But my love for reading and my talent of writing have been severely complicated by the rise of self-publishing. I now have new questions to ask. Is it okay to self-publish? Should I attempt to publish traditionally first? Will I need to have a platform to be contracted by a traditional publisher? Do I even want a platform and all that responsibility entails (for example, updating a blog daily or speaking across the country)? Furthermore, is it okay to read self-published books? How do I discern who published the books I read? How do I know whether I can even trust a traditional publisher? While working at Moody Publishers and taking a course titled Biblical Perspectives on Media and Culture, these questions began to overwhelm me.

After a time of researching and thinking, I have come to certain conclusions about self-publishing and traditional publishing, conclusions that will shape my actions for the next several years. To help the Christian who writes and the Christian who reads discern the practical implications of heeding my pleas, I shall provide an exemplification by outlining my approaches to writing and reading.

How I Approach Writing:

As expressed in my piece “To Indie or Not To Indie,” I believe there is so much value in traditional publishing that, despite the advantages of self-publishing, I must first attempt to have my writing published traditionally. As I vigorously pursue traditional publishing, I plan to do the following:

1. Come to know my readers better and make sure I am communicating with them well. Since I plan to write for young Christian women, I have several options. First, I could write more frequent blog posts about issues young women face from a Biblical perspective. Second, I could be involved in a youth group or college group, occasionally speaking about these issues. I must come to know, love, and serve my readers better to make sure that what I write will be understandable to them and help them become more like Christ.

NOTE: I must add here that doing this may build my “platform” (i.e. the people who are listening to what I say). If this is the case, traditional publishers will be more eager to contract me. Many traditional publishers choose to publish writers who have existing platforms for several reasons. First, many people who have platforms are legitimately saying good things, and a platform can be an indication of a writer’s ability to communicate good messages well. (This point, explained to me by Randall Payleitner, an Acquisitions Editor at Moody Publishers, has begun to soften my negative attitude toward the platform question.) Second, a platform can help writers communicate their message to more people. This is now the case because not many readers are trusting (or even caring about) traditional publishers. Rather, they are primarily trusting writers to deliver good content. If readers truly began to heed the pleas I present in “To Indie or Not To Indie” and trust traditional publishers as well as writer, not all writers would need platforms in order to be published. I am optimistic about this possibility, and I think Moody Collective has a chance of making this model happen.

2. Investigate traditional publishing houses. This process involves several steps. First, I will need to investigate the doctrinal statements of traditional publishers because their views will undoubtedly effect how they edit what I write. This investigation can be done online or via personal contact such as an e-mail or phone call if a statement is not as readily available online. Second, I will need to investigate which traditional publishers are reaching the readers I am writing for. Moody Publishers, for example, has seven teams that are what they call “audience-centric.” These teams come to know, love, and serve their audience in the hope that they will publish books that will help their readers “live in increasing measure as His fully-devoted followers.” These teams, then, know how best to communicate with each audience and will help refine writing to do so. They will also know how best to tell the audience about the book. If I were to seek publication with Moody Publishers, I would submit my proposal to the True Women team or Moody Collective, the Millennial generation team.

3. Write a book proposal. This will include information about myself, who will read what I write (audience), the big idea of the book, a table of contents, and a sample chapter. Proposals can vary, and there are many suggestions online for how to write them.

4. Listen to the refining criticism of the Acquisitions Editors. Most likely, my proposal will be rejected the first time. Maybe the second, third, and fourth times as well. Remarkably, I am okay with that. As I wrote in “To Indie or Not To Indie,” I think even this process will help me refine my idea, and it will keep me humble. If my proposal is accepted, I will listen to the refining criticism of the Acquisitions Editor during the early stages of revision.

5. Possibly, after vigorously pursuing self-publishing extensively, cautiously consider self-publishing. As mentioned in “To Indie or Not To Indie,” I by no means desire to rule out the option of self-publishing. I think that it can be done well, but also that it will require great caution. If I self-publish, I will hire a team of editors and possibly a team of designers to scrupulously edit the idea, theological content, organization and structure, accuracy, and grammar and punctuation.

NOTE: Another major concern with self-publishing is that few people will know of the book unless I have a platform. For this concern, I have a solution, but I am less optimistic about the possibility of this happening soon. Along with David Vinjamuri, I think that self-published books need to start being “reviewed for real.” We need a Christian reviewer to create a website that reviews self-published books based on 1) the number of people involved in the writing and refining process, 2) the theological correctness of the book, and 3) the quality of the writing. This would be an excellent resource for Christians who read because they would be able to trust the review in the same way they trust a traditional publishing house. Both the traditional publishing house and the Christian reviewing site could act as gatekeepers and promoters of good books for Christians who read.

6. During the process, pray. I will pray that God will enable me to interpret Scripture correctly (2 Timothy 2:15), effect my readers through what I write, and humble me if I am successful by the world’s standards.

How I Approach Reading:

My conclusions in “To Indie or Not To Indie” will also affect which books I read as I hunch over my lamp way past my bedtime.

1. For print books, mind the spine. Most frequently, book stores and libraries carry traditionally published books. Since this is the case, discerning the publisher will be quite simple: the publisher’s name is located on the spine and on the bottom of the title page of the book. Once the publisher’s name is found, I will research the doctrinal statement and history of the publishing house. Again, the doctrinal statement may not be available online, so I may need to contact the publisher and ask for it to be e-mailed to me. The history, however, is usually more easily found online. Some publishing houses (like Moody Publishers) actually support ministry work with the profit they make; this is an added incentive for me to buy books published by them.

2. For e-books, be able to navigate the Amazon page. (Note: I use Amazon in my example because I own a Kindle. However, the process is actually the same for Barnes & Noble’s e-reader, the Nook.) As aforementioned, discerning the publisher of an e-book appears to be quite a challenge and does require more investigation, especially since Amazon has chosen not to ghettoize self-published books. On the Amazon page, I will scroll down to the section titled “Product Details” and there, in the fourth slot, I will find the publisher. If I am unfamiliar with the publisher, I will search them on Google and go through the same process I did for print books.

3. Find a team that is part of a publishing house I trust and is publishing books I am interested in. As I mentioned before, traditional publishing houses like Moody Publishers now have audience-centric teams. This means that, because I am a Millennial and I love reading fiction, I could watch these teams’ websites for new releases.

As I wrote above, I believe that God does ordain each detail of our lives so that we can glorify Him in unique ways. And I believe that He specially shapes us to glorify Him in the era in which we live. Yes, He has placed me in a time that is complicated, a time that is unstable. But He has also equipped me through experiences such as working at Moody Publishers and taking classes at Moody Bible Institute to deal with these challenges in a way that glorifies Him. And I hope that how I write and how I read is a detail that God will use to help you glorify Him in the way He is preparing you for.

            I have just enough time to set up my camera gear and prepare to capture the sun breaking across the horizon; spilling light onto the forest and this mountain streambed that it holds. The mist that hangs in the air beneath the waterfall is suddenly illuminated orange. The trees of the forest reflect auburn in the stream as they are bathed in the warm light of the rising sun. I hustle from rock to water in a frantic effort to capture this splendorous demonstration of the beauty of God’s creation. As the sun rises higher and loses the intensity of it’s warm color, I look downward, and begin to photograph the early spring flowers that line this mountain stream. I focus on a patch of painted trillium. They point up cheerfully with their three white petals, and fuchsia center, as though to invite the attention of my camera, and any pollinators that happen to buzz along. Next is the wild geranium; with its purple petals forming a satellite dish. Upon further inspection I see a crab spider making its home in this flower’s center. This tiny spider, with web woven of the finest strands. Were it not for the morning dew hanging in the web, its existence would not even be known. It is at this moment that I am once again struck by the incredible wonder of God’s creation. I am amazed at His creativity in forming our natural world. From the granite mountain peaks that reach towards the heavens, to the microscopic dew laden web of the crab spider that makes its home in the wild geranium; God’s fingerprint is on each.

            All of nature declares the Glory of God, and as a nature photographer I feel privileged to witness it regularly. These moments spent in the solitude of creation, exploring its intricate and grand design, awaken something within my heart. God has created the natural world in such a way that it inspires the peruser to see His creativity and praise Him for it. Nature photography is the ideal medium for encouraging the viewer to get out and spend time exploring God’s creation; to engage in this same type of curiosity and thankfulness for the beauty, detail, and interconnectedness that God has blessed us with, through the natural world. Furthermore, nature photography bears the potential to inspire the viewer not only to first hand nature experience, but also to a celebration of the God-designed creativity of humanity. God’s creation universally declares His glory and reveals His divine power, and thus, as Christians we should be better leveraging the art of nature photography to inspire others to interact with God’s creation and praise Him for it.

            In beginning to explore the topic of why Christians should engage in the art of nature photography, it is first necessary to reflect upon what the Bible has to say about creation and our interaction with it. There is a strong biblical directive to care for God’s creation, and to witness God’s glory through it. The appropriate place to start would be the very beginning. God created the earth and everything in it. This alone imbues nature with value. The fact that the almighty God authored it should make us think twice about failing to enjoy it, protect it, and learn from it. In fact from the beginning of the creation account, in Genesis 2:15, we are called to interact with nature. The Hebrew words “’abad” and “shamar”, which are used to describe our role in the garden, are a call to serve and to keep it (DeWitt 100). This is a far cry from, what seems to be, our track record of abusing and ignoring it. This biblical mandate for creation stewardship is quite clear, and it sets the basis for the posture that we should take towards the natural world.

            Moving forward in search of a biblically informed understanding of creation, we find one of the most clear teachings about a theology of nature in Romans 1:19-20.

That which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse (NASB).

           This passage demonstrates that God has made himself evident to us through His creation, and that, because of this fact we are without excuse if we choose to “suppress the truth in unrighteousness”. Reading this chapter in its entirety leads to an even more robust understanding of what is conveyed through creation, and what we are then accountable for. This passage should be seen as both a revelation into the powerful story that creation tells about the creator, and a warning to those who would distort that story. If God is so clearly seen through nature, to the point that it is enough to hold every individual accountable, then it is a source that we should be using to learn about God ourselves, and to share with others. Notice that our passage in Romans is not speaking of Christians only when it says that “His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse”, but rather, it is a universal statement that deals with every individual that sees His creation. This is what theologians would refer to as general revelation. God’s work of creation that displays His “eternal power” and “divine nature” is commonly available to all humans. This general revelation, that is available for all who look, is only one way that God reveals Himself, however. The other way is through “special revelation”, which is the inspired Word of God. God speaks to us through the Holy Scriptures that have been given to us for instruction, correction, and edification. Thus God reveals Himself through, what the church has historically confessed to be, the “two books”. This terminology conveys the importance of neglecting neither of God’s modes of self-revelation (DeWitt 94). Martin Luther put it well when he stated that, “God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars” (The Green Bible I-103).

            One final cog in the underpinnings of a biblically informed understanding of creation, is the way that the Bible’s countless appeals to nature speak to its exemplary power and representational capabilities. The Bible contains countless examples of using nature to teach us about God; directly, metaphorically, and in representational art. In Job chapter 40, God challenges Job’s sense of self-righteousness by appealing to nature. He challenges Job to “Behold Behemoth”; to look upon the power and majesty of the created beast, and to ask himself if he was able to design such a creature. In the book of Job, God repeatedly challenges Job to behold creation and see his own helplessness. Does Job have the ability to tell every lightning bolt where to strike(Job 38:35)? Can Job cause snow or rain, or can he guide the mother bear with her cubs (Job 38:22-32)? The answer, of course, is a resounding no. The book of Job demonstrates God’s use of creation to teach. Matthew 10:29-30 is another example of God’s sovereign orchestration of nature. It teaches us about His care for it when Jesus says that not a single lowly sparrow “falls to the ground apart from the Father”. Through this He teaches us that we should not worry, because we are valued even higher than these sparrows that He provides for.

            Furthermore, God reveals truths about Himself and the Christian faith through scriptures that use nature metaphorically. Psalm 1 describes the righteous man as being like a “tree planted by streams of water” which is fruitful and steady, while it portrays a wicked man as being like chaff that is blown in the wind. In John 15, Jesus describes Himself as being like a vine, and us the branches, in order to portray our connection with Him, and our reliance on His life giving sustenance. There are a plethora of examples such as these in the scriptures. They assume our understanding of, and connectedness to nature in order for us to comprehend their breadth.

            Lastly, we see a license for the use of the representational use of nature in artwork in the scriptures. As Francis Schaeffer explains in Art and the Bible, God not only condoned the use of representational art of natural elements in the tabernacle and temple, but commanded them (Schaeffer 21). In Exodus chapters 25-28 there is an explanation of the God-ordained blueprints for the Tabernacle. Included in these blueprints are the command for light stands in the shape of branches and in the form of almond blossoms.  The description also calls for pomegranates made in various colors, both natural, and un-natural. Understanding this will help us get beyond the point of needing to justify the use of nature in arts like photography. Now that we have an understanding of nature in the Bible, let us shift gears into a discussion on the human interaction with nature.

            As we have seen through the scriptures, God’s creation tells of His divine power, not only to Christians or particular people groups, but to all people. This universality of God’s general revelation is evident in the human response to creation across cultural borders. There is something innately spiritual to the human interaction with nature. Creation’s spiritual nature is seen, although often misplaced, in the way that the entire spectrum of people groups have affirmed its spiritual nature. It is important that we approach nature through a scriptural lens, so that we do not fall prey to “worshipping the creation rather than the creator” as it says in Romans 1:24. This worshipping of the creation is exactly what we find in the worst cases of humans’ spiritual interactions with nature. This type of relationship to nature is obviously not what we are after, but a quick look into human tendencies to spiritualize nature will be helpful in showing that we are created with a desire to read from God’s book of nature.

            Throughout the ages, all types of people have seen the natural world through a spiritualized lens. From unreached groups of rainforest dwellers that worship the puma, to Christians that stray from orthodoxy into pantheistic views that God is actually the creation; nature spirituality takes on many appearances. This penchant for seeing nature as a spiritual entity may be misplaced, but it flows from the way that God created us to stand in awe of His divine power that is evident in creation. We cannot get to know God through His creation, but rather, we learn about God’s attributes through what He has made. When we fail to live by this biblical mandate, it is a quick and slippery slope of falling into pantheism and creation worship.

            Additionally, we can learn from the anthropological interaction with creation, that God created us so that human interaction with nature leads to refreshment and reflection. Spending time in nature is therapeutic. The famous and intrepid naturalist, John Muir, has some of the most insightful writings on the subject of man’s interaction and enjoyment of nature. He once said that “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” You can read more quotes that are pulled from his writings Here. John Muir’s childlike curiosity for exploring God’s creation and standing in awe of its grandeur, beauty, and detail, is very inspiring indeed. When we approach the reading of God’s “book” of creation, we would be well served to do so with this childlike curiosity.

            We have seen that there is a strong biblical mandate for caring for God’s creation, and we have seen that God has made Himself evident through what He created. Additionally, we see that God created us in a way that nature is refreshing to our souls. If this is really the case, then choosing to forsake the reading of God’s book of creation by neglecting to studying it would be akin to forsaking fellowship with God through the reading of the scriptures. It would be ignoring a method by which God intends to reveal Himself to us. God has chosen to communicate to us through the written word and through His creation. Spending time perusing God’s creation should, in no way, replace our time devoted to communing with God through the scriptures or prayer. Spending time in nature should inspire us to prayer and the reading of God’s Word. This has proven itself true through my experiences in God’s creation. The more that we study the splendor and intricacy of what God has made, the more that we are motivated to praise Him. All creation declares the glory of God, and thus, time spent in that creation is worship inspiring. All of nature is partaking in the doxology of creation. The trees of the forest clap their hands, and we should join in the praise of our creator. However, there seems to be a disconnect. The church of Christ does not seem to be partaking in the doxology of creation. Many go for months, and even years without taking the time to stop and study what God has made evident to us through His creation. The people of God seem to have neglected the reading of God’s book of creation. We must change this.

            As Christians, we must get out and from the musty buildings that we spend so much time in, and interact with God’s creation. We have already seen that God makes Himself evident to all through His creation, not merely Christians, and not only certain people groups. His general revelation transcends cultures and borders. We, as Christ’s church, should be about the business of both partaking in God’s revelation through nature for ourselves, and encouraging others to do likewise. Nature photography lends itself ideally to promoting interaction with nature, in that, much like nature itself, it speaks cross-culturally, and is not dependent on language. We live in a day and age where the primary means of communication is visual. We have gone from being a dialogue and reading based society, to being an image based society. As Neil Postman argues in his book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, we live under a new visual epistemology (Postman 26). This new way of communicating and understanding, further makes photography the perfect catalytic tool for motivation.

            We are also living in a society that is becoming more and more urban. People are flocking to cities in record numbers. As of 2010, the CIA’s World Factbook shows that 82% of the United States population now live in cities. This trend of urbanization has only fueled our society’s disconnect with creation. Many people rarely get away from the urban sprawl to enjoy the serenity and refreshment of God’s creation. This disconnect only appears to be getting worse. When we take a look at the next generation of urban youth, this lack of interaction with nature is even more of an evident issue. With the explosion of technology, both in the classroom and at home, in addition to the urbanization of populations, we see a new generation of youth that are nature illiterate. In a study done by Nicole L. Migliarese, she speaks of a “nature deficit” that is prevalent, and problematic to the health of our nation’s youth and adults alike. Lowell Monke sheds further light on the negative effects of children’s new use of technology in place of time spent outdoors in nature, in an article titled Charlotte’s Webpage. These developments are concerning, to say the least, but we must not give in to the hopelessness of this situation. One tool that is perfectly suited to bridge the gap between the new technological and visual epistemology of our culture and the appreciation of God’s creation is nature photography. Nature photography is able to take advantage of modern technologies, while presenting nature in a visually stunning manner that can be used as a catalyst to encourage the viewers personal interaction with nature. Nature photography, in this case, is not to be viewed as the ultimate ends, but as the means by which to re-engage the urbanized and technologically sheltered with the wildness and beauty of God’s creation. We ultimately must encourage the viewer to get out and explore God’s creation for themselves, and nature photography is the ideal tool for that end.

           Since its advent, photography has been an agent for change, and has been a powerful tool for influence. Take Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother” for example. It is an iconic image that portrays the plights of a single mother during the great depression. This image was used in media outlets throughout the country and sparked a public outcry that was responsible for the government sending aid and supplies to dust bowl refugees (Rosenblum 368). It would not be an overstatement to say that photography made the world a smaller place. As soon as photography came on the scene, there was a clambering for images from far off lands, of exotic locals, and of current events from around the world. What used to require weeks and months of travel, was now able to be seen in the comfort of one’s own home. Photographs of wars drove home the somber realities of death and violence. Photographs of the battle for civil rights aided in depicting the offenses of those whom downplayed the plights of African Americans. Photographs of the American west inspired the adventurous to travel to the bountiful land by the western sea. And photographs of our natural wonders by photographers such as Ansel Adams and Elliot Porter have been influential in inspiring the viewer to appreciate our natural treasures, and protect them for future generations. Ansel Adams is a poster child for the potential power and reach of nature photography. His images moved governments to make conservation policy changes, and establish national parks (Adams 146). His images were on display from California Art Galleries to coffee cans in New York. He quickly became a household name, and was able to inspire generations to an appreciation for the natural world. If Ansel Adams was able to lobby for the enjoyment of nature, as he did in fact do, then we as Christians, should be striving to advocate for God’s creation through the art of nature photography. If God’s creation truly does proclaim His Glory, eternal power, and divine attributes, like the Bible says it does, then we should be the loudest voice in advocating for people to get out and spend time in nature.

            Beyond nature photography’s purpose as a catalyst for experiencing nature, it is a creative art form that taps into our creative abilities that are God-endowed. There is something powerful about the fact that, through nature photography, the photographer is highlighting God’s creative act both of His creation of nature, and of His creation of man’s creativity. This is a beautiful reality.

            All of this leads to the conclusion that Christians should be the foremost proclaimers of God’s creation through the medium of nature photography. There are several ways that this can be done. Christians should support arts within the church, as well as out from the church and to the rest of the world. There is a place for nature photography within the physical church building. Whether it be accompanied by music arts and displayed on powerpoint slides, or hanging in frames on the wall, the church should create an environment where artists can express their God-given creativity, especially when those creative passions directly Glorify God, as is the case with nature photography. However, there are very few examples of nature photography being used well within the church or outside of it. Most of the few examples that are available, are poorly done. Whether it be framed artwork of nature photographs that are for sale in the Christian bookstore, with poorly designed, cliche scriptures overlaid, or powerpoint slides accompanying sunday morning worship that still have the “Shutterstock” watermarks imbedded; showing that they have been illegally downloaded from the internet. The church does not seem have caught the vision for glorifying God through an artistic presentation of His creation. One glowing exception to this generalization is the Seeing Creation Blog. It is run by Chuck Summers & Rob Sheppard. Both are very good nature photographers that have a passion for glorifying God through their work. These two do an excellent job of marrying their photographs to text that aids in teaching the reader about nature, photography, and theology. The body of Christ needs to get behind artists like these, who are using their creative gifts, to not only glorify God through creativity, but who also encourage individuals towards a greater connectedness to God’s creation

            We have learned through a study of God’s Word that His creation is a powerful testimony to His divine nature and creativity, and we have also seen that the Bible encourages us take part in the doxology of creation by caring for it, studying it, and praising Him for what He has done. Further discussion showed us that God created man in a way that we garner refreshment from time spent in nature. We have also seen, through looking into history, that photography is the perfect tool for telling a story and inspiring the viewer to action. More specifically we have seen that when photography is applied to nature it can reap great results. Since God’s creation universally declares His glory and reveals His divine power, let us, as Christians, harness the creative potential of photography to take part in the declaration of God’s glory for his work of Creation. Let us encourage the body of Christ to spend time reading from His “book” of creation. Furthermore, let us create an environment where arts like nature photography can flourish within the community of the Church.

          If you are interested in seeing an outworking of my nature photography for the purpose of glorifying God for His creative work, please feel free follow my photography on Facebook, check out my Main Website, or follow my musings on the new Creationographer Blog

Works Cited

Adams, Ansel, and Mary Street Alinder. Ansel Adams, an Autobiography. Boston: Little, Brown, 1985. Print.

DeWitt, Calvin B. Song of a Scientist: The Harmony of a God-soaked Creation. Grand Rapids, MI: Square Inch, 2012. Print.

“John Muir Quotes.” BrainyQuote. BookRags Media Network, 2001-2012. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. 

New American Standard Bible: Text Edition. Anaheim, CA: Foundation Publications, for the Lockman Foundation, 1997. Print.

Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. New York: Viking, 1985. Print.

Rosenblum, Naomi. A World History of Photography. New York: Abbeville, 1984. Print.

Schaeffer, Francis A., and Francis A. Schaeffer. Art and the Bible. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2006. Print.

Summers, Chuck, and Rob Sheppard. “Seeing Creation.” Reflections on God & Nature by Chuck Summers & Rob Sheppard. N.p., 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. http://www.seeingcreation.com/>.

The Green Bible. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2008. Print.

Although my navigation skills are slightly below average, there are several places I can drive without confusion. One of these places is the library in Lowell, Michigan. During my middle school years, the shelves in this library were familiar territory. I repeatedly returned to these shelves and perused–sometimes for hours–accumulating a small stack of books to read. Historical fiction and mystery were my favorite genres, and I particularly appreciated certain authors’ writing styles. These two factors informed my book selection.

While packing for a vacation this summer, however, I did not visit the library in Lowell, nor did I visit a different library. I simply packed my Kindle in my suitcase. While in my cabin one evening after hiking, I scrolled through the titles I had uploaded for free. (I had at least fifty to choose from.) Over the past five years, the process by which I choose which books to read has changed. Throughout the incremental shifts, one thing remained constant: I cared little about the bottom of the book’s spine or the lower portion of the Amazon page. The book’s genre, author, title, and back cover copy all contributed to my decision to read or refuse to read the book–but who published the book was virtually insignificant.

Now, however, because of the changing culture and new technologies, I have begun to care about who publishes the books I read. And I believe that every Christian who reads should care about this deeply as well. Moreover, Christian authors must care deeply about who publishes the books they write. In an age in which self-publishing is becoming an increasingly popular publishing option, Christians who write must not ignore–but instead must vigorously pursue–the option of traditional publishing.

A Newer Uprising

Undoubtedly, self-publishing has become increasingly popular within the past seven years. According to Bowker, the number of books that are self-published annually in the United States has increased 287 percent since 2006. This uprising of self-publishing is happening in part because writers are being rejected by traditional publishing houses. Randall Payleitner, one of the seven Acquisitions Editors at Moody Publishers, receives around 210 book proposals (which typically include information about the author, the big idea of the book, a table of contents, and a sample chapter) each year. Of these 210, only ten are contracted. This rejection rate certainly leads authors to self-publish. Larger motivations than rejection, however, are the ease, affordability, flexibility, and profitability of self-publishing.

With the advent of the e-reader, the process of self-publishing has become quite easy. When writers finish their manuscript, they can simply upload the electronic file to a website such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble and sell the file as an e-book (Vinjamuri 5). E-readers have also made reading easier mainly because readers no longer need to tote heavy books with them. While on vacation or even while waiting to catch a bus, readers can have the convenience of turning on their slim, light-weight e-reader and deciding which book they want to read. In these ways, self-publishing has made both writing and reading easier.

Another technology that has spurred the rise of self-publishing is the machine that prints books on demand. Fifteen years ago, writers who self-published needed to buy hundreds or thousands of copies of their book upfront because printing was usually done in large runs (Tugend). Now, however, writers have the option not only of e-book publishing but also of print-on-demand. These print-on-demand machines can print a 300-page book in about four minutes and can give writers a chance to have and sell a print version of their book as well as an e-version of their book. Print-on-demand machines and e-book technologies have made self-publishing more alluring because the initial investment is eliminated.

Self-publishing has been made significantly easier and cheaper by the advent of these new technologies. But several other factors have contributed the the rise in self-publishing. First, if writers choose to self-publish, they are not bound by deadlines besides the ones they set for themselves. Writers who self-publish typically face no penalty if their work is late, and usually no one else’s job depends on the timely completion of their work. Moreover, writers have total control of the entire book–not simply the deadlines. They can exercise absolute independence, rearrange their work, and write whatever they wish without the fear of particular sections being cut by editors. This flexibility both in terms of time and control over the work undoubtedly makes self-publishing an attractive option.

Second, self-publishing has become immensely profitable. Royalties offered for traditionally published print books are around fifteen to twenty percent, and often the royalties for traditionally-published e-books are lower (Vinjamuri 2). However, royalties offered for self-published e-books sold for Kindle between the prices of $2.99 and $9.99 are around seventy percent (Tugend). Of course, not all self-published books become bestsellers, but neither do all traditionally-published books.

This opportunity of easy, affordable, flexible, and even profitable self-publishing sounds promising for many authors–if readers will buy their books. But this system is even more promising because self-published books are easier than ever to buy–even accidentally. Amazon has not segregated books based on their publisher (i.e. it has not ghettoized self-published books) (Vinjamuri 5). In a survey of twelve male and female readers in the Millennial generation, I discovered that two did not know whether they had read a self-published book, and two were unsure how to tell whether a book was self-published. The leveling of the field between self-published writers and traditionally-published writers increases the chance that self-published books will be purchased.

The advent of these new technologies as well as the added benefits of flexibility and profitability have not only allowed the system of self-publishing to become more popular, but also have caused the culture to become increasingly more “Indie.” As defined by Joshua Grudziecki, “Indie” is a term that often refers to “a form of creative self-employment.” By using Indie here, I mean the writer who writes a book by himself and maybe has his family or friends proofread it. The Indie mindset that is pervading other art forms has certainly affected publishing, leading many writers to either abandon or forget about another system that could add inestimable value to their work.

An Older Team Approach

Over the past year and two weeks, I have come to know intimately the inner workings of traditional publishing. During this period, I have been a Marketing Assistant for Moody Collective, which is one of the seven publishing teams at Moody Publishers. My readers may guess that I am biased toward traditional publishing because I am required by my job to be biased. However, I received absolute permission from my superiors to write about traditional publishing–full disclosure. So here is the full disclosure: my job has convinced me–and continues to convince me each day–of the value of traditional publishing.

About a month ago, my publishing team ate an early Thanksgiving meal with an author who had recently signed a book contract with our team. Because this was the fist time most of us had met him, our conversation consisted mainly of get-to-know-yous. One of the get-to-know-you topics was the role of each person at the table. Randall, the Acquisitions Editor, explained that he would be helping the author with content development (idea and theology). Natalie, the Audience Development Manager, explained that she would be finding and creating a larger audience for the book. Also, she explained that she would be creating a marketing plan, which Nathan and I would help carry out. Nathan and I took turns describing the connections we had made with various magazines, websites, authors, and Moody Bible Institute and how these connections would help us carry out the marketing plan and promote his book. Randall then briefly explained that other people employed by Moody Publishers would be editing the book for organization and structure, accuracy, and–of course–grammar and punctuation. He also explained that other employees would help with sales and publicity.

During this conversation, the author’s fork began making fewer trips to his mouth. Eventually, he set the fork on his plate, placed his hands on the table, and rested his back against the booth. At the end of our explanation, his mouth hung agape. He recovered from his slightly overwhelmed state and asked, “That many people will be working on my book? Oh wow. When I write other stuff, it’s just my wife and I.”

Tyler Braun, author of Why Holiness Matters (Moody Publishers 2012) and How To Find and Thrive with a Mentor (self-published for his blog in 2012), expressed in an interview that traditional publishing can help a writer make his or her book a better product. He believes that the traditionally published product was better than the self-published product because of “better editors, better design, more proof readers. Each piece of the book making puzzle was better [because of] working with a team of people who could put effort toward the book.” In another interview, Randall stated that “Traditional publishing can offer the backing and expertise of a whole group of publishing professionals (editing, design, publicity, audience-development, distribution, sales, etc.).”

In my albeit brief experience at Moody Publishers, I can validate Tyler and Randall’s statements. I have reviewed book proposals, read early manuscripts, and–of course–read many final products. I saw numerous improvements at each stage. Major ideas were sometimes deconstructed then reconstructed and strengthened. The quality of the writing was improved, more robust examples were given within the work, and the content was better organized. The contribution of experts in editing and design alone made the book an improved, sound, and beautiful product.

Dr. Rosalie de Rosset, author of Unseduced and Unshaken (Moody Publishers 2012) stated in an interview that she saw another benefit of having expert input on her book. “I had the onus that [an expert] was going to see it,” she said. “The pressure was totally refining.” For writers, the knowledge and pressure that an expert editor will scrupulously edit their writing may itself be improve their work.

Christians who write must also take notice of the Bible’s support of a team approach to any work. For example, Proverbs 11:14 says, “Without guidance, people fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance.” And Proverbs 12:15 says, “A fool’s way is right in his own eyes, but whoever listens to counsel is wise.” The Bible compels us to seek the counsel of others in our work. When a writer sets to writing a book by him- or herself, the ambition tends toward arrogance and may lead to error. A collaborative, team approach to publishing will help authors avoid error, whether in things as weighty as a punctuation mark or a statement about God.

Although traditional publishing may be a much longer process, that process itself will likely also refine the work. Dr. de Rosset commented that “The easier something is, the easier you do it.” Because of the extensive time taken to write a proposal, submit it to publishing houses, wait for a response, work with the Acquisitions Editor on the idea, and submit multiple manuscripts to skilled editors, the writer will likely not write on a whim, but rather will write a message they are deeply convicted about and know will greatly affect their audience. Dr. de Rosset said that the traditional publishing process “backs you up and makes you think Is this something I really want to do or is it something I need to do?” Christians who write must not expect to meet immediate success with their first proposal or initial idea; this is truly a prideful rather than a humble attitude. Despite their attachment to the idea or the way they expressed it, they must be willing to let it go if it truly needs improvement (Brand 173-174). The longer process of traditional publishing will discourage a writer from publishing a book with a bland, improper, or whimsical idea quickly and then potentially regretting their decision later.

Finally, traditional publishing allows writers to focus on what they do best–writing! Self-publishing often requires writers to wear many hats–for example, to be their own editors and designers. Dr. de Rosset attests that she appreciated being able to “expend [herself] in the interest of writing and not as much in anything else.” Traditional publishing allows writers to be the experts in their craft while receiving refining criticism from others who are experts in their craft.

My plea to Christians who write is that they stand strong against the current cultural trend of going Indie and instead embrace a collaborative approach to publishing. My plea is that they refuse to conform to this age (Romans 12:2), bending to its popular and alluring systems simply because these systems are easy, affordable, more flexible, and profitable. Here I must note that some Christians who write will receive many rejections from traditional publishers. I do not desire to completely rule out the option of self-publishing. Rather, I desire to cause the Christian writer to see the necessity of involving experts in the book publishing process. This can also be done by hiring expert editors and designers. Although the investment may be steep, the benefits (both immediate and eternal) will be worth the cost. So once more I issue my plea: Christians who write, please do not bend. Listen closely to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding (Proverbs 2:2), think carefully about who will publish what you write, and be sure your decision is based not necessarily on cultural trends but always on the glorification of God.

Beware of the Spine

While Christians who write must carefully consider who will publish their work, Christians who read must also carefully consider who published the books they read. First, they must carefully consider who published the books they read because of the above argument. Typically, more experts do expend great effort refining a traditionally published book, and they can add value and correctness to the book (which is especially important regarding matters of theology). Thus, readers are more likely to receive a solid, precise, enduring product in a traditionally published book.

Second, Christians who read must carefully consider who published the books they read because this consideration may prevent their own frustration. On the websites of online retailers such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble, many self-published books are indistinguishable from traditionally published books. While self-published books are often less expensive than traditionally published books, many readers–even those who are strong advocates of self-publishing–are frustrated that the writing in many self-published books is poor. If for no other reason than to prevent their own frustration, Christians who read ought to develop a list of publishers they trust and purchase from the pool of books those publishers release. By doing this, readers are far less likely to be disappointed with a book’s quality.

Third, Christians must carefully consider who published the books they read because our time on earth is fleeting. Moses wrote, “Our lives last seventy years or, if we are strong, eighty years. Even the best of them are struggle and sorrow; indeed, they pass quickly and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10). And David wrote, “Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow” (Psalm 144:4). We simply do not have time to set our minds to incomplete or erroneous ideas or occupy our minds with things that may have been written on a whim. Instead, we must  use our time wisely–making the most of every opportunity to read that we are blessed with. My plea to Christian readers is this: refuse to read books simply because they are inexpensive. Carefully investigate who published the books you read and choose what has been scrutinized, what has been developed and refined by experts.

What does heeding these pleas look like for the Christian who writes and the Christian who reads? Let me explain what it looks like for me.

Works Cited

Brand, Hilary, and Adrienne Chaplin. Art & Soul: Signposts for Christians in the Arts. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2001. Print.

The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Bible. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009. Print.

Tugend, Alina. “Options for Self-Publishing Proliferate, Easing the Bar to Entry.” The New York Times, 29 July 2011. Web. 04 Nov. 2012.

Vinjamuri, David. “Publishing Is Broken, We’re Drowning In Indie Books – And That’s A Good Thing.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 15 Aug. 2012. Web. 04 Nov. 2012.

The local church struggles with the same conclusion.

The church has always had a difficult relationship with the arts, from the dispute over icons at the Council of Nicaea to the construction of large cathedrals, to the Puritan belief that art impeded true worship. Yet, art needs to have a place in the local church, and can be of great value in terms of corporate worship and outreach. The local church needs to continually invest in having an excelling presence of aesthetic beauty that is fitting for their local congregation.

Art is Important

The idea that art has no pragmatic value is not a new one. Whereas it is easy to see the concrete value in allocating funds to feed the homeless, or purchasing a new Sunday School curriculum or installing an elevator so the elderly can participate in the weekly service, art has a sort of nebulous value to the church. It can be difficult to see what value there really is in creating good design, commissioning a mural or even the layout of the church building. Even so, there is biblical evidence to support the need for art in the church.

The design of the Tabernacle shows that the dwelling place of the Lord was to be a beautiful place. It was to be adorned specifically and precisely to the plans that Yahweh gave His people. Yet, in the middle of instructions given for a priest’s garments, God gives one of the most liberating statements for the artist, “on its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns” (Exodus 28:33-34). Pomegranates are most certainly red, and can be shades of purple, however they are never found to be blue. The requirement for a blue pomegranate on the cloth opens up a world for the artist that is prevalent throughout Scripture: that art can be produced and used to the glory of God (For more, read Blue Pomegranates).

Art was commissioned by God Himself to be prevalent in His dwelling place. It is not something that man has created out of thin air, it is a practice that God has created: that we should create for His glory.

This art was not for the individual. It was for the community, it was for corporate worship. God commanded that skilled artisans created something breath-takingly beautiful in order that the nation of Israel would be able to see a glimpse of God’s glory in the design. Art today should be the same way. It has the power to bring the body of Christ to worship their Creator and Savior. It is not for the individual’s glory-it is for God’s.

In one article, Andy Crouch makes the point that worship in itself is “unuseful”. It does not give God anything He does not already have (The Gospel, For the Beauty of the Church). It does not accomplish anything practical, yet God desires and commands that we worship Him, thus, it must hold some value in His eyes. The same is true about art. Though art does not accomplish a pragmatic purpose, nor does it hold inherent value, it has the power to bring a congregation together. Worshipful art has the ability to place the audience in a position of awe towards God. The ornate nature of a cathedral, or even a fresco has the power to turn a group of rowdy students into awe-struck worshippers, and all art in the church should strive to be the same way.

The end product is art that drives the congregation to better worship of God their creator. The work of a thriving church should be inspiring to congregation and to the artist. An artist functioning well in the church will be both beneficial to the craft, and the community. The arts have a way of making the intangible into something tangible that can help the church understand complex concepts, such as Immanuel “breaking through” at advent. Covenant Life Church themed their advent celebration around the idea that Immanuel broke through to be with His people. They created visual reminders such as broken shards of glass, projections and even advent candle decorations that enforced the theme of the service that any other medium would not have been able to communicate. They used their context and season to inform and shape the use of the art in their services, choosing to include a dramatic reading and dancers with props that looked like broken glass. This deepened the congregation’s understanding of the purpose of advent, and turn in worship.

Art does have a home in the local church-both as a means of corporate worship and outward ministry. In the western society, however, it tends to have an individualistic outworking: the artist creates alone, produces alone, and the individual consumes it alone. Yet, the church is a place for true community. A community of believers all saved by a gracious God should produce a community of mutual growth, and perpetual spurring on to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). Thus, any art program or institution of art in the church needs to be about the community, not the individual. The focus needs to be on helping the community to point their praise heavenward, not towards the artist.

It Needs to Fit

The position that art takes in the local church should neither be arbitrary, nor be merely showmanship. The kind, medium, placement, position and timing need to fit its congregation. One of the first rules in public speaking is to know your audience, and to know them well. If any piece of art should have an impact on its audience, it absolutely needs to fit the context. As much as possible, design, sculpture, architecture, drama, and all forms of art should be created and formed from within the congregation so as to assure that the product is appropriate for the audience. Large mega-churches have the ability to create in-house productions that are grand in scale, because they have the talent and resources present in their congregations (Willow Creek’s Imagine Christmas), but that does not mean that a congregation of 200 should put on that production. That church should work on a program that shows their unique reflection on Christmas to their people and community. The ultimate goal is to have a piece of work that is an honest expression that above all glorifies God in its very nature.

Inspiring Body of Christ, a church in Texas, realized the power of the aesthetic. Somewhere along the way, however, it all went horribly wrong. They installed a $4.7M salt-water fish tank to remind their congregation to be “fishers of men”.  The aquarium is the nation’s largest privately owned tank, two full-time marine biologists along with six dietrists work on the tank. The church saw the impact of a well-designed church, however they went very overboard! $4.7M is far out of proportion for what the church can afford, and how they should be stewarding their resources.

Another church in Texas, however, did know their demographics very well came to the conclusion that many in their congregation had tattoos. The resident artist that works with Ecclesia Church, Scott Erikson, saw an opportunity to use this medium that would resonate with his audience. For his yearly reimagination of the stations of the cross, Scott designed tattoo art representing each of the ten stations. Over 126 people from the congregation got at least one of the stations tattooed on their bodies. The entire event resonated with a congregation that felt like they had been unwillingly marked by the world, but chose to be marked by their Savior. Scott says “that’s the contextualizing we are striving for…. that there is a place for all who desire to know Christ and His resurrecting grace…. no matter how they are marked” (Cruciformity).

For a small church that is not tattoo-nor-aquatic-animally-inclined, however, the application of this principle could be just starting with the design of the space they are working in. Uptown Baptist church is a small church of around 150 people, very ethnically diverse in an economically challenged neighborhood of Chicago. They have many different micro-churches that operate out of their building every week, representing the many different languages in the congregation. One expression of art that fit their congregation was an installment of banners simply saying “Jesus Christ” in each of the different languages present in their congregation. This expression fit their congregation’s language demographics, economic ability and their space perfectly.

Always Excelling

As Christians, we are to “work with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24). In every endeavor, we are to strive for excellence because we are not just creating for the sake of creating, or for our own benefit-no! We are serving the Lord Christ. Thus, the use of the arts should be program that promotes excellence.

The local church needs to start in a fitting place, but grow with the demographic as it grows. As time progresses, the programs should as well — in both proficiency and excellence. No program or structure will ever be perfect, however it should be striving to be perpetually improving, and growing stronger.

This comes into play in both the administrative level, and the pastoral level. For example, if a church decides to host a gallery, and they see the church benefiting from the installations, they should consider taking the next step by possibly having an open studio night at the church. Thus, the program supporting the arts can excel in its course. The church should be progressing as the demographics of the church progress, and as they see God working through the ministry taking place.

From the pastoral point, it is important to note that the intent is not for anyone who has a sketch on a piece of notebook paper to be published in the bulletin. The leader’s responsibility in the church is to push the artist to excel in the craft. Create an editorial process for publishing in the church. Let the artists go through a few drafts or a peer review to help nudge the individual to his or her best. Set standards of excellence for publishing, and regularly revisit them in order to revise and improve upon them.

A good example of a church that has excelled in their relationship with the arts is MissioDei. Just four years ago, the church went through a major “rebirth”, as they hired a new pastor to the 100 year old traditionally Baptist Church of Wrigleyville.  Major differences can be seen just in the branding alone, but there is much more to their change than that. The community of believers at MissioDei is very largely a young, hipster, yuppie group. Every age demographic is represented, however the church is largely populated by college students, and has a very distinctly artistic bent. Thus, when the church rebranded, they chose a logo that is much more representational of its congregation in its feel, and followed suit with its website. In the following years, they implemented a “Beautiful Advent” art gallery at Christmastime, featuring artists in their congregation. They commissioned t-shirts and works from congregants. The church leadership found ways to recognize and encourage corporate worship through the artists in their community in a way that was fitting to the context, and continually excelling.

The Need to Invest

Like anything else, excellent art, architecture, design and theatre in the church require time and money. Because of the intangible nature of the work, it can be difficult to decide how much money and time should be devoted to the arts, especially in lieu of a homeless ministry, a new curriculum, et cetera. The truth is, however that it is worth the investment for the local church to spend time and money on making beautiful things.

Cathedrals in medieval times took hundreds of years to build, and plenty of revenue from parishioners to complete. They are beautiful and breathtaking, but at the same time, the extreme amount of extravagance surely took a toll on the ministry of the church. Rather than building the church (the body of Christ), they were building a church (a building). The intent is not to advocate for $48 million to build a cathedral, rather the intend it to build something that it fitting and excelling in the unique context of each individual local church. We need to do better as whole, especially in the context of architecture. Examples of modern protestant churches look more like office buildings and schools than the sanctuary described in the Tabernacle or the Temple. The aesthetic is important, for both believers and the non-believers.

Take for example, the use of a website. For many, a website is the first glimpse of any organization. It explains the details of what the company believes, who the main players are, important directions for a visit, and gives a representational standard of what that company values. The same mindset is used when a visitor looks up a church. So many vibrant, thriving churches give a poor first impression when it comes to their online presence (Google any number of the churches in your hometown, the likelihood of stumbling upon an outdated website is fairly high). Churches like Antioch and The Painted Door, however, have not only invested start up money, but also time and resources to keep the site current throughout the year. Their sites are an honest representation of the place they hold for the aesthetic, as well as giving a good first impression.

The investment, just as before, needs to be fitting and excelling. There is a lot to consider- the possible need for a permanent leadership role, volunteers, supplies, time invested. Nevertheless, be creative. Implement a donation policy for supplies, and research how other churches are doing the same thing. As leaders, take time to pray and consider what would be right for your congregation.

Application

There is not a certain percent that every church needs to apply in their yearly budget meeting as a quota for art, nor is there a set of bare-bones essentials that every church must have, because every church is different. Every congregation is unique in their demographics, leadership and service. Yet, the importance of art in the church is clear. The key is to start. Start something that fits where the congregation is at right now, and invest in the power that art can have for the church.

Here is an example of a fictitious church that could use some help updating its church’s relationship with art. In the scenario, they had a few past experiences with using art in their church, however they have not continued with anything of the like for some time. With their context and demographics in consideration, the plan suggests some ideas to get their program off the ground. There are other churches putting into effect very similar programs, but geared toward their unique congregation, and this plan tries to do just that-offer Northbend Evangelical Free Church somewhere to start. Their congregation has many young families, as well as middle aged and older couples. The plan attempts to take their specific congregation, and implement an appropriate fitting and excelling program in their church that they can invest in.

The same idea is needed in many churches. Not a blind adoption of what the church next door, or the church in the nearest big city has done, rather a program that drives the congregation to better worship because it fits, is excelling and can be invested in.

When A Walk to Remember came out in 2002 it was viewed as the edgy, angsty, new teen movie. For those of you that don’t remember, the story centers around Jamie Sullivan and her life/faith. She is the quintessential Christian girl– quiet, non-dating, non-smoking, non-drinking, non swearing, listens to Rachael Lampa, wears denim jumpers, and has a pastor as a father. Yes, that’s harsh, but as a fellow Christian girl, I am well-acquainted with this unfortunate stereotype. Yet, Jamie Sullivan is a character the audience loves. She is good, kind, and pure. She is unselfconscious, and has a servant’s heart. And she stands in contrast to the rest of the teenagers represented. Which brings me to– Landon Carter, the male lead. He embodies nearly everything that Jamie is not. Hard-hearted cynical, selfish, uncommitted, and reckless, he is the school rebel and icon. And… of course, they end up together.

The journey in which their two worlds collide is actually portrayed well. Yes, there are elements where everything works out “too perfectly” (as many things do in the world of screenplays), but as a whole, we see a genuine change occur in Landon as he is confronted with the beauty that is Jamie’s life. What is interesting, is that this is portrayed fairly realistically. Landon and his buddies begin the film with swearing, drinking, and innuendoes, and by the end he has slowly changed into a different sort of person.

What amazes me was the response of Christians to this film. Christians, in general, really enjoyed this movie. Yes, we as an audience, never find out if Landon “gets saved” or has a conversion moment– but we see his life change so much that we can’t help but think that he has adopted some sort of faith. Christians loved this. Christians also never hesitated to show their teens this movie, despite the smoking, drinking, language, and innuendos. Real life didn’t scare everyone away. The show portrayed unbelievers realistically. Oftentimes, movies portray all unbelievers as unhappy and unfulfilled in their life– which is not true. Or they show them so incredibly depraved that even the most unfaithful Christian portrayed is in stark contrast– again, this is not a true portrayal either. A Walk to Remember may have been a cheesy, chick-flick, but they got a lot of things right.

Here’s what confuses me, though. Let’s look at Facing the Giants. Now, I know this movie was produced by a church on a low budget, and can’t really compare with the quality and finances of Hollywood– yet, I know more Christians that despise Facing the Giants, than, do A Walk to Remember. This is amazing to me– especially since the latter has at least twelve s-words. My question is: What did Hollywood get right here? Is it the honest portrayal of unbelievers? Is it the portrayal of Christians having to live in the real world (and not just with other believers)? Why does a movie produced by unbelievers handle the issues of life and human nature better than a movie produced by Christians?

Sacred vs Secular is an age-old argument. I do not presume to be able to add anything of new significance to this discussion, but I will attempt to articulate my understanding of the issue.

When trying to formulate an opinion on any matter, the primary stop should always be the Bible. As is usually the case, the Bible is not silent on this issue. There are numerous instances in which God designates something as sacred; such as His temple, and the Arc of the Covenant. The biblical commonality between references to sacredness are the attribute that they are places in which God dwells. Under the new covenant, God dwells in the hearts of those who are regenerate, and not in any physical dwelling place or thing. That is my understanding of what the Bible designates as being sacred.

God does not dwell in any thing, whether it be Art or any other thing. God does not dwell in song of worship or in a Gospel tract. This is not to say that He does not use these things to accomplish His will, because He does. God is constantly accomplishing His will in the hearts of people through the working of the Holy Spirit, and He often uses human tools to do such. However, the things that can be used of God to draw people to Himself do not posses any intrinsic sacredness, they are tools.

Challies carefully states that esteeming talented Christians is not all bad: when we honor people for their God-given talents we honor God, who created them with these talents. But Challies incisively argues that “We cross into a culture of celebrity when we assume that merit in one field or one discipline necessarily carries that merit to other fields or disciplines. More particularly, it comes when we transfer the authority of one field into another . . .” When we do this, Challies writes, we have begun to elevate the person no longer on the “basis of merit, but of celebrity.”

This elevation of a person on the basis of celebrity is something that we who are involved in Christian publishing must be cautious of. As we evaluate book proposals, my team often considers the platform an author has (whether this be number of blog subscribers, church attenders, twitter followers, etc.). The authors with stronger platforms are more likely to be contracted.

In our evaluation of platforms, we must exercise godly discernment. We must evaluate whether a person’s platform is in the right field. For example, an excellent blogger who has earned thousands of subscribers may be an excellent candidate to write a book. He has proven his God-given talent for writing. But we must be careful that we do not assume that a pastor who leads a large congregation is automatically equipped to write a book.

Challies further discusses that it is unsafe to consider a talented Christian to be an authority on all topics. As we evaluate book proposals, we must also consider the candidate’s area of specialty. If she wishes to write on something she studied extensively or something she has written about frequently on her blog, we have a strong indication that God has equipped her to be an authority on this topic (and not necessarily on others).

Jon Acuff, popular author of Stuff Christians Like, wrote this short blog post encouraging men not to use Pinterest. After reading this post and examining Jon’s Pinterest boards, in what ways would you say Jon fits the definition of a proclaimer? In what ways does he fit the definition of a transformer? (If you are not yet familiar with these terms, please read my review of Prophetically Incorrect.)

“He built radio towers so the Bible could be broadcasted into remote areas,” she answered.

“So did he preach to the locals or lead any other ministries?” I asked.

“No,” she said. “He did work with some locals, but that was in construction and engineering. I don’t think he was trying to evangelize to them.”

This conversation, which occurred regrettably recently, reveals how my mind has been influenced by many missionary stories. At the beginning of this semester, I had many suppositions of what a missionary life looked like: huts, preaching, bugs, conversions, and translation. Many published works on missionaries’ work had mediated that “reality” to me. Through taking a course in Christian missions this semester, I have seen that missionary stories can mediate a certain reality of missionary life to Christians, one that may or may not be true.

Some missionary biographies mainly include the triumphs and extraordinary moments of missionaries’ lives, painting a portrait of seemingly perfect and exciting ministry and success. Also, in some missions’ newsletters, attention is predominantly given to the number conversions (or the stories of the most sensational ones), the amount of literature delivered, the translations completed, or the persecution faced.

Many missionary biographies, however, focus on the stories of ordinary missionaries in sometimes mundane ministries exhibiting very human tendencies. For example, From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, a selection of short missionary biographies written by Ruth A. Tucker, records accurately–sometimes painfully–missionaries’ lives and work. An example occurs in Tucker’s account of William Carey’s life. She notes that, although Carey translated the Bible three times, his translations were initially exceedingly low in quality (Tucker 118). Furthermore, she acknowledges that many missionaries, such as Hudson Taylor, struggled intensely with depression and sin.

Portraying this whole reality, not only the sensational portions of missionaries’ stories, assures men and women who are missionaries or who are preparing to be missionaries that God can use them even if their ministry seems ordinary and they struggle with sin or anxiety or depression or loneliness. Their hope can grow as the read that God clearly used the ministries of many struggling and sometimes failing missionaries for His glory.

Although some publishing houses and mission boards mainly release the extraordinary, many others have done well in releasing the ordinary as well. By this accurate, moderate, and humble approach they have encouraged, strengthened, and instructed many believers.

Work Cited

Tucker, Ruth A. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983. Print.

Right now there is an entire genre of women’s Christian fiction that centers around 1800′s America– and surprisingly it does exceptionally well in today’s market.

Is it because this genre is marketed to the generation that grew up watching Little House on the Prairie and now they want to read something that makes them feel nostalgic?

Is it because readers want the apparent stability that the times of old offered? If so, how do they deal with  the sudden deaths from treatable diseases that happened in that day in age? Security is more felt than realistic to the times.

Is it the Utopian longing for God, family, and community to be the most important things in our lives? If so, how is it precisely this genre that has captured the attention of many? What about other genres that answer Utopian longings but do so in a more fantastical way? How has this particular genre taken off?

How do authors like Janette Oke, Beverly Lewis, and Francine Rivers make their profits on this historical fiction? There has to be more at work then Christian women in their 40s and 50s just needing a kick-back to the good ol’ days.

Here’s an article which attempts to explain the fascination with amish and prairie culture: http://www.crosswalk.com/culture/books/amish-fiction-bonnet-books-rise-in-popularity.html.

Thoughts?

It’s embarrassing to talk about money, embarrassing to talk about having the money to buy a painting or a papercutting. It’s one thing to talk in an abstract or even theological way about “supporting the arts.” It’s quite another to talk about actually having written a check for a piece of sculpture or a tapestry or a nineteenth-century silhouette. This is a very concrete, practical piece of what it means for the church to support the arts: people with disposable income choosing to spend money on art; people budgeting and saving and supporting artists; people, like me, deciding not to buy clothes for a year so that they can purchase a painting.

She goes on to discuss the tension between supporting the arts, while still having an obligation to stewarding her resources wisely. Anyone have any thoughts on this topic?

Christians are the priesthood of believers, yes (1 Peter 2:9). But professors Robert H. Woods Jr. and Paul D. Patton, in their book Prophetically Incorrect, argue that we must also be small-p prophets in the way we interact with media. As prophets, not all of us will be called to roam naked for three years (as Isaiah did) or cook food over fecal matter (as Ezekiel did). But, as prophets, we will be called to be faithful stewards as we critique, create, and consume popular media. In Prophetically Incorrect, Woods and Patton examine both the priestly and prophetic sensibilities within media criticism and describe how to cultivate a prophetic sensibility. Because of the present lack of prophetic voice, Christians must heed Woods and Patton’s words and begin to cultivate their prophetic sensibility.

The Priestly Sensibility

The priestly sensibility, Woods and Patton write, “[reinforces] what is good and wise in our families, churches, and all of society’s institutions, including mass media” (Woods xl-xli). Mass media occupy a priestly role in culture by reinforcing the culture’s dominant consciousness, the “core values and beliefs that dominate the way we live, the way we understand and make sense of the world and our place in it, our understanding of who has power and who is powerless, and our understanding of how things work and how they should work” (Woods 4). North American culture’s dominant consciousness, Woods and Patton argue, is consumerism. The mass media therefore condone consumerism as normal, good, and wise. Consumerism, and all this ethos entails (including comfort, happiness, and efficiency), is mass media’s framing story.

Churches also occupy a primarily priestly role. Christians have divided into what Woods and Patton dub “tribes.” Each tribe reinforces its own beliefs, often to the extent of positioning itself as superior to the other tribes. Christian tribes are divided not only by what they reinforce, but also by their approach to what it means to be in the world but not of the world. From his or her response to this question, Woods and Patton argue, a Christian can either be identified as a proclaimer or a transformer. Proclaimers believe that evangelism and edification are the primary tasks of the church. They pit the church against the world. They are quick to adopt new mediums for the promotion of the gospel. They tend toward moralism in their exclusion of scenes including sex, violence, and profanity. Transformers, on the other hand, still value evangelism. But they believe the church is in dialogue with (not opposed to) the world. They believe that technology is not neutral; therefore, they do not adopt new mediums as quickly as proclaimers do. They acknowledge that all truth is God’s truth, and they search for truth among the creations of the world. Woods and Patton emphasize the strength of the Transformers’ approach to being in the world but not of it. Although this approach still has weaknesses, it better understands the relationship between content, technology, and institutions.

Both mass media and churches, Woods and Patton conclude, mainly use a priestly voice. In doing so, they merely preach to the choir. Woods and Patton expose the reason for occupying the priestly role, for preaching to the choir: mass media and churches wish to build and keep their audiences. But by saying what their audience wants to hear, both mass media and churches reinforce ideological divisions such as divisions between the right and the left, between promoters of salvation and promoters of social justice. Preaching to the choir is also damaging in that it promotes contentedness with the status quo and diminishes critical thinking.

This discussion must prompt us to ask ourselves several questions. First, have we relied solely on the priestly sensibility in the way we critique, create, and consume popular media? Do we critique media on mainly moralistic grounds, becoming offended by swear words, violence,  and sex scenes and condemning profound messages because of these? Do we create comfortable art: art that confirms the dominant consciousness of consumerism is good, art that further divides the church? Do we strictly consume media that affirms what we believe, that presents little challenge to us, that assures us that we are okay the way we are?

The Prophetic Sensibility

In answer to the dangers of the almost exclusive use of the priestly sensibility, Woods and Patton encourage us to develop the prophetic sensibility. Motivated by love and concern, the small-p prophet focuses on pointing out what is not wise and not good and providing hope that was is neither wise nor good can be corrected. Prophets cast “an alternative framing story (or alternative consciousness) that confronts the dominant consciousness” (emphasis mine; Woods 16). They challenge what is so prevalent in and almost inextricable from our North American culture (and hence churches as well): “self-complacency . . . institutional self-righteousness” (Woods 22), greed, and wealth. These messages are in line with the bold messages of the Biblical, canonical Prophets such as Ezekiel, who charged Jerusalem with shocking sin of harlotry (Woods xxxiv) to show her lack of faithfulness to God. These Prophets provided alternative framing stories and acted audaciously to rouse their hearers from comfort. Their purpose in extreme measures was to challenge the people they cared for so deeply. Woods and Patton look to the examples of these Biblical Prophets to determine the traits of the prophetic sensibility. After this examination, they write that small-p prophets must maintain a certain prophetic talk. This is truth-to-power talk, imaginative talk, hopeful talk, connected talk, provocative talk, courageous talk, compassionate talk. All this talk must occur in a company of prophets for reasons such as the prevention of arrogance or despair.

Cultivating a Prophetic Voice

Seeing the need for the prophetic sensibility today, Woods and Paton further investigate how to cultivate a prophetic voice. First, they argue that a prophet must be burdened about humanity’s current state, especially about our greed and arrogance. Second, a prophet must see that this current state is a result of the fall and subsequent alienation from God, others, and ourselves. Third, a prophet must not allow individuals or institutions to accept a culture’s dominant consciousness. Finally a prophet must “emotionally [burn] with critical images that shock the complacent out of [his or her] numbness toward the effects of the dominant consciousness” (Woods 36). These four characteristics are developed more thoroughly over the course of three chapters. Woods and Patton also give warnings of the hazards of the prophetic trade. The hazards they discuss are depression, despair, arrogance, ruthless truthfulness, harmful images, and tunnel vision. They conclude by giving guidelines to avoid these hazards and to keep cultivating one’s prophetic voice properly.

This discussion of the prophetic sensibility must galvanize us to action. Although priests must have a role in media, affirming what is morally good and especially affirming Biblical Truth in the Church, today we greatly need the prophetic sensibility as we critique, create, and consume media. We need to evaluate art for the truth it communicates, for the way it awakes us to the reality that we are broken, distant from God, and greedy. We need to create perceptive art that drives people away from complacency and vitalizes their concern for issues such as justice, poverty, and shalom. We need to be active in choosing what we watch, read, and listen to, asking whether these things uphold the consumerist dominant consciousness or defy it. Through our interaction with media, the good must be reinforced, and the bad must be identified, strongly called out, and brought toward redemption.

Work Cited

Woods, Robert H. Jr., and Paul D. Patton. Prophetically Incorrect: A Christian Introduction to Media Criticism. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2010. Print.

Setting the premise, Postman stresses that every medium used presents an original twist to how the message is delivered through its medium.  This twist is hindering the message to the point of becoming “dangerous Nonsense” in relations to the television. The problem is that the programs available on the television are junk. Postman is concerned that programs are aimed purely at entertaining the watcher, even while masquerading under the disguise of being educational, political, or news; Postman wants the truth to be presented in an accurate way no matter what the stories.

To get an articulate view of these topics, Postman looks at the history that has set the stage for how and why the newest forms of public discourse were dangerous, not truth-telling. To understand the present, the past is evaluated.  Postman gives an account of how detrimental books where and their importance in the new colonies in New England; furthermore, these books marked the advent of reading and writing schools in the new land. The history Postman tells of is typography and its birth in this land is due largely to protestant traditions.

Postman used an example from the eighteen-hundreds, the Lincoln Douglas debates, to reiterate his point of how Americans have lost our ability to listen, give, and write speeches in debates. This world described by Postman leaves contemporaries wondering why they have lost this elaborate and more complex version of public discourse whether oral or not. With the passing of time the building blocks of the show business led to less and less of the world that Postmen described.  The primary causes of this was the advent of technology i.e. electricity, telegraphy, photography, radio, and finely the television in the twentieth-century.

According to Postman, “this ensemble of electronic techniques called into being a new world—a peek-a-boo world, where now this event, now that, pops into view for a moment, then vanishes again…”

The new roll of the television and the idea of the peek-a-boo disclosing information system are familiar but largely ignored to our culture, and the stories that are told are taken as mere facts not to be questioned.  Postman’s quest is then to expose what is being ignored on the television and to show that junk is being put in the place of what should be educational or truly news.

With the advent of the television came new opportunities and problems in churches, elections, and education.  Now that the church masses could be reached, this new branch of church in the living room led to problems and unfamiliar territories of no community, the emergence of the mega church, and the rock star pastors.  Similarly to the church, politics was affected in many ways people in politics now have to be concerned more about their appearance. Just like the church and politics, the educations system is in a dangerous spot according to Postmen; shows like Sesame Street are skewing learning by making it into a form of entertainment.

For Christians today the concepts that Postmen present should be ones of utmost importance; if possible, we should even be taking new steps in the word of media by creating television that is truthful in all its mannerisms. At a minimum the Christian should be able to understand that what is consumed on television can and will shape how we live life. Taking Huxleyan’s idea to the next level is appropriate as a Christian; instead of, “what we love will ruin us” which shows an idea of social calamity and loss because of the television and its junk. Would it not be more advantageous to realize that one person can’t change overnight a lifetime of concepts rooted in the foundation of television, but rather should try to grasp like Postmen the media around us then using that information and proper Christian worldview set fourth to living life to honor God?

Overall Postman gives a historical looks at the evolution of public discourse from typography to the television; giving clear backing that leads the reader to a clear understanding of the concepts presented. The largest problem in his work is that it is very outdated.  At the end of his book he mentions computers as if they are an up-and-coming phenomenon about to hit the markets. A new addition of the book including the internet and all the aspects that developed due to the evolution of the internet would be key in making this text truly useful in this day and age.