The Journey to Mission

I saw this on facebook and it was attributed to JourneyChurch.org I think it is a fantastic illustration of what the church is experiencing in our day and age.

You see a lot of times we in the church are down on the consumer model of church where people come to be fed. This diagram also seems to take that tack and if it does, I might have to part ways with them just slightly. I believe that all Christians should be missional by the definition of this diagram. The church is “A body of people sent on mission who gather in community for worship, community, encouragement and teaching from the word in addition to what they are self-feeding themselves throughout the week.” That is where we need to be headed, so that we are the church at all times.

That being said, ministry and evangelism are and have always been about meeting people where they are. I believe in many cases, this is where the consumer part comes in. People come in looking for something and we need to deliver that. This is one of the great things about art ministry. It’s an entry point, a way of giving people something they want. Surely it feeds much of what we read in the above description of missional, but it’s also something really cool to appeal to the seeker or the consumer, the person who is “just checking it out” or “looking for a better show than the church down the street.” You may cringe when you read that. I cringed when I wrote it, but remember we are in the business of meeting people where they are. We are not in competition with the church down the street, but we are in competition with a whole bunch of other media and activities all screaming for consumers. We have something better. We have what moves them to something deeper, but first we have to get their attention.

What spoke to me most in the whole diagram was the arrow. I wish they had left the words off the arrow, because I think the arrow is sort of the point and the mission for the church. We need to be about reaching the world beyond our doors for sure, but another huge part of ministry is that arrow, moving people from Spiritual consumers to Missional believers, from someone who goes to church so someone who is the church.

That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “Go and make disciples.” It’s all about the arrow.

WWW.AA Different Take on Evangelism and Disciple Making

My friend and youth ministry expert, Paul Turner has recently gotten into playing a tactical skirmish game called Warhammer. It’s one of those games people play with the small figures they paint themselves. Paul was in a store looking for some supplies and had an interesting interaction with the clerk. He relates her approach to him to evangelism, disciple making and ministry and his post is quite compelling.

Check it out here!

In case you’re wondering about painting the figures, check out this post.

But let’s take this a little further, in our daily interactions as artists and creatives, we have the ability to make similar connections. How could you use what it is that you do to reach someone for Jesus. Be creative.

The Super Bowl

I know what does this have to do with art and ministry, well not a lot but these folks sure know how to put on a spectacle. None of my teams are playing, so I can just enjoy the game whoever wins which is kind of nice. Beyonce is doing the halftime show and I’m sure there will be spectacle there as well, and while she is really talented, it’s not my style. So all in all, it’s a nice evening at home with the family.

In a game like this, where the outcome is not too important to me, like many other Americans, I appreciate the game, but I watch for the commercials.

What strikes me is the amount of money these companies were willing to spend and the creativity invested in getting their message out.

I know none of you have that kind of budget, (if you do, please contact me, I could really use someone to underwrite my speaking ministry ) but it occurs to me that we have a better message than any of these companies and a command from God to get it out. We may not have the budget (though our Father does own the cattle on a thousand hills) but we do have the creativity. This year how will you invest your creativity in getting his message out.

Here’s a challenge. Make a 30 second video that tells people about Jesus. Be creative, put it on Youtube, and promote it. Tell the story.

By the way the Doritos commercial with the dad and his little girl is a classic.

By the way, here’s a Superbowl ad made by a church.

Is Your Church Harnessing the Power of It’s God-given Creativity?

We live in a world where things are changing at an unprecendented pace with no sign of slowing down. How does the church respond to all this change. Very creatively. Let’s face it, no matter how much things change, the message of the Gospel remains the same and rightfully so, the Gospel is the hope of Christ to our broken world. So how do we take that unchanging message to an ever changing world? Again, very creatively!

I’m not saying change the message, it’s the Word of God and it’s good all by itself. I’m saying that God has empowered His people in the church to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth in a multitude of ways, designed by God Himself to reach a multitude of people. Is your church tapping into that creativity? Is it utilizing all of its people in all their glorious giftings? I’d like to help. You see I was one of those people. A new believer, struggling to find where I fit in the system. I’m not musical and I was terrified to speak in public. Those are the two main gifts we use in the church. Then one day something awesome happened. My pastor found a use for my gift and gave me permission to use it (art, in my case) to serve the Lord. It radically changed my life. Today I go to churches all over the US and preach and teach and use my gift of art to reach unbelievers and challenge believers to find and use their gifts.

That’s what I’d like to do for your church. I’d like to come in and share my gift and be used by the Lord to fire the imaginations of church members and churches alike. I’d like to share the Gospel with your community, but I’d also like to talk to the person who thinks his gift has no use in the Kingdom and I’d like to help the congregation to imagine what it would be like if all these diversely gifted people were putting their God-given gifts to serve the Lord in the church and community. How many people in your community could be reached if you just got a little creative?

I’m here to help. Contact me at amokarts@aol.com for more information.

This Year, How Will You Tell His Story?

As we approach a new year, especially as we look back over 2012, one thing should be abundantly clear. This world needs the Gospel. God has called uas and gifted us for a reason. We creatives need to be using everything God has given us to introduce the world to its savior.

You just watched one artist’s effort to share the Gospel. In 2013, How will you use your gift to tell His story?

Winning the Story Wars

Not long ago I downloaded a book onto my kindle called Winning the Story Wars by Jonah Sachs. I have not yet read the book so I realize I am going out on a bit of a limb here. In this marketing book he relates marketing to stories and creating myths. It appears from one of the videos in this series that he regards our faith as a myth and if that is the case, I strenuously disagree. Nonetheless, one of my passions for this blog is helping Christians to tell a better story. If we were to apply some of the principles espoused in these videos to the true, totally unmythic story of the Gospel and more importantly the way we share it and tell our stories, I can’t help thinking we might be a bit more successful.

This may be one of those cases where we have to baptize a worldly principle, but there is something to be learned here. Check it out and let me know what you think.

There’s a New Tagline in Town: It’s Not JUST About the Art

You may have noticed a few differences on the main page of this site. In working with my coach, he has been challenging me to work on the way I present this ministry. I wrote something in one of my notes to him that really stood out to him. “It’s not just about art.” He called it out, tweaked it and now it’s the new AMOKArts tagline.

It’s sort of a crucial thing. I think a lot of churches see this ministry as just about art or  just for artists and as such may be hesitant to bring me in to speak. Maybe some people look at this site and think it’s just for artists. That really limits the scope of this ministry and it’s a limitation I don’t want and I don’t think God intends. I want to do more than just come to a church and make art and I want to help you dear reader to do more than just make art.

So what is it about?

It’s not JUST about the art… 

AMOKArts is about PASSION
It’s about a passion to know Jesus and make Him known.

AMOKArts is about VISION
It’s about helping people to find God’s plan and purpose for their lives, to find and use their gifts to glorify God, serve others and make the world a better place.

AMOKArts is about MISSION
It’s about helping churches to empower their people to be all God intended them to be so the church can fulfill the mission God has given them.

I want to help people and churches to have a passion for Jesus, live their vision and accomplish their mission. Art is the tool, but it’s all about Jesus.

That’s what’s on the main page of this site and it’s what’s on my heart. I want to see people come to Jesus and I want to see them find and use their gifts to serve Him. I want to see churches full of empowered believers reaching out with the tools God gave them to fulfill the mission God has for them in the world. I want to help the church to fulfill its mission. I want to help church leaders to move  their visions forward and reach a generation for Christ.

I am so passionate about this because my whole life was radically changed when a pastor identified my gift and gave me a way to use it in the church. One small art project was used by God to set this ministry in motion, a ministry that has taken me all over the U.S. preaching and teaching and yes, painting with a passion for introducing people to Jesus, helping them to become all God made them to be. I believe that there are thousands and maybe millions of people like me in the church of Jesus Christ who are just a nudge and an idea away from doing great things for the Kingdom. I want to be that nudge and bring those ideas.

Church leaders, what dreams and visions and missions could you accomplish if even just a few more people stepped forward and said, “I want to be used by God. I want to serve. Here’s my gift. What can I do?”   Let me help you see that happen.

Why I Do What I Do…

Every once in a while, pretty often actually because I am blessed, I get a reminder of why I do what I do. This past weekend was no exception. I spoke at two different places, sharing about this creative life I get to live by God’s grace. In the first I got to do a luncheon presentation to a group of writers in Northeast PA who call themselves the Odd Duck Society. The message was God and the Creative Process, based on an upcoming manifesto/book I’m writing. It was a really great time that I really enjoyed.

Then yesterday I got the opportunity to do A Night AMOK in the morning, opening a series of revival meetings for St. Thomas Independent Church of the Brethren in Mt. Pleasant Mills, PA. It was the first time I ever presented A Night AMOK as part of a morning worship service. At the end of the presentation, the pastor joined me in an altar call, asking people who wanted to come to Jesus or dedicate their lives to Jesus to raise their hands and pretty many hands went up. It was awesome.

Why do I share this? Am I being boastful? I pray that’s not the case. No, on the way home I started to think about my life and how far God has brought me and how blessed I am. I started to try to wrap my head around how all the things in my life have led to this point. I get to go out and paint pictures and tell my story and the story of the One who changed my story. I started to realize that were it not for some very hard times, I would not have that story and maybe God really is to be praised in EVERYTHING. I recognized that I get to encourage people in their gifts and talents and that I never could have arrived at that place without the times when I really needed encouragement. Then I had the realization that thanks to all these things, God may very well have allowed me to be a small part in someone else’s testimony, that He may have allowed me to help someone come a step closer to realizing their own God-given vision and maybe even help someone find his or her way to THE Way to eternal life. And then something else hit me. I get the privilege of doing all this and people see fit to bless me for it. I am blessed.

How could I ever want to do anything else? Be encouraged, your life matters to God and you matter to God. The things you go through build the story of your life and it is a story worth telling. Tell your story. God is good and faithful and no matter how much you trust in Him, He still has the power to do more than you can imagine. Prepare to be amazed.

Thanks to Brenda Hendricks for setting this up and to God for making it happen.

New A Night AMOK Promo Video

I finally got the chance to put all the great photos Donna Parcell took of A Night AMOK and put them into a promo video for the new A Night AMOK: Pix of JC page here on AMOKArts.com

Pix of JC is an evangelistic presentation, A Night AMOK: Pix of JC (Pictures of Jesus). This hour and half long program is designed to introduce people to Jesus and inspire and encourage people to “paint a better picture of Jesus” with their lives by representing Him well and using their God-given gifts to serve God and others. To bring A Night AMOK to your church, contact Dave Weiss at AMOKArts@aol.com

Photo Credit: Donna Parcell, Indian Creek Church of the Brethren

Prayer Request and another Request

Hi everyone,
Well, it’s here. This is the week I take A Night AMOK, Pix of JC before a live audience in its entirety for the first time. I’ve done all the elements in ministry before but now’s the time to see how they work as a cohesive unit. I’m really excited, but I could also use your prayers. Please pray that people show up ready to receive Jesus. Pray that the Spirit will prompt anyone who is on the fence about coming and that God will be glorified. For those who don’t know A Night AMOK: Pix of JC is an evangelistic program that uses art, video, storytelling and more to paint a picture of the real Jesus. During the program, I will be painting six different works of art live, all of which share part of the story of Jesus ending with an invitation to receive Jesus. I’ve been preparing for this program for years and I really can’t wait. Please pray for me, this whole event and especially those who will be coming. If you’re in the vicinity of eastern PA, I’d love to have you come and check it out this saturday at 7:00p.m.

The promo video can be seen below, but first my request. I really want to take this presentation beyond the walls of my church. It’s suitable for churches, camps, conferences, youth events, evangelistic meetings and more. First, could you pray that I get opportunities to do just that. Secondly if you could envision this being a blessing for your church or event, would you consider bringing me in to do the program and lastly if you know anyone who may be able to help me get this out there, agents, event producers/promoters, etc. would you please have them contact me at amokarts@aol.com.

Thank you,
Dave Weiss
amokarts.com