Taking It to the Streets

by J. Nathan Corbitt, Vivian Nix-Early

A quiet yet powerful revolution is going on. All over this country and across the world creativity-in the form of visual arts, music, dance, drama, and technology-is providing an emotionally expressive vehicle for communicating truth, developing character, and crossing cultural boundaries to build the kingdom of God.
J. Nathan Corbitt and Vivian Nix-Early visited numerous artists, faith communities, and arts organizations to discover and document how the arts are being used to transform people and communities, especially in urban settings. The result is this extensive handbook that combines real-life stories with tested methodologies to create a new paradigm for the role of the arts in Christian ministry and mission.
Taking It to the Streets provides church and mission leaders, youth ministers, and students with a historical perspective and theology for understanding the transforming power of the arts, a vocabulary for discussing them outside the sanctuary, and creative methods for bringing faith to action in the streets of society.

Genres: Spirituality

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Bob Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very helpful introduction to art as subversive action in order to be a transformative, prophetic voice in the world. The authors introduce a "horizontal and vertical theology of art" as understood in the “Great Commandment” of Mark 12:28-31 and Matthew 22:34–40, where Jesus tells us that we must love God and love our neighbors. Artists that want to be used by God need to embrace both the vertical and horizontal aspects of this love. Art certainly can be a “vertical” expression of our worship for God. We should compose and play music, paint, draw, write, sculpt, photograph, film, etc. in ways that directly worship God. Art that celebrates God is very important to the life of the church, for these arts move hearts in ways that didactic teaching rarely does, making disciples through praise and worship. It is one of the primary ways that we fulfill the first of the two-part commandment—we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

But there is a second part to that commandment that many in the evangelical church have missed when it comes to the arts. Not only are we to create art that expresses our love for God, we are to create art that expresses love for neighbor. Art is not just for the praise of God, it is to be an instrument for good to our neighbors. J. Nathan Corbitt and Vivian Nix-Early correctly state that "Christian artists should indeed 'lift holy hands in praise of God' with their arts in the sanctuary and in their lives, but they should also be challenged and encouraged to give others 'a cup of water' in Jesus' name and put a song in people’s hearts through the arts in the streets outside the sanctuary …Excellent worship demands excellent love and forcefully propels this love out of the sanctuary and into the public square."

[Drick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, written by my colleagues Vivian Nix-Early and Nathan Corbitt, provides the underlying philosophy of the Arts in Transformation track of the EU's MA in Urban Studies program as well as the authors' work with Buildabridge International. They demonstrate through numersouls stories the power of art to be an impetus and means of personal and community transformation. They also provides some models of transformation which are very insightful.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me realize why I am on the earth. I still refer to it and changed my career because of it. It is a true testimony to the power of art to heal and transform people. I am now working for the authors.

[Sean-david · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chair of my doctoral committee recommended this book to me, and I am quite pleased it was. An excellent edition to any library or bibliography dealing with the arts and community, Corbitt makes some important applications.