Ever felt the urge to channel your creative talents into a higher purpose but were unsure where to start? Whether your passion lies in art, music, or another creative endeavor, God is opening doors where creativity meets ministry, where the journey of expression takes on new meaning with eternal significance.
Creative Arts Ministry is all about using your creative side to share the Gospel, encourage the global Church, and build disciples all around the world.
Made with a Purpose
At TEAM, Creative Arts Ministry encompasses a variety of initiatives and global workers on multiple continents, all focused on using the arts to provide avenues for the Gospel. Jon Tello, TEAM’s Global Arts Ministry Coordinator is a creative person who was first called to ministry when he was in 9th grade, even though he had no idea what that meant.
“I talked to my pastors, and they said, ‘Hey, this is awesome, you’re going to be a pastor. You’re going to preach and teach God’s word,’” Jon recalls. He wasn’t sure how his love and gifting for art fit into this. Yet in his heart, Jon knew, “God made me into an artist for a purpose.”
Jon says his experience is not unique. Many who feel called to global missions feel that their passion for the arts must take a back seat. They are left with the question, “As an artist, how do I fit into the bigger framework of this thing that we call the global Church?”
Luke, a TEAM global worker in Japan, concurs. “A lot of people get into [cross-cultural work] just adjacent to where their skill is,” says Luke. He goes on to explain a great metaphor for what happens next. “In music, there’s a term called ‘dissonance.’ It’s when there are two notes very close together, but they clash.” Being near to one’s true calling and giftedness, yet not quite able to express it can lead to frustration and burnout.
For Jon, Luke, and many others in TEAM, God is helping them find a “sweet spot” where they can use their creative gifts for Kingdom work, particularly in areas where traditional church planting and direct evangelism are difficult if not impossible.
A Call to Creatives
In a world teeming with creativity and a growing desire for missions, many find themselves at a crossroads, wondering how to blend their artistic talents with the call to serve. Picture this: a vast landscape of possibilities, where your creativity isn’t just a skill, but a powerful tool waiting to be unleashed in the mission field. Jon’s role in TEAM allows him to help global workers tap into this potential.
Jon remarks that the concept of art for ministry is anything but new. During the Renaissance period, the literary rate was so low that the Church commissioned artists to create beautiful images to communicate with the people. Jon says Creative Arts ministry today works very much the same way to reach and impact believers and unbelievers alike in ways that words alone cannot.
“In a sense, we are artists commissioned by the Church that are going out across the globe, doing just that: creating imagery, creating music, creating a story to tell,” Jon says. Though once a TEAM Italy global worker, Jon now works alongside other artists to help them use their skills in ministry.
“They need somebody to help them embrace who God has created them to be and for what purpose,” Jon said. “And once we’re able to do that, it’s a beautiful thing to see these artists truly thrive.”
Impact and Inspiration
Jon meets with different creatives to chat with them and hear their passion for creative expression. He helps them find how they can fit in with the global Church and within their local cultural context.
Kelly, a TEAM worker in Japan says Jon has helped her team think outside the box with their outreach ministry in Tokyo. “He’s just really helped us to expand what we’re doing here and to think outside of the typical activities.”
For those serving within the global Church, Creative Arts Ministries present an incredible chance for creatives to discover their unique place within the church community. It’s more than just ministry—it’s about collaboration, where we come together in unity to fulfill God’s purpose and spread His message through our collective talents.
Embracing the opportunity for creatives to engage in missions provides them with a profound sense of purpose, allowing them to harness their God-given talents for the greater good. These remarkable gifts were bestowed upon them to touch the lives of others, creating a ripple effect of impact and inspiration.
Creativity in Form and Expression
Not surprisingly, Creative Arts Ministry takes on a variety of forms. For some global workers, like Luke, it means composing and producing music both in and outside the Church. For others like Kelly, it means running a community center where families can gather to engage in art, drama, or other forms of creative expression. Still others may be involved in more traditional ministries like church planting or education, but use the arts to enhance those initiatives and help achieve ministry goals. But regardless of the form, the goal of all Creative Arts Ministries is relational evangelism and discipleship in a culturally relevant way. (Stay tuned to the TEAM blog in the coming months; We’ll be talking more with Kelly, Luke, and other TEAM workers engaged in Creative Arts in Japan.)
Harnessing the Power of the Arts
Through their unique expressions, creatives possess a remarkable ability to connect with people and invigorate the church community. Their work serves as a powerful conduit, sparking conversations, fostering deeper engagement, and igniting a renewed passion for faith and fellowship within the congregation and community. Jon and his fellow artists count themselves blessed as they continue in this work and encourage others to do the same.
“There’s this incredible gift inside you,” Jon says to artists with a heart for missions. “You have this other work that you thought was more important, but your gift and your work don’t have to be separate. You are a whole being in Christ, an image bearer of Him.”
Through the avenue of Creative Arts, Jon says, “We are harnessing the power of the arts to create opportunities for people to experience God.”
