More than a fundraiser

More than a fundraiser

Pulling back the curtain on EGC’s content creation process for our annual fundraiser. 

At a historic church space in the heart of Cambridge, a diverse choir has gathered to worship God. But instead of a Sunday, it’s a rainy Saturday morning. In place of a congregation, a camera crew adjusts lights, angles shots, and tries to stay on schedule. But like any church gathering, there is coffee.  

It’s film day for the Emmanuel Gospel Center as we prepare for our annual fundraiser and virtual concert. 

This year, we’re filming at Central Square Church, a sacred space that’s hosted luminaries such as Fanny Crosby, who penned the lyrics to “Blessed Assurance,” and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who preached there to more than 2,000 people on a snowy Sunday evening in 1960.  

EGC film day in preparation for our annual fundraisers. Photography by Rosa Cabán at R9Foto.

Each year, we partner with different churches, which generously host us as we film content for our next fundraiser.   

“It’s yet another point of connection and relationship-building that happens, where these relationships are leveraged and strengthened in the process to create something that will be a blessing beyond that moment,” says Saranya Sathananthan, researcher in residence at EGC. “Every church we’ve filmed in is aesthetically unique, and I do think that being in God’s house contributes to the quality and essence of his presence with us in the moment and in the feel of the final piece.”

Central Square Church’s historic building underwent a renovation in 2020, much like EGC’s fundraisers were remade for the pandemic era. 

“Some sayin’ it’s the ending — I think it’s a new beginning.
”

— Caleb McCoy

Originally the brainchild of Jeff Bass, EGC’s executive director, our annual fundraisers began as dinners hosted by multiple partner churches around the region. 

It was important to Jeff that the fundraiser not just raise funds but also advance the Center’s mission in multiple ways. 

“I love that EGC’s fundraiser is missional for us,” he says. “It raises money for our work, yes, but it also invests in Christian creatives, provides a significant connecting opportunity for Christians throughout Greater Boston, and worships God by celebrating some of the ways we see Jesus at work in our city.”

(l-r) Hanna Garcia, Elijah Mickelson, Jalen Williams, Caleb McCoy. Photo credit: Rosa Cabán at R9Foto.

Over time, we consolidated the fundraiser to one location. For several years, we held the event at Florian Hall in Dorchester or Jubilee Christian Church in Mattapan. (EGC staff members still have flashbacks of cleaning the expansive sanctuary with a household vacuum cleaner before resetting all the chairs for the next Sunday’s worship services.)  

Then came the pandemic, and like everyone else, we had to pivot. Our 2020 fundraiser consisted of a single video, “Cry Out,” which included Caleb McCoy’s prophetic line, “Some sayin’ it’s the ending — I think it’s a new beginning.” 

That meant rethinking our approach to content and gathering as a community. 

“God has made us as individuals with different gifts that come to make up and culminate in the whole body. When we collab, we truly honor ourselves, we honor God, and we also bless others.
”

— Giovanni Acevedo

Even before the pandemic, we had been moving away from presentations to embrace the diverse gifts of our staff members and ministry partners, adopting more creative content expressions. 

But our next fundraiser marked a clear separation from the past. The pandemic was the first time we began working with local artists in a consistent, professional capacity, and we created a hybrid in-person and virtual concert event that resembled a drive-in movie theater experience.    

Caleb, EGC’s marketing manager who wrote and performed “Cry Out,” says it’s a beautiful thing to collaborate with talented artists, dancers, filmmakers, musicians, poets, photographers, and singers. 

A compilation of music videos produced and directed by the Emmanuel Gospel Center alongside some of New England's brightest musicians.

“This has strengthened relationships among the Christian creative community, and continues to be a blessing in the city,” he says. “And to think, this largely came out of the chaos of COVID, when many artists shared the same uncertainty with their vocation and expression. It just shows how God continues to make beauty from ashes.”

Jen Aldana, singer, songwriter, and worship leader. Photo credit: Rosa Cabán at R9Foto.

For EGC staff, friends, and ministry partners, it’s a deeply meaningful experience. 

“I am inspired by this unique space where filmmaking, art, and church community blend together to create something beautiful and sacred,” says Hanna Garcia, development manager at EGC.

“God has made us as individuals with different gifts that come to make up and culminate in the whole body,” says Giovanni Acevedo, poet, photographer, and filmmaker. “When we collab, we truly honor ourselves, we honor God, and we also bless others.”  

“Performing and participating in EGC’s fundraiser event was an incredible blessing!” says Jen Aldana. “As a Boston-based artist, it was special to see my work come to life in a new way by creating an acoustic version of my song ‘Trust in You’ — a song about trusting in God through every season, with EGC’s vision. They stand true to their mission by incorporating the arts and empowering and uplifting others. . . It was truly a blessing to take part in.”

“As a Boston-based artist, it was special to see my work come to life in a new way.”

— Jen Aldana

Each film day is a unique opportunity to connect with these artists. Saranya says she was blessed to catch up with them and hear about the latest in their lives. 

“It’s beautiful to see believers with different skills and active expressions of faith come together and contribute to something that uniquely demonstrates those talents and heartfelt stories while also reflecting a bigger picture of our amazing God and all he can do through those whose lives are surrendered to his purposes,” she says. “I left the time feeling full of joy.” 

That joy sees the team through what can sometimes be a messy process of making the sausage. 

“There’s a bit of chaos and feeling that spike of adrenaline, especially for those who are keeping track of the schedule, managing the equipment, and helping with all the logistics that are involved in making it happen,” Saranya says. “All these are things that you don’t really get a grasp of in seeing the final piece.” 

Saranya Sathananthan. Photo credit: Rosa Cabán at R9Foto.

Saranya says she’s wrestled with the filming process. It doesn’t always feel like a natural worship experience with all the bright lights and lidless, one-eyed cameras staring you down. 

“But I’ve been surprised at how the Spirit often moves even in the constrained settings we often film under,” she says. “There was definitely a moment when our EGC choir was singing the Doxology together, hearing our voices magnified through the acoustics in the room, with Pastor Larry [Kim] and Laura [Mitchell] watching and singing along, that I felt like this was my sincere thanksgiving and worship to the Lord. I was grateful to be there with everyone amidst the non-stop laughter and great energy that was created together.”

As Saranya says, we hope this joyful creation and artistic expression “speak truth and encouragement to people in our collective moment and are also often timeless for those moments of needed encouragement.”

You can watch the concert anytime by subscribing to our YouTube channel.

The EGC board, staff, and friends choir at our 2024 film-day shoot. Photo credit: Rosa Cabán at R9Foto.

Christian Creatives and the Church

Photography by R9 Foto for The Emmanuel Gospel Center

Christian Creatives and the Church 

It’s time for the two to support each other. 

by Hanno van der Bijl, Managing Editor, Applied Research & Consulting

Armani Alexis Acevedo is an artist, designer, entrepreneur, and hip hop artist. Everything he does is to glorify God, but at one point in his life, he just could not see a home inside the Church for his creative passion. 

He is thankful for the spiritual foundation he received from his church growing up but he didn’t feel fully supported in his calling until recently. A lot of that has to do with the buy-in of his pastors, including Davie Hernandez, co-senior pastor of Restoration City Church.

“It definitely is an encouragement to know that your pastors support you in that way, from the little things, even sharing my posts, or my songs, or our collections — he's probably wearing one of our tees right now,” Armani said. “Those things really mean a lot.” 

For many people, artistic expression is an important part of their faith. In this video, the Emmanuel Gospel Center connected with Christian creatives and pastors to learn from them how churches can support the artists sitting in the pews.

But Armani still hears parishioners voicing their disapproval: “I don’t think this glorifies God” or “This art is too loud.” These moments don’t come without pain as Armani invests hours and heart into his creative projects.

“As artists, I feel like we do see things a little differently and appreciate detail more and the commitment behind it,” he said.

Christian creatives like Armani intentionally pursue their vocations as believers and artists, actively integrating their faith and work. 

They live in the tension of a Church trying to stay faithful in a changing world. They’re caught between competing visions of what the Church should look like and how it should operate. 

Pastor Davie Hernandez

Davie Hernandez, co-senior pastor of Restoration City Church, wearing one of Almighty Above All’s t-shirts.

Pastor Davie Hernandez

Pastor Davie sporting one of Almight Above All’s t-shirts.

Armani Alexis Acevedo

Armani Alexis Acevedo is an artist, designer, entrepreneur, and hip hop artist.

Almighty Above All

Armani and his brother, Fugi, created the fashion line Almighty Above All.

Armani 2021

Armani says everything he does is to glorify God.

They don’t always feel seen. Many feel like spiritual orphans in a world that neither understands nor values their faith and a Church that neither acknowledges nor appreciates their gifts.          

Some church leaders do see them. They say Christian artists are an untapped resource.

Pastor Valerie “Val” Copeland, pastor of Neighborhood Church of Dorchester, said God has given every Christian gifts and skills for a reason. 

“Christian creatives sit in church without their gifts being used, without space being made for their gifts, while they sort of dry up on the vine,” she said. “If we need a singer or guitarist or drummer, we'll search them out. But where's the imagination to say if they are gifts that God has given you, then it's incumbent upon us to figure out how to make room for them?” 

“Christian creatives sit in church without their gifts being used, without space being made for their gifts, while they sort of dry up on the vine.”

— Pastor Valerie Copeland

It hasn’t always been this way. Historically the Church has been a driving force for the arts, integrating it in its worship, teaching, and architecture. In some places marked by post-Christianity, the churches may be empty but their beauty continues to bear witness.

The arts have the power to speak to people in ways that sermons can’t. The Christian creatives sitting in the pews could help address some of the biggest challenges facing churches today. This is an opportunity for churches to support creatives while at the same time mobilizing them for mission.   

In an effort to help churches do that, we connected with Christian creatives and pastors to learn from them how churches can support and equip the artists sitting in the pews. 

A creative God 

Christian creatives say they draw inspiration from the Creator — and that churches should too. 

“God is the first artist,” Pastor Val said. “The beauty of art and the drama of art calls our hearts to something greater than ourselves and reminds us that God’s design is intentional: the way that he uses color, the way that he uses the drama of thunder and lightning, the way that he calls us to be creative in how we love the world.”   

God’s creation is not only beautiful, it's also unique. He made humans in his image to reflect his creativity. For Michael “Mike Mack” McPherson, founder of Elevation Conference, the rich diversity of God’s created order is the “essence of creativity.”

“God is the first artist. The beauty of art and the drama of art calls our hearts to something greater than ourselves and reminds us that God’s design is intentional.”

— Pastor Valerie Copeland

“He could have easily made every single bug the same — every single ladybug could have the same amount of spots, and he decided that he would splatter and make them all look so different and so unique,” Mike Mack said. “But then we come into the Christian world and we look at art and music and we're like ‘It's supposed to sound like this.’” 

Creatives embrace the call to “sing a new song.” They thrive on expressing themselves through their work, improvising to bring something new out of the old. 

Elevation Conference 2022

The Elevation Conference 2022 team

Elevation Conference 2022

The winners at Elevation Conference 2022.

Elevation Conference 2022

Elevation Conference 2022

The 2022 conference included a panel discussion on how to steward your influence.

Elevation Conference 2022

Elevation Conference attendees.

Elevation Conference

Elevation Conference attendees

Elevation Conference 2019

A panel discussion at Elevation Conference 2019.

Elevation Conference

Wande teaching a workshop at Elevation Conference 2019.

Elevation Conference

Elevation Conference

Steven Malcolm performing at the Elevation Conference concert in 2019.

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A post shared by Elevation Conference (@elevationconbos)

nobigdyl performing at Elevation Conference 2022.

Many creatives feel that a lot of churches function exactly the opposite way. The familiarity of traditions provide safety and stability; however, if churches hold them too tightly there can be little room for something new. The tension between creative expression and commitment to tradition can often be at odds.  

“The overarching problem is that the Church is terrified of so much. The Church creeps around so much,” Mike Mack said. “The Church still has — despite what Paul said — a 'taste not, touch not' mentality (Col. 2:20-23) about almost everything that could be considered sin and is probably not actually sin.” 

Christian creatives often face the impossible task of producing art that checks all the boxes for churches theologically and for the world aesthetically. Placing restrictions on artists that don’t concern the core message of the gospel chokes creativity.

A creative Church 

The COVID-19 pandemic forced churches to get creative. The crisis compounded the new challenges with long-standing issues that surfaced and threatened division. Many people did not return to worship services after lockdown measures were lifted, and increasingly younger generations don’t want anything to do with the institutional church. 

To minister in this new reality, Pastor Val said “our missiology has to shift.” 

“I talk to a lot of folks who are just really hanging onto the Church by a string,” she said.

Christian ministry is often geared to preaching that appeals to the head, but it is missing out on the power of the arts to reach the heart.

“This is definitely an area that the Christian Church has fallen asleep on,” Pastor Val said. “We've sort of limited God to the area of our brain: think about it, write about it, talk about it.” 

Pastor Valerie Copeland

But with the state of the broader culture, this will not be enough to communicate the gospel effectively to many people. The call of Jesus’ Great Commission is to “go” to people instead of telling them to “come” to the Church. 

“I think too often we're waiting for people to meet our criteria — and it's completely backwards,” Pastor Val said. “This idea — I'm willing to do whatever it takes to tell you about God: a God that loves you, a God that inspired all of this beauty, and a God that finds beauty in you — I'm willing to do whatever it takes. You've got to be willing to do whatever it takes.” 

Pastor Val said Grace Chapel’s passion week display was a moving example of how God can use the arts to “preach” the message of the gospel. The display included beautiful art installations with quiet spaces for reflection.     

“The last installation is just an empty tomb, and I can't tell you how that thing just brought me to my knees,” she said. “I've heard many sermons about the empty tomb that didn't bring me to my knees. Seeing that empty tomb brought me to my knees.”

In addition to proclaiming the Good News in different ways, Pastor Val said Christian creatives have the opportunity to help heal the fallout from broken or false views of God. Images have power, and when they’re not created to look like the people they’re meant for, it can have a lasting negative impact. Creatives can step in to redirect the image and narrative that disaffected people have of God.  

“Give them platform, stop hiding them, stop discouraging them, be more encouraging, give them opportunities to present — especially on Sunday mornings. If you look around your congregation, there’s probably people who do all sorts of really cool, really unique things.”

— Mike Mack

“One of the ways that Christian creatives can be helpful is in bringing these important issues to light but also in correcting the narratives that have been associated with these images, and redirecting the narrative towards what is true and who we are as Christian believers,” Pastor Val said. 

For churches that want to take the risk and change their approach to ministry, it will likely mean a painful period of adjustment, she said. But church leaders who worry about how to reach the unbelievers in their community may not realize that God has already provided them with the answer right there in the pews. 

God has equipped Christian creatives in their congregations with gifts to preach the beauty of the gospel. But they must be empowered, not exploited. 

“Give them platform, stop hiding them, stop discouraging them, be more encouraging, give them opportunities to present — especially on Sunday mornings,” Mike Mack said. “If you look around your congregation, there's probably people who do all sorts of really cool, really unique things.” 

Creatives have their own ideas for how churches can begin to support them as they live out their calling to glorify God. They stress that this will mean a change in the usual mindset and approach to ministry. Of the many ways they can help, churches can start praying and thinking creatively about how they approach their finances, building space, and ministry staff. 

Creative with support 

One of the basic ways churches can begin to think creatively about equipping the artists in their pews is by supporting them financially. 

An economy shaped by modern technology and social media has conditioned us to expect things to be free. Coupled with the tendency in churches to spiritualize volunteerism as Christian service, this dynamic puts Christian creatives in a difficult spot. They’re often expected to use their gifts and skills for free. And not complain about it.

“One of the things that does concern me is the inability for creatives, in general, particularly Christian creatives — particularly Christian creatives of color — to make a living,” Pastor Val said.

“We’ve got to start seeing people as an investment in the kingdom versus their output as the investment.”

— Pastor Valerie Copeland

It’s not fair the way churches impoverish Christian artists as they pursue their ministries, Pastor Val said.

“Christian creators contribute so much more to our economy than they get back,” she said. “They contribute so much more to the economy of the Church than they get back.”  

When churches exploit the work of their people, it compromises the Church’s witness to the world.

“Justice starts in the house of the Lord. We cannot be out there fighting for justice and defending the rights of the poor and the exploited and then be exploiting people within the house of the Lord,” Pastor Val said. “We've got to start seeing people as an investment in the kingdom versus their output as the investment.” 

Emmanuel Gospel Center

Filming for EGC’s annual fundraiser at Reservoir Church, Cambridge. Photography by R9 Foto for The Emmanuel Gospel Center.

Individual Christians can also think creatively about their tithing and giving. Mike Mack is confident that there are believers in the area who want to “make sure that New England’s a hub for artistry” and that Christian creatives have the tools and access they need to thrive. 

“Somebody out there has that heart, but they've probably been told that the only way that you can give is to give it directly into the Church,” he said.     

Being open to think creatively when it comes to finances is an opportunity to walk in step with the Spirit and partner with what God is doing on the ground.

“Are you listening to the voice of God? Do you ever wake up in the morning and say, ‘What does my city need? What do I gotta do?’” Mike Mack said. “Do you ever see somebody who's a creative and just think to yourself, ‘Wow, this person could really use assistance. I believe in what they're doing — let me help them out’?” 

Creative with space 

Boston is not kind to Christian artists and creatives looking for event space. They can have a tough time finding venues that will meet their needs at an affordable rate. 

Many churches have significant real estate footprints with resources that could be used to support the work of creatives. Stewarding those resources well has kingdom implications. 

Mike Mack said that along with everyone else, church leaders will one day have to give an account for what they received and what they did with it — “especially the stuff that we prayed for.”

“You look around and it’s like, what resources is the church sitting on? What young, up-and-coming rapper is actually the greatest preacher in your church, and you’re just not utilizing him because you don’t like the way that he does it?”

— Mike Mack

“‘Lord, I need this, please give me this.’ And he's like: ‘You just want it for yourself, you wicked servant. You just want it so you can hoard it. Why should I give it to you?’” Mike Mack said. “Somebody's praying for their building fund right now — got money coming in from everywhere — and have no plans of using it for the people who gave to it.” 

Churches can use their spaces to host concerts, exhibits, and other artistic events. They can work collaboratively with creatives to further the kingdom in their local communities with the use of their building space. 

Creative with staff 

Beyond physical assets and resources, churches can build out their ministry staff with Christian creatives who feel called to serve in the church. 

“Put the creatives in your church on staff. Pay for their position,” Pastor Val said. “Put people on staff so that they're actually able to do what they need to do and also support the life that they need to live.” 

Bringing creatives on staff may not come intuitively to some church leaders. It may mean interrogating our ideas of what a church staffer looks like. 

“You look around and it's like, what resources is the church sitting on?” Mike Mack said. “What young, up-and-coming rapper is actually the greatest preacher in your church, and you're just not utilizing him because you don't like the way that he does it?” 

“Church” may not look exactly the same anymore. Christian creatives may have interests that don’t naturally align with the way many churches usually approach the arts. They might not play a musical instrument or want to lead the children’s Christmas play. 

“It’s glorifying God just in a different approach. I think once people can realize that, they’ll definitely leave more space for more opportunity for creatives like myself and others.”

— Armani Alexis Acevedo

“We have to start — and I'm hoping even at my church — making room for the ministries — no matter how unique they are — so that this is a place where they can flourish,” Pastor Val said. “This is a place where we will financially invest in that ministry just like we're going to invest in the summer camp, the food pantry, the marriage retreat.” 

Pastor Val said church leaders should recognize that creatives are also theologians. They should invite creatives to look for ways they can visually bring to life what is being taught or preached from the pulpit. 

“One of my dreams is that someone would do a dramatic piece of the encounter between Jesus and Satan in the desert, where they have this word battle, and Jesus literally drops the mic at the end. It is done. It's a wrap,” she said. “It's so dramatic. This interaction between Jesus and Satan is intense, it's high stakes. And I'm like, why hasn't this been made into a dramatic piece yet?”

Creatives like Acevdeo are confident churches can make use of them and support them at the same time. He encourages creatives to be plugged into a local church community, rooted and grounded in Christ alone. He believes this spiritual vitality will help shift hearts and minds within congregations to make room for artists with unique gifts who relate in different ways.   

“It's glorifying God just in a different approach,” Armani said. “I think once people can realize that, they'll definitely leave more space for more opportunity for creatives like myself and others.”

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WATCH: Church & Creatives

Have you ever experienced music or art that has helped you feel closer and more connected to God? For many people, creativity and artistic expression have become an important part of their faith. The Emmanuel Gospel Center connected with Christian creatives and pastors to learn from them how churches can support and equip the artists sitting in the pews. Watch this video that dives into this world of faith and creativity while highlighting opportunities for support and collaboration.