EMQ » Jan – March 2025 » Volume 61 Issue 1
Basque Arts
Summary: After repeatedly failing to communicate the gospel to the Basque people, God showed me that the arts offer a key to open hearts. The arts are a crucial form of gospel communication that move people’s emotions in a way that only sharing information does not. This makes it a powerful discipleship and evangelism tool.
By Juan Arvelo Montero
Felipe’s* piece was chosen to be part of our arts competition, but he did not know it. When he finally got the news, the art exhibition was already opened to the public. He rushed to the art gallery with his work of art, and we graciously made room for it.
Then I introduced Felipe to a Christian painter who was part of the competition. They had a nice conversation that eventually led to both artists sharing about the messages they wanted to communicate with their paintings.
With a dropped jaw, I observed the Christian artist sharing the whole message of the gospel in a natural, organic and non-threatening way. The message I repeatedly failed to communicate many times before using the methods I learned in my home country was now being delivered and listened to without any resistance. That was when I realized that local arts could be the key to reaching the heart of the Basque people with the gospel.
