My friend Dave Weiss, ever on the lookout for new and unusual forms of artistic expression, shared the above video with me yesterday. It's a performance art piece of sorts from the worship band at Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas and is part of a DVD filmed live to accompany the church's new album of original songs, Closer To The Start.
As you know, I'm not a super fan of the megachurch experience, but I am totally intrigued by this form of artistic expression. Not to mention that the vocalist is so good, despite the fact that these two women are painting him the entire time. Dave says when he saw this performed, the vocalist was playing guitar and they just painted the guitar, too.
Anyway, what do you think? Performance art? Approriate in church? Or just another church show?
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I disagree!!
Pat Moulsen
The singer is Dex Alexander, He used to be with All Together Separate a great band from a few years back. I went to Fellowship Church's Creative Church Conference last year and I have to tell you it was great. This is a church that is truly tapping in to the creativity of God's people.
The question is, how does this help the church community receive and respond to the Gospel? Taken at face value, I would say this is just another church show. It is certainly entertaining, if that's what going to church is about. I don't think it is original, though. I live near Chicago and have seen the Blue Man Group twice. This is really their creativity, and the only thing this church adds is vocals.
I watch the band performance. thanks.
I think the creativity and music in this video is AWESOME! It causes people who hear it to stop, look, and consider what the song is doing/saying. If there was someone who possibly never attended a church, and saw this -- maybe someone who needed a drastic life change -- I think they could visually see how God could make someone New. They would hear the words, see the example, and maybe learn something. If a preacher were to just stand up and quote scripture, and bring a message, and everyone sang "Amazing Grace, from pg. 42 in the hymnal" -- it wouldn't have near the same impact. In reality, God gave everyone the ability to create -- he made us didn't he? We are formed in his image. I think God certainly shared some creativity with the people he made. Think about Jesus -- when Jesus went around and spoke to the multitudes, he was a captivating speaker - he did miracles, turned the water into wine, raised people from the dead, turned a small amount of fish and chip into enough to feed 2,00 3,00 or more. If he hadn't done so...how many people would have actually stopped to listen or taken time to consider what He was saying. Fellowship Church is certainly bringing the message to everyone in a creative manner. God has blessed this church in many ways - and one of them is through their creative ministry and church growth. I can say that attending churches that are more focused on being 'holy' or 'reverant' is not inspiring to much life chang in my experiences. These kinds of churches tend to get more caught up into the act of 'being holy' instead of 'doing' the holy work of reaching others, bringing them in, and growing the body of Christ.
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