Arts

Recently I seized the opportunity to take a field trip to three different churches in Southern California, all within a 24-hour period. I visited a church nestled in the upper middle class suburbs, a church packing a temple in downtown Los Angeles, and another filling a nightclub on Sunday night. All the churches reach a unique community of people, and all of them resonate with passion, joy, and ministry fervor.

I first experienced a Saturday evening service at Calvary Community Church, where the place was rocking for their 30th anniversary celebration. Musicians packed the stage as the team from Calvary focused on God’s faithfulness for the past three decades. They revisited the story of how they began, honored their former pastors, and exalted God for his abundant goodness throughout the evening, with an emphasis on stories of life transformation. Gratitude and awe filled that auditorium, and spilled over into the post-party on the patio. As they look to the future, the Calvary congregation clearly sees potential for much more fruit, serving their immediate community with the truth and gift of God’s redeeming power.

Sunday morning I found my way to The Dream Center, a newer church planted in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. This vibrant ministry is known as the 24/7 church that never sleeps because of their holistic service to the under-resourced all day, every day. The one-hour worship service resonated with the sounds of one of the most multicultural congregations I have ever had the privilege to join. From beginning to end, I could sense the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit, transforming the young and the old, the rich and the poor, and those of every color. Clearly the exaltation and teaching time are the icing on the cake for this ministry that literally heads to the streets all week long seeking to meet very real needs in their neighborhood.

Sunday night it was off to the Mayan nightclub, one of the locations where the Mosaic church gathers. I’ve never seen a cooler place for a church meeting! By far the oldest person in the room, I delighted in the artistic atmosphere, loving community, and contagious joy among their people. As in the other churches, I heard a powerful message taught along with the expression of truth through visual art, video, and music.

As I drove away from my last field trip, I reflected on the previous 24 hours. Yes, the local church truly is the hope of the world. My resolve to serve the bride of Christ was quickened because I was so inspired by the wonder of these three congregations. Most of us are devoted almost every Sunday to our own churches, as it should be. I urge us to seek any opportunity we have to visit another church, even one down the block, whenever we get the chance. Field trips like these reinvigorate our vision of what God is up to in such a myriad of places through such diverse methods. In spite of the fact we fallen leaders don’t get it right much of the time, the light of God’s love is penetrating the dark places … and I stand in awe.

Nancy Beach is executive vice president of the arts for the Willow Creek Association

Recomended Arts Resources

Top resources to help your arts ministry:

Willow Dramas
Arts Ministry Team Edition DVD
Unleashing the Arts in Your Church
The Worshiping Artist Book

Other Useful Websites for your Arts Ministry

Arts Champions

The Willow Arts Movement has a vision to ultimately transform lives through the use of the arts and teaching at local churches around the world.  This group of champions has joined with WCA-US as it seeks to envision, equip, and encourage local church arts leaders, pastors/teachers, and their teams toward this goal. More details here

Willow Service Builder

With Service Builder you can watch previews of downloadable messages, dramas and worship songs from Willow Services, and perhaps more importantly get a feel for programming powerful services of your own. Simply choose your media, watch the preview, and follow the links to view the Willow service programme.
If you need any help, simply call WCA UK & Ireland on 023 80710295 and a member of staff will guide you through the process. Note: You can also order Service Builder media through WCA UK & Ireland.

WCCC Service Archive

Here is a great tool to help you develop your services from nearly 20 years of Willow Creek archives.

Arts Newsletters

Subscribe here and benefit from the latest news on the Arts scene, helpful ideas, stimulating articles, free downloads and more!
View previous editions here

Annual US Arts Conference

This annual gathering of artists, teachers and technicians is the ideal place to bring your entire worship and programming team for vision, training, and inspiration.
Keep watching here for more information. 
Check out the 2008 Arts Blogs.

Arts Blog - US

Idea network. Find an idea. Share an idea here

UK Arts Seminar

Here are some great CDs by Nancy Beach from her Arts Conferences An Hour on Sunday and Unleashing the Arts in Your Church