As I was getting ready to wind things down at the end of a long day last night, I got on Twitter to see what was going on at the Hillsong Conference in Sydney.
What I saw was a replay from one of their Tuesday breakout sessions about incorporating ARTISTS into the Church.
The first part of the session was with an art historian named "Amanda." She was covering the historical relationship between art and the Church--the changes that have been made in recent years to explore the relationships and works of the artists within the Church--to glorify God and lead people to Christ.
The second part of the session included a panel with various artists--musicians, songwriters, photographers, novelists, poets, painters. And they discussed how the only "approved" creative outlet in the Church right now seems to be for musicians. One lady discussed how she wanted to contribute to the Church, but couldn't sing. There was no outlet for the novelists. They talked about how God has led their Church to embrace and incorporate artists into the Church--and how the Church has benefited from this inclusion.
One panelist discussed how they created a Writers Guild at Hillsong. A support group for poets, novelists, dramatists who long to write GOOD NEWS, using their creative gifts in a way that spreads His truths. When I heard this, I nearly SHOUTED OUT LOUD! This is truly an answer to a prayer and a need that I've had for a long time. There are so many SECULAR and negative opportunities for artists--that's why you see so many artists heading in that direction. But what of the positive alternatives? Wouldn't it be great...?
Well, that's what they said they ask all the time now:
"Imagine if...."
"Re-imagine"
They said that they start out thinking about what God wants to do--or what He could do, if only...and then they seek to address it. What they were saying is all about not getting tied down with the way things have always been done, with our own man-made boxes, but to let God work however He wants to work. When they meet, they talk freely about what God might want to do in the future. Not just being okay with how great things are, but also how great things might be "if...."
Someone else has started a songwriting session of sorts, encouraging young and old to write praise and worship songs! They encourage more people to become part of the process. It is not "one person" or "a small, private team" who is allowed to create. EVERYONE is allowed and encouraged to create and be heard. One of the worship leaders said, "If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. That's part of the learning process!" In other words, they are letting people try and fail with grace. So they can develop their skills and talents for The Lord.
Another thing that struck me was that they talked about our GIFTINGS, and using them for The Lord. They talked about how there really is a blurry line between using our gifts in the world and using them in the Church. And they said that this shouldn't be seen as UNUSUAL because God gave us those gifts to share with the world--gifts that lead them to a deeper knowledge and understanding of Christ.
Impressions:
1. I loved how inclusive these people were in their spirits. They acted, spoke as very TEAM-MINDED people. One of the hardest things, they said, was to let team members grow and go elsewhere when God called them out. But they said, this is part of the process! The Church is a global ORGANISM that spreads and shares.
2. I loved that God is moving to include those in the Church who have felt so left out at times. Honestly, the Right Brained people tend to scare the Left-Brained religious crowd.
3. I was impressed with the total lack of EGO that you see from the leadership at this Church. They seem to all BE ON ONE PAGE when it comes to helping other Christians and empowering and equipping other Churches.
4. I loved how they said: "You think because we're big that we don't NEED for anything?" Speaking of Hillsong Church. "These ministries, ideas, guilds happened because there WAS a need!" The worship leader who talked about this said that everything they started at Hillsong began because there WAS a need. And she said that INSTEAD OF COPYING HILLSONG in everything, to look at our own churches and bodies and "see where the gold is," meaning that every Church needed to look and see where the God Gifts are and what NEEDS are there, and THEN start working on meeting THOSE needs. (I LOVE THIS!)
My heart was about to EXPLODE last night when I heard this, and my HEART and MIND are full today because of it. I love the PROMISE of this! I love how our Lord LOVES US, all of us!, and longs for us all to INCLUDE one another in His Church! That's why He made us all the way He did!
*sigh*
Praise The Lord!
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Just a note: Every time we go to the Theatre Festival in Independence, KS, especially in recent years, I get a little more frustrated at the state of "American Theatre." There really is no room for GOOD PLAYS or Godly plays in the theatre--or much, if any, room for just plain Inspirational or Positive plays. That gets labeled "Childrens Theatre" or shoved aside as not being legitimate. The last time we went to the theatre festival, I remember Tweeting about how I wished there was a Christian Theatre system in place. Well...from what I hear, God is clearly raising one up! Starting in Sydney!
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