Prague art talk went well. I’m learning as I go. I don’t think I’ve ever had a translator before. So need to go slower. It helped to have some of my main points down, and to do a brief intro about who I am and what I carry. I talked about wanting to create a space for artists to integrate their art making with their spirituality, and to minister to artists. That Amy and I both had a heart to bless artist with a spiritual context both coming out of church backgrounds and art school ones. That we wanted to be part of God integrating them.

I gave God’s Oneness as the foundation for His desire to come and make every area of ourselves a meeting place, and place of the sanctification process. I told Him that we had released this baptism of the imagination, and that at first, pornographic vision came out, then another process began, of cleansing the perception by making it a meeting place with God etc

The feed back was really good. Esp of course with artist. One girl said time stood still for her as i talked. That what I carry was so REAL. She saw something in that. And that just from me talking awkwardly in front of people, with a mic. Thank You God!

Some people liked the points–I talked about the three most common obstacles to creative freedom or flow: Not filled with Holy Spirit; fear of loss of control so being controlling; lack of faith that God can meet us in this area just as He does in every other area; no models of integrated creative and spiritual–like CS Lewis and a few others…

People seemed really touched and challenged. Cool stuff. I felt like there could’ve been a bit more for “non-artists” about the value of getting to know God in this area, partly to know how innovative, hopeful and how much life it brings!!

I also felt that Sasa helped me at the end, but asking me to speak about Prague in its relationship to what I was saying. I said that I felt she needed a true image of herself again, and that God desires to project that image on her. That she would see herself truly!

I got Mattias wife’ question also–what about non-artists? That helps. I talked to her about how it brings life, hope and vision of possibilities to join God in His Creative process. Because the Holy Spirit is there hovering, and where this spirit is there is freedom etc. That there are very practical reasons for know God as artist and new visioner; helps us get out of ruts etc; brings hope etc.
Overall, it makes me realize that this is actually helpful to people! That something about mentioning the Holy Spirit and art in the same sentence alone gives permission to integrate things in people!

I could get better on intro and exit; i do think that some of the personal story helps at the beginning, and some of the deeper teaching in the middle–the foundations for a theology of the arts–then applying it to the people there, and there city specifically was good. I think i could add a section for “non-artists” so no one is alienated and people who do not primarily create, can get the teachings and desire to know this part of The Father.

I was encouraged that it worked in a different culture as well; and felt that Prague specifically could really use leaders or guides in the arts; there are many artists, but the church expression is not letting them get fed, or even the basic good news. The recovering Christians resonated with the part about control. That God’s creativity is FREE! That He desires us to know this freedom and not fear loss of control and so get controlling or block Him from meeting us in our creative.

There is something for both needed here; as you have lots of creatives who’ve been spiritually abused or boxed or stifled. And then you have artists who desire a higher motivation or context for their art making.
I felt this same spiritual anointing of integration on me, and saw it active in the one girl Klara; the other girl Lenka had a charismatic background, so for her it was like hearing someone who had that language, but also was an artists and cared for artists. She got that part. Cool stuff.

I could feel that there is a much larger knowledge base to draw from now in me; and that was fun to offer some meat mixed in with tales of freedom etc. I’m thankful He has developed some of the bases in me, so i can offer it from scriptures as well!

So the modeling it was also important–to be free as I spoke and expressed the teachings–that modeled integration and authenticity. And helped it go in!
One fellow said that this little group is one of the few places that this integration could take place, for there was not control or religion.
I do feel it is time to father some of this stuff into His People; and i will get better at how to carry it; but it is really needed. We had the same response at cornerstone festival Amy and I spoke at years back.

I liked it in the context of working with Sasa as well; it was interesting him translating what I was saying; at one point, i just said, i will go to my three points now on my phone to bring some order; that really helped. I will use notes in the future; especially if there are distractions. I liked it.

I think i could really enjoy this! It really helps people; at the end, i did have the feeling like I wish there was something people could plug into locally to help nurture this integration between their spirit life and their creative life. There are no spaces here for that; other than controlling church ones. I felt the same for that girl at Cornerstone. I wonder if I should create a space like this–i know we just tried; but it is hard to know what to tell them, when there is no where to go locally on it. Perhaps I am that space as a spiritual father, but there should also be literal little arts communities for people to plug in.

There is something about modeling the way, and then praying that integration in; but there is also the need for follow up and ongoing spaces to help artist balance it all. Things are not fully in place yet for this, but i would love to be part of making the sturdy ship or a true Noah’s Other Boat space.
It would be nice to model it locally as a symbol, and then parent it in travel; plant seeds, and hold up the possibility.

A video of last night with Sasa and I speaking together would’ve been cool–first time we did that! He was translating, and I would love to have that as documentation. Perhaps the 1st need to go unseen though. But I like the encouragement of seeing that happen, and to share it with others–whatever God puts on people as they teach. Plus for others to see and be blessed.

Trying to become a better teacher, not just a manifestor, or manipester! Not just a model, but also able to put my seeds in multiple types of soils culturally and just in people in general.

To reproduce it other spaces, and to remember what I said, and how–would help me get better at it! Especially the stuff around sanctification of the imagination. Would’ve loved to see it later and see what was imparted, and what I could improve on. We never spoke together like that. I should have had Klara video it. Alas! Still, it happened. Thanks God. God says it’s just a beginning. Still, I would have loved to have more documentation because of it being a new season for me in this area-of officially bringing what I carry and going on stage with it. It’s the on stage part I would’ve liked to document! IT WOULD BE COOL TO HAVE IT SHOT ARTISTICALLY-A LECTURE FORMAT! Like I could see that one, with some shots of the atmosphere of that space, and then a vignette look with Sasa and I, and really model the message in the medium, so that the form was artistic and not business conference looking. Then that sermon could go out as a real piece visually as well as spiritual content. That would be so cool. Think if you had one’s of anointed teachings that were shot really artistically! I could get a few people to shoot them well as I was on stage. I would LOVE that! Not just for me, but to model the whole message of integrating the creative with the spiritual message etc. I will get that rolling next time! Always have someone shooting video, and a decent mic! And lighting. That would be so cool to do artistic shoots for ministers and teachers as well. To get a better more true frame around their messages–using the particular content as the aesthetic tone guide for the shoot. For me personally, when I’m onstage, it also brings this theatrical element that I think would make my carrying of it better in terms of presence etc. Using the arts part to deliver the message. I wasn’t all the way there last night. Still, i would’ve liked to have it documented! So that what I am doing on the road is more visible as well. For so many years, it has been invisible. Now that God is developing a fuller word, i would love to have that captured artistically, so it could go out other places.

I know that I have a sense of loss there, where cool stuff that happens is not documented well. Those magic nights at the Bloom even–i wish…So when i do these gigs, would be cool to have a little team or person even to do artistic documentations with texture of venue and interviews with people afterwards–partly so I can see what happened, and partly to reproduce it for those not there; and partly as a learning tool to get better at it. Haven’t spoke like that since The Roxy year and years ago. As part of the service. Cool beans.I liked it. Helped to have notes!

Nothing is lost!! He says. All is to come! Many more exotic venues on your circuit! Get them documented next time to share them, access etc…make or take a team to document what you are carrying–really artistically, as a holistic model of how to carry this message about integration and sanctification of the imagination in a creative way, so medium matches message.

I was also thinking in a traditional service, cool to have little prayer groups as well; it lets the Spirit move the knowledge in deeper. Communion is more whatever form suits that group; realizing that many are recovering from religion, and others grew up catholic and need sacred rituals. How to accommodate all in a way that it can be a “real” meeting with Christ for them all?