Art vs. Ministry: Part 8 (a turning point?)

It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog… or at least a blog that actually means something to the whole point of this blogsite. While I have thrown in a few words here or there or a video just to let anyone (who might read this) know I’m still alive, I’ve also been very reflective lately and have been really looking into my “Arts vs. Ministry” debate.
Without getting into too many details (since I don’t know all of them myself), I’ll say that I’ve recently been offered an opportunity that has struck interest in me. The opportunity that presents itself requires not only some serious soul-searching but probably includes some changes that’d affect my families current financial, social, and geographic situations. While I can’t say if those would be good or bad things (ignorance is bliss?), they are changes that test your faith and devotion to seeking out God’s will. And, that’s what this whole thing is about: finding and knowing God’s will. Let me flesh my thoughts out for you and fill you in on where I’m coming from.

Over the past few weeks and months, many of my friends have been given some very important and exciting opportunities. Some are venturing into new ministry positions, some are stepping out in faith and making big changes to follow their God-given dreams, some are moving across the country to follow God’s will even though they’re not sure why He’s called them there, and some have had God reveal totally new visions of ministry and impact on their lives. First, let me say that this excites me. Each one of these situations excites me immensely and I’m so happy to see their dependence on Him for finding God’s truth in their lives. Secondly, however, it depresses me. Not only because I hate to see close friends move away or expand physical distance between us, but more so because it seems that I am running to stand still. People are moving on and I am not. I'm still selling bearings and other industrial goods while people are cautiously following His way for them. This frustrates me, yet it has nothing to do with those people at all. Am I not seeking God’s will the right way? Am I not God-ly enough? Am I not reading His Word enough? Do I not pray enough? Am I not willing to step out in faith? Do I not trust my own instincts? Am I ignoring the Spirit’s guidance? I can’t convincingly answer any those questions for myself. I do not believe there is one singular, concrete way for one to find God’s will for their own life. I do, however, believe it is always attained by reading His word, fervently praying, and being mindful of God using certain people and situations to direct that way. It just happens to come differently for each person at different times. I believe I had one of those “situations” the other day in the form of a comment my wife made…

Though this conversation is paraphrased, Catherine and I were talking about God’s will for our lives and she asked me, for her own clarification, what “Jamie” wanted; what I desired. My answer was a conservative, “to either be playing in a band or have a position as a worship pastor”. That wasn’t good enough for her. She continued, “What do YOU want?”
I began to understand what she was getting at. “I want to be playing music. I want to be part of a creative group of musicians who are using their abilities to glorify God.” Catherine gave me a whole new set of questions to think about: Am I trying to be worship leader because it’s easier (to get a job or sustainable paycheck)? Am I just trying to please other people (my wife, my family, my church) and before myself? Just because I enjoy leading worship and enjoy being apart of worship ministry, does that mean I’m meant for it? Can my desire to be an artist/successful musician truly contain the aspects of ministry I long to be fruitful in?

This past weekend, I got an opportunity to travel down to Oxford, NS and watch a group of friends put on a concert at the Nazarene May Rally. I got to have some great conversation with some of the guys before & after and got a glimpse of what God is doing in their own band & lives. It was great to hear God is testing their faith and moving them into a direction that is difficult, but also hopeful and exciting. God isn’t promising them riches nor a multi-album contract deal, but rather the assurance they’re following His will and He will bless them from there. That, to me, would be more rewarding than money and records. These guys are stepping out in faith to take their God-given and God-glorifying art to where God wants it to grow and continue. That’s exciting.

So where does this lead me? Well, I’m not exactly sure, but I believe that I’m a little bit closer to where I should be. As I daily try to become closer to God, both in prayer and in the Word, I am encouraged when I apply these questions to some of the promises we find in God’s Word:
John 16:13 - "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."
Proverbs 3:6 – “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
Isaiah 30:20, 21 – “Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
Luke 11:9-10 - "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."
Psalm 37:23 – “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord..."

I believe the day is near where God will reveal His way to Catherine and I. I believe that while we seek His will, he will bless us with great opportunity where we’re both using our gifts and abilities to give glory to Him. Whether that’s a ministry, a band, or a job at a toothpaste factory, I long for Him to speak into my life, change me, and use me to help change others. As I’ve heard prayed many times, “where He leads, I’ll be quick to follow.”

Please pray for Catherine and I (and Noah and Morris too) as we seek for God’s perfect direction for our lives; whatever, wherever, however… we want to know His purpose for us.

So, how about you? Have you ever caught yourself trying to be someone or do something that God hasn't necessarily planned to to be/do? Have you followed alternative options because you didn't think your desires were God's desires for you?

Art vs. Ministry: Part 3

My last few blogs haven’t really been much about music and the “inward audio” I often speak of, so I had some thoughts today I had to get off my chest and would appreciate some feedback. So, I bring to you…

Art vs. Ministry: Part 3

Deuteronomy 31:19-22
19 “Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel. 20 When I have brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey, of which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and filled themselves oand grown fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and they will provoke Me and break My covenant. 21 Then it shall be, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten in the mouths of their descendants, for I know the inclination of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land of which I swore to give them.” 22 Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the children of Israel.

We have a very creative God. Music was one of the many “arts” that was created under Him. There are over 1100 references of music, instruments, and/or singing between Gen: 31-:27 and Rev: 18:22-23. In the bible, there are all sorts of reason for singing: marriage, praise, bereavement, merriment, worship. I’m sure that with the various kinds of instruments (flute, harp, lyre, cymbals, etc.), there were also different styles of music. It’s important to note that God created not only music as a whole but different sounds & kinds of music.

I think that one of the biggest mistakes any one person who enjoys music can make is being exclusive to one or two genres of music. I grew up on metal and anything loud. Metallica, Finger 11, and Nirvana were my bread and butter as a wee young’n. I even had a major Marilyn Manson phase, if you can believe it. But, as I’ve grown older my tastes have changed quite a bit. I’m now listening to rock, pop-rock, blues, (self-coined term) ”computer-rock”, alt-rock, worship, world music, singer/song-writer stuff, new-school jazz, and even some post-hardcore. I think it’s important for any musician to explore as much music as possible. There's no better way to expand a musicians abilities and gifts than to expose themselves to music that they would not normally listen to. Steve Vai, guitar virtuoso, emerses himself in all kinds of music (like Hungarian wedding music and Indian tabla/sitar songs) that heavily make its way into his own music. Vai is one of the most influential, accomplished, and versatile guitar players in teh world. I'm sure that if I hadn’t been introduced to John Mayer’s acoustic version of “Neon” I’d still be stuck with Dream Theater in my headphones and playing old Metallica riffs. Listening to Mayer’s great song-writing and smooth guitar playing also introduced me to bands like The Police and Marvin Gaye as well as re-igniting my love for Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. And, through my years with JSB, Jay and Sunny introduced to other bands like Copeland, Future of Forestry, and even Coldplay that really made me think outside my musical box.

So where does this all fit in the “Art vs. Music” dilemma I’ve been exploring? I thought about it this afternoon, and you don’t find many “ministries” that are making art (bare with me here before you get all puffed-up). Sure, worship music is still “art” and worship leaders/song-writers are “artists”. I won’t dispute that; God made music which is an “art”. And while I like a lot of worship music available, there aren’t too many song-writers willing to push the envelope of worship-music with (in my opinion) the exception of people like David Crowder and Charlie Hall who are using on-stage sequencing/loop programs like Ableton & Reason run and instruments like turn-tables, Guitar Hero controllers, and toy Xylophones to push their musical sound-scapes. All that, and their focus is on leading a large group of people to a place of communicating with God through music. However…

Then there’re the bands, artists, and musicians who are always reinventing what people think of music. Sufjan Stevens, Radiohead, and Feist are a few names that come to mind that I believe are redefining the art of music. Yet, while I do not necessarily love all of their music, claim to be ½ as talented as those individuals, nor inspire to make similar music, I long to follow their footsteps and be artistic and create. I don’t quite understand how to make “ministry” out of a form of art that isn’t necessarily meant to spiritually rejuvenate a specific group of people.

I could define Christian Ministry as a definite profession that serves the specific function of meeting people's needs with love and humility on Christ's behalf. Christians are to minister to others out of their devotion to Christ and their love for others, whether the other people are believers or unbelievers. Ministry to others should be impartial and unconditional, always seeking to help others as Jesus would. So, can ones profession of being an “artist” still meet these specific needs? There are plenty of artists out there who are Christians, write/sing about Christian things, yet don’t consider themselves a ministry. Moreover, they’re introducing Christ (whether obvious or not) through their music. Is that still ministry or does ministry have to have the purpose of teaching/leading other into a better understanding of Christ or introducing others to the person of Christ? There’s a question for some discussion. I’d like to hear some different opinions.