Canvassing for Christ

On the evening of April 7 haloes, gold, altarpieces, angels - and even the blessed virgin Mary - adorned Gunnersbury Baptist Church for the second time in recent months.

No, the constitution hasn't changed. Nor has the evangelical doctrinal basis been thrown out. But an exciting evangelistic venture was being pursued!

Passion Unveiled drew more than 100 relations, friends, neighbours and intrigued locals to an event at which Stuart Currie, church member and Art History lecturer, used paintings from across the centuries to explore the meaning of the final week of Christ's life on earth, and to highlight the implications for mankind of his death on the cross.

Stuart's slide-talk was divided into two parts. The events of Passion Week dominated the first half, which climaxed with contemplation of Grunewald's famously harrowing Crucifixion. Then, after a break for a delicious supper, Stuart moved from the darkness of Rembrandt's Three Crosses etchings, to images of Christ's triumph over death and his appearances to his disciples. He then left his audience enthralled by Caravaggio's astonishingly realistic Supper at Emmaus, and with the challenge of responding to the message conveyed by Holman Hunt's The Light of the World.

Significance of Christ

This Easter-outreach evening followed naturally from the success of The Christ of the Canvas, a pre-Christmas event which had also drawn an audience of over 100 to Gunnersbury back in November 2000, and at which Stuart had explained the life and significance of Christ as seen in paintings from major London art galleries.

Starting with images of the Annunciation and of Christ's infancy and youth, and continuing through to his baptism, the theme of the first half of this earlier talk was Jesus's coming to earth as the Light of the World. During the second half, which also followed a typically excellent Gunnersbury supper, Stuart explored Christ's ministry through pictures that highlighted Jesus's authority and compassion in teaching and healing situations. The culmination of the evening came as the audience was taken to Christ's atoning work on the cross. Then, with paintings depicting the risen Jesus meeting, teaching and eating with friends, Stuart left his audience with the challenge of Christ's victory.

In both talks, Stuart brought to life paintings from different historical periods, and drew the essence of the Gospel from works by artists as diverse as Leonardo da Vinci and John Everett Millais. So Passion Unveiled and The Christ of the Canvas were neither abstract lectures nor 'in-your-face' evangelistic talks. They were engaging presentations of the gospel at which those attending were returned again and again to the Word of God and its awesome truths.

For the congregation at Gunnersbury, both events proved that this is an unusual but extremely compelling way to introduce our friends - many of whom are hostile to the gospel - to the person and the work of Christ. On each occasion the gospel literally 'tumbled out' of painting after painting, constantly feeding one and all with large portions of biblical truth.

Using our imaginations

In an age of indifference to the gospel, we need to think carefully and imaginatively about how we can help our friends to consider Christ's claims. The Christians at Gunnersbury who worked so hard to put these events together were thrilled at how God blessed them to that end. We had confidence in our speaker, felt really comfortable about what our guests would be seeing and hearing; and all were amazed at how beautifully both the talks and the food were prepared and presented. Neither evening did our evangelism for us, but both helped enormously in leading our friends on in understanding more about Christ.

Some four years ago, Stuart's studies in religious art led him back to the Bible, through which God spoke to him powerfully, and subsequently drew him to a real faith in Christ. He completed the Cornhill Training Course in 2000, and has preached locally over the past year. He is keen to broaden the evangelistic potential of his knowledge of art, and has already given variations of these talks to other London churches and to Christian student groups.

Since January 2001 he has extended his outreach to evangelistic Saturday morning visits to major London art galleries. These trips have been greatly appreciated by believers and non-believers alike. Churches in other parts of the country are in the process of organising church talks and gallery visits with Stuart.

The appeal of art is universal and these outreach events have proved to us at Gunnersbury that, in the right hands, art can be an exciting way of presenting the truth of what God has done in and through Christ to unbelieving relations, friends and colleagues.

If you are interested in undertaking a similar event at your church, or in arranging a gallery visit, contact Stuart on 020 8580 5638, or Lewis Allen on 020 8987 2965.

Lewis & Sarah Allen,
Gunnersbury Baptist Church, West London

'Passion Unveiled', an evangelistic venture at Gunnersbury Baptist Church

Significance of Christ

Using our imaginations

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