Comments on: The Church and the Arts: Some Common Ground and Some Common Sense http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/29/the-church-and-the-arts-some-common-ground-and-some-common-sense/ Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:59:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mark DeRaud http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/29/the-church-and-the-arts-some-common-ground-and-some-common-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-26113 Mark DeRaud Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:47:42 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/?p=336#comment-26113 Dear Pastor: The Protestant church has never been a patron of the visual arts (I am Protestant.) And, by the way, if I want a sermon I can download it from among tens of thousands. I don't need you at all. But I do need art. After 500 Protestant years of being "Crystal Clear" us Prots are as divided as ever. Most sermons are a bore and redundant. The most powerful book I know on the subject is "The Reformation of the Image." Iconoclasm, though muted as suspicion of images, still lives in the heart of the Reformation, excluding mystery, the activity of the Holy Spirit, and reducing the whole of the power of God to yammering from the pulpit. It doesn't take forever to learn the Gospel, but it does take a lifetime working out its truths deep within us with the activity of the Holy Spirit in ways that are beyond words. The language of the church was visual from Moses onward until the invention of the press. The best way for an artist to grow in their faith as an artist is to avoid churches like yours. Jesus is both Word of God and Image of God. Not just Word. Dear Pastor:
The Protestant church has never been a patron of the visual arts (I am Protestant.) And, by the way, if I want a sermon I can download it from among tens of thousands. I don’t need you at all. But I do need art.
After 500 Protestant years of being “Crystal Clear” us Prots are as divided as ever. Most sermons are a bore and redundant.
The most powerful book I know on the subject is “The Reformation of the Image.” Iconoclasm, though muted as suspicion of images, still lives in the heart of the Reformation, excluding mystery, the activity of the Holy Spirit, and reducing the whole of the power of God to yammering from the pulpit.
It doesn’t take forever to learn the Gospel, but it does take a lifetime working out its truths deep within us with the activity of the Holy Spirit in ways that are beyond words.
The language of the church was visual from Moses onward until the invention of the press. The best way for an artist to grow in their faith as an artist is to avoid churches like yours.
Jesus is both Word of God and Image of God. Not just Word.

]]> By: 10 Art Church Sites :: Gaia Gallery http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/29/the-church-and-the-arts-some-common-ground-and-some-common-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-22199 10 Art Church Sites :: Gaia Gallery Sun, 11 Sep 2011 08:45:43 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/?p=336#comment-22199 [...] The Church and the Arts: Some Common Ground and Some .Oct 29, 2009 At times, the Church has been a patron of the arts, supporting and encouraging sculptors, painters, [...] [...] The Church and the Arts: Some Common Ground and Some .Oct 29, 2009 At times, the Church has been a patron of the arts, supporting and encouraging sculptors, painters, [...]

]]> By: Pastors’ Blog « Maple Ridge Baptist Church http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/29/the-church-and-the-arts-some-common-ground-and-some-common-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-21917 Pastors’ Blog « Maple Ridge Baptist Church Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:30:40 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/?p=336#comment-21917 [...] “The Church and the Arts” Article [...] [...] “The Church and the Arts” Article [...]

]]> By: Peter http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/29/the-church-and-the-arts-some-common-ground-and-some-common-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-21570 Peter Thu, 18 Aug 2011 06:44:54 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/?p=336#comment-21570 I read this blog and most respondents in prep for teaching students from Houghton College [NY] here in Brisbane Australia in the next couple of weeks. With 2 of my sons and a mate I formed this art collective in 1998 while pastoring a mid size [400] suburban Wesleyan church. [I finished local pastoral work in 2003.] There are some helpful and interesting comments here. There seems to be a real interest here to engage with the arts and artists and to move away from the typical utilitarian arts for evangelism or worship.The excellence thing, however, is the same Hillsong/Willow Creek influenced agenda and propositional religion is still paramount with preaching taking precedence. May I suggest Mark Pierson's book "The Art of Curating Worship." Keep talking! I read this blog and most respondents in prep for teaching students from Houghton College [NY] here in Brisbane Australia in the next couple of weeks. With 2 of my sons and a mate I formed this art collective in 1998 while pastoring a mid size [400] suburban Wesleyan church. [I finished local pastoral work in 2003.] There are some helpful and interesting comments here. There seems to be a real interest here to engage with the arts and artists and to move away from the typical utilitarian arts for evangelism or worship.The excellence thing, however, is the same Hillsong/Willow Creek influenced agenda and propositional religion is still paramount with preaching taking precedence. May I suggest Mark Pierson’s book “The Art of Curating Worship.” Keep talking!

]]> By: Janet http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/29/the-church-and-the-arts-some-common-ground-and-some-common-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-19060 Janet Wed, 01 Jun 2011 08:53:15 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/?p=336#comment-19060 If you are an artist and love the Lord please disregard most of this. As a professional artist myself I want to encourage you that God has a place for you! Be a trail blazer!! Rejection from the church (Pastors, elders etc..) doesn't mean you are rejected by Jesus. Find a Pastor who is willing to love you and another Christian artist in your field...if there are any around you, and pray without ceasing. Use your Bible as your life line and remember Jeremiah 29:11 "I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Seek His face with all your strength and He will reveal Himself to you. The more you know Him the more you'll understand yourself and then you will be able to guard your heart and reject the words of the accuser of the brethren and father of all lies...the only enemy Satan. You will know who is speaking by the fruit it produces. Satan breeds condemnation and he delights in breaking people apart...he is cruel. Jesus will lift you up and his words are the bread of life...they literally renew your life when He speaks. When the Lord corrects it is not with put downs and hurtful words. It is like realizing the best way to mix colors, the right way to finally conquer that scale or progressing from a double to a triple pirouette...it is a revelation! Be encouraged in the Lord If you are an artist and love the Lord please disregard most of this.

As a professional artist myself I want to encourage you that God has a place for you! Be a trail blazer!! Rejection from the church (Pastors, elders etc..) doesn’t mean you are rejected by Jesus.

Find a Pastor who is willing to love you and another Christian artist in your field…if there are any around you, and pray without ceasing. Use your Bible as your life line and remember Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Seek His face with all your strength and He will reveal Himself to you. The more you know Him the more you’ll understand yourself and then you will be able to guard your heart and reject the words of the accuser of the brethren and father of all lies…the only enemy Satan.

You will know who is speaking by the fruit it produces. Satan breeds condemnation and he delights in breaking people apart…he is cruel. Jesus will lift you up and his words are the bread of life…they literally renew your life when He speaks. When the Lord corrects it is not with put downs and hurtful words.

It is like realizing the best way to mix colors, the right way to finally conquer that scale or progressing from a double to a triple pirouette…it is a revelation!

Be encouraged in the Lord

]]> By: Sycamore » Blog Archive » Link it Up http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/29/the-church-and-the-arts-some-common-ground-and-some-common-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-4644 Sycamore » Blog Archive » Link it Up Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:19:11 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/?p=336#comment-4644 [...] Read a take on how the arts and the church can get along. [...] [...] Read a take on how the arts and the church can get along. [...]

]]> By: Art and the Church | S.D. Smith http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/29/the-church-and-the-arts-some-common-ground-and-some-common-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-2078 Art and the Church | S.D. Smith Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:15:42 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/?p=336#comment-2078 [...] DeYoung has some good thoughts about art and the church’s thinking about art. I have set out his main points, but you should really read the post if you’re interested in [...] [...] DeYoung has some good thoughts about art and the church’s thinking about art. I have set out his main points, but you should really read the post if you’re interested in [...]

]]> By: art for art’s sake « The Habit of Being http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/29/the-church-and-the-arts-some-common-ground-and-some-common-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-2072 art for art’s sake « The Habit of Being Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:59:52 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/?p=336#comment-2072 [...] October 31, 2009 by Maddy A good article about “Art and the Church” by Kevin DeYoung. [...] [...] October 31, 2009 by Maddy A good article about “Art and the Church” by Kevin DeYoung. [...]

]]> By: Matti http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/29/the-church-and-the-arts-some-common-ground-and-some-common-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-2066 Matti Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:51:03 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/?p=336#comment-2066 Since I came to Christ and was born-again my attention has been heavily on the Word of God. It is God's primary way of communicating Himself. When I see good human made art I just get frustrated because it is beautiful to the eye or the ear but I doesn't give anything to the soul like the Word of God does by the illumination of the Spirit. I would get very frustrated in an overly artistic enviroment. Even if the art would have been made to the glory of God by a believing artist. Maybe I'm a bit iconoclasmic. Since I came to Christ and was born-again my attention has been heavily on the Word of God. It is God’s primary way of communicating Himself.

When I see good human made art I just get frustrated because it is beautiful to the eye or the ear but I doesn’t give anything to the soul like the Word of God does by the illumination of the Spirit.

I would get very frustrated in an overly artistic enviroment. Even if the art would have been made to the glory of God by a believing artist. Maybe I’m a bit iconoclasmic.

]]> By: John Thomson http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/10/29/the-church-and-the-arts-some-common-ground-and-some-common-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-2060 John Thomson Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:39:10 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/?p=336#comment-2060 Read in relation to this blog. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/08/14/two-kingdom-theology-and-neo-kuyperians/ Read in relation to this blog.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/08/14/two-kingdom-theology-and-neo-kuyperians/

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