Christian Artist Redefined by Renee Weygandt

Not too many years ago the term “Christian artist” only applied to those in the Christian music scene. It was a term that was widely accepted within the Christian community because it was black and white; there were no gray areas. Then came “church drama” and “sacred dance,” which seemed to ruffle a few feathers in many churches but soon found it’s niche. With the popularity of painters, such as Thomas Kinkade and Ron DiCianni, the definition of “Christian Artist” expanded. Everything was fine and good. But soon the easily defined term became a bit skewed.

Enter, stage left, the Christian actor who began to practice his or her craft outside the safe confines of the church and began to dabble in (gasp!!!) community theater or secular film. Suddenly those supportive, loving Christian brothers and sisters became judgmental, questioning the actors commitment to the Lord, perhaps he or she has backslidden or at the very worst, perhaps their actor friend was never truly saved. As strange as this all may sound, it happens. Many of you know and have experienced it first hand.

It’s not an easy thing to deal with. Often unnecessary guilt sets in, and we begin to question everything that we were so sure of before. For example, when I made my first short film “Edges,” I faced a lot of criticism because of the theme. The film is about relationships and the consequences of cheating. From my point of view, there is no question what the film says but so many of my Christian friends and family members couldn’t see past the fact that I, a Christian, would dare make a film that focuses on cheating. They would criticize my work so much that I started to feel guilty. I spent many nights praying that God would give me a “Christian” story to write so that my friends would be happy and would finally leave me alone.

So, how do we, as Christians who work in the secular arts, answer to our critics? Well, we don’t. The truth is that it ultimately comes down to what we believe that God wants us to do. We can try and defend ourselves until we’re blue in the face but it would be pointless. Christians are a peculiar people, but Christians who are artists are the strangest of all and most people will never understand why we do what we do. We are accountable to God alone, and if we can sleep nights knowing that we have pleased the Father in whatever He has called us to do, using the gifts that He has given, and glorified Him, then that’s all that matters.

By the way, God has yet to give me a “Christian” story to write, but He has given me three new script ideas that I am developing. More and more Christians are stepping out into the secular filmmaking world. They may not be “Christian Artists,” by the acceptable definition, but they are Christians who are artists. Maybe it’s time the term is redefined.

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