Page 40 - Empowering Missional Artists - Jim Mills.pdf

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untouchable ones, but rather the ones who do touch - as a servant, as in washing others’ feet.

(John 13:5-14) In this passage after demonstrating true leadership, Jesus said,

If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another’s feet. "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly,
truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master; neither is one who is sent
greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do
them. (John 13:14-17)

Associating this Greek word for leader with servanthood was as a radical paradox. Roman

leaders were definitely not known as servants, rather as lords who dominated society and took

every opportunity to display their preeminence.

For the serious Hebrew student of the scriptures, servanthood was not a radical or

revolutionary concept. In fact, art and servant-wood were spoken of and modeled early on in the

Biblical narrative. In the Psalms we find the servant, David, not only composing poems and

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songs, but also arranging them musically . Even a superficial study of church history will reveal

that Christianity, just as Judaism, has always been expressed artistically as art found a servant

role in communicating the faith. The first New Testament believers were primarily Jews and they

clearly valued poetry, music, and architecture. In the catacombs, archeologist discovered that

early Christians told their stories via wall paintings.

In Exodus, we find an excellent example of art and servanthood, which provides a model

for artist to follow:

Then Moses said to the sons of Israel, "See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the
son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. "And He has filled him with the Spirit of
God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all craftsmanship; to make
designs for working in gold and in silver and in bronze, and in the cutting of stones for
settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work. "He also has
put in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.
"He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of
an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a
weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs. (Exodus 35:30-35)

There is no question that God endorses artistic leaders and He calls them to serve His purposes

and His plan. Moses and David’s Tabernacles, Solomon’s temple, and the Psalms are all works