Fitting the Arts into Church

Many churches are looking to reach people and invigorate their worship with a greater emphasis on the arts. How do you introduce creative expression in such a way that nothing else in your service suffers? What is its place in the larger scheme? BuildingChurchLeaders.com editor Tim Avery spoke with Marco Hernandez, director of creative ministry at Christ Church in Montclair, New Jersey.

What is the primary function of art in a church service?

Art in a worship setting should enlighten and enhance the service, not draw attention to itself. Any creative expression should support the big idea of that service.

What forms of art have proven most effective in your church?

We've had three-dimensional visuals work very well.

What's an example?

One particular message focused on the book of James and talked about how faith without works is dead. So we created gigantic gears. And as the pastor was speaking about the different points of faith, he connected these gears together. Toward the end, when he talked about the connection between works and faith, there was one gear in the center that drove all the other gears. So it was very kinetic. Once he put that last gear in place he spun it, making all the others spin at the same time. Adding gears during his message visually communicated that it is impossible for one gear (faith) to move without other gears (works) moving too.

How do you negotiate disagreements with pastors regarding creative concepts?

I understand that, as a creative director at our church, I'm under the spiritual authority of my leadership. The final word always comes from the senior pastor and senior leaders. They leave a lot of the creative aspects to me and my team. But the pastor's role is to teach, and whatever we do creatively has to support that. We recognize that we support the effort of the pulpit ministry.

Now when it comes to what I'm doing outside the church—discipling individuals that are artists and reaching out and building coalitions with other churches that have visual arts ministries—I have a little more freedom.

What advice would you give to a rookie creative arts leader?

Know the environment in which you function. One of the greatest challenges is finding support from your leaders. So if you're in a budding position as a creative arts leader, understand the culture, goals, and theological commitments of your own ministry. Make sure you're working within proper confines. If you try to go against the established process, it's going to cause a lot of tension.

Once you understand what boundaries exist around you, you can work within those boundaries and also challenge them, which leads to growth. Understanding where you're planted and knowing your limitations are the keys to being effective.

from BuildingChurchLeaders.com