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The Safe Behind The Picture
By Martin Spriggs:Bio on August 15, 2008
Don’t you think it’s odd that in the movies the safe is always behind the picture? If burglars watch movies, then they know it too. Yes that is always where the safe is hidden, along with all the treasure inside. part of being a church leader is trying to find the hidden treasures within our church. You know…those people who have particular gifts that the church could use, but have never been approached or help see that their gifts can be used within the church and to God’s glory. The tough thing is those people aren’t as easy to find as the safe in the movies. But the treasures they hold are still precious.
I’m enjoying day two at the Church Media conference I’m attending in Dallas this week. It’s a unique experience as about 500 “artists” of all shapes and sizes have come together to learn and talk about incorporating the digital arts and music into worship and ministry. We in the WELS don’t have a lot of experience in this area, so some of the discussions I’m having would seem like such a stretch for most of our churches. There are people here who handcraft animation and write original music for worship services. People who capture video on a green screen and create CG backgrounds. People who understand color and light and photography. It seems that many of our churches struggle to put together an usher list little lone find talented artists to add beauty to our worship or can design a beautiful church brochure. This is not so much a slight to WELS ushers, but a fact that most of our churches must deal with. The treasure they have is hidden in hard to find places.
I’m not making a case for contemporary worship, or using video, or forming worship bands. That’s not the point of this conference. The point is using whatever means at our disposal to share the Word. The point is finding people with gifts that God has provided and would love to use in the work of the church. Don’t make the mistake in thinking we are too small to have people with artistic talent in our church. They exist. They want to serve their Lord. They want to write music. They want to design bulletin covers. They want to design websites. The Holy Spirit has used the Word to create that desire. But we have to look. Sometimes we even have to encourage or help them hone and develop their skills or affinity.
However this happens in our church, it is good. It engages people in ministry…in the work of our Lord. It unlocks the safe in which the Holy Spirit has put valuable things.
Topics: GENERAL, SYNOD LEADERS, Technology