Dream Awakener

I started this series and while back and wanted to pick it up again.  I had asked Jennifer some questions and she has had quite a full schedule with school and painting, and recently got back with me, so now I will start up the series once again.  You can catch the first two parts, the church at Sardis and the church at Ephesus, if you want.

Jennifer White is an artist living in Olive Branch, Mississippi with her husband, Stephen. She loves to paint, and as she says on her squidoo site, her “goal as an artist is to create art that touches another human being and changes them for the better.” I love that.

I had met her because she was interviewing me about this series of paintings that she is working on, because it is about the church. Today we will look at the church of Pergamum.  I asked Jennifer “In regard to the church in Pergamum, what are the ideas that shaped your imagination and approach to this painting?”

She said,”The church in this painting is actually in contrast to the church in Pergamum, which was known for being the “worldly” church.  Therefore the church in my painting is not exactly on the ground, yet has a presence in the space. It is in the world, but not of it… hence the title, “In, Not of”.  I also wanted to convey that there is darkness around the church, symbolizing the worldliness it is trying to make a difference in.”

Take a moment to read the passage in Revelation and then look at this painting and I have a few questions for you.

"In, Not of"

What does it mean to live in a city where “Satan has his throne”?  (See the passage)  What causes a congregation to start tolerating teaching that leads people astray?  In what ways does this church resemble or look different than the church you are a part of now or in the past?