Every Blog Has its Day

The Finding Divine Inspiration blog is moving! Well, Sort of.  This site will still be up as an archive, but I’m now blogging at my primary website, JScottMcElroy.com, as part of a grand plan to consolidate websites and blogs. The FindingDivineInspiration.com book site is also now consolidated into JScottMcElroy.com, and when The Creative Church Handbook: Releasing the Power of the Arts in Your Congregation (IVP) releases in 2015, it will be hosted on the main site, as well.

The revamped JScottMcElroy.com site is still under construction, so its  a little rough, but the blog is live there. So come on over and join me! If you’ve subscribed to this site, you’ve already been added to the new site! But if you are new, just fill in the info next to the “Subscribe” button in the sidebar on the new site.  Also, I’ll be sharing thoughts much more regularly than in the past.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you soon at the new site!

 

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Summer 2014 Update

(Note: You’ve come upon an archive site. Scott is now blogging at JScottMcElroy.com. These and fresh posts can be seen there! )

After spending 7 months sitting at the writing-table with the new book, I’m venturing out for a couple of great speaking opportunities in July.

Karitos 2014

If you are in the Midwest, consider attending Karitos 2014 in Chicago, July 10-12. It’s their 20th anniversary and I’m honored to give a featured address and lead three workshops: “How to Better Hear God’s Voice in Your Creativity”, “The Joy of Personal Prophetic Art”, and “Practical Ideas for Bringing the New Creative Renaissance into Your Church and Your Culture”. More information at http://Karitos.com.

The Creative Church Conference 2014

Then it’s on to the long-awaited Creative Church Conference 2014 in Boise, July 25-27!  If you at all interested in encouraging the arts and creativity in the church, you should join us! This year’s lineup of speakers and activities is stellar. This year’s theme is “The Artist in Community”.  Speakers include:

• Dr. Colin Harbinson (Stoneworks Global Art Initiative)
• Jessie Nilo (VineArts Boise)
• Jason Leith (Artist, Director of Arts, Saddleback Church )
• Manuel Luz (Imagine That, Worship Director at Oak Hills Church)
• Dave Blakeslee (Potter and Pastor)
• Bryn Gillette (Artist)
• Andrew Nemr (Dance Artist)
• Cecilia Brie Tschoepe (Actor, Writer, Director)
• Me
• and many more.

(Look for profiles on each speaker over the next couple of weeks on the New Renaissance Facebook page. )

Plus, plenty of workshops, creative free time, performances, interaction with other artists and leaders, and more.

And, it’s only $75!

Go to the website to register and for more information: http://TheNewR.com

The event is sponsored by VineArts Boise and The New Renaissance Arts Movement (a department of ACT Intl).

New book on the way!

You may have noticed that we had planned to do a Creative Church Conference in Indy this year, as well.  The New Renaissance Arts Movement, which I direct, is the main sponsor of the Indy event, and one of our biggest priorities is to get a new book out about the arts in the church. IVP (InterVarsity Press) offered to publish the book last year and I began working on it full time last November. That process took considerably longer than expected and the first draft was completed in May. Since I was tied up writing, we decided to consolidate this year’s Creative Church Conferences into the one in Boise. (We plan to do Indy again in 2016.)

Now the new book is in the editing process at IVP and we have an official title: The Creative Church Handbook: Releasing the Power of the Arts in Your Congregation. We expect it to release in Spring 2015. Thanks to all who have prayed and contributed during this process!

Final Week of $5 Finding Divine Inspiration, Plus Free Journal Starter

(Note: You’ve come upon an archive site. Scott is now blogging at JScottMcElroy.com. These and fresh posts can be seen there! )

The New Renaissance Art Movement has been celebrating the 5th anniversary of my book Finding Divine Inspiration: Working with the Holy Spirit in Your Creativity with a $5 offer, PLUS a free 10 page journal starter, during January!  This is the final week, so don’t miss the deal.

FDI was written over a 10 year period and is the most important message God has ever given me. Writing it was a real collaboration with Him and I still re-read it and am thrilled by what the Holy Spirit gave. I’m humbled that this message not only had a profound effect on me, but on thousands of others, as well.

You can order your copies at TheNewR.org.

Blessings!

Adventures in (Re)Design

(Note: You’ve come upon an archive site. Scott is now blogging at JScottMcElroy.com. These and fresh posts can be seen there! )

If you haven’t heard from me for a few months, it’s not that I don’t like you anymore. It’s that I’ve been largely indisposed on an unending project.  After 650 man hours the beautiful beast called THE BIG KITCHEN REMODEL is vanquished. And I think my remodeling bug is completely sated…for now. It’s time to dive into completing the new book (more details to come), but I wanted to take a moment to show you how the remodel turned out.  It is, after all, important to savor the results of the creative labor that God has given us to do.  He modeled that for us in Genesis when he contemplated what he created at the end of every day.

But first, as a follow up to the thoughts in God Enjoys Interior Design, I was reminded of another excellent example of God’s enjoyment and value of design while reading The Gift of Art (IVP, 1981) by Gene Veith, Jr. recently.  Veith says:

The Lord’s requirements for the tabernacle and later the Temple do, in fact, take up a good part of the Old Testament… The details of how many hooks  to place in the curtains, how many cubits the frames must be, what to cover with beaten gold and what to make from bronze, are tedious to modern readers and have led to the abandoning of many a (entire bible) Scripture–reading project.  But it pleased God to include theme in this holy Word. God, the designer and maker of the universe, clearly places great value on details of design, construction and artifice.

That’s true.

I hope the builders of the tabernacle and temple didn’t run into as many challenges in the details as we did in this remodel. God did give us solutions to every one, but the problems were plentiful. Fortunately, I was working with my good friend Scott Rieger on this project so we had a healthy mix of humor, trivia, and theological discussion along with the challenges.

Mom’s house was built in 1979, long enough ago that many design elements are outdated. Add to that the fact that it is on a concrete slab and the home was configured oddly to be wheelchair accessible, and you have some interesting problems. Plumbing can’t be changed, the concrete promoted years of condensation and rot in the cabinets, and there are limited options when reconfiguring the kitchen layout. But enough of the boring explanation.  Here are the pictures, with slightly more interesting explanations.  For those interested in some of the specifics of products and processes, I’ve created footnotes at the end of this post.

Challenges

Here are just a few of the problems that needed to be addressed: (Click on the pictures to see the explanation.)

Fake butcher block counters, green ceramic back splash, an outdated cook top, and a fridge that sticks out like a sore thumb.

1970’s pebble linoleum flooring. They must have thought the green/avocado trend had staying power. That was also the original color of all the appliances. Swanky. This floor was replaced with Acacia hardwood flooring from Menards.

This Belgian made wood burning stove could heat the whole house, but is an eyesore in a modern kitchen. We removed but kept it in case of apocalypse.

Before and After

The plan was to transform this kitchen from a dated and clutter hodgepodge of design to a classy and  warm Tuscan-inspired family gathering place. I think we got pretty close. Here is a sampling of before and after shots. Click on any of the pictures to go into the gallery with explanations.

BEFORE–The kitchen is 12 ft across, but with the stove cabinet and the refrigerator encroaching, the space becomes 7ft. The fridge is an eyesore. The counter tops are ugly and too low, actually lower than standard counter height to accommodate a shorter cook. Somehow the designers decided to make the bar even lower, creating 35 years of cramped seating. Florescent lights and a white ceiling complete the odd look.

AFTER–The island and counters have been raised, new granite counter tops (Bianco Romano) are on, pendant lights (1) replace the old florescents, the cabinets have been refinished darker (2) to contrast the new natural tile (3). The old scalloped trim above the sink has been replaced with an arch supported by corbels (4), and the frame around the windows is now detailed stone border for a classic look. The walls and ceiling have been warmed up.(5)

BEFORE– On the south side of the kitchen, the stove cabinet eats up floor to ceiling space, the dishwasher blocks multiple cabinet doors when open, but…the grape border does add a certain granny charm.

AFTER–The upper and lower cabinets were moved to the other side of the kitchen and a new GE double oven moved in. A chimney range hood (6) was added and a pot rack (7) now hangs where the wall oven once was. New workspace is opened up on the counter below the pot rack and on the island where the cook top once resided.

BEFORE– On the north side of the kitchen, the horribly placed fridge takes over a whole section. The island encroaches on floorspace and a cook top on the island is awkwardly configured.

AFTER–The refrigerator is moved over and upper and lower cabinets moved in from the other side of the kitchen. Plus, refinished cabinets, new tile, lighting, increased floorspace, and more workspace on the island. All the old, ornate door pulls have been replaced with simple, clean pewter-look pulls (8).

BEFORE–The wood-burning stove dominates the room.

AFTER–A wall was built where the stove used to be (right), and now houses the refrigerator, creating a finished look. Although the fridge space extends into the adjoining family room, it actually take up less space than the stove did.

BEFORE–The cabinet color was dated, sort of a light walnut. The pulls were a medieval antique brass. They had to go.

AFTER–A four-step process of refinishing gave the cabinets a richer, antiqued look, contrasting beautifully with the granite counters, and complementing the new Acacia wood floor(9).

BEFORE–The island was long and narrow and interupted the recommended “kitchen work triangle”.

AFTER–The shortened, heightened, and reconfigured island allows for more floor space in the kitchen, a larger and more comfortable bar, and completely hides the dishwasher, to the left.

BEFORE–Another view of the kitchen from the island. The cabinet color is pure ’70’s. The old bar stools are perfect.

AFTER–Clean, updated, and spacious. Where once, the florescent light relentlessly illuminated the whole space, now four lighting systems set a sophisticated tone.

BEFORE– The southwest corner is cluttered and cramped, with an unattractive dishwasher front and center and blocking cabinet access when it opens.

AFTER–The space is bright and functional. Drawers re-purposed from the island fill the old dishwasher space.

BEFORE–Detail of the south side of kitchen. The space is cramped and every element of design screams “I’m stuck in the ’70’s!”

AFTER– Natural tumbled marble now covers the entire wall, unifies the space, and complements the granite counters. Stone borders add interest and detail. The space sparkles with stainless steel.

BEFORE–More detail of the island transformation. It was narrow, long, and low. An uncomfortable place to eat.

AFTER–The shortened, heightend island provides more space to work and more bar space to accommodate four people. Classic corbels support the new counter. A new vegetable sink is larger, more functional and attractive. The raised bar counter can hide clutter on the island.

More Design Updates

In addition to refinishing or replacing nearly everything in the kitchen, we added many extra design touches. Here are a few. Click on any picture to go to the gallery with explanations.

The four island corbels, purchased online from Osborne Wood Products.

Detail of an oak corbel. These came unfinished and we stained to match.

These cabinets were moved from one side of the kitchen to the other and converted to trash and recycling bins.

This Allen and Roth chandelier from Lowes replaced a hideous bright brass number in the dining area.

We added this corner display cabinet next to the stove, making good use of a small space.

The new LG 30 cu. ft. refigerator is a show stopper and a world away from the white Roper that it replaced.

We moved the refrigerator over and lined it up with the newly installed upper cabinets, re-purposed and cut the cabinets above the fridge to fit and trimmed the whole thing in oak, creating a integrated look that makes the kitchen seem even bigger. Another corner display shelf was created below.

Detail of the new Acacia Cabernet Hand scraped hard wood floor. It is engineered and floating, to go over the concrete slab floor.

The new pulls are simple and complement the antiqued cabinet finish, creating a clean look.

Where once rough cedar surrounding the windows looked shabby, the new stone trim makes for a robust and classic look.

The old scalloped trim was made into an arch and the edge routed to match the cabinets. Mini corbels were added as aesthetic supports.

The once dominate dishwasher is now hidden in the end of the island.

Notes:

(1) The pendant lights came from Menards. I went for a simple, classic light that could accommodate a 100 watt bulb.

(2) The cabinets required a 4-step process to get this look. 1. Liquid De-glosser was used to prepare the finish for staining. 2. A coat of Rust-o-leum Kona stain was applied  to darken the cabinets. 3. A coat of Rust-o-leum Black Cherry was applied to give a rich red tone. 4. A few coats of polyurethane went on to toughen up the finish. These stains are available at Lowes.

(3) I spent a lot of time looking for the perfect backs plash tile to complement the beautiful granite. Its a more difficult task then you might think. I settled on white natural tumbled marble tiles (4”x4″) from Menard’s. It had rough edges and a lovely washed out look. This was placed in an offset, subway tile pattern for an retro look, then sealed with a simple stone sealer. The grout was biscuit colored to blend with the stone (white grout was too stark). I used tumbled marble chair rail tile to trim. The whiteish tile and light granite is a great contrast to the rich wood floors and dark cabinets.

(4) Osbourne Wood Products provided the corbels for the island and sink trim. Very nice quality and detail. I highly recommend them.

(5) The paint came from Sherwin Williams and I went with three complimentary colors. The walls were “Pavilion Beige”, the lower trim “Tiki Hut” and the upper trim and beams were a shade lighter with “Sanderling”.

(6) I found the range hood on line at Signature Hardware. This hood is made exclusively for them and though is doesn’t have some of the bells and whistles like LED display, timers and etc, it does have high air output (550 Cfm) and great design lines. You can easily spend several hundred dollars on a chimney range hood, but this 30″ came in at $299 (on sale).

(7)  The pot rack is one of the few 24″ hanging styles available.  Made by JK Adams, available from Crate and Barrel. Fairly reasonably priced at $140.

(8) The pulls came from Menard’s and are 96mm in a Black Nickel finish.

(9) I found the best deal for engineered hard wood floor at Menards. The Floors of Distinction brand Acacia wood in Cabernet with a hand scrapped texture completely satisfied the desire for a rich, medium dark floor that could “float” over a concrete slab floor.

I’m a Fan of God’s Creativity: Clouds

(Note: You’ve come upon an archive site. Scott is now blogging at JScottMcElroy.com. These and fresh posts can be seen there! )

“I gotta say, I’m a fan.” This was my spontaneous reaction recently when I noticed the breathtaking cloud formations from the window of an airplane  gliding over the California desert. A little prayer of acknowledgement for the astounding imagination of the Creator, my God and my friend, whose Holy Spirit stirs in my chest at the recognition of his brilliance and thoughtfulness.

Taken with my smartphone over the California desert.

I’m all about creativity. God has wired me that way. In fact, everyone is wired for creativity, even if they don’t know it, because we are all made in His image and He is undeniably creative. And to me, the daily presence of clouds may be one of His best creative shows. Yes, sunrises and sunsets are magnificent; they announce hope in the morning and rest at night. But they last minutes. Clouds are often visible for hours, and they constantly change, creating one majestic masterpiece after another. I can’t imagine how a person would not at least wonder about the existence of God when this show is visible day after day.

A cloud pillar.
(From Flicker)

The bible has a lot to say about clouds, including them in some of the most important moments in history. God led the Israelites to the promised land with a “Pillar of Cloud” (Exodus 13:21), and a cloud carried His presence in the Hebrew tabernacle and temple (Ex. 40:34). God appeared in a cloud and spoke at Jesus’ transfiguration (Mt. 17:1-8, Mk. 9:7, Lk. 9:34). Jesus will come back on the clouds (Dan. 7:13-14, Mt. 24:30, Mt. 26:64), in fact every eye will see him in the clouds (Rev. 1:7), and  believers will join him in the clouds (I Thes. 4:17). I think its safe to say that God likes clouds.

Someone captured this scene of what looks like an image of Jesus in the clouds.

The science of clouds inspires joy in me, as well.  They are such a meaningful part of the health of our planet, playing a central role in the water cycle; absorbing, storing, and releasing moisture. The way they reflect, refract, and filter light is astonishing. The bible even gave us a clue as to why they are visible when most water vapor is invisible. Nahum 1:3 says, “His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.” Science has discovered that its not only the cold of the upper atmosphere that enables the water vapors in clouds to condense and be visible to us, but  its also the fact that that vapor is able to attach to tiny dust particles. The dust of God’s feet.

Small clouds creating large shadows in the desert floor.

I love the way that clouds can create such gigantic shadows on the ground. It’s incredible to see

that from the perspective of 15,000 feet, and also interesting to think that someone on the ground just had their sunny pool day ruined.  That brings to mind the scientific and philosophical truth that the sun is always shining above the clouds.

A cloud army.

“The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious. And why shouldn’t it be?–it is the same the angels breathe.”  Mark Twain, Roughing it. 

This cloud formation to the right reminded me of an army of angels advancing to do God’s work in answer to our prayers.

A anvil cumulus cloud, one of my favorite types. This shot came from a NASA site.

I searched for a poem that would say how I felt about these miracles of moisture, and there are many wonderful works to choose from, but none were quite right.  I heard someone give writing advice once that went something like, “If you want to read about something, but it hasn’t been written yet, then maybe you should write it.”

So… here is my attempt at a cloud poem.

Cloud Fan

I’m endlessly enthralled with clouds.

Wedding white and mystery gray,

Constantly changing, breaking up the day,

With shadow and light and shapes that confound,

A touch of God-glory, just hanging around.

Only God could produce glorious beauty out of simple dust and water vapor.  Clouds.  Yep, Lord, I am a fan.

More about clouds:

Wikipedia has a very good page on clouds.

Here is time-lapse video of an incredible cloud event over Scotland.  

God Enjoys Interior Design

  “If I were asked to say what is at once the most important production of art and the thing most to be longed for, I should answer, ‘a beautiful house’.” William Morris

The interior design of a flower.

Some may find it strange for a guy to admit, but I’m passionate about interior design. I love the variety of elements that go into a pleasing design, the interplay of line and form with color and light, and the positive effects of good design in a home, church, or business.  I’ve found a well-designed space can actually facilitate openness to God’s spirit. In fact I think that God is a fan of interior design, as well. He certainly enjoys all the elements of it, as we can see by the abundance of these things in nature. In fact, you could say that he is the original interior designer, having conceived and executed the incredible interior design in humans, animals and plants. He is a master of mixing form and function.

As much as I love writing, visual art, and the ministry God has called me to, I can’t get away from working with interior design. And my wife loves it, too. Danielle and I are opposite personalities in many ways, but when we can compromise on design ideas in our home the result is eclectic and (I think) inspired. In fact, I could tell you many stories about how God has inspired or blessed our design process; like the blue leather chair he led me to at Goodwill for $35, or the set of 100 year old candelabras I got for $8 at a random garage sale, or the deeply discounted Crate and Barrel rug he dropped in front of me that, as “the Dude”from The Big Lebowski would say, “…really ties the room together.” In fact, another thing some may find odd, I’m the one in our relationship who enjoys shopping for design items (clothes are not included in this category). If you want to know where to get a certain sofa, table, lighting, or drapery in town, I can tell you and may even find it for you.

OK…I guess I’ll show a few pictures of the house.  And here is a link to before and after shots.

The kitchen after. We knocked out a wall, painted and distressed cabinets, added rough cherry wood floor, solid surface counters, and new lighting.

This is the front room. We refinished the oak floors, added maple crown molding, eclectic furniture and lots of color.

This is the sitting room. We removed parts of two walls to create a large arch with columns (left) and smaller arched doorway. We also added custom sconces, and echoed a theme of oblong circles in room. This one is worth seeing in the before and after section on the link.

Kitchen Remodel

I really enjoy remodeling, as well. In fact, I find  that doing a little manual labor and handling solid material like wood and stone is a nice balance to the brain work of writing and developing a non-profit. I’ll be going into high gear on the latest book project during the last few months of 2013, so I decided to take the summer to  tackle a kitchen remodel project for my mom. My good friend Scott Rieger joined me in updating and re-envisioning my mother’s poorly designed 1979 kitchen. So far we’ve replaced Formica (fake) butcher block counters with new granite, tore out the old green tile and replaced it with natural field tile, reconfigured and rebuilt the island. It once had a cook top and veggie sink in it. We eliminated the cook top and expanded the veggie sink. We raised the bar counter top height, rebuilt all the lower cabinets in the kitchen, removed the old vinyl flooring, added lighting, removed  a wood stove and moved the refrigerator to make more room.  This week we’ll add a stainless range hood and pot rack, finish the tile, darken the cabinets, and replace the cabinet hardware. I thought It’d be fun to show you a few pictures from the project, and document the “before and after” as we wrap it up.

In progress. The fridge and stove have been moved to open the space up, the counters replaced with granite (Bianco Romano), and border removed. New cabinet color, door hardware, and lighting is on the way.

The kitchen before we started. It’s 12 feet wide, but the fridge and stove take up 5 feet! Notice the Formica butcher-block counters, and the grape border.

In progress, natural field tile is going up. This will complement the beautiful granite, but not detract from it. New lighting is in under the cabinets, the dishwasher is now hidden, and a stainless chimney range hood will go in this week. The oven is a new GE double, bought at a discount.

Before, the stove side of the kitchen. There was also a cook top on the island that we eliminated. And we moved the dishwasher to the island to make it less conspicuous. Notice the 70’s green tile back splash.

The Creative Church Conference Recordings Are Now Available!

Here is the news from our non-profit, The New Renaissance Arts Movement.

At the New Renaissance Arts Movement, we’re about connecting, equipping, and inspiring artists and churches for a New Renaissance. We believe that God is releasing a renewal of the arts and creativity in the local church and an infusion of spiritually powerful art into the culture. We believe this movement will connect artists with the ultimate Creator and their true selves, invigorate the Body of Christ, and convey God’s love to the world in authentic and creative ways.

To that end, last summer we hosted The Creative Church Conferences in Indianapolis and Boise; ground-breaking forums for ideas and inspiration about the role of the arts and artists in the church. Creative leaders liked Rory Noland (Heart of the Artist), Theresa Dedmon (Bethel Church, CA), J. Scott McElroy (Finding Divine Inspiration), Beth Booram (Awaken Your Senses), Jessie Nilo (VineArts Boise), Joe Boyd (Vineyard Cincinnati) and others shared visionary ideas and practical applications in 15 sessions and workshops!

Now, we are making the complete recordings from the Indianapolis conference available on DVD, CD and MP3 download.

Topics include:

• Examples of the Power of the Arts in Community Outreach

• Leading Your Congregation in Sensory Worship

• Starting an Arts Ministry in Your Church

• Healing Through the Arts

• Creating Sacred Space

• Thriving as an Artist in the Church

• Painting Live for Church Services

• Telling the Kingdom Story Creatively

• Designing and Running a Church Gallery

• Panel Discussions full of practical applications

• and much more!

These recordings are full of ideas and inspiration for artists, church leaders, arts supporters, arts groups, and more. Order the complete set at a discount or choose individual sessions and workshops on DVD, CD or Mp3 download at http://www.TheNewR.org/.

Forward to a friend

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Now Non-Profit!

The New Renaissance Arts Movement became a 501(c)3 non-profit in 2012, through ACT International!

We are supported by people who want to see creativity, the arts, and artists thrive in local churches, for the purpose of making God’s incredible love know in the world.

To make a tax-deductible donation click here or you may also contribute by check by making it out to: “New Renaissance/ACT” and emailing us for the address at : thenewr@thenewr.org

Please consider us in your year-end giving.

Art Heist Promotes Art

My heart did a little hop of excitement when I saw the news that millions of dollars

A spot on the wall marks the place of one of the stolen paintings in the Kunsthal museum in Rotterdam on Tuesday. European Pressphoto Agency

(or euros) worth of art has been stolen from a Dutch museum today.

That visceral reaction of delight surprised me. As a Christian, I don’t condone stealing of any kind, and as a human I’ve felt the distress of theft many times, in many ways.

I think this crime gave me a thrill for what it signifies: someone recognizes the value of art!  These thieves could have stolen cash or jewels, stock certificates or automobiles.  But they went to all the trouble to steal art, knowing how difficult it would be to profit from it, but believing it was worth the risk. I think when I heard the news I instinctively realized that an act like this has the potential to cause people to stop and think, “Wow, art can have that much value? Why is that?”  Maybe the “there is no such thing as bad publicity” adage will apply.

It’s a little ironic that in  a time when schools and communities are cutting arts budgets, somebody thought the best way to make a bunch of money was to steal some old paintings. In fact, it is actually refreshing to be reminded that, in our mass-produced world where we more often see art as entertainment than as something that can touch us profoundly, one of a kind, creative vision has incredible value.

I can even see an application to my life. How many times has my spiritual enemy stolen or attempted to steal my creative passion, or tried to trick me into believing I have nothing original or worthwhile to offer?

Maybe, like an art theft, these larcenies only affirm that the creativity God has put inside me has great value. What I create may never be worth millions, but it may touch someone, do some good in the world, or at the very least, be a step in the journey of becoming who God intended me to be.

I think that’s true. And it’s true for you, too. The creativity God has put in us has great value. Why else would the enemy be so intent on stealing it?

Here is to the return of valuable creative works, in Dutch museums and our own lives!

“I will repay you for the years the locust have eaten.” Joel 2:25

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:10-20

J. Scott McElroy is the author of Finding Divine Inspiration: Working with the Holy Spirit in Your Creativity (Destiny Image), an arts advocate, and founder and director of The New Renaissance Arts Movement, which promotes the arts in the church. Reach him at: Scott@TheNewR.org.

Creative Conferences on the Arts in the Church are Full of Inspiration

“I think it will take me a lifetime to fully understand and express what God did during the Creative Church Conference. …(it is) allowing so many of us to finally find our creative tribe!!!! The effects this will have in the kingdom will ripple through eternity.” Tammy, Duluth, MN

“The sheer number of gifts that I received at the conference are STILL being revealed! God’s blow’n my hair back!” deAnn, York, PA

When The Creative Church Conference Indianapolis: Embracing the Arts in Your Church wrapped up, it was evident that God had pulled off something special. From the eclectic mix of speakers and their unique perspectives, to the practical, inspiration-packed workshops, to the extras like the Creative Room, live painting, poetry, dance, live music, the Prayer Ministry Rooms, the wonderful art gallery, the Spontaneous Prophetic Art, it was a conference full of surprises, inspiration, connections, and healing. As we had hoped, the conversation reached across denominational boundaries, bringing together leading practitioners from different traditions and backgrounds and we all learned from each other. But more than that, being together to talk

AnnaRose McCabe dancing during worship at the Creative Church Conference Indianapolis. Cathy Feeman paints behind her.

about and experience what God is doing with the arts provided priceless creative fuel and refreshing for the journey ahead.

The theme of the conference, “Embracing the Arts (and Artists) in Your Church”, was based on the concept that God IS creativity, that He designed the arts and creativity as a way for us to encounter and know Him, and the embrace of these things in the local church will mature the Body of Christ and change the world.  The wide ranging discussions all touched on this theme in some way. Jessie Nilo, in her blog post about the event took a shot at describing what went on:

” (Friday) Scott challenged us to do art for the sake of maturity in the Church. Beth Booram (Awaken Your Senses) opened our eyes, ears, and senses, and our imaginations were primed to soar through being present. Rory Noland (Heart of the Artist) melted our hearts with humble encouragement, speaking on some of the challenges of being artistic. (Saturday) Joe Boyd (Artist/Pastor)… well, this improv actor had us laughing hysterically, then  slammed us with clarity and truth on behalf of artists in our churches. Theresa Dedmon (Bethel Church) joyfully led many in the room into healing; spiritually, artistically, and even physically.

“The Arts in Community Outreach” Panel Discussion. Left to right, J. Scott McElroy, Joe Boyd, Kyle Ragsdale, Theresa Dedmon, Jessie Nilo, Christopher Greco

The workshops were riveting, filled with practical advice and spiritual experience on integrating the arts into the local church.  The discussions were electric, and nobody wanted them to end! The panel discussions and creative brainstorming were vital to all the churches represented in the room as we all pondered the future of the arts in the church.

This is a true movement of God.” (Excerpts edited.)

If you missed the Creative Church Indianapolis, a full DVD and cd collection of the sessions and workshops is now available!  Click HERE.

 

Continued Momentum at The Creative Church Boise, July 13-15

Manuel Luz

Less than a month later we did it all again with the Creative Church Conference Boise. This conference had a different personality than Indy, but was undeniably infused with God’s presence, as well.  Rory Noland, Jessie Nilo, and I spoke at both conferences, but Boise also featured Manuel Luz (Imagine That) a wonderful  “Renaissance Man”( he probably wouldn’t like that description, but it’s true) who delivered excellent messages and also led us in an amazing arts and worship time on Friday night. It was so enjoyable to watch him freely contribute his talents to the weekend.   Brie Tschoepe came in from Austin to instruct and enlightened us on the powerful gifts of drama and physical movement, and her presence alone added a unique sense of soul to the weekend. Rory Noland, a mentor to so many Christian artists, spoke from his vast experience of working with artists in the church. His talk on “Leading Artists” was remarkably practical and helpful.  And Dave Blakeslee, a former pastor and gifted potter who illustrates with clay as he speaks, completely floored us with unique insight on the relationship between pastors and artists. It was like he opened up a treasure chest of wisdom on the subject and started doling out rare gems. (I’ll post the text from that talk soon.)

A drama exercise. These people froze in position to illustrate the disciples in the stormy sea.

We knew from the beginning that the two conferences would have different vibes.  With Boise’s large and established VineArts Ministry to artists we thought that conference would lean more toward artists, and Indy’s proximity to a much larger population and more churches would skew it more toward arts and church leaders. These assumptions were generally true, but the way everything wove together at the individual conferences was truly astounding. There was a wonderful balance of ideas and insight for artists, arts leaders, and local churches at both conferences. It was clear that the Holy Spirit had inspired and guided these events, and there was clear affirmation that the movement to integrate the arts into the church–this New Renaissance–is God’s idea.

Now the question we hear continually, “When are you going to do it again?” We’re committing that question to prayer, and we’ll let you know as soon as we do!

As the words on the conference poster said:

A historic movement is underway.

A movement that will connect artists

with the ultimate Creator,

awaken creativity in the average person,

Invigorate the local church, and convey

God’s love to the world in authentic and creative ways.

It’s a New Renaissance,

And you have a part in it.

The Creative Church Conferences were sponsored in part by The New Renaissance Arts Movement. For more information on The New Renaissance Arts Movement go to http://TheNewR.org.

More about the The Creative Church Conference, Indianapolis!

There are about 40 days to go before the Creative Church Conference June 15-17 in Indianapolis! I’m amazed at what God has put together.  Seriously.

The vision for this unique conference and its sister event in Boise in July is to amplify the conversation about what God is doing with the arts and creativity in the church. We hope to create a sumptuous smorgasbord of inspiring and practical ideas about how to integrate creativity and the arts into the community, services, and outreach of the local church. And to offer inspiration and refreshment for artists and creative leaders.

This conversation reaches across denominational boundaries, so the dream for this conference was to have a mix of perspectives and approaches, to bring together leading practitioners from different traditions and backgrounds, from Presbyterian to Vineyard to Lutheran to Catholic to Charismatic and everything in between. We can all learn from each other.

Rory Noland, author of the classic Heart of the Artist, probably the most widely read book on artists and faith to come out in the last 15 years, as well as the excellent follow-up Thriving as an Artist in the Church, will share about the important place of the artist and the arts in future of the church. Rory was one of the original worship leaders at the uber-influencial evangelical leader, Willow Creek Church (Chicag0) and he brings wisdom and perspective to the conversation.  Theresa Dedmon, arts leader at the charismatic powerhouse Bethel Church, Redding, CA will  share her infectious enthusiasm and thrilling stories about the power of the arts in outreach. She speaks internationally and has seen God move creativity through innovative and bold techniques. She’s also an art therapist and thrives on ability of the arts to touch individuals.   Joe Boyd, amazing storyteller, visionary filmmaker, improv actor and teaching pastor at the legendary Cincinnati Vineyard, will share his exciting takes on reaching out to community and telling kingdom stories creatively. Jessie Nilo, founder and director of VineArts Boise, one of the most vibrant church arts ministries I ever encountered, will bring her volumes of experience on leading artists, practical wisdom for running and sustaining arts ministry, and passionate heart to love people through the arts.  Beth Booram, author of the revolutionary new IVP book, Awaken the Senses, will show us how to engage our senses and right brain with our faith to magnificently enrich our encounters with God, and how to lead entire congregations in the experience.

We’ll talk about engaging the arts in outreach, building community among artists, creating atmosphere and sacred space in our churches, drawing out the creativity inherent in the “average” person, how to start and maintain arts ministry, how to run a church art gallery, and more. Panelists like deAnn Roe, Creative Arts Director at Living Word Community Church in York, PA,  and Kyle Ragsdale, Curator of the Harrison Art Center in Indianapolis, will share insight and answer questions.  I’ll contribute to the weekend with some perspective on what God is doing to awaken the arts and creativity around the world and help cast the vision for a creative church that more fully reflects His love and personality in the world.

We’ll have some creative surprises and opportunities for attendees to get refreshed and inspired with prayer and creative play. We’ve been given the unprecedented opportunity to completely design both Sunday services at the Indy Vineyard on the 17th, to dream about what church could look like with the arts fully  integrated and utilized in services. Attendees will be able to brainstorm and contribute, or just sit back and enjoy.

I’ve been to A LOT of conferences on the arts, but I’ve never seen anything like this. It has the potential to push this conversation to another level. I can not wait to connect and exchange ideas others who have felt God’s leading to reclaim the arts for His glory.

Because the truth is this: creativity, imagination, and the arts were conceived by our God.  They are inextricably intertwined with His personality and He is constantly practicing them–in every sunset, every cloud formation, every atom that dances in a cell. As beloved children created in God’s image, we can’t help but enjoy and practice creativity, too. It’s time to see it flow through the Christ’s church. We may not figure out every detail of how that all works over one weekend in June, but we’ll certainly have lots of fun collaborating with God and each other as we explore the path. And you’ll definitely leave with a better sense of how God may be awakening creativity in you and your church.

I sincerely hope you can be a part of the Creative Church in Indianapolis in June 15-17! Get more information and  register at http://TheNewR.com.