Why Reaching Artists Could Be a Key to Seeing a Movement of the Gospel in a Culture

By Anissa Rose Haney

There was a dull roar in the room as we stepped into the spotlight on the stage.  All at once feelings of uncertainty, fear, calling and purpose swirled around in my heart and mind. This was the first time my husband and I would perform our original music at an Open Mic for songwriters in Stockholm.  We were terrified, yet filled with God’s peace at the same time.  A hush came over the audience as we began and we felt the Holy Spirit take control.  We saw how the other artists connected with our songs, but how could we connect on a deeper level?  We began to pray, asking God how we could create community among the artists in a natural way.

Over the last six years, God has opened doors for us in our city and we’ve seen a creative community form.  Creatives—songwriters, painters, sculptors, chefs, poets—are the ones creating and shaping the culture in which we live.  God began to show us that if we ministered to other artists and saw their lives transformed by the gospel, then the art and music they create would begin to impact culture.

Here are some of the things God has been teaching us through ministry in the arts community. 

Connection Begins with Attention

When my husband and I moved to Europe in 2011, we contemplated how we could use our artistic gifts as songwriters and musicians to share the love of Christ and connect with other creatives. While my husband was out running one day, God told him to interview artists in our community.  So, we began to film music videos and interviews with fellow songwriters, asking them questions about their music, writing process, and their inspiration. In return, they began to open their hearts to us and invite us into their lives.

God showed us that taking a genuine interest in other artists was a key to becoming a part of their lives. As we listened lovingly to their stories, they often asked us our story—a natural bridge into gospel conversations. 

Art Brings People Together

Music and art have an ability to bring people together. People gather to go to a concert and listen to their favorite bands.  They come together to see art and go to galleries, plays, and movies. They meet to eat food that has been prepared by creative chefs who see their cuisine as a work of art. 

In our experience, many of the artists we meet just want to belong and be a part of a family.  One band even asked my husband to be the spiritual leader of their community.  Since then, two creatives that were in that band came to faith and we baptized one of them in our bathtub. So, we try to create a feeling of family in our community.  We go to each other’s concerts; we hang out and eat together; and we collaborate with one another. We try to encourage and reflect the love of God to everyone that comes to our scene and invite him or her into our family.  Belonging is a gateway to believing.

Good Art Inspires

We have seen the impact good art can have.  So, we encourage the artists in our community to create, share, and inspire.  We want them to continue to work on their craft, to share it, and in so doing, inspire others.  In the process, they shape culture.

We gave a Bible to a songwriter who was spiritually open.  He began to read it and wrote music to one of the Psalms.  He performed the psalm on our stage without realizing that he was being a vehicle for the gospel. The song was beautiful, powerful, and well received.  Later, we invited him to sing the psalm at our church.  He had the congregation singing with him by the end.  As he sang, we could see that God was speaking to him and using him to spread truth and inspire hope. 

Art Can Be a Catalyst for Faith

God has showed us firsthand the power that music and art have in communicating his message.  There was an instance when a new songwriter to our group performed.  Unbeknownst to us, he was a believer.  He began to sing about Christ.  His message might not have been received well by the crowd if he hadn’t been such a gifted musician.  But because his song was so well written with a great melody and full of the spirit, people applauded and wanted to hear more from him.

God continues to amaze me by how he can use art and music to get his message deeper into hearts. We’ve seen music melt some of the hardest of hearts.  We’ve been there when artists were ready to enter into a dialogue about the ultimate Creative—God—for the first time.  Scripture talks about the power of song, saying, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in God” (Psalms 40:3).

A new song—whether it be music, art, or poetry—can be a catalyst in moving people to put their faith in God. 

Music and art have an ability to speak and communicate like no other.  They can transport us back to a memory or a feeling. They can breathe life and beauty into our souls.  They can go where words cannot go. This is why I believe music and art are one of the most effective vehicles for the gospel.  They tear down fortresses that people build up around their hearts and leave them vulnerable and open to hearing and receiving the love of Christ.

I want to encourage you to think about how you can be influencers in artists’ lives. What would happen if all the artists, songwriters, screenwriters, poets, and chefs in your community gave their lives to Christ?  What if they began to create art inspired by the love of Christ? I believe we would see an organic movement of the gospel in our cities.