in the church:

For too long, the church has neglected them, misunderstood them, ignored them,
and many times hurt them.” Yes-- artists are quirky, weird, moody, difficult,
opinionated, and often do not play well with others. But you know what? That also
sounds an awful lot like the Old Testament prophets. Artists are prophetic voices in
our communities. As their pastors, we must carry out our Ephesians 4:12 mandate
and disciple them to use their gifts for the glory of God. Please note, I did not say "use
their gifts for ministry," but "for the glory of God." Perhaps it's a semantics issue, but
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there is a subtle difference. (Zempel 2007)
To our shame generally among church leaders, there is little or no vision for artists as

God’s servants, unless they are willing to serve in the church gathering or in evangelism. There

are a number of possible reasons for this estrangement, not the least of which is that we as

leaders have not thought-through our worldview and consequentially have not taught a Biblical

worldview from our pulpits. It is really only a matter of sound Christian theology. “The starting

point for a Christian understanding and contribution to the arts must be a basic Christian theology

because what we believe is never secondary to what we do.” (Wilson 1981, 70) We need not

develop a special ‘theology of the arts’ because as John Wilson states, “all that is required is a

biblical theology that has a place for the arts. The Bible does give us this. All things were

created to serve God and bring glory to His Name.” (Ibid) In his book, One of the Richest Gifts,

he correctly points out, “Submission to God does not mean a narrow view of life or a curtailment

of artistic or literary freedom. His Word is truth, and the truth can make us free. It will open our

eyes, not only to the plight, but to the possibilities of man. It will show that all things are ours - -

all subjects, all themes and can be understood and explored by an enlightened mind and

sanctified imagination.” (Ibid, 71)