Let me confess that my articles lately haven’t been of myself. To be an artist of any sort (painting, writing, music, etc.) is to put your audience above yourself. But in some cases, this can be damaging and unhealthy for the artist…
“I would rather die than to live without writing.”
The definition of art is “the expression of one’s creativity and imagination.” To be a spiritual leader is not only knowing your value but also expressing your value. It’s within scripture that we all have value to share. This can include various mediums such as painting, photography, videography, sculpture, dance, music, or among the simplest of cases — writing.
Robert Greene wrote a New York Times bestseller called “The 48 Laws of Power.” It’s sold over 1.2 million copies within the United States and is considered a tremendous success. Overall, it’s a 430-page book that revolves around better influencing the environment around us. In an interview with a man named Lewis Howes, Robert explained that the book was very close to being rejected. The publisher had criticized Greene’s unique writing structure as “being too different from other books.” Nonetheless, Greene refused to change it. In the same interview, he gave a better explanation…
“… We knew that being different was the key to making this book a success. It could very easily fail. It could have bombed. But it would have failed in the right way — which is being yourself and doing something different.” ~Robert Greene
To express yourself is neither determined by the number of readers nor popularity. There have been times in the past I’ve felt my writing and preaching were not heard. I explained this predicament to a friend in Lexington who happens to be a senior pastor. By his many years of experience, he explained the number of congregants doesn’t compare to the impact on a select few. And even then, it’s not about the popularity. It’s all about giving out the message that God has given you. In the process, this allows your soul to escape the confines of your physical body and tell the world what’s on your heart — whether or not they receive it.
To finish this article, I wish to react and review two Christian singers I believe have found their way with self-expression. The first is a Christian rapper named Nathan Feuerstein (NF). According to his Spotify account, he has a following of nearly 16 million listeners — this is a larger following than bands such as MercyMe, Casting Crowns, TobyMac, Lecrae, and Hillsong United — combined. But more importantly, his lyrics have strong emotions that hint at self-expression. NF is known in the music industry as a rapper. With that said, he doesn’t sing about the typical “boast about how cool you are” or “brag about how much money you have” stereotypes. He instead talks about mental health issues and such in relation to his faith. Perhaps this difference in lyrics is why people resonate with his message.
NF’s passion for music is primarily due to his difficult upbringing. It was at a very early age his parents divorced, he was physically abused, and he had a mother who struggled with an opioid addiction. Her opioid addiction would lead to her death by suicide. All of this led to Nathan to develop PTSD. His music would serve as an outlet for his many emotional traumas…
Don’t tell me that this isn’t real,
Don’t tell me this ain’t how I feel,
This is all I have~ NF, “All I Have”
The one band whose expression truly amazes me is that of Fireflight. You might recall a blog from the past in which they sang about God’s people as unbreakable. They were the ones who sang a Godly message while dressed in black and white and standing in an airplane hangar. Within that video were the implied stories of a car crash victim, a person diagnosed with cancer, and a young lady battling bulimia nervosa. All this with the message that God is always with us in the toughest of times.
God, I want to dream again,
Take me where I’ve never been.
They’ve shared throughout their career God’s message and an authentic view of themselves. Their latest music video does just that. The band is approximately 18 years old — the band members are in their 40s. Nonetheless, they have the desire to express God’s love. It’s a mixture of their message along with sharing their authentic self. Their latest video gives the message for us followers of Christ to put words into action. Not just preach on Sunday but to actively love others in helping our local area. Such is a powerful message that has been well-received within the Christian community. The band intentionally dyed their hair grey and meant to have an older look. It was a way to lean into authenticity. It wasn’t about the appearance; it was about the message. And it’s a powerful message that all ages can appreciate. I doubt it is a coincidence their song is named “Who We Are.” Let us grow as spiritual leaders by expressing ourselves…
We were born to be,
The love they see,
It’s up to you and me.
