Insights on Arts and Mission in Oral Cultures
By Rocelyn A. Madinger | After personally experiencing the power of the arts in my own life, I’ve discovered how the arts can be helpful and transformative tools for workers to bring the good news to oral cultures. The arts reflect the values of and dynamics in a community, bridge generations, and aid in discipleship. They also provide avenues for the hearers of the gospel to creatively and meaningfully express their understanding of the gospel, their growing faith, and their worshipful response to God.
The Arts in Conversation with First Nations Peoples
By Jhonny A. Nieto Ossa | Finding and encouraging Indigenous cultural expressions that harmonize with Christian faith rather than bringing in and teaching established Western cultural expressions has proven to be a far more effective means to spread the gospel. As Indigenous arts are encouraged, they are reshaping global Christianity and fulfilling God’s diverse, multicultural vision of the body of Christ.
Outside a Building: Worshipping in Natural Spaces
By Abel Stewart | Worshiping outdoors offers rich possibilities to deepen faith, care for creation, and transform spaces into sacred places. It has a long history starting in biblical times and continues through modern movements like Forest Church. Intentionally participating in outdoor worship provides a way for any Christian community worldwide to rediscover God’s first sanctuary and its profound impact on our spiritual lives.
Creating Sacred Songs in Waorani
By Matt Connor and Rachelle Dell | God continues to work in the lives of the Waorani people of Ecuador. Recently, the community participated in a songwriting workshop to create new worship songs. Through translation challenges and cultural discoveries, we learned that authentic worship often means returning to traditional tunes while creating new meanings. Watch how God works when we let indigenous voices lead the way.
Hospitality and Cuisine: Creating a Welcoming Space
By Jaewoo Kim | The arts of hospitality and shared meals offer a warm welcome to a global community into the church while sustaining the relationships of those already following Christ. Yet to do this well requires intentionality.
Engaging Scientists Through the Visual Arts
By Geinene Carson | When my daughter was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder around a decade ago, my life changed radically. An abrupt introduction to the demanding world of caregiving disrupted art making and ministry as I had previously known it. However, I eventually discovered that this environment I now found myself in was an unanticipated source of inspiration.
Reimagining the Arts in Mission
By Heather Pubols | The arts have long been an important part of missions. Yet a historical preference for importing Western art forms into non-Western contexts left Christianity feeling culturally foreign. A shift towards encouraging local arts is inspiring authentic global Christian expressions across cultures and transforming missions.
Evangelism
By Evelyn Hibbert | The gospel is more than words. It encompasses all the riches of Christ in us, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Too often evangelism has neglected the importance of relationships, context, and Christ’s lordship. Communicating the gospel includes how we live, according to where we live. From a place of belonging in each context, Jesus welcomes people in. As we embrace the people and culture of the context we serve in, we are more able to give answers to the questions they are asking.