Reclaiming the Arts For Christ: Mirroring God's Greater Calling for Valor

by Arie Ringnalda, Director, Valor Arts+Media

Eden was a template - beauty, harmony, joy, oneness with God - no stress, no evil, no darkness, no constant battle to somehow 'get ahead.  It was life designed in a master plan that we will one day see fully - God the benevolent, loving, creator, in lockstep with His beloved creation. Humankind His crowning glory, crafted with great care in His very image. A future that is promised again to us, to which we strive toward even now.

We catch glimpses of this vision occasionally, and it compels us. When we experience oneness with Him and each other, and when we commit our lives and gifting to Him, we are offered the peace of knowing we are on track toward something bigger than ourselves, re-claiming the things that reflect God’s very nature - redemption, hope, beauty, and a depth of joy.

In Arts at Valor, through God’s grace, there are times when we get this right. We help students see the bigger picture.  We help them understand that though the world is broken around them, God is working through His people to redeem it. In those moments, students resonate with the bigger picture for their creative work - doing something that reflects God, the very source of all that is good.

In truth, the idea that we can dedicate our gifting to live within a God-ordained plan is bigger than an Arts focus; it’s a reflection of Valor’s greater vision, 'to prepare tomorrow’s leaders to transform the world for Christ.' 

As Peter exhorts us in 1 Peter 4:10-11, “Each of you should use whatever gift you received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

Each of you should use whatever gift… I love that image. It’s a picture of unity, all directed toward God’s greater purposes for the people He loves. It’s a picture of what we can be as a community when we collectively embrace what God desires for us - a joy-filled body of believers, united in purpose for Him, reclaiming all that is good and graciously given to us, His children and masterworks, that He so deeply loves.