I was a teenager at the time and was drummer of a local band which had played in that building for several weeks prior to this event. The elder informed me that the building had been commissioned as a church during the week and that now it was a church there could be no more rolling of drums.
The church and the arts have had quite a chequered history over the years. Personally I have had several incidences like the previous one where it is clear that there is a total lack of understanding with many Christians as to the role of the artisan.
I remember asking a well known international church leader to be on the board of reference of our organisation ngm. He told me that arts was a minefield and that he didn’t understand artists and would therefore have to decline my offer. He did say he loved singing some of the songs I had written!
It is interesting that before the reformation artists were even commissioned by the church. There was an understanding and a celebration of the arts which in many quarters of the church today is now sadly missing. Since the reformation the Protestant church no longer thought art was of fundamental importance. One of my pet hates I see around today is when a painting of a sunset or mountains are then spoiled by a text from the bible being stuck on to it as if to validate the art.
‘Until Christian music stresses art over agenda, it can never be anything but second rate’ Dick Staub Music Editor Chicago Tribune
Apparently in the early Celtic communities the Bard was highly respected. When Caedmon (the first English poet whose name is known) was first discovered by the Celtic church, they tested his gifting and when they recognised it was authentic they then trained him and released him in his gifting. They understood the role of the bard and how important it was in helping to shape the church and the culture of the day. They honoured them as they would lawyers, teachers, doctors etc.
I think we have a lot of lessons we could learn from them. Imagine a day when the church paid for artists to be developed and helped them through the early stages of learning their craft?
‘Among the ancient cultures art was a form of communication used to convey a message that would help set the course of that culture’
Rick Joyner
I want to make it clear that I am not having a go at the church, I love the church - I am the church! I just have a strong belief that God is speaking at this time about the need of the church and the arts to embrace each other in new ways if we are truly going to see some transformation of our culture.
I believe it is a day of ‘Josephs’ – Joseph in the old testament was someone who was raised up from his prison to become prime minister. It is a day where people like Joseph will be raised up and become people of influence in the marketplace.
