Written by Hollen Hostetler
“The Lord said to Moses, ‘See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs [ . .]'” Exodus 31:1-4a ESV
In the Old Testament book of Exodus, we find a stunning story of God commissioning an artist. In the midst of the building of the Tabernacle, where God’s presence would dwell, and Israelites would come to worship Him, God called an artist to cultivate beauty in His place of worship. In the conversation about an artist’s role in a community of Jesus followers, Bezalel becomes an important example.
In Inspiro, we believe that a community of Jesus followers without the arts and the artists who create them is incomplete. When the arts are absent, the community’s worship is less wholistic. While there are certainly valuable ways of worshipping God that do not require the arts, we believe that the inclusion of the arts in worship provides a more complete understanding of God’s character. Indeed, God introduces Himself to us in the Scriptures as a creator (Gen. 1:1). As people made in His image, we too have the capacity to create. Without the arts, our worship is missing an aspect of God’s character.
Read more at Inspiro Arts Alliance