Reader, meet Seeds.
Seeds Family Worship is one of the most practical examples I can give you to help you understand the work of an Arts Consultant within Bible translation...a role that (if you haven't figured out by now), we are looking into going to school for after our term in Orlando. We'll see.
Jason Houser, the dad who put Seeds Family Worship together, knew his purpose. He wanted to help kids in his church engage with Scripture in a way that would permeate into their lives. So he started picking verses/passages that he felt would be particularly helpful for the kids he was working with. Then he got to work putting them to music (they have a couple videos they've done, as seen above, but their main products are albums)...one of the best mediums for kids--and adults--to memorize as well as actively interact with. There is nothing added to the text as far as lyrics go. They are by best definition straight-up Scripture songs. This is exactly the kind of tool an Arts Consultant works to put together! It's not a novel idea by any stretch of the imagination...many people have done it before, but we are now realizing the intense value of this type of thing in helping a culture engage with God's Word.
Now, for my disclaimer. I realize that making this example is possibly a HUGE over-simplification. I get that. There is SO MUCH that goes into the work of an Arts Consultant. But, at the heart of it, the purpose is the same. To help the people group you are with to engage with God's Word in a form/language that they connect with best. In this particular example we're talking music...but there are all kinds of expressions that all but define a culture that can be utilized to infuse Scripture into. Maybe it's art, maybe it's basket-weaving, maybe it's dance, I don't know! The different expressions of people groups around the world are endless because an outrageously creative God made us this way.
The definition of an Arts Consultant is "a person who works alongside local singers, dancers, and storytellers, researching a community's performing arts and then sparking artistic creation to reach mutual spiritual and social goals". So, there is more to it than simply coming up with a good tune to put Scripture to and then recording it onto a CD. It's a role of empowering indigenous people to use their own cultural art forms to bring glory to God.
Just within the last couple of weeks I started popping my Seeds Family Worship CD in the stereo system so that my kids could interact with Scripture songs, and here I find myself being the one most impacted. Seriously, I sing these songs in my head all the time. God's Word is becoming more deeply rooted in my heart as a result of it taking on this form in my everyday life.
Click here to listen to any entire album.
8 comments:
Hi! It's Heather from Seeds Family Worship. Thanks for the kind words. Let us know anything we can do to help your ministry and your interest in using the arts coupled with Bible translation. Blessings!
love it! gotta add this to our wish list. it's awesome to experience the same desired outcome we seek for those we serve elsewhere.
I picked up several of the Seeds CDs a few months ago at a missionary sale in Cameroon. They are now some of our favorite CDs. Judah loves them and the lyrics can't be beat. :-)
I never thought about it in relation to arts consulting but you are so right. Thanks for all you're doing and will do in this area! (And we're a bit biased, but we hope that you come to do it in Nigeria.)
Thanks for your note, Heather. Great to hear from you. Seeds Family Worship has been such a great tool! Keep up the good work.
And Justin, what a great way to think of it.
Chris, I love how you're half-way across the world, but our kids are experiencing some of the same things!
I love Seeds Family Worship too. When I wake up grumpy, it is the first thing I reach for to get me out of my funk. Singing God's Words is a true blessing.
I like your new blog banner!
You guys know how I feel about this! Totally hooked and got the kids school hooked, too :) There's nothing like watching a classroom of fourth graders laughing and dancing for family as they sing God's Word! My favorite is when me kids start bopping in their seats during a sermon when the Pastor uses Scripture "from" Seeds!!
Ha ha, and you are totally the one who got us started on it, too! Good work. Seeds owes you many thanks:)
I just read this...I'm thinking that Seeds owes me nothing. It's great to see how God uses one ministry to grow another and another...almost like a seed ;) Which reminds me, I need to download my songs from the new cd now!
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