The Heart of the Artist

by Rory Noland, Bill Hybels (Foreword)

“I wish I had your gift!” How do you handle those words as a creative artist? Somewhere between pride and self-abasement lies true humility---just one aspect of the balanced character God wants to instill in you as an actor, a musician, a visual artist, or other creative person involved in ministry. God is interested in your art and your heart.

The Heart of the Artist deals head-on with issues every person in an arts ministry faces:

*Servanthood Versus Stardom

*Excellence Versus Perfectionism

*The Spiritual Disciplines of the Artist

*The Artist in Community . . . and more

The Heart of the Artist will give you a better understanding of yourself and your unique place in the body of Christ. You’ll find wisdom and encouragement that can help you survive the challenges and reap the rich joys of a ministry in the creative arts.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Art, Christianity, Leadership, Music, Religion

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1999

About the author

Rory Noland is the director of Heart of the Artist Ministries, an organization dedicated to serving artists in the church. He leads retreats for artists, speaks at workshops and conferences, mentors worship leaders, and consults with churches in the areas of worship and the arts. Rory currently leads worship for the Transforming Center, a ministry that cares for the souls of pastors and leaders. Rory is Head of the Worship Department at Nebraska Christian College where he teaches courses in worship and spiritual formation for artists. He is also a regular contributor to "Worship Leader" magazine and his "Daily Praise Offering" is posted every day at www.heartoftheartist.org. Rory is a published songwriter and has authored four books, all published by Zondervan:

The Heart of the Artist: A Character-Building Guide For You and Your Ministry Team
Thriving as an Artist in the Church: Hope and Help For You and Your Ministry Team
The Worshiping Artist: Equipping You and Your Ministry Team to Lead Others in Worship
Worship on Earth as it is in Heaven: Exploring Worship as a Spiritual Discipline

Rory earned a Bachelor's Degree in music from the Chicago Musical College at Roosevelt University as well as a Master's Degree from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. He is a trained spiritual director through the Christos Center for Spiritual Formation and has a certificate in spiritual formation from The Transforming Center. Rory served as the music director at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, for twenty years and most recently as Pastor of Worship for Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.

Reviews

[Carre Gardner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thing about this book is that the content is great but there's just...too much of it. It's like every Christian self-help book you've ever read contained between 2 covers, with the twist that it appeals to artists. It just felt way too overwhelming, a bit like having a boulder dropped in your lap.

Truthfully, halfway through the book, I started skimming and gleaned more from it this way (I think) than I would have if I'd read every word. I love Noland's appeal to those with artistic temperaments, but I wish the whole thing had been more focused. Like fine poetry, sometimes less is just more.

[Adriane Devries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rory Noland’s The Heart of the Artist is a devotional book I’d highly recommend every artistic church ministry read as a group, be it a drama ministry, a worship band, dancing, decorating the sanctuary, creating visual graphics for sermons, etc.. In its pages, I found relief and also conviction as an artistic temperament growing in Christ as I realized I am not wholly unique; we have challenges and gifts as a group in pursuit of artistic passions while in relationship with the Lord. Noland delves into such areas of struggle as Servanthood versus Stardom, Excellence versus Perfectionism, Managing Emotions, Community, Accountability, Jealousy, Spiritual Warfare, and the Spiritual Disciplines of the Artist. There was so much truth packed into these pages that I savored them and took my time over the last several years in reading it on my own, dog-earing, highlighting and underlining many passages that shouted to my spirit; and I already look forward to reading it again, hopefully this time in the context of a ministry group!

[Lauren Albrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading this! Would recommend to all my friends involved in worship ministry - volunteer and staff levels!

[Brandon Witters · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good resource for those volunteering or just starting out in worship ministry, who want to work on character-building within the context of worship ministry.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book for discipling the artist whether that person is working in a church or not. My only fault is that it takes forever to get through to the end. A good book for reading and reflecting on slowly.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that talks about people with an artistic temperament and the struggles that they can have as they try and serve God.

[R.D. Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great insights in character development for artists in the church.
Artists are often times some of the hardest people to deal with in church. This book gives some very practical ways that we can combat some of our typical character issues.

Great for personal study or for use in a group.

My only negative comments is that it was a little too much information. I think it could have easily been divided up into several books.

[Jackie Almeida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me several years to read due to the intense and long content. And definitely a book you need to reread every couple of years. I sometimes forgot about this book and would go back to it and always get convicted of something I needed to work on. Very good content and a must read for anyone serving in a creative capacity at church!

[Luke Lindon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Makes a lot of assumptions and doesn’t always make its case. The chapter on perfectionism is a good summation of my experience this book. The starting story seemed too vague, the questions too leading, and then the chapter that follows as good…. But no couldn’t shake what came before.

So of this was very applicable and helpful. Yet too much of it. Less is more.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always be humble in kind, that is what this book brings to mind. While not the book I thought it was when I found it, I still read it and enjoyed the overall general guide and advise of using your talent and over coming life issues that everyone has along the way.

[Priscilla Previl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good and needed book that deals specifically with the tendencies and struggles worshipping artists face. It tends to be somewhat drawn out unnecessarily, but overall, the content is unique and very relevant.

[Micaela Hardyman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent- though cheesy and repetitive sometimes. Honestly best part of the book was the last chapter on spiritual disciplines. Lots of solid truth in there.

[F.C. Shultz]

Don’t let the length discourage you, this book was full of wisdom and encouragement for artists of all types. I’m looking forward to going through it again with a group of artists.

[Kathryn Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit lengthy, and dated in some places, but really good information! This is great for anyone who works with artists within their church, and this is great for all the artists to read too! It was a pretty easy read, so even being a bit too long, it didn't take forever to get through it.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was, evidently, one of the first books to tackle the special concerns of those involved in arts ministries and, as such, it covers a lot of ground. Rory Noland spent many years as the Music Director of Willow Creek, a church renowned for its revolutionary cultivation of the arts, so this is written from an authoritative perspective steeped in long experience. Specifically designed for small group study, it is still a useful read for individuals who are involved in such ministries. Ministry leaders will find the most value here, but any artist serving at their church will find a wealth of wise counsel here, and even non-artists will find insights that apply across the board to all Christians.

Written at a time when the arts were still gaining acceptance within the context of contemporary Christianity, "The Heart of the Artist" may, at times, come off as a bit dated. But Noland's copious references to Scripture, to other Christian writers and artists, and, especially, to historical figures within the arts, all help to provided a well-rounded, comprehensive treatment of his subject. At times the questions for discussion and suggested exercises at the end of each chapter feel a bit contrived (always ten of the former and five of the latter), but this is a minor fault. In short, this book is a great place to start if you're looking for guidance about how to grow within an arts ministry.

[Reyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book twice now, which is why I gave it 5 stars. It must be a book that I want to read over and over again to get 5 stars. It is geared toward the artists in the church: dancer, singer, worship leader, actor, etc... It is a great book for your artists at church and I think it should be a requirement to read because it is so darn good! It was required for us to read during one of our worship classes at school and I am so thankful we did because it was an eye opener and I loved reading scripture and advised from a worship leader to us. I currently have two other books on my shelf ready to read by Noland: The thriving Artist and The Worshiping Artist because I loved this one so much. Though I read this in eBook format, the other two are in paperback because that way I can highlight, mark it up, tab it, and look at those notes later. Read it! You won't regret it!

www.GlamourGlory.com

[Bisola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would recommend everyone to read this book. It is not just for artists. A book to be treasure and reviewed every so often.

[Paige Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book that every artist and anyone who leads or works with artists should take the time to read. Rory's insights into the issues that artists face and how we can best deal with them are profound, encouraging, and uplifting. I really can't say enough good things about this book. Read it!

Favorite Quote: "I believe that those of us with artistic temperaments are more susceptible to sin than are any other group of people. It seems as though sin is always crouching at our door (Gen. 4:7). The gifts and talents of the artistic temperament often put us in the thick of God's activities. Many of us are on the front lines, very much like the musicians who led the nation of Israel into battle. That makes us targets of attack from the Evil One."

[Naísia Xavier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Para mim, os três últimos capítulos foram os mais interessantes.
E como não é um livro curto, de certa forma, você vai ter que "persistir pacientemente" para chegar até eles

Mas é edificante de forma geral, ainda que voltado a um contexto muito específico... mesmo que vc não concorde com "ministério de dança" :P

E bem escrito, eu diria, pois traz de forma muito natural um difícil equilíbrio, que é o de não perder a dimensão analítica e a objetividade do assunto, mesmo sendo uma narrativa em primeira pessoa.

O tom geral é sincero, agradável e sério, mas sem nunca levar-se a sério demais.

[Todd Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Along with Steve Turner's "Imagine", this is highly recommended reading for Christian artists of all walks. Noland shares a number of examples of ministerial and artistic weakness and how they affect the church and its members. He then outlines the various ways in which these issues can be overcome so that all involved can serve God better.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to take my time to read this book. I like to get right into books, read them and move on. But this book isn't like that and I appreciate that. It's dense but written in common language. It's given me a lot of food for thought and it's one of those books I'll definitely be revisiting. I enjoyed this book and have walked away with much to put into practice and be aware of.

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING. I have read and quoted this book more times than I can count. It's a little ridiculous. For believers with creative personalities, not just musicians or worship pastors, it's a HUGE asset! My favorite bit in this book is the accountability for the creative believer to still produce the fruit of the spirit and not hide behind our creative nature as an excuse for bad-behavior. LOVE.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is fine, but the author seems to repeat himself. This book could be half the size it is. That is my one gripe. However, there are some worthwhile items in there that a Christian drama team could use.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most useful books I've found about Christian artists and their approach to life, faith, and art. A must read for anyone who considers themselves an artist (musician, designer, painter, writer, etc) and a Christian.

[Michael Wayne Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

While there is solid conventional biblical provocation and encouragement, there is a slight lack of current application. I loved many pages as I started reading, but the relevance wained. I want to say thank you for what I gleaned. M

[Jamie Smetzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right Brained? Wanting to have some light shine down of perspective of worship from the heart of an artist? This book is filled with advice, and stories of people with the gifts to express worship to God in a particular way to bring Glory to Him.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many good thoughts and reminders here. I could have done with shorter, less detailed examples and fewer words in general. This could be a good resource for worship teams and other artistic types in the church. 3 1/2 stars really.

[Tommy Speirs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good biblical wisdom in this book that is vital for any Christian leader. Too much weight placed on the artist's unique temperament. The essentials of the book could have been communicated in much fewer words.

[Wes Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is okay. it basically talking about balancing the artist and the worshipper in the worship leader, but its not too deep. its probably worth a read, but its close to not being.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tapped into who I am and challenged me all at once.