Monday, May 25, 2009

Evangelicals Neglect of Art

This was a great article I wanted to share! Really speaks to our calling as The Worship Studio...

http://scottwkay.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/evangelicals-neglect-of-art/

Monday, May 18, 2009

God on the Mountain - A Weekend In Kentucky

This past weekend, I spent time with friends in Kentucky at a conference... it was totally unexpected how it all worked out, in that I never planned to go until I got a 'be there' email on Tuesday of last week. Through a friend of a friend, I had an opportunity to meet with Ray Hughes and share the vision of The Worship Studio and also some other cool stuff the Lord is doing with Kudzu... I'll tell you later :)

The best part was this: i get there 2 hours late, enduring a rainstorm and 7 hours of driving on Friday night only to realize that 1) the place I'm supposed to stay is 'unavailable' now and 2) Ray Hughes is not going to be there. WHAT!? At this point in the journey I'm so used to this I just laughed and said "ok Lord, what are you up to?" Turns out the friend of a friend had arranged for me to meet Ray for a private meeting in southern Kentucky on Sunday after church. So I spent Saturday at the conference - hung out with Ron Block (the baddest banjo picker in Nashville and plays with Allison Kraus), lead worship at the conference and eat some INCREDIBLE Kentucky barbecue that they smoked in the ground on Saturday. Pretty awesome!

So I got up at 530am to drive 3.5 hours to meet Ray Hughes Sunday morning - got to the church (Faith Temple in Middlesboro, KY) and found out that he AND Ramy & Brian were leading worship that morning! It was awesome! I introduced myself to Ray and he said "ahh, the king of kudzu"! He asked me where I wanted to eat and said I had 2 choices: mexican or sonic - but we'd have to sit in the car if we went to Sonic. LOL! Typical Ray :)

That afternoon, I had an incredible time getting to know Ray and his wonderful wife Denise. We were both able to share about our journey and then I got to share about The Worship Studio. I went through the whole journey and all the prophetic confirmations we've had over these last few months about this work. There was an incredible connection made in the Spirit with Ray Hughes and I thank God for such a Father in ministry to walk with us on this journey.

So, you never know what God's got for you when you walk into a situation but it's always good and it's always better than what you could have made happen on your own!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Artist Testimony from Scotland

John Lowrie Morrison interview: Love, faith and clarity
ScotlandonSunday.scotsman.com
May 10, 2009

It bursts through a break in the brooding sky above Argyll, floods through his Knapdale studio and refreshes what has been the view from his easel these last ten years, writes Paul Forsyth. "Light," says John Lowrie Morrison when asked what it is about the west coast of Scotland that makes it unique. "I love the way the light affects the landscape. You don’t get the same bright colours, the same intensity anywhere else in the world."

He should know. Scotland’s leading contemporary expressionist has fairly trotted about the globe, taking to its every corner the landscape from which he has made a living.

People rarely feature in Morrison’s painting. He doesn’t want them to detract from the landscape. Only the mark of man is included, an open gate or a ladder against a wall. He is often told by admirers that his work reminds them of their childhood. "There is a spiritual quality to the west coast, and not just because of the Christian influence on Iona and the islands. It has a connection with nature. A lot of people tell me they are not religious, but that my paintings give them a spiritual feeling. That’s because they are expressing God’s creation."

He attended Sunday school from the age of four, but it wasn’t until he was 21 that religion changed his life. The catalyst was a visit to the Tron Church in Glasgow, where Cliff Richard appeared in a dramatisation of the crucifixion. "Suddenly, your eyes are opened and you realise, gosh, this is the way I should live for the rest of my life," says Morrison, who has also painted religious figurative scenes based on biblical text. In Mull this summer, where he has another studio, he plans to do more.

His decision to leave Glasgow 36 years ago was the making of him, personally and professionally. "The city is man-made and can be quite aggressive, too edgy for me. The country can be edgy as well, but it’s a different edginess. I like the weather, the transience of the whole thing, the way nature changes all the time. You don’t really feel much of that in the city. I feel closer to God here, closer to creation. I love the way you can see the mark of God on the landscape, and also the mark of man. I play with that."

He also communicates the word of God. In the early 1980s, when his local minister was taken unwell, Morrison was asked to deputise. Later, when he was preparing to take a service at Bellanoch, a "lovely wee Highland church" down by Crinan Canal, he says he felt a call to the ministry. He registered for part-time leadership in the Church of Scotland, training for five years. He now provides pulpit supply around Argyll, taking services about twice a month.

He says there is more enthusiasm for religion on the west coast, especially in the remote areas, where churches have healthier congregations and a lick of fresh paint, but he still worries about its future. Morrison is one of the youngest members in his parish. "We don’t have the young people coming any more, and that’s our future. I love organ music, singing hymns, but a lot of young folk can’t take to it. People move away and, although they still have beliefs and feelings, they are not drawn back. My son, Pete, goes to Destiny Church in Glasgow, which has thousands of young people in it. It’s a huge church, quite evangelical and charismatic. More young people are going to these kind of churches than mainstream. They are springing up all over, and that’s where they will go unless the Church of Scotland changes.

"The whole way of doing it, what is preached, the way it is preached, needs to change. You have to draw people in, which a lot of ministers are not doing. The training of ministers needs to change so that they have a 21st-century view of the world and spirituality. The older people don’t want change, and you can understand that, but it needs to happen. Unless there is a spiritual revival as they had in Lewis many years ago, unless young people are brought back in, I don’t know where the Church of Scotland is going to be 50 years, even 25 years, from now."

Synergy at St. Arbucks

Yesterday, I was at Starbucks sharing the vision with a pastor friend of mine... good times and great feedback from them! I went through the whole story about how God's birthed this thing, confirmations, scripture, etc... the whole story. When we got up to leave, this lady behind me says "Excuse me, i didn't mean to easedrop, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation about raising up an army of artists. I think we should talk... I'm the vice president of an Arts Training Academy in South Africa and what you're talking about doing is exactly what we're doing in Capetown South Africa!" WHOA!

Needless to say, i about fell out in the floor! The ministry is called Hope2Africa. We stood around and shared a while and were both very encouraged by what we sensed the Lord was doing!! Just another incredible confirmation on this exciting journey he has us on!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Strategy From the Prayer Room

Yesterday, I was praying in my studio as usual.... I've been really seeking the Father for alignment and wisdom in this whole process of birthing The Worship Studio. My prayers yesterday got really intense - warfare - and focused on the mountain of the arts (ala "Seven Mountains of Influence in Culture"). I was praying for authority in this realm and for the Lord to begin showing me secrets to taking this mountain for His Kingdom. Here's what I got:

"If you can change the art, you can change the fabric of a culture"
The age-old discussion centers around the function of art - does it reflect the culture or does the culture reflect the art. Either way, art and creative expression have a major affect on the world system - the way we think, move, live, interact, believe, trust, learn, etc. We can change the very fabric of culture through invading the arts and changing the conversation. I'm talking about artists in every genre of expression who are actively hearing from the Lord and creating - then allowing God to strategically place their expression within the culture for maximum impact in the lives of people and leaders around the world. This is not a small task, but God has all authority in heaven and in earth - and as co-laborers in His kingdom, so do we.

"You become what you behold - the way to affect the hearts of man is to change what they behold - change the equation - Beholding the Glory "
There's something about beholding - imbibing through the eyes - that has a much greater effect on us than just hearing or just feeling. 2 Corinthians 3:16: "But we all, with unveiled faces, beholding as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" The principle is there - what we behold is what we will become. If it's true for the Glory of God, then it's true for sin and destruction - behold/focus on/look at/turn your attention to the things of this world and that's what you will become. Transformation happens through what we focus on. The more we can get creative expression infused into the culture that is wrapped in the very Glory of God, the more opportunity people have to be transformed by His presence.

The first thing the enemy always does is to get people to 'look' at something counterfeit - to draw your eyes away with desire (ie: adam & eve, Jesus in the wilderness, Israelites/Golden Calf, Ashrah Poles, Idolatry in general) - BUT God has designed us for desire and for visual enjoyment. He wants to communicate His Glory through the senses as well in a manner that will glorify Him (ie: the tabernacle of Moses and David, The Ark of the Covenant, The Cross, The Fish, The Shell, Christian Symbolism in general.) There is a movement in the Body of Christ called "Christian Hedonism" which purposes to help people understand the enjoyment of the presence of God. For too long, the church has reduced relationship with Jesus and His Glory to a list of rules and regulations - when, the whole time God has been desiring a deep, passionate, vital love affair with us. The ploy of the enemy is always to take a little truth, sprinkle it with lies and get us to turn our attention to 'something better'. In reality, it's God who came up with the idea for us to "look" at Him, to gaze upon His beauty, to behold His Glory.

Look at the story of David - Man after God's own heart - King of Israel - Worshipper extraordinaire who's main desire was to what? "One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple." The main desire of His heart was to Gaze - to Behold - to Look upon the Lord. So what did the enemy do? He took that God-centered desire for the Glory of God and turned it toward and idol - Bathsheba. Satan sold him the lie that 'hey, if you like beauty - then you'll LOVE this!" - a counterfeit expression. Look at the mess that came out of that one and the mess that continues to come out of that same scenario day after day in the lives of believers around the world.

For too long desire for beauty and the longing to look upon something exciting, glorious and adventurous has been seen as trite and unspiritual. God is calling The Worship Studio forth with an army of artists to reclaim this mountain of beauty and desire in the church AND in the culture.

Friday, May 8, 2009

A Central Hub of Creative Collaboration


As I was in worship this morning, the Lord showed me a hub and had me draw it out on my white board... a circle in the middle with a series of 7 circles around it... each outer circle had an arrow going to and from the inner circle. Defined, a hub is "a hardware device that is used to network multiple computers together. It is a central connection for all the computers in a network... Information sent to the hub can flow to any other computer on the network."

I sensed from the Lord that we are going to be a hub in the Spirit that will be a central connection point for the arts and artists in our city and region. For too long, many artists have been known to be territorial, selfish & builders of their own kingdoms. I believe the Lord is raising up The Worship Studio to be a connection point for the arts for collaboration among all the artists that are currently functioning alone or without much support - to be a community that will love, support, protect and call forth the hearts of artists to take their place in the kingdom.

The main role of a hub is to make connections that yield greater impact. As we serve to connect artists in the Body of Christ, the power, effectiveness and Kingdom impact we desire will increase. Our job is not to control or manipulate, but to connect. As artists come into the hub, they will bring their unique gifting and share that with others and vice versa - each time, the value of the hub grows as a hotbed of creativity and connection. We will begin to see collaboration among artists and artistic disciplines like never before, creating unique works that show forth the Glory of the Father.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

The Glory Of His Presence


This morning the Lord blew me away in His presence. For about 30 minutes, I laid sobbing in His presence - His Glory invaded my studio as I was worshipping this morning and overcame me. I was undone like I have never been undone before - and caught off guard really. His Goodness, His Glory, His Great Love for me and for His people!

The Lord started showing me about His Glory - that The Worship Studio is to be a place where artisans can come and "camp out by the River of God" in His Glory and there be refreshed, renewed, healed, released and protected. This encampment will be a Holy Place where we will experience and open heaven of God's creativity and Glory - a place where He will dwell in power and in His beauty. People will come from all around to experience Him and see His Glory revealed through His beloved ones.

My heart beats fast for the vision to come to pass... I long for His appearing and for the manifested Glory of His Presence in our midst! Come Lord Jesus - Pour Out Your Love - Lavish Your Love On Us!

Monday, May 4, 2009

Taking Shape

The last few weeks, I've sensed the Lord say we're in a season of praying and sharing... sowing the vision into the lives of like-hearted folks to see what happens! I've been blessed and encouraged by the response of people who I've shared the vision with.

We took time on Saturday, even in the midst of a spring thunderstorm to trek on up to Canton, GA and a local art gallery up there called "Downtown Mission Gallery", right off the square in Canton. It's a Christian Art Gallery run by Patricia Reeves and several other local, Christian artists. The work was beautiful and the space they have was just great - a gallery, large workshops, etc... really cool space! I stepped out on a limb and shared the vision of The Worship Studio with Patricia, who I had never met before. When I told her the Lord said we would be raising up an army - gathering the warriors and the weaklings - the master artisans and the emerging artists - her eyes lit up! She said "Wow, the Lord told us when we started this gallery that we would be raising up an army of artists". WOW!

God seems to be quickly aligning us with like-hearted men and women to see His vision come to fruition! I want to see more - more alignment, more synergy, more divine appointments, more provision, more vision, more favor! Everything we need to see this vision come to pass, I want more of!

Right now, I sense the Lord saying that we are in the 1st of 3 initial seasons:
1) Praying for Revelation & Sharing the Vision with like-minded people (Spring/Summer 2009)
2) Micro Events to gather the artisans and build awareness of what God's calling us to (Fall 2009 / Winter/Spring 2010)
3) The Launch - stepping into the vision in a full-time capacity (Fall 2010)

My prayer right now is that God would unite us with people who have like vision or either an openness to the Vision God has placed within us to see artisans raised up and the Glory of God released in the earth through the arts. These may be pastors, worship leaders, master artisans, business people, patrons who want to sow into the ministry, etc... In addition, I'm asking the Lord to align us with several organizations in a 'sponsorship' type of relationship, where they recognize, support and promote what God's doing in The Worship Studio within their organization and circle of influence.

Let's continue to seek the Lord for His leadership and vision - also for creative dreams and revelation of what 'could be' when there are no limits, walls or barriers on the Spirit's creativity unleashed through His children!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

It's Definitely God

The other night Matt called me on my way home from work to go eat some BBQ so being creatures of habit we all met (Myself, Lynn, Matt and Tanya) at Williamson Brothers BBQ. Those of you who know us know we are creatures of habit.

The conversation inevitably turned to the Worship Studio. Lynn started talking and talking and talking. Don't get me wrong, it was ALL good and it was ALL God.

She went on about ways to manage and run things with a group of people who have no agendas, egos or preconceived notions about anything at all. I really wish I could remember what all was said but I feel like it was a God appointment and Matt got to hear some things he needed for confirmation and maybe a few ideas to boot.

Things are moving and it will be exciting. Maybe we should start recording and archiving our meetings.