Young Missionary Temple CME Church
2901 Sanderford Road
Raleigh, NC 27610
919-832-4347
Home
~Arts Ministry~
It is no surprise that we are living in a time of great renewal or transformation, and I think I can safely say that we all perceive something great is going to happen soon. The TRUE uncompromising Church is going to rise up to proclaim the TRUTH of God’s Word using every possible means. God’s people are no longer just settling for the “old wine” of tradition. We must now become more creative in our ministry and profession of the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, we must not allow the truth to be lost or confused in our presentations. As such, we can’t allow the devil to have any place in our creativity or aspirations.
Mission Statement
The saving of souls is the mission of the church. The mission of any ministry in the church is the same as the Global mission of every church. The saving souls from the power and penalty of sin are our sole mission. The gospel and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ presented in any form is to salvage souls. Christ came to restore our relationship with the Father. Second to this is the restoration of those that have fallen or find themselves in need of repentance and restoration.
Vision
There are many ways we can praise the Lord but there is only one way to worship Him and that is in spirit and in truth. Our vision is to be able to draw from the congregation those that have a zeal (according to knowledge of His word and His will) to perform at various functions within and outside of the church. To eventually graduate to larger forums and ultimately put on Holiday Productions (e.g., Christmas, Easter, and Black History Month) that will be both educational and inspirational to the church and community.
Communicating the Vision is Vital
Everyone should know the reason why the ministry exists. That way, the whole team will work together in the same direction. No one should be allowed to divide the ministry or pull it apart. It also prevents certain individuals from dividing the ministry and pulling it apart. A boat goes nowhere if everyone is rowing in different directions, no matter how hard everyone rows. In the same way, our Arts Ministry will go nowhere unless you communicate to everyone the direction the ministry is supposed to go.
The vision of each ministry must line up with the vision of our church. The vision must focus on the church motto, which is: YMT- Loving God...Loving People!” Ministry leaders must have a love for the church and the vision clearly in their hearts. If not, they must be removed before division occurs. Include a summary of the vision in any literature that you hand out concerning the ministry.
Review the vision statement (concept of ministry) regularly at meetings and modify if necessary.
We must understand that some churches don’t see the Arts as a form of praise unto the Father and as a form of encouraging the saints. Having an Arts Ministry is a new concept in traditional churches and this obstacle is hard to overcome. We must be patient with those in the congregation who have not accepted these new concepts which are not viewed as traditional parts of worship.
In the itinerate ministry of our church pastors change. If the church leadership has NOT accepted the Arts Ministry, never operate in disobedience to the wishes of the pastor or delegated authority. Pray and ask God to open the door and use that time to train and learn all you can about what God has placed in your heart to do and His Word. Maybe, God is preparing you to go forth in ministry in a different way. You may have to redesign or change the ministry and its focus.
Goals:
Goals bring your vision to a clear focus. Your vision will have more concreteness if you set concrete goals. Good goals should be specific, measurable, attainable yet faith-stretching, and time-limited.
Our current goal is to have one part of the Arts Ministry perform on the second ( Dance ) and fourth Sundays ( Drama ) of each month during the morning service after the church announcements. Each presentation should take no longer than 10 minutes and must not hinder the flow of the morning worship service.
Therefore, preparations for the Sunday morning worship service of the Arts Ministries are essential. All props and necessary items must be in place. The time of the morning announcements can be used for the last minute placing of items if needed. These items must be removed immediately after the performance unless leaving them there will not cause distractions from the remainder of the worship service.
Chosen Vessels
We understand that every believer is given a gift to be used to Glorify God and edify the body of Christ. New Ministries are popping up left and right because believers want to be a part of something and are beginning to realize that we all have been called to do something. Some people have expertise in these areas and need a vessel by which to exercise these gifts and abilities. The YMT Arts Ministry is another vessel to be used to this end.
It is not wise to start a ministry because someone thinks it is a good idea, or because there isn’t one in your church. It is not wise to join a ministry simply because someone asked you to. The desire must be birthed by the Holy Spirit. Serving in the arts ministry is an awesome responsibility and if you are not called by the Spirit, you must not venture into it. The price is heavy and the call is always one of sacrifice.
*** Note – If at any time, after prayer, you are no longer driven by the Holy Spirit to be a part of any ministry of the church you may resign gracefully.
Fast and Pray
Fast, Pray! Fast, Pray! Then Fast and Pray again! Seek God for wisdom and His will regarding the endeavor. I believe that every ministry and participants must be birthed (brought forth) through intercession, fasting and much prayer for direction. God has put it in all of our hearts to “do something” and that “something” should be under His leadership.
You must believe you have been called and pray that God gives you confirmation, the ability, and the wherewithal to carry out what you be-lieve in your spirit you have been called to do. You have the Word of God and you have the Holy Ghost! God will tell you what He wants you to do, when He wants you to do it and how He wants it use you.
Planning - Planning and practice are essential. Although, there are certain Sundays assigned to each section of the Arts Ministry, we must remember that we are serving to the Glory of God and must only give Him and His congregation our best.
*** Note – It is better NOT TO PRESENT than to PRESENT when you are not READY. If you are not ready to present, please let the church secretary know prior to the printing of the church’s Sunday morning bulletin.
Preparation:
Your preparation should be physical as well as spiritual. Depending on your level of experience you may want to consider taking some basic training classes in style and skills, to better equip your team for excellence in ministry. Pray about linking up with established ministries in your area. Attend workshops and conferences regarding your ministry or order DVD’s from other ministries. Remember iron sharpens iron! Be prepared to invest in your calling! Books, videos, workshops and whatever else will better equip you to do what God has called you to do.
Organize:
Organizing is turning something complicated into something simple. Organizing is the task of gathering all the endless details so that they will make simple sense. This is important, because sometimes missing a small detail may be catastrophic to the ministry.
Also: Be sure to always put God FIRST! Don’t forget to plan your follow-up process – Get feedback whenever you can.
Mobilize
When the vision becomes reality, it is the leader’s responsibility to delegate tasks to the team members, encourage, teach, support and care for the team as well as minister to the people.
You may or may not be called to minister as often as you would like, but be encouraged! Your gift will make room for you and your time will come. During your waiting period use the extra time to build up and stir up the gift that God has given you both naturally and spiritually.
An Arts Ministry is not something to be entered into lightly. Our call is to minister the heart of God through the movement of our bodies and the humble giving of our gifts and talents to encourage the saints.
Remember, it’s all about God. Put God first and always keep Him at the forefront by seeking Him in everything we do and perform. It’s for God every step of the way.
