“Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you…for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.”

—Acts 17

It is evident that our culture seems to have drifted further and further from God. This is not new. Biblical history—along with human history—is an ebb and flow of people and nations drifting to and from obedience and disobedience to God’s desires for us all, even for generations.

Since Sarah and I started ministering in Rock Hill to the arts community we have not held it as a secret that we are followers of Jesus—we’ve tried to be wise about it, but not deceptive (Matthew 10:16). Our art neighbors know we love Jesus.

This past Fall we did a series of talks in a defense of the arts—why it is valuable to incorporate the arts into your life. With each talk—three in all—I have been clear about my belief in God and how that relates to our value of art, but have tried to say it in an inviting yet challenging way.

My desire is to speak into the art world here and beyond with the same Spirit that the Apostle Paul did when he spoke before the thought leaders of Athens, Greece in the first century. As Paul proclaimed God he used passages from several of their own poets to persuade them. In Acts 17, Paul alludes to these well known poems:

They fashioned a tomb for you, holy and high one, Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies. But you are not dead: you live and abide forever, For in you we live and move and have our being. —Epimenides of Crete

We feel his spirit moving here, and every where. And we his offspring are. He ever good Daily provides for man his daily food. Ordains the seasons by his signs on high, Studding with gems of light the azure canopy. —Phainomena by Aratus

We pray that God will use not only the work we have been doing among our neighbors over the years but also this series of talks to cultivate deeper conversations about God, His Son Jesus, and how they are the source of Beauty and art. We are hoping to do four more next winter and Spring, inviting some of our art friends who follow Christ to address other significant topics related to arts and culture. With each event we trust God to create space for Him to work in our neighbor’s hearts through our ability to address the topics. In the past we have seen these events do some really wonderful things.

Blessings-