I encourage church leaders to begin by assessing what gifts they already have in their congregations. Every community of believers has at least a few people with artistic abilities. Do you have a cellist, a video director, a dancer/choreographer, an acoustic guitarist, a poet, a painter, or a small group of vocalists? Once you know where you are starting from, then you can build on that strength. Leverage those gifts and offer your congregation the very best you can with what you have, which is a great definition of excellence.
Today there are more resources than ever before for churches to share. Check out the options for items such as videos, drama scripts, and music charts that have been used effectively in other churches. Prayerfully discern if and how your team could adapt and use them. The kingdom wins when this wealth of original material is widely shared.
I have also observed that even the simplest things can be done with excellence, creativity, and authenticity. We don’t require large orchestras, choirs, a dance or drama team, or the latest technology to be used by God to move the hearts of people. If you do your best with what you have, excellence will attract excellence over time. Other artists will observe your efforts and feel compelled to come out of the shadows and offer up their gifts to the team.
I also can’t overestimate the power of prayer. Get on your knees as a team and ask God specifically to bring more artists to your church. Be diligent in your recruiting efforts by building bridges to the artists in your area who may not yet know God. Find ways to serve them and establish relationships, and over time, see what God will do!
I know of a church music team in Michigan which recognized that the best musicians in their town played at a certain hotel bar on Friday nights. This small group decided to go to the hotel on a regular basis, cheer on the band, and build friendships. Months later, some of those secular musicians checked out the church, came to faith, and now serve on Sunday mornings. How awesome that our efforts to unleash the arts more abundantly in church can also result in the transformation of individual artists who give their lives to Christ and then experience the wonder of using their gifts for God’s purposes! That’s a win for everyone.
