Christian Artists: What are You Doing To Our World???
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CHRISTIAN ARTISTS: WHAT ARE WE DOING TO OUR WORLD??? - Andre Lefebvre - From: www.propheticunderground.com - From 'Theshold Revelatory Arts Newsletter'
I just got a hold of Lou Engle's 21 Day Turn-Off article (21 Day Turn-Off). I felt at once that I should offer the following word:
CHRISTIAN ARTISTS : WHAT ARE WE DOING TO OUR WORLD???
In order to create the tools that pervert minds and souls in our societies, depraved visionaries hire ARTISTS. The power of divine gifting in artists is recognized all over the world, religious and secular, and grossly misused. By the way, there is no such way as a spiritually sterile world, like a "secular" world. We live in a spiritual world, and so the stage is set daily for a spiritual showdown anywhere we find ourselves, and in any activity we engage in.
By abiding within the boundaries of marketing and worldly approach to the arts, which forces us into seeking "careers" and fan-based followings, we have been allowing the enemy to SILENCE God's word through us. Are we going to turn away from the misunderstanding of our faith communities and surrender our gifts to the tyranny of a worldly stream, in exchange for a stab at fame and fortune? We hold in ourselves the power to change things by storming the media with godly content. But we must first give ourselves to the Lord again and get His take on things, throw ourselves in a merciless battle for purity in our personal lives, and emerge refined and redefined, serving but One God. It is a tough journey, and we cannot do it alone!
CHURCH LEADERS : WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO GOD'S PEOPLE?
By refusing to invest massively in the artistic community which God surely brought to your door, by standing in a competitive spirit against them, by misunderstanding the power that God has invested in them, you are keeping them bound to the world's mill, and depriving the world and the Church of an incredible weapon against the darkness. Artists have a unique voice. They are uniquely wired. The sooner we, as a Body, learn to relate to them the way God relates to them, the better it will be for them, and many of the issues so often invoked as being problematic with regards to artistic temperaments will find resolve and proper balance.
We will not win this fight with words from the pulpit, nor with cute church plays to reach the lost, or contemporary worship that sounds just groovy. We need to equip those who are called to the trenches of urban warfare, because the media's mass appeal majors on cities, where demographics warrant their interest . What would start a revolution would be a massive influx of prophetic art that would shine with relevance, purity and truth. Art that would not insinuate itself in the dark recesses of the fallen human soul to entice and incite, but to declare divine truths and realities, to shine a light that would bring revelation and freedom. Art that is not created only to advertise gifted egos or brand names, but art that flows in agreement with God's heart and Word, be it in a rhema form, that points to God and His Christ.
Church leaderships more than ever need to embrace the Arts, not as a cutting-edge trend, but viewing artists as gifts, up to a certain point, their responsibility. Their lack of accountability has so far opened the door to the world's seductive art, offering no alternative except abstinence from any challenging artistic content.
MEDIA CONTENT SHAPES OPINIONS AND TRENDS IN SOCIETY
Media content is the number one driving force behind our societies power dynamics: elections at all levels, the establishment of corporate hegemonies, the manipulation of social consent regarding moral issues and political moves, the imaging of institutions and financial ventures, the deceptive attractiveness of religious groups, the conscience-driven appeal for the promotion and defense of human rights and charity works, the effectiveness of public services announcements, the erosion of values in collective thinking for the sake of a profitable redefinition of those values toward an individualistic vision of self-preservation and self-seeking agendas which generate a dangerous vacuum readily filled by commercial interaction, etc.
I believe God is calling those who are financially blessed to start seeking and finding solid and mature artists in their congregation to open doors of creative projects for them, developing a new stream of prolific artworks of all art forms. This is one of the biggest mission field of the 21st century, however the lack of strategic investments is keeping us from entering the technological field to create our own media devices, content and channels of distribution.
As Lou Engle's 21 Day Turn-Off begins on May 28th, 2006, I am encouraging artists and leaders to plan to meet, either during or after this fast, and explore how they can quickly, with the guidance and wisdom of God, build a momentum that will sweep North-America and offer redeeming messages.
ARTS : BURNING CONSECRATED INCENSE FOR OURSELVES?
[Then the LORD said to Moses, "Take fragrant spices-gum resin, onycha and galbanum-and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. 37 Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the LORD. Whoever makes any like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from his people." EXODUS 30:34-37]
I am using this passage to demonstrate a parallel between using the Arts to satisfy and enhance our own personal sensual enjoyment of natural affections, and operate through the Arts and being touched by the Arts in a prophetic way which opens vistas of revelation for God's heart and will to be expressed and fulfilled, bringing people closer to God, inspiring and nurturing a walk of holiness, purity and obedience, radiating in our local spheres of influence, as well as across the world through the media and new technologies.
The Arts have been relegated to Entertainment for much too long, and it has been detrimental to more than we'd care to admit. Even worship times have often been revealed as being nothing more than a crowd-warming spectator sport. But the tide has turned with the advent of a new passion for intimacy with God, and strategic intercessory warfare, Houses of Prayer are being birthed in many places.
However, we need to continue to move forward, and I believe the next step is right before our very eyes: Artists need to be trained, matured, mentored, provided for, unleashed to fulfill the prophetic destiny God intended. As we shut our medias, as we shut our eyes, billions more are exposed daily to the stench of the spirit of the world, emanating from a power that is financially without rivals. Can we play hardball in that arena, supported by prayer, guided by prophetic wisdom, inspired by a passion to flood purity on the airwaves, reclaiming the dignity of the human body, and purity of the human mind.
Garbage thrown in the midst of garbage will disappear amongst garbage. Garbage thrown on a clean floor will immediately draw attention to itself and be seen for what it is. So it is with the rifling of lewd pictures and innuendos oozing out from our medias. We can hardly pay attention to the important, because of the importunate.
This is a serious call to serious leaders and artists who have a vision for a serious move of God through the media world. Let's follow-up soon.
Great Commission Worship & Arts Center