I'm a big fan of the Asbury Revival. I was so inspired by it. I loved hearing the testimonies, watching videos of prayer and impartation of the Holy Spirit, and joining the live stream while cooking dinner each night. I can't watch these videos without crying. The revival aided my own revival, and it has a very sweet spot in my soul.
Separate from the revival, some commentary circulated on social media about the nature of the revival and how certain things weren't needed in order for it to happen. People appreciated the simplicity of the services and the setting. I did too.
To these things, I say, AMEN.
Why? Well, here are lessons I think creative people like me can take from the Asbury Revival.
Lesson 1: It's Not About You
The ongoing service at Asbury boldly proclaimed the truth: We are here to worship God.
It's been said that revival can't happen without repentance. God moved as people were able to see how their sin grieved Him. People were transformed because they laid their lives down and took up their cross to follow Jesus. The message of the Gospel is one of first realizing we need Jesus, then accepting Him, and lifting Him up. It's all about God.
People in creative arts can sometimes find themselves on a path of self-glorification. We can begin to evaluate our work in terms of the world's standards, we can lean on our own skill too much, and we can build ourselves up by comparing our work to someone who may not be as talented. We can also start to soak in those compliments and allow that to feed our spirit in place of God.
And that's awful, because it is all a lie. God gives us all of our gifts and talents. We can be confident in those gifts, and we should develop them and honor God with them. But never, ever start to think we deserve the spotlight or the praise.
Stick with me, and I'll show you how the path of creative worship is a humble one.
Lesson 2: Be Moved by the Spirit
If there's one thing to be learned from the revival, it is definitely a submission to the Holy Spirit. It's partnering with God to see how He's moving, and moving in that direction too.
In my work as a graphic designer, I found that sometimes the fun of the whole thing was diminished by the to-dos, administrative tasks, worry about what the client would think, and countless revisions. But using creative gifts for the church is an entirely different experience. At least, it is for me.
It's fewer checklists, and more discernment. It's seeing less through your own eyes, and more through the eyes of God. It's finding the sweet spot between the needs of your particular building and your unique congregation. It's listening to the Spirit for what to do next, and how to proceed with the project you're working on.
YOUR will may be to get a fireplace in the welcome area. God may be saying no, or later, or, of course- YES. But purely for example's sake and not based on any real-life experience of my own, of course, your church may need things that are either very practical or free before you get the interior-design twinkle in your eye. And get it you shall.
Lesson 3: Creative Ministry is UNNECESSARY
I know, this one may hurt. But it is true that God's presence can and will fall anywhere, regardless of whether the space has been decorated well, the singers and musicians have been trained, dancers are waving banners, or the website has impressive graphics. The creative arts are not essential to the move of the Holy Spirit. Not even a little.
The Asbury Revival reminded us of this. Word of what was happening at Asbury passed through mouths and simple status updates on social media, not slick graphics. Songs of praise broke out without a worship leader's guidance. There were no colored spotlights, beautiful PowerPoint slides, no fancy stage design to guide people into worship. It just wasn't needed.
2 Kings 12:11-14
When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the Lord—the carpenters and builders, the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and blocks of dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.
The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the Lord; it was paid to the workers, who used it to repair the temple.
This scripture is about repairs made to the house of the Lord, the temple. It was in such a state that all donations were used for carpentry and stonemasonry. (Those are wonderful creative skills but not what I'm addressing here.) We see specifically that beautiful objects, even if they had a function like snuffing out candles, were not made. Gold and silver items were not a priority here, but the structure of the temple was.
Because these beautiful things were luxuries, they were not necessary. So it is with creative arts. That's why this arena is such a humble one. Creative contributors are the least of the ministers. If that offends you, please refer to lesson #1.
Lesson 4: Creative Ministry is VALUABLE
At the Asbury revival, we saw people singing and dancing their hearts out before God. We saw artists creating beautiful pieces, not in a showy way, but in honor of their Heavenly Father.
You may see where I'm going here: Just because it is not essential doesn't mean creative ministry isn't valuable. Beautiful artwork on the walls, cool lighting, skilled musicians, and a well-functioning website DO bring honor and praise to God.
It is less of a priority than things like a functioning, clean, safe building to gather in. (Sometimes, a building isn't necessary either, but for local gatherings of believers, it is practical.) Creative ministry does have its place. If not, silver basins and the like wouldn't be mentioned at all in 2 Kings 12. We know that Solomon's temple was absolutely beautiful. It delighted every aspect of the senses with skilled singers and musicians, lamps and incense, and luxurious textures and lavish sights.
We also know that we, believers, are now the temple. We don't have to go to a special spot and ask a priest to intercede for us. We are Jesus' vessels, the temples of the Holy Spirit. And we are to honor Him by living lives of worship and adorning ourselves with good works.
Those of us who have skills in creative arts know how our hearts sing when we're expressing ourselves. We're joyful, more connected to Jesus, we're honoring Him with our skills, and it is worship! In turn, those who experience our contributions are led into deeper worship and intimacy with their Father. That, my friends, is very valuable.
Psalm 27:4
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 nature of God is BEAUTIFUL. John Eldredge (and many others before him) goes as far as saying God IS Beauty, that it is His defining characteristic. And even though our humble creations are nothing compared to Him, we offer them as a dim reflection of God's glory.
Beauty is essential to God. No—that's not putting it strongly enough. Beauty is the essence of God.
John Eldredge, Captivating
If God is beautiful, we are made to enjoy beauty. And if we're creative, as God is Creator, we are all the more reflecting who He made us to be. He wants us to offer our gifts to His service.
And that's what these things are: Offerings. Our offerings may be feeble, but God loves them and He asks for them.
Colossians 3:23-24
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
For those of you who don't consider yourself a "creative type" and are wondering if the church has gone the wrong direction, I hope you can receive this answer. And please, don't condemn the ones who create a cool light show, or coordinate pre-service music. Don't brush off the efforts of those who've made a splashy display for the stage. Don't discourage the person who arranged flowers or designed free mugs to giveaway at the welcome table. Were these things necessary? No. Does that make them just that more special that they are there? Yep.
The beauty we all create in our own ways, whether we think of ourselves as creative or not, isn't necessary, but it brings us into communion with God. Creative ministry, in all its forms, is quite valuable.
Lesson 5: Do What Brings Life, Not Burnout
Yes, people at the Asbury revival DID stay up late, they did go without food if they wanted to, they did do things out of the ordinary limits of self-care in order to be in God's presence. But also, people napped or slept in the chapel, people ate in or near the chapel as food was donated, and well, eventually, people have to do things like go take a shower.
Moments of revival are special because they are exactly that—special! They outside of what we experience regularly. Revival feeds our souls so that we can carry the Holy Spirit with us when we have to return to our everyday lives.
And so, I want to share a warning out of love for any of you prone to pushing it to your limits: Get some rest. Take a break. Spend time soaking in prayer and worship. Spend time in nature, and take along your Bible. You can't share from an inspired place if you aren't actually inspired. You still need to take care of yourself physically and spiritually in order to continue in ministry.
Soooo, in Conclusion
If you wear skinny jeans and make delicious lattes at your church's cafe, please don't be discouraged. (And can I be your best friend?) If you love setting up stage designs that are colorful and coordinate with the current sermon series, don't let anyone steal your joy. Be humble. Be willing to admit that your "thing" may not be essential. But also keep in mind that there is no shame in that! God sees your heart and loves that you are serving Him.
You are appreciated. Now go out there and create something for God!