CONTENTS:
1. Components of Holistic Training to Consider
in Developing Your Own Worship & Arts Training Modules
* Several POTENTIAL MODELS Could Be Considered
* Lengths of Training
* Some Potential Pre-Requisites Before
Taking the Training
* Who are You Targeting to Take the Training?
* Taking The Models Overseas
* Some Potential Aspects to Consider For a
Curriculum
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2. Matching Outcomes ith Methods and Contexts
– Jonathan Lewis
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3. MENTORING MUSICIANS & ARTISTS: A Lost
Art? Can It Be Restored?
4. Music,
Arts, Media and the Great Commission - Online (free) Distance
Learning Course
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Components
of Holistic Training to Consider in Developing Your Own Ethnic
Worship & Arts Training Modules
Grace Wiebe
In thinking through some potentially effective scenarios for
holistic training of godly artists and musicians who want to utilize
their gifts in seeing the Great Commission accomplished, following
are some aspects that could be considered. You may find this helpful
in thinking through some possibilities for your own situations.
CONTENTS
Several
POTENTIAL MODELS could be considered:
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1) There are growing teams of missionaries working among unreached
peoples in various cities in the UK, Canada, Europe, the States,
etc. Perhaps some components of the following possible curriculum
could be considered in these situations. One way that the Ethnic
Worship & Arts Focus could help would be to provide resources
and network you with potential itinerant instructors that could
help you with specific aspects of your training. Another way would
be to network you with other teams who are utilizing music and
the arts in reaching the same unreached peoples in their cities
so you could learn from each other. There are benefits to partnering
together and there is increased synergy and support. This type
of scenario could also potentially include internships, summer
teams, prayerwalking, etc., to help prepare missionaries for future
ministry overseas on church planting teams among your particular
unreached people of focus.
2) Another model might be to do a mini version of this (as culturally
appropriate) on-site in a church planting situation overseas once
there are enough interested missionaries around to take the training,
and preferably enough believers from the unreached people group
that are interested in taking the training as well. This type
of training could be on-going.
3) Teams might invite itinerant instructors or coaches to help
them develop on-site strategies or to help with hands-on training.
You can contact us at: gcwac@hotmail.com to see whether we know
of potential instructors/coaches who are interested in helping
you in these ways.
4) ‘Great Commission Worship & Arts Centers’ networking together
– another aspect which is to potentially have regional ‘Great
Commission Worship & Arts Centers’ which are a network or partnership
of various ministries/churches and house churches/missions /missionary
training centers / missions education institutions/Bible colleges
and seminaries working together to develop holistic training for
Great Commission-minded artists and musicians. The GCWAC’s could
be a coordinating hub for resources, networking, vision casting,
etc. in a region, city, state, country. These GCWAC’s that share
the same broader vision could network with centers around the
world that share similar vision in order to become even more effective
by sharing in/coordinating the vast resources and support and
by synergistically working together to see the same vision accomplished.
Even though there would be different ministries with different
foci within that – there would be unity of vision in the midst
of diversity.
5) Other models could be considered as well.
CONTENTS
Lengths
of training:
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Some models might include a weekend training event. Others may
include a few-day retreat for Great Commission-minded musicians
and artists. (If this is of interest to you or you’d like to find
out more about what this could entail, please contact: gracew@skybiz.com).
Other options may be to hold local conferences, or to add some
additional ethnic worship & arts training to the end of a candidate
school or as part of the training program at a missionary training
center. One might wish to include a few days of training before
a summer team goes out, or include various segments of training
on church planting teams. Another idea might be to hold seminars
at Missionsfests and other missions conferences, or at international
mission agency gatherings of missionaries. Some more extensive
training might be considered if you have interns. Music/Missions
profs, for example, could work together with mission agencies
or local Great Commission Worship & Arts Centers to provide some
good training for students. Some training might be a few days,
a week, a couple weeks or a month, or even a year or more, depending
on what you’re after and the resources you have available.
The following items are very important to consider as part of
the training/preparation of Christian musicians/artists...whether
they're in 'missions' per se or in local ministry in their church
as part of the Great Commission. It is my dream to see this kind
of training (and variations of it) covered in churches around
the world as godly musicians and artists around the world are
networked together and helping to facilitate each other...I'm
excited about incredible possibilities ahead as God continues
to lead us and connect us!
There is also a growing sense that the Church as a whole needs
to gain a greater understanding of the following, and not just
artists and musicians...we as the Church need to have a biblical
understanding of God's role for music and the arts and its place
in the Great Commission if we hope to reach this generation!
Pre-requisites, time period, completion requirements, standards
of excellence would vary from situation to situation, depending
on the decisions/situations of those coordinating the efforts.
CONTENTS
Some
Potential pre-requisites before taking the training:
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* Some Bible training beforehand
* It would be great if students had some short term missions experience
or cross cultural experience beforehand
* Student is already a musician or artist (you’d have to determine
what levels of skills you’d be looking for them to have before
they go through your training)
* Spiritual maturity and godly character
* It would be great if they’d taken the PERSPECTIVES
ON THE WORLD CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT missions course
CONTENTS
Who
are you targeting to take the training?
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It would be important, before planning a training program, to
decide who the student target group is...is it folks who have
never been overseas, people who have been on a summer team, missionaries
who are seasoned church planters but wanting to add to their church
planting dynamo, etc.? What level of training/experience/character
are you looking for? What are the outcomes you’re looking for?
Are you looking for students who will be aiming for a PhD in Ethnomusicology
or a church planter who can encourage local believers to develop
in the area of utilizing ethnic worship & the arts in order to
see the church planted and multiplying effectively? Are you looking
for professional performing artists or a worshipper who is an
amateur on an instrument, etc.?
CONTENTS
Taking
the models overseas…
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If these models are effective, perhaps components of them could
be used overseas by church planters or others as they would be
adapted to their own cultural situations/contexts...they could
also be used as a guide to encourage the local believers from
the unreached peoples, for example, in developing their own cultural
style of training, and could encourage the incorporation of some
of the appropriate elements as the musicians and artists work
through some of these biblical questions themselves and get grounded
in a firm foundation before they multiply themselves in their
newly emerging fellowships, etc.
CONTENTS
Some
potential aspects to consider for a curriculum…
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* A biblical understanding of God the Artist
* A biblical understanding of the role of music and the arts
* A biblical understanding of the role of the godly artist/musician
* A biblical understanding of the role of godly artists/musicians
in the Great Commission
* A biblical understanding of worship - and the artists and musicians
as worshippers
* A biblical understanding of worship and missions and how they
are integrated - and how that fits with church planting situations
* A biblical understanding of the character God is looking for
in His musicians/artists
* A biblical understanding of the importance of music/arts in
culture
* A history of music and the arts - especially in the Church
* The Artist and Ego – the Artist and Discipleship
* The Artist and Radical Purity
* The Artist and Biblical Purity
* Artists Changing Their World
* A biblical understanding of reclaiming the arts as an aspect
of DISCIPLING THE NATIONS. This also includes an understanding
of how to discern/decide which aspects of culture are good, which
can be redeemed, and which cannot be redeemed. www.skyfamily.com/gracew/index69.html
* An understanding of how to judge art
* Holistic training – integrating cognitive training, character
building (including mentoring, etc.), hands-on experience, etc.
(if you’d like an article about this, please email gracew@skybiz.com
and ask for a copy of the article called MATCHING OUTCOMES…)
* The role of prayer as a worshipper/in ministry/in developing
a GCWAC whose focus is to present worshippers to Jesus Christ
as an expression of His revelation of Himself to them
* Worship & Missions
* A biblical understanding of the call to disciple and multiply
other musicians and artists for God's Kingdom purposes
* Interfacing Christianity and Art
* What God is doing in music/the arts around the world today
* Missions Minded Musicians as a Vital Part of Church Planting
Among the Unreached
* Contextualizing Praise and Worship for the Church Planting Agenda
* The Top Ten Reasons Why Every Church Planting Team Needs a Worship-Arts
Leader
* Coming into the Culture as a Learner
* The Gospel and Culture
* Some Ways to Utilize Ethnic Music on Church Planting Teams
* Case studies of situations that have been helpful among your
target group (if there are some studies available to date on that
specific area)
* Utilizing Music and the Arts in Mobilization
* Utilizing music and the arts to be a light/bring relief/hope
in the midst of disasters/refugee camps, etc.
* Utilizing music and the arts to give the Church a deeper look
into what God is doing in the Great Commission and the needs that
exist - ie. WorldView ministry to promote awareness of Persecuted
Believers
* How You Can Begin to Move in These Directions
* Recommended Requirements For A 'Musicianary' Interested In Becoming
Involved As A Vital Part Of Church-Planting Teams Among The Unreached
* Utilizing music and the arts/media to reach pre-literate peoples
* Utilizing the media to reach the unreached of every people and
class
* Intro to Ethnomusicology
* Ethnomusicology Training Options for Missions-Minded Musicians
* Specific Opportunities for musicians and artists in the Great
Commission
* Encouraging Musical/Artistic Indigenous Worship Expressions
In Local Ethnic Christian Fellowships
* Partnership is the Key
* Prayerwalking/spiritual warfare re music/arts strongholds in
the area
* Developing a ‘Great Commission Worship & Arts Center’ in your
region
* Teaching re specific arts/instruments, etc. and how one can
use their gift in the Great Commission
* Lots of time for networking and discussion
* Hands on involvement re one’s art; opportunity to display one’s
art to encourage the Body and learn from each other, etc.; opportunities
for musicians to ‘jam’, etc.
* Spiritual Gifts and how they work through music and the arts
* Focus on various specific approaches to reach specific unreached
people groups, etc.
* Have students go through a simulation where they do some research
on their people group's music and art beforehand and figure out
a tentative approach that they could realistically prayerfully
consider in reaching the people God has put on their heart
* Have some hands-on ethnic fun times – ie. put together an international
ethnic band
* Worship times
* Resources made available and discussed
Resources could include a listing of folks that can come as itinerant
instructors/coaches in these areas of ministry, in order to multiply
themselves so they can train others who also multiply themselves
* Provide students with a good handbook which includes many resources
and items for their training (this can be found in the Ethnic
Worship & Arts Focus newsletter www.skyfamily.com/gracew/index65/html
* Connect students with others of like heart and mind, or potential
team leaders overseas, so they can consider partnering together
re their people group or country etc.
* Mentoring/Local internships
* Provide opportunities for students to have some consultation
and counsel as they begin to seek God’s directions for further
development or ministry using music or the arts
* Networking retreat for Great Commission minded musicians and
artists
* Times of ministry to each other
* Coordinate a local Int'l Music and Arts Festival as an outreach
* Commissioning Celebration
Etc.
The Great Commission Worship & Arts Center has a developing
database which can help to link you to the instructors, needs,
opportunities, resources, etc. which you need in your situation.
Contact us to see how we can help: gcwac@hotmail.com
CONTENTS
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<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
>Matching
Outcomes with Methods and Contexts
-- Jonathan Lewis - JonathanLewis@xc.org
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
(Editor’s Note): - As we train Great Commission-minded musicians
and artists to be godly and firmly established in Scripture, are
we getting the desired results which include not only cognitive
training but also character, development of interpersonal skills,
spiritual gifts training, spiritual growth and practical/hands-on
training? If not, what can we do to improve our training models
to produce the desired results? Below is Jonathan Lewis’s excellent
article which we trust will help to answer this question! (Used
with permission)
Excerpts from: World
Evangelical Fellowshipp (WEF) Bookstore – please link to this
web site for a copy of the entire article. Thank you.
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“…Although recent curriculum research has helped us to picture
the desired outcomes of our training, it seems that it has done
little to influence the overall design of our programs. The problem
lies in trying to adapt existing methodologies and contexts to
produce outcomes that are not best produced by these. If desired
outcomes are to be achieved, we must reconsider both the methods
and the contexts we utilize to produce them.
There seems to be a fairly direct correlation between kinds of
outcomes desired, and the methods and contexts that are best suited
to produce them. It is generally recognized that when we speak
of outcomes, they can be classified into three primary areas:
cognitive, skills, and affective domains. When speaking of methods,
we refer to three classifications: formal, non-formal, and informal.
When speaking of contexts, I'd like to suggest that there are
also three of these: the school, the workplace, and the community.
Let us assume that existing curriculum research is leading us
to a "core set" of outcomes (qualities and competencies) that
our training should target (see Appendix A). Describing these
behavioral outcomes is an important first step, but knowing what
the appropriate methodology and context is to achieve the outcome,
is just as important. If we accept the classifications in the
previous paragraph, for each of these outcomes there may be as
many as 9 different combinations of methodology and contexts in
which to produce them (3 methodologies X 3 contexts = 9 combinations).
Let us assume, however, that there is one "best" combination that
allows for the most efficient and effective way to produce the
desired growth. Common sense and logic suggest the following relationships
between kinds of outcomes, methods and contexts that may help
us to determine how best to produce the desired outcome:
* Cognitive outcome > produced through Formal methods > in a School
context.
* Skill outcome > produced through Non-formal methods > in a Workplace
context.
* Affective outcome > produced through Informal methods > in a
Community context…
…The point is that cognitive outcomes may be most efficiently
transmitted in and through formal means in a school setting. Needed
skill components, however, may most effectively be transmitted
through non-formal methods in a work context. Skill in witnessing
is much better learned on the street doing it, than in a classroom
studying about it. The non-formal methodology for skill acquisition
may be applied where the trainer goes out with the student and
demonstrates how to witness. He then allows the student to practice
and apply what he has learned, but under the eye of the trainer.
Once the candidate begins working on his own, the trainer continues
to help him grow through a mentoring relationship.
The third set of outcomes related to the affective domain seems
to be "caught" not "taught." We can memorize the command to love
God with all our heart, soul and mind and its corollary, our neighbor
as ourselves-but love is only learned and assimilated in the practice
of community (our network of relationships) through "informal"
means·. In this case, modeling of the outcome (ie. the practical
and daily outworking of loving God and our neighbor by loving
men and women) is the key. Likewise, interpersonal skills development
and conflict resolution can be studied theoretically, but an intentional
community can produce the context where these theories are put
to the test in "spontaneous" situations and provide propitious
"learning moments."
The Best Models:
The best (missionary) training models combine all three domains,
use all three methodologies intentionally, and provide all three
contexts for their training. This can only be done when the program
is dedicated exclusively to training for a specific vocation and
isn't particularly concerned with what is popularly known as "accreditation."
When formal theological schools attempt to integrate into their
programs non-formal or informal methodologies to produce growth
in skill and affective areas, the net effect is often less than
satisfactory. This does not mean that it is not worth making the
attempt, for some efforts to produce outcomes other than academic
ones is better than nothing. Yet formal institutions are best
encouraged to do what they are designed to do-produce academically
qualified individuals who will function as intellectual pace-setters
in today's world. Likewise, non-formal, "vocationally dedicated"
training programs should also be have the freedom to choose the
best methods and contexts to prepare people to be effective ministers.
As we will see, these approaches don't need to be mutually exclusive.
To achieve their ends, most dedicated missionary training programs
major on the use of intentional community and non-formal, on-the-job
training through practicums and internships. Much more could be
done along these lines of apprenticeships as well. These methods
and contexts are the most efficient for producing targeted skills
and attitudes outcomes. Many dedicated MTCs (Missionary Training
Centers) also utilize the classroom for orientation sessions and
provide time and resources for candidates to study. But the overriding
objective of producing effective missionaries is what drives the
program and most often, there are not enough resources or time
to achieve the strictly academic objectives. When the entire profile
of outcomes can be achieved, the missionary and the entire missions
enterprise is best served. This can only happen through cooperation.
Winning Cooperative Models
One might conclude from previous paragraphs that the formal theological
training institutions might as well give up on training missionaries.
This is not really the author's intention. These institutions
have an important part to play but it is unlikely that they can
flex to the point of providing all the needed aspects of training,
and that is based on observation of failed attempts to do so over
the years…
…The key to producing these indigenous missiologists is not to
send them to the West for training, but rather to articulate training
in such a way that missionaries can slowly but systematically
work on degrees in their home countries and while on the field.
Creative programs are needed that include short intensive periods
of study during furloughs or sabbaticals in a missionary's career.
Much can be done to support this study by distance education modules.
The logical place to center these efforts are in our highest level
academic institutions. The problem is that most of these institutions
don't have the experts to put together good missiological programs.
Yet, there is hardly a sending nation on the face of the earth
that cannot put together an excellent missiological faculty if
the missions community and theological institutions combined their
expert resources into one faculty in a cooperative program…
…Viewed strictly from the perspective of who wins or loses under
this arrangement, it can be argued that it is strictly a win/win/win
situation. The student wins because he can receive training that
is essential to his vocational success. The formal institution
wins because it can now offer a high-quality and well-rounded
program for missionary candidates (B.A. or Licentiate in Missions)
and that should net it more students. The dedicated MTC wins because
it receives secondary validation for the training it gives and
bolsters the number of candidates it puts through its program.
God wins too, because we exhibit unity in propagating His kingdom
and produce "workmen" who are likely to be approved by Him…
CONCLUSIONS
In order to be effective, ministry training programs need to focus
on the true objective of training-godly and effective Kingdom
workers. Much that goes on under the name of ministry training
is pressured to conform to societal norms that emphasize intellectual
achievement and its accompanying degrees and titles. Ministry
training, must be guided by its true objective and have the freedom
to utilize the best methodologies and contexts to achieve desired
outcomes.
Most formal theological training institutions are too inflexible
to be able to provide the methodologies or the contexts to achieve
all of the desired ministry outcomes. This does not doom them
to failure in equipping men and women for the missionary enterprise.
Nevertheless, their greatest contribution can come in the form
of a pro-active cooperation that articulates programs by which
missionary practitioners can systematically gain insight and skills
that are useful in the elaboration of indigenous missiology and
training. At the entry level, they can make arrangements with
dedicated MTCs, that would allow their students to get proper
training for ministry in ways and in contexts they aren't prepared
to provide.
There is a hue and cry for partnership and cooperation today.
Let us take this Biblical mandate and apply it to our institutions
so that Christ may be exalted and his kingdom extended to the
ends of the earth. Maranatha, Lord Jesus.”
CONTENTS
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>MENTORING
MUSICIANS & ARTISTS:
A Lost Art? Can It Be Restored?
- by Grace Wiebe
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Hand in hand with our need for holistic training as mentioned
in the above MATCHING OUTCOMES WITH METHODS AND CONTEXTS article
is our need to return to the practice of mentoring which was such
a vital part of the lives of our ancestors. The more transient,
individualistic, academic and materialistic our societies have
become, the more this art has been lost, and it shows!
There is a growing conviction that mentoring/one-on-one intentional
discipling is a major aspect that we need to see restored in the
Church today. This also applies to our roles as Christian musicians
and artists if we want to develop godly leadership that will continue
to lead in these areas in the future. We need to see God raise
up godly mentors in the area of biblically established musicians
and artists, locally and internationally.
Recently I watched the video "RAGA" - by Ravi Shanker - a world
renown Indian musician (sitar player and other Indian instruments).
Although Ravi was mentored/discipled by an aging Hindu musician
whom he came to dearly love, I was struck by the amazing holistic
way that Ravi became very much like his mentor in not only his
musical abilities, but he also modeled his mentor in his thinking,
character and religious beliefs. It was because of an incredible
commitment and relationship to each other that this process continued
on throughout Ravi's life - and I believe it still continues.
Unfortunately we in the Church have often not taken advantage
of this type of close relationship, likely because it is a huge
investment of time and LIFE! In our N. American or European cultures
we want things to happen quickly and so have often become satisfied
with much less than we should in terms of leadership development
and depths of relationship.
It is not time to return to a mentoring approach/lifestyle of
leadership development? Do we really want to see the next generation
of musicians and artists living out their God-given destinies
to help restore whole-hearted worship to Jesus Christ through
their expressions of worship through their music or art? If so,
then I believe it is time to return to this very effective way
of discipling, as modeled to us by Jesus Himself.
Do we not also want those God is calling us to develop as leaders
in worship and the arts to catch the passion of our heart for
what we feel God is calling us/them to, and to see them also develop
the character that we are trusting God to instill into their lives
through our lives as we depend on the Holy Spirit?
If you would like to see an example of a mentoring relationship,
you might wish to rent the video ("RAGA" - by Ravi Shankar - by
Mystic Fire Video - directed by Howard Worth) in your local library,
or purchase a copy at: CONTENTS
