Art Imitating Christ
By Chris Skinner
Oscar Wilde famously said, "Life imitates art far more than art imitates life." But for Esther Reynolds*, it was the idea that art can bring life that shaped the past two years. The young artist has just returned from a missionary internship with RMM, where she used her skills to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of the Middle East.
“One of my goals (in going overseas) was to see how God could use me, or artists in general, in missions,” she said. What she found was that God can use artists in many ways. “Art opens up so many doors that I couldn’t open up if I were teaching English. This was just so different. I said I was an artist, and (Middle Eastern people) immediately had interest and were curious about it.”
She also was able to contribute to many art projects, including design for theater productions that presented the Gospel, mural painting, teaching art lessons, and more. Those opportunities allowed her to meet many Middle Eastern people and build relationships that pointed toward Christ. “It was great to see God break down the walls of (Middle Eastern peoples’) views on Christians. They thought I had something neat going on, and people were drawn to it.” She sees this as an advantage in missions: “Art provides me with a way to build relationships and have a legitimate way to live my life in another country,” she said.
She also saw God’s plan and provision unfold. “I am just amazed at how many doors were opened through the arts, and I know God provided those doors,” she said. Seeing God work in this way has convinced her that He will continue to do so in the future, no matter what the next step is in her life. “God has proven to me that I can use my gift wherever I am, wherever he puts me. He’ll provide the opportunities. Art isn’t something you typically think of as a form of ministry. But God used art in the Middle East. Five years ago I would’ve never said that. I have seen God’s faithfulness.”
Please join with us in prayer for more artists like Esther to answer the call to be the “Gospel incarnate” to the unreached peoples of the world, and for the Middle East. Also pray that the next steps of God’s plan would be revealed to Esther, and that she and RMM would continually say, “We have seen God’s faithfulness.”
Get Involved
Pray for unreached countries in the Middle East.
Go to the Middle East with RMM.
Give toward the work in the Middle East (this links to our mailing address).
*Name has been changed for security reasons.