Assignment: Don’t Write About God, but Write About God
Here at the beginning of 2011, one of the things that I have felt compelled to do is to continue pouring into young, emerging artists and worship leaders. To that end, I have picked up three very talented young ladies (one of them being my daughter) who I am instructing in our Living Stones School of Worship Arts. This week one of those ladies' mom made a comment to me about her daughter's latest assignment. Julia came home and told her mom, "Pastor Jon told me I have to write a song, and it can't be about God." Jokingly, Julia's mom said something to me like, "What's up with our worship pastor telling my daughter to write a song that's not about God?"
Some people may have a problem with that assignment particularly in the context of the church. However, Julia's mom isn't one of those individuals. There were two main reasons for the assignment.
All of life is sacred. When you are a follower of Jesus Christ, there can never be a separation between the secular world and the sacred world. Everything is sacred. I shared this fact with my students when I gave this assignment. You see, when a Christian writes a song even if God is never mentioned, the song is completely about God. Why? Because God is central to all of our lives.
Get out of the box and be creative. Many times as Christian artists (writers, musicians, songwriters, performers, etc.) we default to our normal, trite, religious language. This assignment purposefully was intended to cause my young worshipers to think creatively about the language they use in their writing — to think creatively about beauty and what truly is beautiful. Sure, God is beautiful but instead of stating the obvious, find the hidden beauty that is all around in creation and in life.
Some of you may or may not agree with my approach. However, I am a firm believer that it is time for Christian artists to create great quality art that isn't blatantly religious but screams of the hidden glory of God throughout all of life.
SOWA Video 2009
I just finished our SOWA Promo video for our next session. Take a look . . .
SOWA Starts NOW!
I am sitting here at home in my office tonight catching up on a few things, and my mind is racing! I haven't been this excited in a long time. This week starts another term of SOWA - the Living Stones School of Worship Arts. I'm particularly excited about this session because I'm going to be teaching a new course. Well, the course isn't new, but our approach is. During the last session, some of other instructors taught SOWA Band for those emerging worshipers that were ready for the next level (to play in a band setting). This session marks the first time that I will be teaching the course. Instead of having all of the various instructors there, I'll be teaching the band as a unit as if they were going to be leading worship. Actually, they will be leading worship!! After a few weeks of preparation, they will actually be leading our children in Fresh Fire Kids on the first Tuesday night of the month. (Fresh Fire Kids is our worship and intercession night for children!)
This is exciting - where can young people get this opportunity to be trained and then to actually "do the stuff" and lead others in worship. I know we're not the only place doing this, but it certainly isn't commonplace yet in the Body of Christ.
I'll give some more updates along the way . . .
My Daughter on Drums
My oldest daughter, Selah is taking drums from Mr. Josh in our Living Stones School of Worship Arts. She came home from drums Thursday night and showed me the following she had written on paper. This wasn't part of her assignment for her class and wasn't provoked or encouraged by Mr. Josh or myself. Josh & I were both blown away. This is why we're doing the School of Worship Arts - to impart a heart for worship to the next generation. I get the added blessing of having my daughter "get it." So here goes in the words of an eight-year old. I haven't corrected any grammar or spelling so it's in raw eight-year old form.I love drums so much because it is cool. Drums is about learning about worshiping God and it's also about that God loves us worshiping him. We are made to love worship and I hope you do. Next about drums is that to do your best at everything you do at school home and the most thing is worship God. And don't wory about High School stuff because God is awesome. God died for you because to wash your sins away and he loved you so much that he whants us to worship him for that. Now we are going to talk about God. God is so lovely because he loves you just the way you are and I love him too. The End. - Selah
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