PASTOR APPRECIATION MONTH, PART 2 OF 3 - PEOPLE GOD USED TO HELP SHEPHERD ME

Courtesy of TheGospleMark

Continuing with looking at Pastor Appreciation Month, I'd like to mention other ministers who had an impact on me that I believe are worthy to be included as pastors, even though they did not have that title. Some had the role of teacher, others were more friends. These would include:

• Rita Reynolds - my Grandmother, who taught me to memorize the books of the Bible.
• Rev. Marv Cowan, a Missionary to Utah, who I had opportunity to talk to one week at camp when he did an elective on cults. I saw him at Verde Baptist soon afterwards, since Verde Baptist supported him.
  
• Mike Cook. Was he supposed to be a youth pastor, or did he just serve a role?
  
• Bible college professors David Nicolas, Steven Sonmor, Rick Railsback, and Dennis Wretlind. I had opportunity to speak to them outside of class while I was at school.
  
• Bill Smith, who taught a men's Precept class in Tennessee.
• Dan Harting, founder of Families Against Cults.
  
• David Witt, CEO of Spirit of Martyrdom 
  
• Bishop Robert Lyons, who was head of the chaplains department Becky worked at. I had some opportunities to interact with him as well.
• Church Planter/Artist Kerry Jackson and Steve Sering, who worked with Circle City Canvas Church.
• Josh Jacobs, who was an influence to me while he was pastor at Hunter Road Bible Church.
• Mark Mirza of Common Thread Ministries.
• Missionary Monte Baker. I've talked to him on phone and Skype.
• My men's study group at Northside Baptist Church: Curt Waters, Nick Laurino, Jim Myers, and Tim Schlotterbeck. I also will include the teachers of the Living Stones class, which include Myers, Schlotterbeck, Glenn Christie, and Chris Pole.
• Finally, a list of friends I've had throughout my life that have had an influence on me spiritually in alphabetic order: Lonnie Atkenson, Mel Brown, Tony Finch, James Lawson, Dan Schafer, and Mario Smith.
  

 Do you have any teachers and friends who weren't technically pastors but who filled that role in your life?

THE GRAIL BY KERRY JACKSON

 PART 15 OF A 17 PART SERIES ON FAVORITE ART AND ARTISTS

 

The Grail by Kerry Jackson

 I had the honor of meeting Kerry Jackson when he and his wife Twyla were here in Indianapolis planting a church which at first met in the Art Bank (have you ever seen a baptism in an art gallery?) and later at the Indy Fringe theater. 

I also enjoy his art. There are four paintings of his I'm including in this collection. 

The title refers to my favorite, which is at the top: The Grail. To me, I can see the young man's zeal and love for Jesus, and possibly a little weariness due to his endeavor. I also see the sense of adventure. It makes

me think of one of my favorite verses, Psalm 84:5 - "Blessed is the man whose strength is in the Lord, and who has set his heart for pilgrimage."

To the left is my second favorite, titled "Can I Go?" which was on display at the Art Bank. On the other side is a completely different type of painting, dealing with human trafficking titled "Hotlanta." 

Finally, there is below a painting he did through his ministry Drawing to the Rock at Arlington Avenue Baptist Church while Becky and I attended there. You'll notice I included a link for the ministry.

What do you think of Kerry Jackson's art, especially "The Grail?" Is there any art that moves you, either to think, to smile, or to have concerns for our sinful world?

INTERVIEW WITH VISUAL ARTIST/CHURCH PLANTER KERRY JACKSON

Title: Everyone loves a rose, but are you grateful the the thorns?" 

Besides being a novelist, I have written a whole batch of songs in the past. My favorite classes in high school were Creative Writing and Art. I attended Yavapai College Verde Valley Campus my first year out of high school and took classes including Ceramics (2 semesters), Art Theory and Design, Drawing, Stained Glass, Photography, Creative Writing, and a Poetry Workshop. (I also took English, Economics, and Literature of the Bible.)

Did anybody know I'm an artist?

Thus, it excited me when I attended the Indiana Southern Baptist Convention several years ago and looked at the board promoting church planters. I got excited when I noticed a card for a couple that was working specifically with artists. Becky and I were able to get to know Kerry and Twyla Jackson as a result.

Kerry has a ministry called Drawing On The Rock, which he describes in the below interview. He was at Arlington Avenue Baptist Church and did the below picture (pardon the reflection of the lights and window. I've included a link to a video of that ministry at the bottom of this blog.

 

JR: Greetings, Kerry. Let me start with asking how you got interested in the arts. Are there any favorite painters who were an inspiration?

KJ: Hi Jeff, thank you for the opportunity to share a little about myself and my ministry. I honestly can’t remember exactly how my interest in art began. I’m old and it’s been a very long time! However, it may have all begun with my childhood interest in comic books. I was fascinated by them and would try to draw and replicate the storyboards. I was always drawing as a child. I find it ironic that when I was sitting in church as a young boy and drawing on the bulletins, my mom would lightly slap my hand and tell me to pay attention. Little did she know that years later I would be drawing and painting in churches and getting paid to do it!

Besides being influenced by comic books, or graphic novels as they are called today, the artists of Mad Magazine influenced me a ton! As I got older, I can say that Michelangelo, Andrew Wyeth, and Norman Rockwell influenced my style and subject matter choices.

JR: Could you tell us about your ministry Drawing To The Rock?

KJ: Drawing to the Rock is a ministry God blessed me with over 30 years ago. It involves the creation of art with a spiritual message or a testimony of my faith journey. It also involves traveling around the world leading in what I call “visual worship.” I bring a creative element to church worship services. I create a large piece of art in front of the congregation while music is played. I also take my ministry to Christian schools and outdoor evangelistic events. I’ve even done a few corporate events.

JR: You have done church planting with the focus on the artist community. Here in Indianapolis, the church met in the Art Bank (a gallery) and Indy Fringe Theater (which sounds like the type of place people typically plant churches). What doors has your artistic ability had on outreach ministry? 

KJ: Yes, for eleven years I was involved in church planting among Cultural Creatives in Atlanta, GA and Indianapolis, IN. I can honestly say that church planting is the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to accomplish. Yet, God in His power, did some amazing things in the lives of our little congregations. We saw lives changed and artists from all kinds of creative disciplines come to the understanding of how their art and their faith connect and intertwine.

As a professional visual artist, most other artists I meet first see me as a colleague. Then as our relationship begins to grow, they look past my talent and begin to see who I truly am. They begin to see me as a Christ follower and my role sometimes turns to that of a “chaplain.” Eventually, if God so leads, I become their pastor. My spiritually themed art has always been designed to invoke questions. I can’t tell you how many times my work has led to spiritual conversations. When asked to explain my work and the subject matter, the chance to share my faith and what God has done in my life comes so natural and non-threatening.

JR: What are your current endeavors, both on the ministry side and as an artist?

KJ: Well, the Coronavirus pandemic shut my live performances down completely. All of my remaining 2020 bookings were cancelled after everything locked down last spring. So, I’ve been collaborating with a fellow minister to make some s

hort videos based on some of my pieces and posting them on social media. I call them “Art Devotionals.” I’m just trying to keep my ministry in front of folks. I’ve also been blessed with a few commissions to help bring in some income during this period. I also teach art to high schoolers at a local Christian academy.

JR: Thank you for your time, Kerry. May the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless your ministry.

KJ: Thank you Jeff! I really appreciate your friendship and the way you’ve supported and encouraged me through the years. God bless you and Becky.

 

Again, below is a link to a video for Drawing On The Rock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9cK3SBhs9s

 What ways have you used art in teaching or defending the faith?