I would love to see the walls come down between Christians and non-christians that are pouring all of their passion into creative art. I hate that being labeled “christian” somehow limits creative and progressive potential. If I hear someone is Mormon, a faith that butts heads with mine in nearly every regard, that doesn’t make me not want to check out what they have to express in their art. In fact, one of my favorite bands is fronted by a very strong Mormon. 

Notice, I didn’t say I want to see the walls come down between christian music and secular music. I actually would like to see those walls grow higher and higher until “christian” music is cut off from the rest of the world entirely. It’s embarrassing. Sure it has it’s place amongst Christian people, but serves no real purpose outside of that realm. I want to see the walls come down between artists that share the same passion but separate faith. 

I just want to be on the secular side if those walls go up any higher. That’s where all of the creative progression and best ideas are coming from, and that’s where I want to be. And honestly, I believe that’s where God wants to be. I sincerely believe nothing good, beautiful, or creative could come from any source but God. Sure, we all have the power to warp and pervert our ideas and can dishonor God with them, but the initial inspiration, the ability to be inspired at all, comes from Him and the capacities He gave us. 

I tell people at shows this all the time. I’m not ashamed to be associated with Christ. I’m not embarrassed by the Gospel. I would never apologize for believing Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. I would never deny that God created the world and is in control. See Romans 1:16-17. 

But the music, paintings, radio, television, movies, t-shirts, bumper stickers, websites, and every other category that has an alternate christian option… is 99% embarrassing. And you know what? That is ok. I can be embarrassed by those things and still have a growing, dynamic, and loving relationship with my Creator. 

Set yourself free from feeling obligated to like “christian” things because you are a Christian. Just because it has words that are true about God attached to it, doesn’t make it good art, and doesn’t mean you have to support it. When you buy art like that, you aren’t helping God at all, you’re making it possible for sub-par art like that to grow in influence. You’re not supporting the truth of the message, you’re supporting the untalented artist, and enabling them to keep making uninspired art. 

When a commercial realist painter like Thomas Kinkade cranks out average pieces, deems himself “the painter of light” and sells hundreds of thousands of prints to church bathrooms worldwide because there is a bible verse underneath his painting, I get sick to my stomach. That guy is a financial crook, urinates on objects in public to claim his territory, and he knows exactly what he is doing to bait Christians into buying his paintings. Talk about warping, perverting, and manipulating the talents and inspiration God has given…  

“Good” art is a subjective term, so save your breath if that’s the e-mail you’re going to send me. I am talking about the art that is undeniably bland that somehow gets noticed because it has a bible verse or testimony attached to it. If the bible verse is what really connects with you, then just put the bible verse on a sheet of paper and walk away. Now if I threw up on a plate, put Proverbs 26:11 on an index card in front of it, and called it a performance piece… that might… hmm.. someone should do that. 

As a believer, I’ve been called to pour 100% of my efforts in to whatever task is on my plate. If that’s taking out the trash at McDonald’s or running a massive corporation, we are supposed to go at it with everything we’ve got. Now take that into the creative realm, where passion reigns, and we have a real responsibility. Raise the bar on yourself when it comes to the art you make and the art you support.