"I Am an Artist!"

During the final session of the Worship Arts Conference with one speaker to go, the worship leader initiated a moment in which he encouraged everyone to pray silently and allow God to speak to us about everything we had received over the course of the 3 days. I sat down, closed my eyes, cleared my thoughts from worry and busy-ness and then spoke a statement which came through my thoughts and from my lips and completely startled me.

“I am an artist.” I sensed the Spirit of God come over me like a wave at that moment. For those of you who know me, you understand that I like that kind of thing which explains why I said it again but this time with more emphasis... “I am an ARTIST!” Another wave broke over me and this time almost knocked me off of my seat.

I had agreed to come with my wife Joy although an Arts Conference is not what I would normally desire to attend, especially at Willow Creek. Leadership YES. Arts NO. And so I drove my wife and brought my computer to their incredible and wireless internet friendly facility to half listen to the sessions and half work on my many projects. Can any of you guys relate?

Evidently, much of what I was observing (in the surroundings) and hearing (from the teaching) was sinking in. Here are a few highlights:

- An observation... the Churches that I have come up in have been limiting the Holy Spirit. We speak in tongues, sometimes even interpret those tongues, prophesy, operate in most of the Biblically listed and even many unlisted gifts, and yet we have neglected, often even scorned the arts. I was surrounded by people many of whom don’t speak in tongues, but they allow themselves to be moved by the Spirit of God to a Creativity which when expressed wins the lost of this new generation.
- The Worship Arts keep us in that place of “Wonder” so that we will be continually impressed with God, not losing the fire of our salvation. Celebration re-connects us with the life we love... the better reality.
- Bob the Tomato from Veggie Tales (Phil Vischer) presented his story of how his pride and drive for more and more (described in short form that he wanted to be like a modern day Walt Disney) lead him to professional ruin by essentially losing his dream ministry. Thankfully I also heard him describe how God brought him back to even greater fulfillment. But the big lesson for me came by way of a CS Lewis quote in his testimony. “He who has God and something has nothing more then he who has God alone.” The point? God allowed what is probably the single most impacting children’s multi-media ministry in the history of the world so far to be taken from Phil in order to ultimately get him where he needed to be in his personal relationship with Himself. The ministry didn’t matter nearly as much to God as the minister. Wow! Get your mind around that CS Lewis quote and allow it to completely rock your world!
- Darlene Zschech described her journey of letting go of her position in order to pass it on to the next generation. Hello!?! Joel Houston is now the Creative Director for Hillsong Church. She didn’t have to do that but she did for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Amazing! And she still sits in the services and keeps her mouth zipped because she actually passed the mantle on willingly... She said that she asked God go give her a picture of what her life is supposed to look like and God showed her that she is a bridge for the next generation to walk across. Face down with people walking over her. That’s glamorous isn’t it? No, it’s the opposite of glamorous. It is humble and yields amazing results for the Kingdom of God in reaching the next generation.
- Ian Morgan Cron who wrote the amazing book “Chasing Francis” opened my eyes to Contemplative Spirituality, which means a contemplative way of seeking communion with God (my definition). He told us that art is speaking in tongues. I agree with that in the non-physical definition of what it means to allow the Holy Spirit to speak through you in a way that reaches everyone as the Spirit did on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. Absolutely! He said that art arrests us when words fail. He said that we live in a God Crammed, God Drenched universe (the Bible says it too) and that our job as artists (yes I am calling myself one now) is to “Say Clearly what others Feel Vaguely.” Amazing! He said that Christianity is not something that you do but is something that gets done to you. He encouraged us to read Pope John Paul II’s message to artists. Google it and it is there and it is amazing! That Pope in his lifetime spoke to us about the “beauty that saves.” He further explained that people who try hard to be Christians are like people who tape fruit to a tree. He then quoted Mark Twain who said “they are good in the worst possible way.” He said that you will know when you are growing in your spirituality when you begin to co-experience life with God. The goal is not to ask for something or to give something, but to live in the Kingdom of God which is already at hand with Him. The rest flows naturally. He then led us in a discipline which included candles, music and silence. I had never been in a meeting like that before in which I experienced the manifest presence of God all over me led by an Anglican Priest! Unbelievable!!!
- There were many other great moments as well brought to us through awesome presenters such as Nancy Beach, Nancy Ortburg and Chip & Dan Heath who wrote the book “Made to Stick” teaching us how to present sticky ideas for maximum impact.
- Then the final speaker came up immediately after my epiphany that “I am an artist.” It was Efrem Smith, the Pastor from Minneapolis teaching a session on “The Wonder of Beloved Worship.” He allows many art forms in his Church including grafitti. Huh? What does that look like? I guess I’ll have to go to his Church to find out. He and others recognized that the Hip Hop culture was a cry from a fatherless generation and they strove to give art a place in the Church where art which comes from brokenness could be replaced by art which comes from belovedness. I know you don’t probably get that right now, but let it start to sink in... It was his closing that got me the most. He described an animal, the African Impala and how it has the ability to jump as high as 13 feet and as far as 30 feet. Lion’s typically cannot catch one. But that interestingly, zoo’s can contain them with an initial 3 foot wall. They won’t jump over a 3 foot wall? They have the ability but they won’t do it. Why? Because they won’t jump unless they can see where they will land. Efrem then asked us what little barrier is holding us back and he encouraged us to jump by faith!

I am an artist. What is my art? My art is not drawing though I wish it were. It isn’t producing movie clips (though I really really wish it were). It is song to a point, but I doubt that I will be the featured lead singer on an album. An album shouldn’t be the point should it? Worshipping live, I know that when I use my gift of song that it touches people. It speaks clearly what is often vague to others and it accomplishes much. But even more then singing a song, it is words. Words to teach, words to preach, words to write... books, articles, notes of encouragement, songs... whatever God had in mind for me from before He formed me in my Mothers womb. What is it for you? What do you do that touches people?

I can jump and I must jump! I must learn to do better not for a result or a reward, but because it is what God designed me to do and I must do it to co-experience this life with Him more and more. To jump, I must take my own advice that I have given on several occasions. I remember saying to one person, “Don’t write a book for an audience or to sell, wondering if it will become a success or not. Write it for you! And even if nobody ever buys a copy, become the better person you are supposed to be for having gone through the process. Do it for the Lord and get that thought which is precious inside of you, out... It will touch somebody someday somehow... The results are up to the Lord.” I should have listened to my own advice sooner.

Jump Steve! Jump reader! Don’t worry about the landing, just jump over that little hurdle in front of you and get ready to be surprised at what God will accomplish through your obedience. You are an artist! Put the website up for you. Write the blog for you! Make the film for you! Draw the painting for you! Record the song for you! Design the card for you! Sing the song for you! And most importantly, do it for God because it is God who designed you to shine for Him! And it is a great thing that when you aren’t worried about results, God will use that humility... He always chooses those who don’t want to be out front to be out front. Why? Because they will give Him all the glory and all the honor and keep none of it for themselves. JUMP!!!

You will be seeing more coming from me (if you look) because I am determined to be an artist for God. To make clear that which is vague. To be His agent in this world completely at His disposal, scattering Kingdom seed, the message of the Kingdom everywhere and whenever I can in the most creative ways that I can, leaving the results to Him. Can I look for you to shine as well? In a very real way to me, it seems that one of the fronts of the war we are in as soldiers in the Kingdom of God is that Christian Art needs to overwhelm any other art that does not bring glory to God. This call is a responsibility. Shine for Him now and forever! Amen!