In thinking about this, I jotted down a list of bullet points on a piece of paper—things I love about the arts. I thought I’d share:
Can transcend and bridge culture
Can be universally interpreted and understood
Can express beauty and joy
Can bring healing and freedom
Have the power to greatly touch and influence hearts and minds
Are an expression of cultural uniqueness and individuality
Can be brutally honest and raw
A form of worship
Provide an opening for the Holy Spirit
Can be a powerful communicator of truth
Form of prophesy
Exciting
World of Constant Discovery
Imaginative
Not afraid to ask and explore tough questions, and not afraid of not having an answer
Sparks Conversation
Can be used in many different forms to touch all cultures, all social classes, and all religions
Respected, valued, and celebrated
Define culture
Transform Culture
I’m sure we could all keep going. Feel free to add. To me, the connection between this list and my faith is not a tough one to make. Many of the things I wrote are also characteristics of God or characteristics of life with God. It makes sense, for God was the first creator and all artistic expression stems from his original creation. The first words of the Bible are “In the beginning God created.” We are all a work of art. If God created art, he must care about art. And if God cares about art, shouldn’t we, as people seeking after the heart of God care and have an interest in art?
I know this is all very basic. I have heard very in depth and wonderful explanations and talks addressing this topic. I have barely touched the surface. But too often I have heard Christians say or imply that the arts are not important, not valid, even sinful. It is a struggle. As an artist who loves the Lord and feels called by the Lord, it can hurt. Furthermore, it is frustrating, for it can limit the scope of artistic expression. I believe it is one of the reasons why there is so little obvious godly influence in the arts and entertainment world today. I believe God has great plans for the arts, but to start they need to be redeemed. Going back to the basics and digging in the Word is key. Uniting church and artist and church and art is key. Knowing God’s heart for the arts, why he loves the arts, and therefore why we should care, not just as artists but as an entire Christian community is essential.
So what about it? Why do you care about the arts? Why and how do you think God cares about the arts? Why should we as a Christian community care about the arts?
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