Music / Stage Theater / Ballet
Music and the Performing Arts from a Christian Worldview
Music, theater, dance, and other performing arts are important expressions of human creativity. Because human beings are made in the image of God, Christians have good reason to take creativity, beauty, craftsmanship, and artistic excellence seriously.
The arts also communicate ideas. Music, theater, dance, and storytelling can shape our understanding of beauty, morality, human nature, identity, suffering, love, worship, and the meaning of life. For this reason, Christians should neither reject the arts simply because they are cultural nor accept them uncritically.
A biblical worldview gives us a framework for appreciating artistic excellence while discerning the ideas and values communicated through a work.
Biblical Principles for the Arts
A few principles provide a helpful starting point:
- God is the Creator, and human creativity reflects our being made in His image. (Genesis 1:26-27)
- Beauty and excellence matter. Scripture repeatedly calls God’s people to recognize and pursue what is excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8)
- Art can communicate truth and worldview. Stories, music, and other forms of art can shape the imagination and affections.
- Skill matters. Scripture speaks positively about people gifted in artistic craftsmanship and music. (Exodus 31:1-5; Psalm 33:3)
- Worship matters. Music and artistic gifts can be used in worship and service to God. (Psalm 150)
- Discernment matters. Christians should evaluate what they consume rather than allowing culture to form them uncritically. (Romans 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Christian Performing Arts Training
The Academy of Arts
A longstanding Christian performing arts organization founded in 1971. Its work includes the Logos Theatre, Christian Conservatory, traveling drama ministries, film production, drama seminars, classes, scripts, and other resources. The Academy seeks to use storytelling and the performing arts to communicate biblical truth.
MasterWorks Festival / Christian Performing Artists’ Fellowship
An intensive four-week festival for advanced students of classical performing arts, generally ages 14-26. Students receive serious artistic training in an explicitly Christian environment. MasterWorks includes programs in orchestra, piano, strings, composition, flute, voice, and other areas. The festival describes its purpose as equipping the classical performing arts world to know God and make Him known.
Ballet Magnificat!
A professional Christian ballet company founded by Kathy Thibodeaux. Ballet Magnificat! uses ballet and original productions to communicate the Gospel and also provides training through its School of the Arts, Trainee Program, and other programs. Its ministry combines technical excellence, artistry, worship, and evangelism.
Turning Pointe School of Dance
A Christian dance school in West Michigan offering recreational and pre-professional training. Its programs include ballet, contemporary dance, musical theater, and other forms of dance. Turning Pointe seeks to develop serious dancers while keeping Christ central to its mission.
WorshipArts
A Kalamazoo, Michigan ministry school for young people offering worship teams, music lessons, drama, gospel choirs, and technology training. Students are encouraged to develop their gifts and use them in service to Christ and their local churches.
Christian Performing Arts Center
Provides Christian performing arts training, including dance instruction, with an emphasis on developing artistic ability and character within a Christian environment.
Christian Arts & Theatre of Corona
Provides theater education and performance opportunities within a Christian environment, helping students develop acting, communication, creativity, and character.
Glorify Performing Arts
A Christian performing arts organization using theater and dance to communicate Christian truth and encourage believers.
Christian Theater
Fellowship for Performing Arts
A professional, nonprofit production company founded by Max McLean that produces theater and film from a Christian worldview for diverse audiences. Its productions have included The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis On Stage, The Great Divorce, Mark’s Gospel, Genesis, and Martin Luther on Trial. FPA is particularly valuable as an example of Christians pursuing serious professional theater without separating artistic excellence from Christian worldview.
Sight & Sound Theatres
A major Christian theater organization known for large-scale productions based on biblical stories. Sight & Sound currently operates theaters in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Branson, Missouri, and also produces films and provides streaming through Sight & Sound TV.
Christian Music and Musicians
Michael Card
Christian musician, songwriter, author, and Bible teacher whose work combines serious biblical study with music. His extensive resources include recordings, books, Bible studies, and the Biblical Imagination series.
Christopher Parkening
One of America’s best-known classical guitarists. Parkening has combined a distinguished classical music career with an openly Christian testimony and ministry.
Sam Rotman
Christian concert pianist who performs classical music internationally while sharing his testimony and Christian faith.
Love Sings
The worship and family ministry of Barbi and Terry Franklin, providing music, worship, prayer, marriage, and family resources.
1108 Vocal Studio
Provides professional vocal training and coaching, including vocal technique, performance preparation, stage presence, arranging, and contemporary and worship styles.
Christian Arts and Cultural Engagement
Christians should not think of the arts merely in terms of creating a list of approved and forbidden styles.
Instead, learn to ask:
- What does this work communicate?
- What does it celebrate?
- What view of God and humanity does it assume?
- What does it say about morality?
- What kind of beauty does it present?
- Does the artistic form reinforce the message?
- Is the work artistically excellent?
- What effect might repeated exposure have on the imagination and affections?
These questions allow Christians to appreciate genuine artistic excellence while practicing biblical discernment.
Christian Artists Should Create
The Christian response to popular culture should not be limited to criticism.
Christians can create music, theater, dance, literature, film, and other forms of art that demonstrate genuine skill while reflecting truth, beauty, goodness, and a Christian understanding of reality.
Christian families can also encourage children to participate rather than merely consume. Learning an instrument, singing together, acting, dancing, writing songs, and creating stories can become part of a rich Christian culture.
The arts belong under the Lordship of Christ just as every other area of life does.