God sneaks up in our culture through the arts

I attended a workshop-rehearsal with the Vancouver Bach Choir for their upcoming performance of Handel's Messiah. This would be a sing-along performance which would be interesting because the choir would be seated in the crowd instead of on the stage. I had a preview of the event and we were served coffee and snacks during the break. All this for free? I'd say it rarely gets better than that. I've watched the UBC Choir perform this piece last year, but the lecture that went along with the rehearsal opened to my eyes to understand what Handel was doing and appreciate it much better. More than one friend have told me they've have fallen asleep watching this performance on previous occasion, which I can understand it's hard going for some folks to be listening to this repertoire in a 3-hour sitting. But I think it's hard to sleep when you get to participate and sing along with the choir. It was a real treat to for me to be able to sing the Handel's Messiah and with such an awesome choir.

I found the exposition of the musical aspect very helpful, but the best part was theological discussion of how Handel was using music to express different emotions and his devotion. This was especially enlightening and it was a devotional experience for me although I was not sure if the conductor was a believer. I used to wonder if the singers realise or appreciate what they are singing, which is so loaded theologically. For the uninitiated, you can refer to the friendly Wikipedia site to find out more. It was amazing to see all these folks (choir has over 150 singers, excluding guests) sitting and listening the gospel being preached to them literally. From the birth of Christ, His passion and death for the sake of our sins, His glorification and the final judgment, it's all found in this piece. I felt like I was attending a lecture in Regent rather than a choir rehearsal. May these songs minister to the one who conducts, the musicians, singers as well as the audience who pay to listen to the gospel being sung! Does God have His way to bring His message to this very secular, almost anti-Christian culture? You bet!

Last week I attended a play entitled Life After God with my friends. This is based on a short story by Douglas Coupland (the guy who introduced the term Generation-X). It was a play about a few friends who graduated from the same high school and their 15th year reunion is coming up. The play deals with different issues through these characters depicting the struggles of 30-somethings, and for this play, they contextualised the story in Vancouver setting. The loneliness of the single, believing and fighting for a cause like Green Peace, having abundance of material things and looking like you've made it, getting through life with the aid of anti-depressants, the righteous religious who realised he's put his faith on the wrong thing ... basically spelling out what it means to be lost in a graphically honest manner. It was powerful and I could sense in the audience that many could identify with the characters, especially given its particular context. The play ends on a positive note where there was kind of re-birth/ baptism moment.

I found it so refreshing because unlike many presentations put up by the church, it feels as if we're compelled to 'resolve' the problem and provide the solution, informing the audience how they should conclude, what they should think and believe. Perhaps I'm somewhat influenced by post-modern thinking, but I think we need to trust our audience to have the capacity to reflect and that the Holy Spirit will lead them to truth about God. I think it's better to deal honestly with the issues at hand and address them seriously, rather than gloss over it in an almost pejorative manner. When we do the former, we tell the world that we are sinners too and can identify with the brokenness that is common in all humanity. When we do the latter and are eager to dish out 'solutions' (which is usually in terms of quick-fix and pat answers) it gives the impression that Christians don't really get the issue, think we're better than the rest, know it all or have all the solutions and can't wait to get people to change their mind and convert! It's arrogant and I'm not surprised if some, if not many, find it distasteful.

That's not to say that we leave out the gospel and all, but instead of simply 'preaching' it in terms of what people ought to believe, or more common, how they should behave (?!), we can share about how Christ has made a difference in our lives. We can testify about our own experience and lovingly extend an invitation for our friends to taste and see that He is as good as we claim. In fact I'd go as far to say that even if we don't conclude with a former proclamation of the gospel that's fine too. Just open up the conversation and do it so that instead of reacting to our message, if people would give thought to the issues raised and be willing to consider it deeper, then I think we've 'achieved' our goal. They can always approach friends and Christians to explore more about the Christian faith and the difference Christ makes in our lives, when they're ready and desire to find out more. There is a difference when we share our faith as individuals and perhaps perceived to be less dogmatic than if someone told them from the stage what they should believe. I believe this is because the individual who share his or her faith is doing it in the context of an established relationship and matters of faith is a personal one. If the church finds it too risky to leave things open ended, God still has a way to use 'secular' production to do the job... and He sneaks up on us that way.