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Thursday, May 31, 2007
The Watershed Mark (2) : Garold and Lori Anderson Writer : Dawn FungDawn Fung talks to Garold and Lori Anderson, pioneers of Watershed Arts, a centre and an organic network of thinkers and artists. Garold and Lori Anderson had visited Singapore in December 2006. Yearly they invite various artists to a retreat in France to share questions and life together. Their ministry reaches specially to artists, meeting their needs as Christians in a world and sometimes church, that may not understand. This is Part 2 of the interview. Dawn : Garold, Arts in Christianity is often seen as an 'either-or' case in the church. Either you're in secular work or you're in church work, and there seems to be a division of skills and preferences in ministry style between the two "worlds". I see a lot of this trapping fall away when we see ourselves as just Christians who obey the Lord wherever he tells us to go. Do you still find this issue important to address? Garold : Yes, I wish it weren't, but I think we'll be dealing with it for some time. The 'two worlds' mentality you alluded to in your question is the biggest problem. That's part of the topic of a book I'm working on called Brand New Bag. Our concepts of 'church', 'ministry', and 'worship' have been handed down to us from an unbiblical, dualistic worldview. As an example: what is worship - washing dishes? Absolutely. The Apostle Paul said, "Offer yourself - everything you do and everything you are - as worship to God." Art doesn't take on a different shape or 'anointing' because it's in a church. Art is art. Art that is created for the context of a church isn't a separate kind of art - instead, I see it as a rather small portion of the greater circle of all art. As followers of the Creator of the Universe, we must realise that Christianity isn't based around 'church life', but around all life. An artist who is a Christian should deal with all themes. His or her view of those themes should of course be based on the core of God's heart - compassion, integrity, suffering, beauty, etc. As I see it, every venue, be it a church, a wine bar, a theater, or a museum requires a different approach. However, that doesn't make one spiritual and the other not. What makes anything pleasing or acceptable to God isn't what we do or where we do it, rather the heart. It stems from the motivation behind the action. Dawn : I spoke with you briefly the last time about having the time to rehearse and perform solo work. How do you keep yourself "credible" as an artist while juggling ministry? Garold : Wow, that's a complex question. First, the word 'ministry' simply means to serve. I attempt to serve others whenever and wherever I can. It's not just a switch I turn on and off: it's life. No matter the setting, I see ministry happening when we are sensitive to others and to God's Spirit. But, yes, through Watershed we create projects and events to facilitate arts, community, and ministry. The practical side of those events often takes me away from the focused work of creating art. At the same time those things are as important to me as creating art. I guess it's a balancing act, but so is anyone's life. Being an artist, as I see it, is more than just creating a work. I think, like ministry, being creative is integrated into my life. Still, if I don't consciously attempt to grow in service, thought or creativity, then every part of my life suffers, including my art. As artists we need the ability to feel the pulse of life. We must also risk failure by attempting new things. So it's not so important to me what kind of artistic expression I'm involved with as long as I'm involved, growing, and keeping my senses sharp. I guess the most important aspect of this to me, in the midst of the balancing act, is to be aware of life. In my mind I'm constantly questioning everything and developing artistic concepts. As far as the expression goes, I find there are different seasons: in one season I'm a solo performer, the next I'm a writer, then a director, and later a performer again. At times I get frustrated when the practical things take me away from creative work, but I think the tension of growth and the vulnerability of risk are the things that keep us credible - as artists and as humans. Dawn : Lori, I know from speaking with you that you're not a practicing artist but you have been exposed to a lot of performances and workshops. How significant is that kind of position in the ministry that you do? Lori : Being able to communicate with artists and understand where they are coming from is a critical aspect of my role in the life I have chosen. If someone can't come into my home and feel comfortable talking to me about their life's work, goals and struggles, then I am in the wrong place. Therefore it is very important for me to be knowledgeable about artistic works, current themes in the artistic culture, and just in general to have an appreciation for art. The people we work with often ask my opinion or counsel on specific artistic issues, therefore, as much as I can, I should know what they are talking about and what I think on the matter, being able to communicate it clearly. Dawn : How does your role in Watershed Arts affect the way you understand church? Lori : I grew up in a Southern Baptist Church, in a small town in Oklahoma. For me "church" was where we went every Sunday morning, evening, and every Wednesday evening. It was a specific place, and woe to the heathen who did not go regularly to church. I am grateful for a lot of the teaching that I got growing up in that environment but now my concept of "church" has changed. Traveling as much as we do, I slowly began to realise that "church" is not at all about going to a place on a regular basis. Rather, it is about a people group who share similar desires to know the truth. We now know people all over the world, and wherever we go, we have "church". It is fantastic to be able to go to Singapore or Cape Town and meet people who believe in the One True God, desire to serve Him, and immediately have a common bond. We can pray together and talk about issues from the same foundation. And it does not have to happen in a specific building. I am very thankful at having experienced a great freedom in this concept, and I believe it is a key element in being content wherever you are. Dawn : As a married couple in ministry, how do you complement each other in the work that you do? Garold & Lori : One great and important thing about working together in this way is being very good friends. We have the advantage of having known one another for many years before we were married. Although it is not always easy to find our way in the work we do, we try desperately to have clear, open communication at all times, which is critical for things to run smoothly or even to function at all. We clearly have different strengths and weaknesses. We each function in our arenas, but we 'overlap' quite often. Lori tends to be the one who runs the practical side of hospitality and manages the books. Garold is the artist/teacher. For instance, the way we run Cafe Sophia, our weekly 'cups of spiritual java' that we deliver online goes like this : Garold writes the short pieces while Lori edits them and sends them out. It is also interesting how people react differently to our personalities. Some people will feel more comfortable talking to Lori and others to Garold. That's the great thing about working together toward one goal - together you can affect many more people. Dawn : In Singapore I know couples who work together in the arts and ministry. However, I don't know if any of them have had broad and long experiences (in reaching specifically to Christian artists). It is a fairly young scene here. What kind of advice would you give such couples who are called for such a particular ministry? Garold & Lori : There are many aspects to this. To work together as a team you have to find a single vision or projects in which both individuals' talents are used in the same 'cause'. At the same time, it's extremely important that both people remain distinct - just because Garold has a particular opinion doesn't mean Lori has that opinion as well. Remember to recognise and appreciate that distinct person you're working with. This is also very important as you deal with other people. Ministry isn't about your spiritual or creative ideas; it's about listening to where someone else is on their journey and believing that God can use you to help them find the next step - whether it is creative input, life-skills input, or simply encouragement. You must really learn to listen and to communicate through whatever means you can. Finally, for us this path has often been long, winding, fun, and difficult. You never know which way things will bend, so it's of utmost importance to talk together, plan together, laugh together and...pray together. Prayer somehow puts your hearts on the same page. And remember that ministry means to serve. You can serve others through anything you do, but the greatest part of ministry is your example, the life you live in relationship with each other in relationship to God. For more information on Garold and Lori Anderson, and Watershed Arts, please visit http://watershedarts.com Read Part 1 of the interview here
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