Volume 9.1
Art finds its biblical basis in the nature and character of our Creator God. When God breathed into mankind the breath of life, we, too, received that creative ability. That ability is God’s power and not our own. This issue describes the new field of ethnodoxology - the worship of God through our cultures - and shares intriguing examples of how God's people are using song, dance, instruments, videography and other artistic fields to share his love and message.
Creative Arts in Missions
I once taught movement and singing to a group of Thai nationals using the song, ‘There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain.’ Even though most of them were Buddhist, the Lord used that piece to bring such conviction that some sta...
Reaching the Sahel through indigenous art
A crowd has gathered in a small Mandinka community in West Africa. The village griot is narrating a story as Oluwaseyi serenades along on his kora, a local 21-string harp. On a mounted screen, images drawn by a local artist depict th...
My paintings are my sermons – Alberic Kouassi
I grapple with connecting my artistic work with my faith, because to me, faith is a deeply personal matter between an individual and their God. However, I am intrigued by certain African practices regarding religious matters. What is our spir...
The arts: a powerful communicator
Not long ago, it was uncommon to encounter missionaries whose calling was rooted in the arts. “Arts and mission have not always been the best friends” (Krabill 2023), * leaving the arts absent from the work of missionary societies and organiz...
Ethnodoxology: every people’s praise
Ethnodoxology—what is that? It is a word that was created in 2019 to describe a new global movement which encourages all cultures to use their art forms to worship God. From the Greek words ethnos, which means nation, tribe, or rac...
Local music, local language, local impact
Africa Inland Mission (AIM) missionary Rosina Ferdinand and her coworkers wanted some Gospel songs for the newly-translated scripture portions in the Sakalava language, so they asked Ladis, founder of the local band, Groupe Tsin...
Arts and spiritual attachment
Some people are sceptical about adopting local art forms for Christian purposes because they fear possession by or attacks from evil spirits. This is a legitimate concern.
Artistic forms or instruments are o...
Book review: Worship and Mission for the Global Church
Comparing a church tambourine to a golden bell dedicated to deity worship at a village temple raises questions about their respective holiness. If members of this village embrace Christ Jesus as Lord, do they discontinue the bell’s use as a...
Jenga films impacts lives
John Karanja took four years studying for a bachelor’s degree only to realize he did not need one to become a filmmaker. The skills he needed were not taught in class, but learned in the streets through working with other people. Now, a decade ...
People Group: African youth in missions
Spoken word is a type of poetry that often focuses on social justice issues. It is also being utilized by young people to proclaim God’s missional message. Across Africa, young people are rising up to take the challenge, but we are also los...
