Imagine That: Discovering Your Unique Role as a Christian Artist

For too much of my life, I didn't understand the connection between my creativity and my Christianity; after much studying and prayer, I came to realize that art can be an outpouring of my faith and an integral part of my relationship to God. Reading this book, Manuel Luz takes the reader through much the same course of questioning, study and prayer, pointing to our Creator God as the source of our creativity.Manuel shares his heart while digging into the relationship between the artist, the church and God, with all of the follies and joys that come with any set of human relationships, then points toward a way for understanding on all sides. In the chapter "Art and the Spiritual Disciplines," the reader learns how art can be a spiritual discipline in and of itself, bringing the artist closer to God."Imagine That" has become one of the touchstone books in my collection on art and faith, a book that I devoured cover to cover and that I am now leading a group of artists through as the basis for study and discussion. The questions that Manuel poses at the end of each chapter have led to some of the most profound and stimulating discussions I have ever had with my fellow artists.

the content is worth it

I am enjoying this title. It may sound like a simple statement but in my search, I have not found many titles for artist written from the view Manuel has written "Imagine That."

This book is the best tool I have found to use with a group of artists. I watched their faces light up as they realized the book was written by someone who truly understood what being a Christian artist really was.The masterful way the Manuel Luz described their responsibilities and struggles as artists who belong to Christ was very accurate. It both challenged and encouraged the group. It allowed them to grapple with all of the questions and vulnerabilities they deal with as they work through their unique role in God's church.Our artist group walked away from this book believing they have a vital role to play in the church and in society. A role that only the artists can fill.

love this book so much I sent a copy to my daughter

This is the second copy I've purchased. Its a great book!

Imagine That by Manuel Luz has been a book that I have been wanting to read for a while since seeing it advertised in Worship Leader magazine. This book caught my interest because I am also a worship leader at a church just as Manuel Luz is and have been involved with the arts for a long time. I also have to work with the arts in the church and I really wanted to get a better understanding of how the arts fit in the church. I believe Manuel has a great understanding of how the arts fit in the church and in ministry. In the opening chapter of this book, Manuel focuses us on God as the Artist and us being created in the image of God. In that chapter he says this,"We create because we are made in the image of the creator. We simply cannot help it."He parallels this with how God gave Adam the task of naming the animals to Adam. Manuel says that because God did this with Adam, God is also calling us to be creative, the created becomes creator. Because we have this call and are made in the image of the original Artist, we have a wonderful opportunity to use our gifts and talents in service to our God. We also have a great tool to aid us in our worship, a tool that we continue to develop. I love how he says that artistry can be a spiritual discipline. Manuel says that "spiritual disciplines are external behaviors that aid in internal transformation" and "the discipline of art can bring us closer to God, and can be a spiritual discipline, one that should be encouraged, nurtured, trained, and developed." Just as our spiritual life is a journey of learning and growing, so is our art. Artists as individuals should never stop honing their skills, learning, practicing. After reading Manuel's quote, I believe that we as worship pastors have a special calling to seek out the artists in our congregations, to help them understand that their craft is an essential part of worship, privately and corporately, and allow them the opportunity to use their gifts to honor and glorify the One who gave these gifts to them. And what better place to use them, in corporate worship in our local body of believers.

I've been reading other books on both the process and meaning of Art. While I respect and value what secular artists are saying about Art, this book was just what I needed as I have been traveling my own journey, trying to figure out how my longing to imagine and create could integrate with my faith. I've long been an engineer who loved to "do art", so I could really relate with Manuel and his "rocket science" background. Manuel's stories and illustrations are easy going (he doesn't take himself too seriously) and simple to relate to. His conclusions are real eye-openers.While I believe his primary audience is to people actually trying to express themselves through art, I think the book applies just as well to pastors and other people who may not consider themselves to be "artists", but want to understand the arts, and how God longs to speak to us through more than just the printed Word and Sunday morning expository sermons...