Straight to the Heart: Communicating the Gospel in an Emotionally Driven CultureSample

Art

When we open the Bible, we are met with song, poetry, and story. The arts are a part of our spiritual DNA. In a Heart Culture, the creative arts can be far more than a gimmick we deploy for a supersized worship service. They should be a regular part of our communal worship, community outreach, and discipleship. Perhaps we would captivate the hearts of a creative and aesthetic generation more if they felt that church was fertile soil and congregations were water to help their gifts flourish.

Christian artists have been aptly described as the preachers of general revelation. When God revealed Himself, He did so through the special revelation of the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16) and the general revelation of His creation (Rom. 1:20). Preachers behind the pulpit fulfill the role of the first, but a need remains for the second—a role uniquely suited for artists.

The Bible is filled with memorable and heroic characters: mighty kings, bold prophets, fearless warriors, and devout disciples. Therefore, it might be surprising to learn that the first time Scripture mentions anyone being filled with the Spirit of God, it is not someone like that. That distinction is given to Bezalel and Oholiab, two artists and craftsmen (Ex. 31:2-6; 35:30-35). God empowered them for the special assignment of building the tabernacle.

In a Heart Culture driven by the aesthetic and increasingly saturated in art and media, perhaps the loudest megaphone from which we can speak is through the arts. By fostering a culture of creativity within our walls, we can speak to those enticed by the aesthetic and equip the God-gifted creatives to uniquely take gospel hope into the world.

Have you been gifted artistically? If so, how are you using your gifting to reveal a little something of God to the world? How can you help to launch others’ artistry into the world?