Forgive me again, writing is a big struggle for me I am much more suited to speak my thoughts carefully and directly, words written is seemingly forever a struggle in comparison, so if you are reading this thank you for your patience and grace ahead of time. As a visual artist working now in the contemporary as it where, in a conscious fashion with regards to the art that has come before me and what might be the role of art now as secular culture would see it, and what might be the position held or function of a Christian artist working now? I believe that the world is primed for real reality. Reality that Gods bountiful nature is sweeping us up, that his goodness is falling upon us, the Weight of his Love is being delivered to us on the wings of Gravity. We feel this every day whether or not we know what it is, I think this goes to the intro in N.T Wright’s, Simply Christian, as he speaks of the Four Echoes, he speaks to the forces accumulating and gathering strength to resonate, to be glimpsed or understood or sensed to some degree. For me where I am at is excitement when I read some thing like what Wright spoke of in the Creation Integration:
The vision is not of Humans escaping the world and going off into Heaven. but of the New Jerusalem coming down From heaven to earth. Christian Worship is out lined here, It is about telling and re-enacting the story of what God has done, what God is doing, and what God will do- Like the great psalms and songs of the Old Testament. It celebrates Gods Mighty deeds, and in so doing, helps forward he next stage of the redeeming purpose.
It seems as though, Often when we create in the name of God we are focused on Heaven, on the upward motion of things, the lightness of it all as it relates to our Lord, Which is so important, But some how this seems mostly to the idea that we are leaving this world, that no kingdom is descending upon us as it where. I am obsessed right now with dwelling on Gods fullness and what that mean s for perhaps worship Artisans or creative influencers, I think something I have wrestled with is not letting the creative force of what it is I do to always seem in terms of Effect’s like it is light with regards to weight, almost like it is full of helium, with no real effect or barring on that deep place in our physical nature. It seems many need to know that that deep hidden place inside them also need s to be met, and often when a worship song is “up”! From the start in all it fullness (sound, chords musicality, Lyrically) there is then perhaps a missing aspect that could activate that Up ness and then speak to Gods fuller picture, maybe as worship artisans we need to know better what kind of effects can occur when we learn not just our subject matter well, but also our material well the vehicle in all its fullness that we choose to compose with, to the extent that the force of a song can spin many plates, it can dig deep into those places in our soul that need a hand, it can shovel well passed the surface and grab us! Make us aware that His Kingdom is at hand, that as we are made aware of our humanity and the woes of a person, a nation, a world can be brought to bare while also then providing us with the full force of Gods ability to lift up these woes, that while they exist they are being transformed, that this complete picture hits us so completely that we feel grounded, that we want to fall on our knees, from the weight of the sound of the music the gravity of the meaning the singularity of the very moment that you stand before a profound worship song sensing and praising with all that one might have to give to our Lord as though his Kingdom as we truly know ,that it is Upon us Now! I think singularity and a willing ness to press the lyrical content further the musicality to a place both foreign and familiar all at once is at our hands, so things don’t bleed together in a counter productive way, as artist we must not settle for stagnant redundant works when we have a living God, and expansive God who wants us to reflect his expansive nature. What does that look like? sound like? feel like? I don’t know, but Lord I want too, I don’t want to miss anyone you have called me to reach creatively. Lord, I pray that you will take my imperfect self and mold it according to your will that your Love would transform me forever, that I will always delight and long for your Infinite wisdom and goodness and that in that place with you, You would speak life into the place where it is needed with me creatively, thank your Lord, Amen
