GCOWE 97 Performing Arts Consultation

PERFORMING ARTS LEAD THE WAY
(An interview with Scott Wesley Brown)

Frances van den Berg

Question:

How do you see the role of the Performing Arts in missions?

Answer:

I see us at the lead. As John Piper says: "The goal of missions is worship". God has given us as performing artists the unique role of mobilizing the Body of Christ with a passion for Jesus and a passion for the world. Like the musicians in the Old Testament, we are the banner bearers and spearhead going ahead of the army. We are the trumpeters. In the Old Testament, Moses used the trumpet to assemble the people (Numbers 10).

Question:

Describe your early Christian involvement.

Answer:

I was raised in Washington DC in the U.S.A and became a Christian in 1970 when I was still in high school. At that time I was involved in a rock group and several other musical groups. Realizing that music was a wonderful way to communicate Christ to my friends, I began composing songs. I made my first record in 1973. This is my twenty-fifth year in Christian music and I have just finished my nineteenth album. The last five or six albums have been very strongly focused on missions.

Question:

How did you first become involved in missions?

Answer:

In 1983, I took my first mission trip to Russia, and later in that year, I went to West Africa, Senegal and Mauritania. As I became aware of the needs of the Christians, God really touched my heart and I began to write songs that focused on our need to be a blessing to people. It was only in 1987, however, when I took a course at the U.S. Centre for World Missions in Pasadena, California, called "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement" that I received a real Biblical foundation for missions.

Question:

What is your current missions involvement?

Answer:

Since 1983 God has pulled me into the international arena. I've been to over 40 countries, working with the local musicians and artists. I help to raise funds to buy instruments for Christian artists in needy countries. I've also taken over 100 Christian musicians overseas to Eastern Europe. We held a Christian Artist's Celebration at the Berlin Wall when it went down. Musicians from all over Eastern and Western Europe came together during this time.

Our ministry, which is known as I CARE Ministries - International Christian Artists Reaching the Earth, has bonded with the AD2000 and Beyond Movement and several music and mission organizations.

We've conducted seminars and workshops in Nigeria, Ghana, South-east Asia and other parts of the world bringing teams of international musicians with us. Our goal is to equip the saints for music ministry and sharpen their ministry skills (Ephesians 4). We try to encourage the expression of their own indigenous music. When we hold seminars, we always get the local people involved in teaching and training as well. After laying a foundation, we attempt to impart a vision to the Christian artists to impact their nation for Christ.

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7/5/97