A picture is worth a thousand words.

We are a visual society, presented with an abundance of images on a daily basis. The morning drive to work. Our favorite TV show. Surfing the web. A picture can communicate a volume of information in a small package. Today we can access more data than at any other time in the past, and our eyes are the method used to unlock that information. An image is a great communication tool.

Throughout the history of the church, art has been a vital part of our faith in God. Because we can’t see Him, His likeness has been left up to our imagination. Although art shouldn’t serve as a substitute for God, it helps us express our belief in God. It allows us to show His grace in action and to make our faith tangible. From the Sistine Chapel to the ornate stained glass creations in our churches, art and faith are perfect complements.

Unfortunately, the church has moved away from visual expressions of our religious convictions. We still love and reverence God, but often our worship involves only our ears and our mouths. Our eyes are left to wander aimlessly without any type of inspiration. Going from the information overload of our culture to a visual black hole in our church has created a longing for more. Our worship needs to tap the potential of a thought-provoking illustration. We need to present a feast for our eyes. One such solution is a pictable.

OVERVIEW OF A PICTABLE

A pictable is a picture parable painted by a live artist to accompany music or a spoken message. Jesus spoke to people in parables. He used words to paint pictures and tell stories that relate to our faith and love for Him. A pictable uses traditional art materials, such as paint or ink, to develop imagery that will allow us to connect with God on a different level. It helps us visualize problems and solutions that we deal with today and creates an emotional connection in our worship time.

In short, a pictable is a visual worship experience. The integration of music, imagery and the Word into our worship time can create an experience with God that we will never forget. We have the potential for a highly intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior. We should not restrict that relationship to a select few of our senses. He created them for a reason, and we are called upon to use them to further enhance the bond we have with Him.

Every church is different in how they worship God. They have different pastors, gather in different environments, contain members from different backgrounds, and sing different songs. For this reason, the pictable ministry is a flexible one. Some pictable concepts are already created and ready for use in your service. We also can work together to customize a concept for a pictable that will capture your theme, subject matter or sermon topic. The canvas starts out blank; you can decide what you want on it.

DIFFERENT SETUPS

The purpose of the pictable is to integrate visual art into your worship service. A pictable is a great instrument for education. Sometimes a certain concept might be difficult for some people to grasp. Using an image can offer an enlightening viewpoint from another angle. Jesus spoke in parables to offer another way at looking at the kingdom of God. You can open up a new understanding of God, Scripture or a difficult concept by using a pictable to supplement your message.

A pictable is not only flexible with content, but also in the presentation. Many options are available for incorporating a pictable into your service. One can be created along with music sung by your choir, worship team and/or congregation. Utilizing your sound system, a custom mix of music can be played during the presentation. If a visual is needed during the sermon, a pictable can be performed during the message. In addition to Sunday services, children’s Bible Schools or youth services are other good events for pictables. Although these are popular examples of including a pictable into your service, the possibilities are endless. Your knowledge of your church will help determine the best avenue for this experience.

SPEAKING

To truly understand a piece of artwork, it sometimes takes a description from the artist. When the piece is created as an attempt to convey a specific idea, an explanation can help the viewer see through the eyes of the artist. In addition to creating a pictable, speaking is offered as another aspect of the ministry. If you wish, the artist can offer a unique perspective about the purpose of the piece and how it can relate to the audience. Allowing the visual to be combined with the message creates an experience that can help you connect with God.

One specific topic is the Edifying the Artist message. This uses the pictable as a springboard to launch into the issue of using our talents to glorify God. With the image as an example, the artist will offer insights for applying our talents and gifts to the work of the church. This session will encourage your congregation to use their talents for His work or to ask Him to reveal creative gifts to them. Edifying the Artist is a challenging speaking sermon that will reach out to all members of the Body.

CONCLUSION

The pictable is a powerful ministry brought to you by Chez Seigneur. Chez Seigneur is a design firm and multimedia production house dedicated to helping the church embrace the new media to promote its ministry and the Word of God. This service is just one area of this emerging company that is reaching out to fellow Christians and building bridges to the world.

Vision is a powerful gift. Using it in tandem with our other senses can be even more powerful. A pictable can unlock the potential of a meaningful visual in our worship services.