Because He First Loved Us

I’m an artist who works in the medium of people… and I’ve learned a few things.

If the church loves artists—in all their glorious mess—artists will find hope & healing.

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Pictured in the frame is Alyee. When I met her 5 years ago, she was struggling for life and abandoned by her family. We became her family. With love and support, we watched her recover. Alyee has a new life as a student, painter, and is now studying to become a therapist.

Art ministry is NOT about artists serving the local church.It’s about the church loving artists.

If the church loves her artists first, the way God loves us first,artists will respond by loving the church.Our artists painted a sanctuary altarpiece, 50 feet wide, representing the life of David. Our pastors even helped a little.

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Some artists who find healing will gravitate toward the broken people of your city.Darrel lived in a nursing home. My friend Sherri, his only visitor, taught him how to paint. His wall was covered with the watercolors Sherri helped him create, when he passed away.

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If you invite artists to share what they’re learning, they’ll help each other grow spiritually and artistically, across generations.

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They will take God’s love outside your church doors. We traveled to Ecuador to paint murals for another church.

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If you embrace—not just some abstract theory of The Arts—but actual artists, they’ll willingly show you their heart, and their art. This is a congregational exhibit at our church.

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If you’re open to the Holy Spirit’s leading, you’ll try things nobody’s done before.We introduced art tables in our sanctuary. People can visually process the sermon through line and color. And it works.

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If you love your pastors, and educate them with grace, you may gain new territory for the arts. This is our art studio, which our pastors gave us after 5 years of doing art ministry.

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It’s about community. And it’s attractive. You may find new artists joining from all sorts of places, because they know they’ll be accepted.

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How can your church love artists first?Find them. Start now. Picture a church where artists know that God loves them.And then make that place a reality.

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To learn about the new art ministry school I’m starting (completely online!) in September 2015, click here.

One response to “Because He First Loved Us”

  1. Gretiana Avatar

    I agree with you. when God started using me in the church, I was still a chunk of mess. But He gradually cleaned me up.

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