Arts and the Church

The arts shine a light on the experience of life: sometimes celebrating life in all its goodness and beauty; sometimes raging against life in all its evil and ugliness; in either case, the arts help us see more clearly something we might otherwise not see at all.

If the First Baptist Church of Kalamazoo turns our building into a Center for the Arts, we might well discover new opportunities to carry out God’s mission. Here’s how:

Building Connections with People: Laughing with those who laugh; weeping with those who weep; listening to the life stories of people, and looking for the image of God in each person: this is the way Jesus lived and the way he invites us to live. A Center for the Arts could provide new opportunities for us to build such connections. 

Inviting People into Community: The church provides invitational opportunities as we “party” together (sharing our lives and meals whenever possible), worship together (giving thanks for God’s presence in our beautiful yet broken world), and serve together (acting with compassion toward those in need and speaking truth to those in power). A Center for the Arts could give us many doors by which people could not only enter our building, but enter God’s mission. 

Connecting People to Jesus: The mission of the church is not to criticize, condemn, or debate; it is to help people experience the extravagant love of God revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Those in the arts who connect more easily with those on the margins of society than with those who are deeply religious are often closer to Jesus than they imagine.

Pray with us for discernment in knowing if God is indeed calling our church to a new future, and for boldness and courage in moving forward if we become convinced this is the case.