Week 6, Day 3

Please forgive me, faithful reader, for it has been over a week since my last confession, uh, blog post. I've been swamped. Look for some calendar stuff at the end of this posting to hear of ways you can join me at some great music. I had a moment in my car today where I came to a revelation about some things musical. I think it will require deeper research and study, but will be a fascinating article when it finally solidifies. I've been thinking about the role of the artist in the church. I'm speaking, obviously, only on the Christian church in America, as that is the area I have experience with. I wonder about our role. As artists, we are called to give our best, the first fruits of our offerings unto The Lord. That means that we practice, rehearse, and give excellent effort in our praise to God. We shouldn't come out and lead from a place of unpreparedness. The problem, as I see it, is that music is viewed as a tool, rather than as something with intrinsic value. We value other types of offerings, and choose not to judge them. We do, however, feel the need to judge the offerings of artists to gauge their "worthiness" before God. Really, before us. We judge these offerings based on how they make us feel, rather than in how they were offered. If I gave $20 to the church, I would be applauded for giving regularly to God. No one is asking if I gave via check, money order, cash, or coin. People are blessed that I'm giving alongside them. The moment an artist offers a song, however, there are a plethora of opinions that are formed, many of them from a place of judgement. Further, those in leadership, traditionally speaking, have encouraged this. We "program" our services. We pick songs that are intended to elicit a certain emotional response, rather than simply picking them for the theological content. This is intentional (and, based on current worship practices, probably necessary), but it creates an atmosphere where the art and artist is less valued for what it/they are, and more for what it/they can do. Imagine if someone had tried to dictate what art specifically went on the Sistine Chapel. "I'm gonna need an angel here, and a cherub there, so that people can feel this way when they see it." No, the church (wisely) gave Michelangelo the freedom to create the art according to God's will, and then figured out the best way to support it. I'm not saying artists should mutiny in their churches. Not at all. I just think there needs to be a broader discussion in the church at large about how to best support art and artists in their efforts to praise God. Thanks, grad school, for making me critically analyze everything. Lol. I was going to give concert updates. Check my website for those, please. www.ecstearns.com