Well, it is the best phrase I can think of to describe art that draws those who recieve it into relationship with God. There is creation itself which, according to the Bible, "declares the glory of God." So that means all of creation is "missional art." If we are receptive to God's art, if we "open our eyes" and hearts, then we can know a great deal about The One who created it.
I think most of the art that people create has a purpose, perhaps all of it does. Even when little children draw what looks like random lines they are "trying to get something out." They are communicating.
But, when I use the phrase "Missional Art" I am referring to art created by someone who knows God and who, through the creative process, intentionally or unintentionally, communicates something about God. Some of the most effective Missional Art is not symbolic (such as a painting of the cross). The rock band U2 is a great example of outstanding Missional Art that is subtle but powerfully missional.
Help me expand on this....
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Missional Art: Characteristics of Effective Pastors & Missionaries
1. They have a genuine appreciation for and understanding of art; they do not just “use” art as a “tool” for outreach.
2. They accept, respect, value, honor, and empower creative people (artists). This is critical, as artists will not stick around if they sense that they are not valued. Budgets reflect values; money to support artists is an essential aspect of honoring them.
3. They understand that one of the most powerful aspects of the creative process is the formation of relationships. People are hungry for positive working relationships that result in genuine community and belonging.
4. They do not divide the world into artificial “sacred” and “secular” realms. This enables them to listen carefully to both God’s Word and to the voices of mainstream society around them, what John Stott calls “double listening.” For an outstanding explanation of why this is so important, see Steve Turner’s book “imagine.”
5. They plan strategically, with an integrated approach to outreach that is holistic, comprehensive, and sensitive to the needs and preferences of their target group (there is far more to effective outreach than art).
2. They accept, respect, value, honor, and empower creative people (artists). This is critical, as artists will not stick around if they sense that they are not valued. Budgets reflect values; money to support artists is an essential aspect of honoring them.
3. They understand that one of the most powerful aspects of the creative process is the formation of relationships. People are hungry for positive working relationships that result in genuine community and belonging.
4. They do not divide the world into artificial “sacred” and “secular” realms. This enables them to listen carefully to both God’s Word and to the voices of mainstream society around them, what John Stott calls “double listening.” For an outstanding explanation of why this is so important, see Steve Turner’s book “imagine.”
5. They plan strategically, with an integrated approach to outreach that is holistic, comprehensive, and sensitive to the needs and preferences of their target group (there is far more to effective outreach than art).
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Messages in Japanese & English (Title is a link)
Jesus LifeHouse, a vibrant church in Tokyo that is effectively reaching youth, has an archive of excellent, gospel-focused messages available free of charge.
United Band in Tokyo, Nov. 19, 2006
From David Tensen's Blog: Last weekend was fantastic! Hillsong United Band came to Tokyo from Australia for one night and we saw 1900 people pack the hall of Aoyama Gakuin University. Tickets were sold out two weeks before the event and the people were lining up in the rain for over an hour to get in and grab a good seat. There was nothing stopping them! Some had travelled hours for the concert - it was soo great and the United team love Tokyo and really enjoyed playing at the service. They played around 20 songs and around 200 people responded to call to follow Christ. Which is amazing for Japan!
My Comment: I attended this concert, it was incredible to see the crowd's enthusiasm and energy. There is no question that the spiritual climate in Japan has changed. This kind of thing did not happen in Japan a few years ago. Now, similar events are taking place around the country, including large black gospel concerts.
My Comment: I attended this concert, it was incredible to see the crowd's enthusiasm and energy. There is no question that the spiritual climate in Japan has changed. This kind of thing did not happen in Japan a few years ago. Now, similar events are taking place around the country, including large black gospel concerts.
Missional Art: The Creative Proclamation of the Gospel
Missional Art
The Creative Proclamation of the Gospel
Assumptions:
1. Everyone has God-given creativity so “missional art” can be a part of every ministry.
2. Teamwork is essential to creativity.
3. People are looking for participatory environments where they can make a creative contribution.
4. One obstacle to creativity is rigidly clinging to the status quo. Change is hard but our choice is to embrace growth or experience slow death.
5. A controlling, top-down structure is another obstacle to creativity, creativity thrives where there is freedom to explore and innovate.
There are some encouraging signs of a spiritual awakening in Japan. One “sign” are “hot spots” -- vibrant churches that are effectively reaching Japanese with the gospel. Why some churches are thriving while many are not, is an important question that calls for careful research. However, I believe that one important characteristic of thriving churches in Japan is their emphasis on “missional art.”
Two churches in Tokyo where “missional art” is part of the DNA of the church:
1. Nakano Baptist Church
When Pastor Kazumi Saito started pastoring this fifty-year-old congregation in 1999, it was an older congregation that had made few changes in forty years. Today Nakano Baptist is full of life with children, youth, and young moms from the community taking part in a variety of creative ministries. The church space is warm and friendly with a small café in a back corner of the sanctuary. This summer the church ran a highly creative kid’s camp that drew many children from the community. Artistic flyers, newsletters, and posters are part of what draws people to the church.
One indication of change in this congregation is that the church is equipped with quality music and video equipment. Saito’s messages incorporate portions of mainstream movies as well as original video clips that he produces. Because Saito is keenly aware of what is happening in mainstream Japanese culture, he is able to communicate on a level that “connects” with those who have had little or no contact with the gospel.
Nakano Baptist has a vision to build a 250 seat multi-purpose “community space” that will be used for worship services, concerts, and other events. It will include a café and state-of-the-art sound, lighting, and video equipment.
2. Jesus LifeHouse Church
On Easter Sunday, 2006 attendance at Jesus LifeHouse (JL) was 450. A group from Australia lead by Pastor Rod Plummer established JL in August of 2002 with Japanese youth as the target group. This church has baptized an average of 90 people per year, most of whom were young people in their late teens and twenties. The arts are important to the leaders of JL. Associate Pastor Ryuta Kimura stated, “Art is good. God is an artist…normal people should be able to accept it and relate to it… young people don’t really care about the history of art and all that stuff, just that it looks good.”
The Internet plays an important role at JL with the attractive web site drawing well over fifty visitors/day. Thirty percent of first time visitors to the church come through the web site. A new Media site featuring message videos is getting a strong response with well over two hundred people/week viewing videos. Mixi, a sophisticated Japanese social networking site similar to My Space, is one important means of connecting with youth. According to Kimura, seventy percent of Japanese youth use mixi making it a natural “space” for people to “meet” and communicate with each other. “Our people make connections with new people (via mixi) through their friends and people who they know. For example, if someone writes comments on their blog, then there is a connection, the person can be invited to church.”
In the summer of 2005, JL collaborated with five other churches to host Hillsongs, “United” band in Tokyo. Over 2,500 attended two concerts with 50 decisions to follow Christ. Kimura said it built vision, “we realized we can do more of this.” In May of 2006, JL hosted world-class DJ Andy Hunter for a worship dance gig that drew over two hundred youth. Willingness to try unorthodox, creative means of connecting with people through art is a remarkable aspect of JL.
Article on Jesus LifeHouse by David Tensen
Creation (general revelation) and the Bible (special revelation) are masterpieces born out of the heart of a creative God who wants to be known. Both are “missional art” because they are God’s creative way of revealing Himself and His plan of salvation. Our ability to create “missional art” is related to our being made in the image of God.
In a nation where art has been highly valued for many generations, “missional art” is one of the keys to the hearts of Japanese.
The Creative Proclamation of the Gospel
Assumptions:
1. Everyone has God-given creativity so “missional art” can be a part of every ministry.
2. Teamwork is essential to creativity.
3. People are looking for participatory environments where they can make a creative contribution.
4. One obstacle to creativity is rigidly clinging to the status quo. Change is hard but our choice is to embrace growth or experience slow death.
5. A controlling, top-down structure is another obstacle to creativity, creativity thrives where there is freedom to explore and innovate.
There are some encouraging signs of a spiritual awakening in Japan. One “sign” are “hot spots” -- vibrant churches that are effectively reaching Japanese with the gospel. Why some churches are thriving while many are not, is an important question that calls for careful research. However, I believe that one important characteristic of thriving churches in Japan is their emphasis on “missional art.”
Two churches in Tokyo where “missional art” is part of the DNA of the church:
1. Nakano Baptist Church
When Pastor Kazumi Saito started pastoring this fifty-year-old congregation in 1999, it was an older congregation that had made few changes in forty years. Today Nakano Baptist is full of life with children, youth, and young moms from the community taking part in a variety of creative ministries. The church space is warm and friendly with a small café in a back corner of the sanctuary. This summer the church ran a highly creative kid’s camp that drew many children from the community. Artistic flyers, newsletters, and posters are part of what draws people to the church.
One indication of change in this congregation is that the church is equipped with quality music and video equipment. Saito’s messages incorporate portions of mainstream movies as well as original video clips that he produces. Because Saito is keenly aware of what is happening in mainstream Japanese culture, he is able to communicate on a level that “connects” with those who have had little or no contact with the gospel.
Nakano Baptist has a vision to build a 250 seat multi-purpose “community space” that will be used for worship services, concerts, and other events. It will include a café and state-of-the-art sound, lighting, and video equipment.
2. Jesus LifeHouse Church
On Easter Sunday, 2006 attendance at Jesus LifeHouse (JL) was 450. A group from Australia lead by Pastor Rod Plummer established JL in August of 2002 with Japanese youth as the target group. This church has baptized an average of 90 people per year, most of whom were young people in their late teens and twenties. The arts are important to the leaders of JL. Associate Pastor Ryuta Kimura stated, “Art is good. God is an artist…normal people should be able to accept it and relate to it… young people don’t really care about the history of art and all that stuff, just that it looks good.”
The Internet plays an important role at JL with the attractive web site drawing well over fifty visitors/day. Thirty percent of first time visitors to the church come through the web site. A new Media site featuring message videos is getting a strong response with well over two hundred people/week viewing videos. Mixi, a sophisticated Japanese social networking site similar to My Space, is one important means of connecting with youth. According to Kimura, seventy percent of Japanese youth use mixi making it a natural “space” for people to “meet” and communicate with each other. “Our people make connections with new people (via mixi) through their friends and people who they know. For example, if someone writes comments on their blog, then there is a connection, the person can be invited to church.”
In the summer of 2005, JL collaborated with five other churches to host Hillsongs, “United” band in Tokyo. Over 2,500 attended two concerts with 50 decisions to follow Christ. Kimura said it built vision, “we realized we can do more of this.” In May of 2006, JL hosted world-class DJ Andy Hunter for a worship dance gig that drew over two hundred youth. Willingness to try unorthodox, creative means of connecting with people through art is a remarkable aspect of JL.
Article on Jesus LifeHouse by David Tensen
Creation (general revelation) and the Bible (special revelation) are masterpieces born out of the heart of a creative God who wants to be known. Both are “missional art” because they are God’s creative way of revealing Himself and His plan of salvation. Our ability to create “missional art” is related to our being made in the image of God.
In a nation where art has been highly valued for many generations, “missional art” is one of the keys to the hearts of Japanese.
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