Lausanne Congress on World Evangelisation - 2004

The Lausanne Congress on World Evangelisation. meets this week. The Congress has identified 31 issues to discuss at this stage in the history of the church and sharing the good news of Jesus to the world.

I'm eager to see what comes out of the Congress this year. Especially in relation to the arts. There is an issue group on Redeeming Culture Through the Arts. I've had stimulating discussions with both Colin Harbinson and Mary Jones. Here's a quote from the site:

Overview: The rapidly increasing numbers of Christians in nonwestern nations is challenging the Euro-centric understanding. With this dramatic change comes new ways of characterizing the faith. The Western emphasis on (abstract) reason is being overtaken by an emphasis on (concrete) embodiment. The neat clean logic of propositions is being replaced by the more fuzzy-edged accounts of narrative and the communal nature of these other cultures challenges the individualism of the West. Moreover there is an upheaval right within Western culture that calls for change. Postmodern discontent with Western modes of thought is offering new openness to "spirituality" and widespread attention to the aesthetic side of life. It appears in both these situations the language of choice is one that leans towards the arts. The power of the arts to communicate is unquestionable and its presence is everywhere. Unlike the West, the other parts of the world have not relegated the arts to galleries, theatres and concerts halls, but have allowed it to permeate ordinary life and nurture the human spirit in a more consistent way. We are in a transitional moment in history and these important changes must be considered as we seek to give shape to global evangelization.

Stage fRight Feedback- Trinity Christian Centre

Trinity Christian Centre TENET Class: Stage fRight

Customer Satisfaction Survey 80-101%
I can't believe you got me to try...
to act.
acting solo in front of others.
memorising lines in a few minutes.

I will never forget the lesson about...
using the same dialogue for different scenarios.
The Holy Backrub, it was awsome!
forgetting myself and focus.
Mirroring
Using the Bible stories.

I really want to work more on...
my acting skills.
learning to relax and be spontaneous.
Observation

I wish we'd had more time for...
everything!
vocal exercises
those cool ice breakers
more group plays.
the stretching and relaxing exercises.
reading out the emotional stories.
some theaory and explanation.

I hope I never have to...
nothing, no regrets!
miss this!

I was moved by...
how everyone participated with enthusiasm.
that we had this workshop in church. Drama is much neglected.
The scenes from the drama ministry people (esp. Kat and Jerry)

I sensed God's presence...
in the diamond ensemble with the worship song.
fellowship with other participants.
in the creative company of so many fellow Christians.

I also have this to say:
I hope there will be more such drama courses. It's fun and all the faciltators are natural actors. Even the participants are good.

This has been an eye opener and I have faced some of my fears.

Had fun and really blessed by your ministry.

Most blessed that God is not left out of the workshop.

This is one of the funnest workshops I've attended in my life. Everything about it is totally unforgettable. I love the company too, Kim and the CM team were great. I can't wait for the next workshop.

This is great fun! I've never been to any drama lessons & this first changed my perception of drama in my life and also makde me realise drama and the arts should exist in the Christian life!

What I Found in Sydney

Can you imagine a school where art students are also passionate about following Jesus? Can you imagine a school where the faculty and administration all share the conviction, that the creative arts are a gift from God; a gift which must be celebrated?

Imagine such a school where those who sense a creative call from the Lord can go to explore and develop as artists. Does a school dedicated to affirming and equipping graduates to practice their craft both in the marketplace as well as in ministry sound like a dream?

For an artist who follows Jesus, it’s a dream come true.


At the invitation of their President, Dr. David Johnston, I recently visited Wesley Institute for Ministry & the Arts in Sydney Australia. I wanted to see for myself that such a place does exist! I enjoyed a week of mixing with students of various disciplines and soaking up the creative excitement and “vibe” on their delightful campus just a few minutes drive from downtown Sydney. It’s a place where they obviously take both their art and their Lord seriously! In the world of Christian Higher Education, especially in the arts, I think what is available at Wesley is a little known secret.

Time to let the word out!

When I returned from my visit, I spent some time looking again at their website. If you're considering higher education that merges your faith and art, consider Wesley. I'd love to have had the opportunity to study in a place like this!

The Gathering

While in Australia I had some fun teaching Tom Long's ART OF THE HOLY BACKRUB to the students of Wesley Institute, in Sydney. It uses the parable of the sower and is a fun exercise to have the audience use different backrub techniques for the different kinds of soil and the harvest the farmer had in the end.

Here's what I had to say to follow the fun:

If nothing else, my experience in China and Singapore has been carving out of me my ego and identity coming from what I do. The world will keep spinning if I’m busy at work or just hiding away doing a poor job at studying Chinese or doing housework.
God doesn’t need me. I need him. I’d been a human doing: caught up in my work, getting stuff done, proving my worth through accomplishments…and all for what I thought was God’s glory.

I’ve been learning more about what it really means to be the human being God created me to be. As I rest…as I abide in Christ I’m beginning to understand my worth comes from being attached to him and his love and grace.

My existence is less focused on the importance of doing excellent art and more focused on the shortness of life here – I’m more aware now that what I’m doing – the hard work I’m doing – the art I’m doing – Is just a means to prepare myself and others for eternity.

Maybe it was getting put “on the back burner” in China and Singapore for awhile. Maybe it just comes with getting older. But now, though I still love my work, (and still can get obsessive about it) it’s more important to me to concentrate on what kind of soil my heart is…

I want to be that rich well composted soil, so that the seed of God planted in me will through his miraculous work sprout, blossom, and yield a 100 fold harvest. Can you identify with any of this?

Is your heart well watered? Do you tend to the soil of your heart or is your soil beaten down hard, so hard that the word of God, God himself doesn’t really even get in?

Or has Jesus just been planted in you shallow with no roots?

Have you got soil with a lot of rocks still in there, or are you allowing weeds in your soil to grow up and choke the goodness out of what he wants to do in and through you?

Then we ended chapel as the 2nd year drama students joined me to lead the group in an enacted prayer. (Twila Paris: Cry for the Dessert)
"Pray for Rain for Australia, let that prayer become a prayer for your dry heart spiritually."