When you're in arms it's hard to remember the point. Fall 2004 Worship Preaching/Worship

ARTICLE TOOLS

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I love artists. I always have. I cannot imagine a world without the beauty, perspective, and sheer joy artists bring. I use the term artists for those who create videos, design the stage, dance, write, sing, paint, play an instrument, mix the sound, and contribute overall ideas. They're all artists.

Those who provide leadership to arts ministries have two primary goals: to lead artists in creating meaningful moments in church and to lead artists to become more like Jesus. This two-fold goal is a huge challenge. After three decades in arts ministry, I know two things for sure: artists are not easy to lead; and artists desperately need leadership.

My husband serves as a volunteer leader in two ministry areas generally filled with left-brained, thinker-type people. He often accomplishes kingdom work by going to meetings, making decisions, and then following through with a list of tasks. This always strikes me as rather simple and uncomplicated compared with the group of people I get to lead. Artists have great strengths—and extremely complicated weaknesses. It's part of how God created them. They feel things deeply and therefore can craft moments that tap into what others feel but can't seem to express. Yet this very strength—feeling things deeply—can drive artists to self-doubt, perfectionism, and fear of failure.

Single-mindedly devoted to their craft, artists can slip into self-absorption and lose sight of the big picture. It's rare to have a simple conversation with artists or a simple decision about approach and ministry. Artists often see the world in shades of gray rather than black and white, and they resist quick or simplistic conclusions.

I experienced this recently when we met with our pastors to discuss a drama script ...

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