Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Christian Arts Ministry Highlights

Working at Masterwork Productions, I am blessed to come in contact with many Christians and organizations using the arts to reach out with the love of Christ.

Some of them are linked on this site (if you scroll down at right, you'll see the "Christian Arts Links" section where you can link directly to the sites). I thought I would use this post to introduce you to them. All of them can be great assets to you in your worship arts or drama ministry.

• Masterwork Productions
-- A Christian performing arts company that produces shows, events and resources, represents artists for bookings and provides training through workshops and conferences. Our professionals are just what you need to take your ministry to the next level and reach out to your community with life-changing results.
• Reflections in the Light -- Masterworks' affiliated site where you can find the only resource for professional Broadway and theater reviews with an added Christian perspective to help you decide which shows to see in New York or playing in your city
Torrymartin.com -- official site for comedian and author Torry Martin, award-winning writer and actor, screenwriter and networker extraordinaire
• Bill Cooper -- Song writer and performer helping Churches and Christians worship through song.
Lillenas Publishing -- The official publishing arm of the Nazarene Church. Your main source for the best sketches available for performance at churches
Christians in Theatre Arts -- A national networking and training organization supporting Christians involved in both secular and church arts
• Heart of the Artist Ministries -- he official ministry of Rory Noland, former worship director at Willow Creek Church and author of "The Heart of the Artist" and "The Worshiping Artist," two life-changing books for Christians serving in the church
• Project Dance -- New York based company founded by Radio City Rockette Cheryl Cutlip provides training and outreach events in New York and other cities in the US and abroad
Project Dance is a 2009 recipient of Masterworks' "The Lights are Bright on Broadway Awards"
• The Episcopal Actors' Guild -- non-denominational organization reaching out to those in need in the Broadway community
• Refractions -- Makoto Fujimura, visual artist, who served on the National Council on the Arts, offers insights on how art, culture and faith are connected and how they can blend like the colors on one of his beautiful canvases instead of being opposed to one another
• Hotworship.com -- A comprehensive resource for worship leaders
• Gideon Arts Festival -- A conference bringing together artists from the various arts
• Worship Together -- Worship songs, feature articles, interviews with skilled worship leaders
• Worship Leader Magazine -- Online site of the magazine for worship leaders and home of "Song Discovery" where subscribers can submit their songs
• Consuming Worship -- Covers issues surrounding the worship art in the local church
• Praise Pictures -- movie and film reviews, previews, news
• Eric Metaxas -- Prolific author of books ranging from children's stories to an acclaimed biography of Amazing Grace's William Wilberforce, he is the founder of Socrates in the City, a monthly series of a entertaining and thought-provoking discussions on life, God, and other "small" topics
• Amazing Grace the Musical -- The Broadway-bound musical about the life of John Newton. • Angels, the Musical -- The Broadway-bound musical about angels
• Lifeway Worship -- The worship resource arm of the Southern Baptist Convention
• Riley's Diner -- The very talented and award winning writer Michael Leathers offers drama scripts for dramas
• Jeff Lisenby -- Amazing musician who excels on a variety of instruments, including the accordian
• Todd Edwards -- King of the club mix and a wonderful Christian to boot
• Edwina Findley -- Actress with numerous TV, stage and film credits (watch for her in the soon-to-be-released George Lucas film "Red Tails," she is founder of Abundant Life Ministries to teens
• Christian Cultural Center Music Group -- A Musical arm from A.R. Bernard's dynamic church
• Worship Matters -- Bob Kauflin, author, worship leader, pastor and worship song writer
• One Way Productions -- Biblical actor Mac McConnell's one-man drama ministry
• One Time Blind -- Dramatic group communicating the reality of Christ in a modern-day language, using onstage conversation and dramatic elements
• Chuck Neighbors -- Master's Image Productions. Plays, sketches and other resources from a Christian world perspective
• Melea Brock -- "Right-Side-Up" stories from master storyteller and author Melea Brock
• Sight and Sound Theatre -- Larger then life biblical theatrical productions in Branson, MO and Stasburg, PA
• Act One -- Training for screenwriters and Christians wishing to break into Hollywood
• AD Players -- Christian theater founded by author/actress Jeannette Clift George in Houston
• Christians in Cinema -- Angela Walker's excellent site for news and reviews about movies/Hollywood
• Christian-movie.com -- Providing Christian filmmakers with tools to create excellent Christian movies
• Phil Cooke -- The Change Revolution, one of America's leading experts on media, cultural issues, and the power of change

1 comment:

Retta Blaney said...

Impressive list, putting it together and getting it out there is a nice service.

Daily Inspiration

The Blind Side

Read about the real life mom from "The Blind Side."

Lifeway: http://www.lifeway.com/article/?id=169816

Guideposts: http://www.guideposts.com/story/sandra-bullock-blind-side-football?page=0,1

Read Matt Mungle's review of the movie at http://www.buddyhollywood.com/.

Lauren Yarger, Bio

Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the 2000 Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists.

Yarger trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Three-Day Training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run.

In 2008 she was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She writes reviews of Broadway and off-Broadway theater with a Christian perspective for Reflections in the Light (http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/) and is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection. She also is a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com

She also reviews books for Publisher's Weekly and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. She formerly was Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp, a national theater web site bsed in New York and a reviewer for American Theater Web.

She also served as Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. and worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.

She is a freelance writer and member of the Drama Desk, The Outer Critics Circle, The American Theater Critics Association, The League of Professional Theatre Women and The CT Critics Circle.

A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger lives with her husband in West Granby, CT and has two adult children.

Copyright Notice

All contents copyright © Lauren Yarger 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. All rights reserved. For reprint permission, contact masterworkproductions@yahoo.com.

Scripture from THE MESSAGE Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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