Lesson 1

What is Art Ministry?

Left to right: People viewing art in the VineArts Gallery; Dean Estes teaching; Lisa Marten painting on stage

Notes about ministry:

Notes about church:

Notes about artist:

What does art ministry look like? It could be hosting a writers group at the senior center once a
month. Or painting childrens faces at the homeless shelter. Or giving art suppliesto afamily who suffers agraveillness. Or hosting a Bible studythat ministers toprofessional Christian artists downtown.
Or giving $200 of art supplies to a young artist just released from prison. Or volunteering to paint on
an easel during story time in Sunday school or at your city library program. Or starting a culinary arts
or filmmakers group at your church. Or organizing a community mural ona mission trip overseas.
Or facilitating therapeutic art at a retreat for survivors of abuse. Or creating art on stage during church
worship services. Or inviting your congregation to process scripture through art in an environment
thats safe to fail where they can grow creatively.
These are examples ofreal-life art ministry, and VineArts Boise has done all of the above and more.
Small scale and personal is most effective. You need to do what God created specifically for YOU to do.
Whats been done is just a fraction of all the ways we can play in visual art to the glory of God.
I dont know what God has in store for you, and maybe you dont know either. And thats okay! Do not
figure anything out. Just rest, create, play, and pray; dont be afraid to dream or explore; and surrender
to God all of your creativity and all of your capacity to love people. Jesus will do the rest in His timing!

Lesson 1

What is Art Ministry?

This is definitely not one of those assembly-line art classes where everyone paints the same
thing. The very nature of art and of ministry is not meant to be an assembly line or to Copy Exactly
What We Show You. The roles of artists in Gods Kingdom are beautifully custom.
You will learn important ministry skills and leadership principles in this course, but as Jessie says:
When it comes to the actual installation, God is site-specific with His art and with His artists.
There are many ways visual art can minister...
inspire

encourage

lead worship

bring healing

teach

pray through art

exhort/challenge

illuminate truth

equip

prophesy

expose injustice

serve practical needs

These facets of art ministry reflect more variety than a box of crayons. One local church might have
an art gallery or studio open to the public; at another church, an artist creates onstage during worship; a third church holds a summer art fair benefitting the homeless. We can minister outside of
the church walls, too. A Christian art teacher prays for and speaks value into her students in a public
school. Another Christian artist volunteers to serve and pray for the director of his citys art museum.
Worksheet: What is God stirring up in you? (This worksheet is just for you; no need to show
what youve written to your classmates.) What ideas or desires has God planted in your heart?

What is the main mission, vision, or passion of your church (gathering of believers)?

In what ways do you personally enjoy serving people artistically?

Whom is God calling you to serve? (Even if you dont have a church with an official art ministry,
you can love and serve people inside or outside of a church; more on that topic in Lesson 2.)

Creative people who will shake this earth for Christ already surround you. Theyre in your church,
even if you dont know who they are yet. Theyre also waiting outside your church doors. Start praying
for them. Artists desperately want to be loved. Your city desperately needs to see the beauty of Christ.

Take it to God in prayer, and He will guide you.

Lord, put your dreams into our hearts, minds, and passions.

Lesson 1

What is Art Ministry?

Writing Assignment: What are 2 or 3 areas of ministering in the arts that resonate with me?
Youre NOT called to do 10,000 things to the glory of God! Focus on your part in the Body of Christ.
Select 2 or 3 ideas below that seem like theyd be most important to you and/or to your church.
Re-write your selected 2 or 3 ideas in your own words, perhaps starting with: I would like to try... or
I really enjoy.... or A group of us have started to.... or Someday my church could....
You can choose to write very specifically about the application of these ideas, or leave it more general.
Share your 2 or 3 selected ideas (make sure to re-write them) with your discussion group.
Works of art can (inspire, serve, teach, challenge, equip, encourage, bring healing to) artists (inside or outside of a church).
Works of art can (inspire, serve, teach, challenge, equip, encourage, bring healing to, lead worship for) a church congregation.
Works of art can (inspire, serve, teach, challenge, equip, encourage, bring healing to) the public / our community.
Works of art can (inspire, serve, teach, challenge, equip, encourage, bring healing to) oppressed, forgotten individuals.
The public can (inspire, serve, teach, challenge, equip, encourage) my churchs amateur and professional artists.
Our artists can (inspire, serve, teach, challenge, equip, encourage, pray for) the other artists of our congregation.
Our artists can (inspire, serve, teach, challenge, equip, encourage, pray for) specific artists in our city / community.
Our artists can (inspire, serve, teach, challenge, equip, encourage, expose injustice, pray for) our city / community.
Artists can (inspire, serve, teach, challenge, illuminate, pray for, prophesy for, lead visual worship for) our local church.
Artists can (inspire, serve, teach, challenge, equip, encourage, bring healing to) poor, oppressed, forgotten individuals.
Artists can (inspire, serve, encourage, pray for, bring healing to, lead worship for) our churchs ministers/pastors.
Artists can (inspire, serve, encourage, pray for, bring healing to, lead worship for) our churchs small groups/ministries.
Artists can (inspire, serve, encourage, pray for, bring healing to, lead worship for) leaders/pastors of other churches.
Our local church can (inspire, serve, teach, equip, encourage, pray for) the artists in our local congregation.
Our local church can (inspire, serve, teach, equip, encourage, pray for) new or non-artists in our congregation.
Our local church can (welcome, inspire, serve, teach, equip, encourage, pray for) artists who dont have a local church.
Our local church can (welcome, inspire, serve, teach, encourage, bring healing to) our city or community through art.
Our local church can (inspire, serve, teach, encourage, bring healing to) oppressed, forgotten individuals through art.
Our local church can (inspire, serve, teach, equip, encourage, pray for) surrounding local churches through art.
Our local church can (inspire, serve, teach, equip, lead worship for) distant churches or cities (missions trips).