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Christians in the arts tap into creativity for God.

One, two, three, up! Get up on dance and get up on bride. Then dance with your bridegroom." Janis Waddle, director of The Joy of Dance studio, moved with grace and precision as she coached her worship dance class through new choreography. "This is up to him, up to him, and then turn this way, and this is the chorus." Worship music played loudly as Ms. Waddle lifted her arms high and rose on her tip-toes. She looked toward the ceiling as she imagined dancing with her bridegroom. The class followed her lead.

Ms. Waddle is one example of a Christian pursuing her artistic talents. She teaches Cecchetti ballet and worship dance classes in a studio in Northeast Portland. Her students perform in schools, in retirement homes, and in an annual recital. Ms. Waddle said that The Joy of Dance Studio is not simply a ballet school but also a spiritual venture.

Christian involvement in the arts is a constant source of debate. Can activities such as dancing, acting, and painting be valid forms of ministry? Should Christians pursue excellence in the arts? How should the church support its artists?

The debate begins with whether the term "Christian artist" is appropriate. Ray Lubeck, a Multnomah professor who is interested in the arts, said the word "Christian" is a noun, not an adjective. "I can drive my car to work, and I am a Christian. Does that make me a Christian driver?" he asked. His opinion echoes that of Franky Schaeffer in his book about 20th century Christians and the arts published in 1985. Schaeffer wrote that Christian art for an artist is like Christian bricks for a house builder.

Yet Phyllis Scrivano, a teacher in Texas, defines herself as a Christian artist because she chooses to paint biblical subjects. She said that if she painted other subjects, then she would be an artist who is a Christian.

To the artists, art is a valid form of ministry. Friends Puppet Company from Vancouver uses puppets and music to share the Gospel with children and their families. The group produces programs for Vacation Bible Schools and performs assemblies on character education in public schools. Once, the company organized a Billy Graham children's rally. Since the group began in 1975, it has seen more than 10,000 children make decisions for Christ. John Buskirk, puppeteer, said they don't run into skeptics anymore.

Mr. Buskirk described the puppet company as an independent, full-time ministry. He said the company does not use this ministry to gain fame and fortune. "A lot of our stuff is quiet and in the background," he said. "You have to do your work for God."

Heather MacKean paints icons: two-dimensional images of Jesus, Mary, a saint or a biblical event. Three years ago, an Orthodox Church in Southwest Portland commissioned her to paint in its new sanctuary. By mixing egg yolks and paint pigment, she creates a brilliant medium for wood panels and canvas.

Ms. MacKean knows well the historical development of iconography and the traditions of the Orthodox Church. She explained some of the details of an icon that took her two months to make: the letters in Christ's halo stand for "I Am," his hands are formed to spell out his name, and he holds the Gospel in his left hand. His refined features--large eyes, an elongated nose, a small mouth, and an unreal flesh tone--show His receptivity to the Holy Spirit.

Iconography is a ministry in the Orthodox Church, Ms. MacKean said. "The presence of the Holy Spirit that sanctified the saints is somehow present in the icon for our sanctification," she said. "It's not only a means for my salvation, but also a way for me to address the suffering of the world and to offer that suffering to God."

Ms. Waddle believes that dancing can reach the unsaved with the message of Christ. Each dance student draws about 10 friends or family members to attend a dance performance; 70 students will be in a recital this June.

The year-end dance recitals focus on particular themes such as abortion or the persecution of the church. Ms. Waddle said that people from the audience come to her weeping because the performances impact them so greatly.

Ms. Waddle offered Scripture passages to prove that the dancing she teaches is acceptable for Christians. In 2 Samuel 6:14, the Bible says that David danced before the Lord with all his might. This was a wonderful thing, Waddle said, because God instituted their celebration times in the first place. Psalm 149:3 says: "Let them praise his name with dancing, and make music to him with tambourine and harp." "Satan takes most of the beautiful things God made and perverts them," she said. "It's time for a redemption of the arts, to give them back to the Lord."

Professor Lubeck, in maintaining the validity of the arts, referred to Exodus 31, where the Bible says God gave Bezalel the ability to devise artistic designs for the tabernacle. Professor Lubeck also pointed to the first chapter of Genesis, to God as the Creator. He said that to the degree that humans participate in the creative process, they reflect God-likeness and an aspect of the image of God.

Sometimes, artists find the church difficult to work with. When Friends Puppet Company performs in public schools, it is not allowed to share the Gospel. But if the churches near those schools bring the puppets into Sunday school and VBS programs, the public school children remember seeing the show at school and want to go to church. Buskirk said many churches do not take advantage of that opportunity. "A lot of churches are not interested in evangelizing their own community; they're just interested in their own flock," they said.

Ms. MacKean is frustrated with other denominations that try to paint icons. She said they destroy or distort the tradition of iconography, which is rooted in the Orthodox Church. Jesus was a Jew, but the Roman Catholic Church has painted him as an African American, as a Native American, or as a person with AIDS, she said. Iconography is not about abstract concepts. She knows those people probably mean well, but icons are not a part of their tradition, worship or history. The Orthodox Church is the only church that has defended icons,Ms. MacKean said.

Ms. Waddle finds the church as a whole less supportive of dancing than are individual Christians. She said her mission is not to bring dance to the church, although she believes it could be used beautifully and respectfully in church services. Some churches are not ready for that kind of freedom, she said.

Professor Lubeck said that Christians are selective in the arts they support. He said most churches emphasize music and disregard most other art forms. "In many church buildings," he said, "the extent of beauty is a highly varnished cross, some plants on the side, and maybe some colored windows."

So what should Christians do to support their brothers and sisters in the arts? Professor Lubeck said support begins with recognizing that these talents are gifts from God and that artists are fulfilling their potential in God's image.

Artists ask that Christians pray for them, spread the word about their art to others, recognize the validity of their efforts as ministry, and support them financially either through donation or through buying their art.

Waddle said she does not go out looking for support, but she would love to have people come dance at the studio. Of all the people in the world, Christians have a reason to dance, she said.

As she stepped in time with the music, Waddle directed her students so that no one fell behind. "Go forward now and throw up your hands because you're filled with joy. Now there is an interlude for some personal expression," she said. The students spread themselves throughout the studio. Some stood and swayed with their eyes closed; others moved across the room to the beat of the worship song. "Put your mind on the Lord. You've finally met Jesus. You're dancing with your bridegroom."