Ministry in art

7/5/2023

When visiting a Christian church, one would typically find images of Jesus, Mary and the crucifixion. At Lutheran Church of Hope at 925 Jordan Creek Parkway in West Des Moines, parishioners will find those yet also view a gallery of featured artists’ paintings.

The Lutheran Church of Hope’s artwork gallery features rotating local artists, whose works are displayed for six weeks. Artists have mostly creative rein, with some limitations.

Jennifer Burger, director of the Creative Arts Ministry, says the artwork must include “pure intention.” 

“We make sure the artist is glorifying God in their art,” Burger says. “They must have pure intentions of art.”

The gallery doesn’t sell art, and artists don’t need to be church members to display in the gallery. “But, if a buyer reaches out to me, I put them in contact with the seller,” she explains. 

She says, for several artists, displaying their artwork at Hope helped fuel their art career.

Another unique aspect of the art ministry is live artist paintings. Several dozen artists have painted live during a church service or for a Revive youth ministry gathering. Jennifer gives the artists a Bible verse or a lesson that the pastor is preaching on in advance. She requests a rough sketch in advance from the artists. 

“The artist prays about it, and the image comes to the artist. The artist volunteers their time to paint it live. During Thanksgiving and Easter, we have about 10 different artists paint live,” she says.

Lutheran Church of Hope supplies everything for the live painting. Burger shares a sermon of Pastor Jeremy Johnson, who spoke about a lady whose son had passed away by suicide. The lady wondered if he was in heaven and asked for a sign from God. 

“During a live artist painting, she saw her son’s face in the painting. The artist later said, ‘I don’t know why I painted that.’ We don’t take that lightly,” says Burger. “We pray before our live art to touch at least one person before they begin painting.”

After the live painting, the art is often donated back to the church or sold. 

“We end up with a lot of large paintings. Not a lot of churches have an art ministry. It’s a blessing to do this for the church,” she says.

Burger says art in the church is an important way to experience God. 

“It gives people a different medium to experience God that they normally wouldn’t look at,” says Burger. “Sometimes when you look at a picture, you see something different every time you look at it. God works through art.”

She says it’s a dream job and an honor to work for a unique ministry. 

“We’re the hidden ministry that touches every ministry in the church and enhances what we are already doing,” she says.

The public is invited to view the art during open church hours, located at 925 Jordan Creek Parkway in West Des Moines. ♦