Entertainment, culture and the arts can be a hot topic in the church. Some components of the Christian community are committed to avoiding these things as much as they can. Others enjoy all the aspects of our culture without discernment. Each group can have their own self-righteous tone which alienates the other. To complicate the matter, it is hard to find clear biblical teaching in these areas.

Then there is the challenge of helping artists 'feel' at home in your church, or helping other members of you community to 'feel' at home with artists and creative professionals. Art and entertainment have been attacked for so long in some Christian communities that some older believers have a hard time accepting and affirming their Christian brothers and sisters who are called to work in these fields. There are actually plenty of biblical passage that speak to the value of art and culture. These passages have been largely ignored because the church has bought into a modernist mindset which has focused on pragmatism. This mindset does not value creativity, beauty or artists themselves, except when they are used in a utilitarian manner for evangelism.

AEM is here for you. We want to help you navigate these issues. We believe the life of the church and the role of the pastor are critically important in impacting our culture. We have lectured for over 10 years in this area and now we are beginning to post articles, sermons and lectures which will make our material available to you. Let us know if there are any particular issues or areas of concern which you would like us to address.

Our primary speaker, Joel Pelsue, is an ordained minister and has been a pastor in New York and here in Los Angeles. He has a heart for the challenges pastors face and enjoys helping pastors address and navigate these issues. Joel is also available to come speak to your leadership team, preach to your congregation or present conferences to equip your congregation to engage their culture with discernment. Our series give practical applications and a sense of hope in what God is doing today in art, media and entertainment.

For further inquiry, please contact Joel: joel@a-e-m.org