Endless Opportunities for Artists in the Multicultural Marketplace
Intro /
Seeking the Restoration of the City / God's
Surprising Open Door!
You just never know what God is going to do! He never ceases to amaze me with His many surprises!
SEEKING THE RESTORATION OF OUR CITY
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About one and a half years ago, two of my colleagues and I incorporated a Kingdom-focused business. It is an arts center which we feel is to be situated in the heart of the 'armpit' of our city. This area is famous for its crime, homeless people, street people, XXX shops, pawn shops, single parent families, low-income housing, at-risk youth, etc.
At the same time, as I understand it, the city leaders are looking to develop this region into the city centre in the coming years. We felt we were to be located in that region before we even heard any of the city's plans for that region.
Interestingly, the more we have been praying about this region and God's purposes to be accomplished there, the more He keeps letting us in on His secrets of what He is raising up there among His people. Also, the more we pray, the more people are coming together to move forward together by the leading of the Holy Spirit. There is a growing desire for believers who are in politics, education, business, health and medical fields, the arts, etc. to seek the Lord and work together to cooperate with what God is wanting to do here.
It is a very exciting time of seeing God beginning to bring to the surface things that He has been working on in various ways and through various people and ministries for years 'for such a time as this'. The 'snowball' is beginning to pick up 'snow', and I have a sense that perhaps within a year or so it will begin to gain some momentum! For years there has been foundation-laying, but I sense that the 'building' is about to begin to start going up before too long!
The more we continue to pray, the more we are also hearing about the plans the city has had to develop this region into a major arts/movie industry region, such as developing one of the world's few world class arts centres right in this neighbourhood! This was made known to me by a close friend who used to run the daily affairs of the city's arts council for many years.
Mysteriously, these plans have 'disappeared' from the books. As I've been praying about why that has happened, the sense that I've had is that God has caused this 'disappearance' to happen, until such a time as His people are actively involved in seeing artists and the arts reclaimed in this region. Otherwise a surge in growth regarding the arts in our region will likely bring further destruction instead of assisting in bringing life and restoration! I believe it is God's mercy that has caused the city's plans in this regard to disappear from the books for now, but I also believe it is a glimpse for us of what God may have in mind as He begins to redeem and transform artists and the arts in this region!
In the meantime, it seems the more we pray, the more clarity and vision God seems to keep putting in our hearts to work together with the Body in our city to see major transformation taking place in the arts in the years to come. What we envision is a long road that will probably take the rest of our lives, and it impossible but for the grace, power and provision of the Lord, but if these visions and plans are indeed from Him, we believe He will provide all we need to see them accomplished for His glory as we trust in Him and walk by faith and obedience one step at a time.
As we've been praying for this region for quite a few years, there has been a growing sense of God's deep desire and heart to bring restoration to this region - ie. the last shall be first, God's pattern of exalting the humble, etc. as we repent and as He re-establishes this region on the True Foundation. Passages that are much on my heart about this region are Is.60 and Is.61 in addition to many others which continue to reinforce the same theme.
The history of the region is also very significant, I believe, and certainly helps to explain much of the atmosphere and on-going oppression over this region.
The location itself is very strategic for many reasons, and our minds are boggled at the potential of God's people increasingly working together in this region in the future as we seek Him together to see holistic community transformation taking place by the power and leading of the Holy Spirit! The Word says we're to "…seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper…" Jeremiah 29:7 (NIV)
It is in this context that we feel that the arts centre is being positioned to become a part of the process of restoration, but it is only a small part of the bigger picture of how we are increasingly sensing God directing us in terms of the arts and related holistic aspects…but more about that in a coming article.
We believe God wants to raise up a generation of godly, biblically mature musicians and artists who are wholehearted and total-life worshippers. We believe God is preparing this generation to become a great encouragement to the Body of Christ through the arts and to be actively involved in seeing the Kingdom of God expanded as they/we allow Him to live through them/us in every area of life.
We also believe that His plans with the arts centre and the other things we envision are to have us immersed in the marketplace where the life and Presence of Jesus can be deeply sensed through our lives at every level on a day to day basis, as well as through the unity of the Body working together as a witness in the community. We will pray for opportunities for indirect and direct evangelism, and we believe that these opportunities will develop through loving relationships as the Holy Spirit leads.
We also believe that the types of things (adapted as appropriate
to the various situations any of you are involved in) that God seems to be
raising up here may also be effective ways of reaching out to multicultural
peoples in their home countries or in western nations - wherever they are.
GOD'S SURPRISING OPEN DOOR!
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It is in this larger context that I very recently experienced yet another one of God's many wonderful surprises and open doors!
Because I am severely restricted in my walking due to a lifetime of rheumatoid arthritis, I have been enjoying a wonderful freedom of some restrictions recently. This past Christmas I was given a motorized Scooter. This was an unexpected gift and an answer to several years of prayer!
I have sometimes done a type of prayerwalking through the region I'm referring to above, with my car, but it's not the same as actually walking through a neighbourhood or region, etc.
Several weeks ago I had finally worked up enough strength in my hands to operate the Scooter so that I thought I could make it into that region (possibly a mile down the road?) and really check out what is in that region in terms of ministries, churches, arts and culture-related venues, multicultural-related aspects, government agencies, etc., and significant negative aspects such as pawn shops, XXX stores, liquor stores, etc. It would just give me a better 'feel of the land' and assist me in my praying, although, as in the story of Joshua and Caleb, it is clear we are to focus on God's vision for the region and move forward with faith, although we need to get a feel for the other as well.
As I was about to finish up my trip for the day and start heading home, I 'happened' to ride past a place I had never noticed before, and since it was a hot day and the front door was open, the Middle Eastern, Muslim store owner invited me to come in. So I drove my Scooter in and I ended up having a great visit with almost the whole family!
It turns out that this Middle Eastern food and grocery store had just opened the week before, and that this Muslim family had just moved into town! They had only been in Canada for 3 years and are starting their first business. They were eager to meet people here and as Middle Easterners are, they were very friendly and hospitable so we sat for a long time and had a wonderful visit at the tables and chairs they had in the front of their shop!
What an opportunity to introduce believers to them who can express to them God's love as they get settled into a new city! Because of the way God connects us for His own purposes, He began putting ideas in my mind of other local friends who have a heart for Muslims who I could tell about the store to help them get some business. My contacts include a local Arabic-speaking Middle Eastern pastor and his family and Arabic-speaking congregation, which would be very interested in knowing about this place anyway, and could develop relationships with the owner and his family when they would come in to buy groceries and sit and visit as they love to do!
Also, interestingly, one of my long-time colleagues who has been working locally with Muslim refugees for years, is currently working almost across the street from this store, and so as he's able he can have a meal and a visit and see how the Lord leads!
While we talked, it came up that they have a daughter - the only one I didn't meet - who is a painter! I said I would love to meet her and see her paintings and I told them that my colleagues and I are developing this arts business and once we are functioning, we would be happy to discuss the possibilities of helping to promote her artwork through our business and web site. They were thrilled about that.
Because they have a fair amount of empty floor space in their store by the tables, I then proceeded to ask them whether they would be open to having musicians and artists coming in to do some music or read poetry, or to display their art and sell it, etc., providing an opportunity for some additional income through receiving a percentage of the sales. Although I didn't mention that I was thinking of Christians musicians and artists, they were thrilled with the thought that I could send some their way. I have numerous multi-cultural, Christian musician friends who are very gifted musically and who share similar vision and have a heart to reach out to the marketplace, so look forward to seeing what God does!
I mentioned this family's interest in this to my Arabic-speaking pastor friend, who himself writes incredibly beautiful Arabic songs and worship songs. Their church also has some very gifted musicians and a very gifted recording engineer that share similar vision. They are very excited about the potential of what can develop if they share some of their appropriate music there and begin to develop relationships not only with the business owners but with other Middle Easterners or others that come into the store.
When one thinks of the possibilities if this church and other local Arabic-speaking churches, for example, begin to pray for this family and their business, and as we potentially work together to serve and love them and each other and their customers, through the arts and in whichever way the Lord leads us, it is mind-boggling!
This is just one example of many of the amazing doors that God seems to continue to open which are 'out-of-the-box' and very unexpected, but which just seem to keep coming about as I ask Him to open the doors and lead me each day.
It's not a program, but it's God 'developing ministry out of relationship'. I have come to embrace this as a major core value in my life, that ministry flows out of relationship, and that if we are indeed seeking to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves, ministry will flow out of that in God's timing.
A local Jamaican Caribbean restaurant owner in the same neighbourhood, who has all kinds of religious minglings in his belief system, is also open to having musicians and artists coming into his restaurant along a similar vein.
Any business owner would probably be interested in ideas of how to see additional income come in with a minimum of their efforts or resources! I've had some good conversations with him as well (another 'divine appointment story' - PTL!!) and the doors seem to just keep opening! It makes life such an exciting and encouraging adventure in the midst of the many faith challenges that continue to be a part of the package deal of life in Christ. It is such a joy to see that HE continues to confirm the directions on our hearts by continuing to open the doors through these growing relationships!
I believe that this type of possibility of developing relationships with local restaurant owners, for example, and seeing whether they are interested in having you direct appropriate musicians and artists to their establishment to help bring in additional customers or help provide some additional income for them from art sales, etc., can also work for many of you whether in western nations or in Muslim (or other) nations.
Likely you and your musician/artist contacts would not be allowed to do any direct evangelism in most business establishments, but again, if the situation is conducive to developing relationships as you come back again and again over time, I believe that there is potential to see people discipled and churches planted from the seeds sown and relationships developed in these types of situations.
May God give us increasing open doors as we seek Him for
His creative openings and opportunities, and as we trust Him to enable us
to focus on loving Him and those He leads us to so that His Presence will
flow out from us like rivers of living water and bring life to those God wants
to connect us with in the multicultural marketplace!
Great Commission Worship & Arts Center