Page 3 - Empowering Missional Artists - Jim Mills.pdf

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Xaris Dance, Finland

Where are the creative men and women – the writers, the artists, the filmmakers – who
will capture the imagination of our confused world in the name of Christ? Where are
those who will expose by their work the vanities and contradictions of our age, and
affirm with all their skill they can muster that only in Christ are hidden
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge? (Akers 1989, 13)

WHERE ARE THE ARTISTS?

In 1989, John Akers challenged the Christian community with this question: “where are

the... artists?” The question seemed odd, as the church appeared alive with the arts as

expressed in architecture, the rich heritage of music in the church, as well as numerous literary

works throughout church history, and all the artistic genres employed in the church cultural

context. However, Akers was not speaking of artists serving in the context of the church sub-

culture or to the stream called to overt evangelistic Christian missions, rather he was speaking to

the conspicuous absence of Christian artistic presence in mainstream culture. His appeal came

out of an awareness of the growing moral bankruptcy prevailing in western societies; and the

need for godly Christ-centered skillful artisans who are able to effectively disseminate the beauty,

truth and goodness of God for our errant western societies. Whereas, God’s people, God’s