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Arts and the Church: Pt. 1 |
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Posted by Matt Conner
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12:58 AM Monday, 19 November 2007 |
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What can be said about arts in the church? It seems the two are completely different worlds, unless your version of art comes in a large banner than hangs vertically with a scripty font reading "Savior" or "Meekness" or whatever particular theme your church gathering is trying to highlight. Or maybe your church is a bit trendier and there's some sort of five minute skit that lacks either realism or grit, instead becoming an easy platitude for the pastor to reference 10 minutes later in a predictable service/gathering.
Me? I want no part of being content with this as the extent of our churches' participation in the arts. I don't need to go into the fantastic history of arts within the church as it's all been said before and in much better ways than what I could do. But I do hope to begin several blog entries here, over time, which will highlight some conversation and ideas in which the church can think of new ways to engage in the arts.
I'm in a weird position both as a writer and pastor, because I feel I can speak to this in a way that others can't - living on both sides of the fence. The church side of me definitely sees that the arts might be messy (ba-dump-ba) or that there are "more important" things to focus upon. And a case can be made for that, but just what if...
We draw a lot of artists to our church - The Mercy House - and it makes
for an interesting group. We aren't particularly organized (probably a
byproduct) so we don't have entire programs and a whole "arts" section
in some sort of bulletin that artists can get involved in - as if
church is meant to be this giant consumer-driven, compartmentalized
entity. But we are learning ways that we can be involved in the arts.
One of my fears is that focusing on the arts would make us too insular
- too focused on our own abilities, needs, desires and goals. Those are
all well and good, but connection to the world is essential. We are
blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 12 - God's words to Abram) and so if
we are blessed with art, then what is our mandate to bless others with
that? That's a great question and one that each church body should ask.
For us, this has meant becoming a part of the solution in a school
system grossly overbudget and cutting school art programs and
extracurricular activities. We have church in a very down and out part
of town - the only caucasians for blocks meeting in an abandoned school
building. For us, we are rubbing shoulders with kids who have no
artistic outlet. So for us, we realize that we have a responsibility to
take the dozens of young adults who have such artistic gifts who drive
in each Sunday and do something there. It's our job to provide after
school arts programs, to teach skills and offer training so that these
kids might have a way to escape the ghetto and family patterns by
exploring others gifts besides basketball or football.
It's methods like these that I think the church needs to be taking
advantage of. We are not a great church. We're not even good. But we
are trying to be a faithful group of people asking tough questions and
trying to answer them ourselves.
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