One of the most challenging aspects of any ministry in the church is to keep perspective.
Without constant vigilance the ministry itself can often become the focal point rather than pointing us to the God whom we worship and serve. And this can be particularly challenging for those of us who work in the field of arts ministry.
I am often surprised by conversations with folks in our community (the City of Arts and Innovation!) as I attempt to articulate the purpose of our arts ministry. And if I’m not careful with my explanation, the line between art as performance and art as ministry will be blurred. Art as performance calls attention to itself. (And it should.) The purpose of art as ministry is simply to point us to God. Period. When the church fails in fulfilling that role, it has been described as focusing on “the finger pointing at the moon” rather than on the moon itself. Arts ministry serves as a means of pointing us to the God who is the source of all truth and beauty – that same truth and beauty so richly displayed through artistic endeavor. I am grateful to serve in ministry with many talented folks at First Baptist who recognize this distinction and practice it well.
This week we will offer another film in our First Films ministry. Carlos Mir, our resident film expert, has curated another rich series of films, this one focusing on musicians/artists and their unique life journeys. Thomas Aquinas said that we gain the knowledge of God through human experience. We will gather again on Friday, not so much to admire the artistry of film-making (although, these are wonderful films!) but to reflect on what our common humanity reveals to us about this God we love and serve.
Peace and all things good,
David
