Grow and Prosper

All of us in the creative arts believe in its ministerial power in the capable hands of the Holy Spirit.

But how do you plant and grow creative arts ministries in your church and community?

We also understand that you want to grow in your craft and prosper.

We want that as well, and certainly God wants you to make art with excellence and be fruitful for His kingdom. 

As we glorify God together and inspire people to seek His Son as Savior and Lord, 

we, as a ministry, also care for your progress towards excellence as an artist. 

On this page, we hope to offer you some tools and teachings to contribute to those worthy and important pursuits.

FOSTERING THE CREATIVE ARTS IN YOUR CHURCH COMMUNITY

In this interview, children’s pastors share their unique and successful ideas for fostering the creative arts in children. They also discuss why the arts are so vital, enriching, and valuable to children in all facets of their lives. The panel comprises three experienced and insightful children’s ministers who cherish the youth in their care and have much wisdom to share. The interviewer is Marianne McDonough, Director of W.I.N.D. of the Spirit Ministries and Great Commission Artists.

How can you involve and inspire your church in a way that surprises everyone? This beautiful interview describes an exciting, collaborative art project that involved a whole congregation in a unique way, deeply affecting many aspects of the church life. Worship leader and choir director, Marilee Stevens, takes us step by step to learn about The Butterfly Project that transformed shape and function in an unusual way.

GET READY TO MARKET YOUR ART

Art Marketing Consultant, Carolyn Edlund, collaborated with local professional photographer, Wayne Moran to discuss how to design a compelling body of work, develop a recognizable signature style, present a professional portfolio, craft your message, and target your market. This is a webinar for both new and experienced artists looking for sound advice on how to do due diligence and get the best results from your marketing plan.

Although this wonderful discussion was done in 2016, the basic principles still apply and provide an effective, doable plan to bring your art to the community and world.

Carolyn and Wayne teamed beautifully for our first and, so far, only webinar on this subject. At the beginning, our director Marianne briefly introduced the speakers and then remained in the background, gratefully receiving the information as well.

CALLED BY NAME: ARTISANS FOR GOD’S GLORY!

The artisans of the Bible were called by name. They selected the finest materials to honor God.

So it is with us today. God calls us by name to use our art gifts to honor and worship God.

The Artist’s Call sponsored by WIND Ministries explores the mission of Christian arts in our world. Although it was filmed in 2011, the subject matter continues to be exactly relevant in art ministries today. The artists featured here are experienced, professional artisans with excellent skills in the ministry of creative arts.

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Communications Advisor

Debbie Gustafson

Debbie Gustafson has been an active member and participating artist since the first Psalms Exhibit in 2012. Consistently, she has supported our events and exhibits with wisdom and excellence. Her wisdom and faithfulness to our vision prompted us to seek her support as a board member, and she graciously accepted although she also serves her church and community in a number of other roles, including arts and education. In addition, she is an original member of our blogging ministry that now comprises our “Fresh Oil” artists group.

Programs Advisor

Roberta Sawyer

Roberta (“Bobbie”) Sawyer describes herself as “a lifetime dabbler with a love of experimentation with learners young and old.” Currently an elder at Prairie Community Church in Eden Prairie, Bobbie has participated in numerous types of ministry. She has taught art seminars for children including her “Art in the Park” outdoor summer series, served as a scenarist for church skits, plays and musicals, led Bible study fellowships for 12 years, and created backdrops and props for Vacation Bible Schools. She has also served as a literacy tutor and office support staff for South Hennepin Adult Programs in Education. Also an original Great Commission Arts core group member, Bobbie co-coordinates the monthly Art Klatch painters fellowship group. As a board advisor, she contributes much prayer, a tenacious faith, and a love for people and artists of all definitions.
Outreach Advisor

Geraldine Antoinette Mehta

Geri Mehta has served in numerous ministry positions, which include teaching Sunday school at Way of the Cross church in Blaine, directing girls programs at Hospitality House in north Minneapolis, serving on the mission field in Guatemala and India, and co-leading a home church. She has also been active in community organizations such as Jaycees and Toastmasters.
Geri brings a clear sense of vision and discernment to the board, especially in the area of outreach. She has a passion for promoting the gospel with compassion, love, and respect. As a painter and original Great Commission Artists core group member, Geri has served GCA faithfully in numerous capacities. Her wisdom, like her art, inspires us to seek God’s heart in all things.
Pastoral Board Advisor

Reverend Roger Kuhn

Roger Kuhn has extensive ministry experience, including numerous pastoral positions in New York, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Ohio, and Minnesota. Most of his career he has served as lead pastor and has particularly enjoyed discipling new believers. Currently, Roger serves as the National Pastor of Member Care and the Director of Church Relations at International Ministerial Fellowship, the licensing organization for W.I.N.D. of the Spirit Ministries. Additionally, his pastoral responsibilities include all IMF Alliance Churches and 200 Lead Pastors. With deep faith and a thorough understanding of ministry, Roger provides pastoral supervision, support, and prayer for W.I.N.D. Ministries, including Great Commission Artists.
Founder & Director

Marianne McDonough

Licensed for ministry in the creative arts through International Ministerial Fellowship, Marianne McDonough founded Great Commission Artists and serves as its director in addition to directing   W.I.N.D. of the Spirit Ministries, the 501 (c) (3) umbrella ministry. Believing the arts have a unique capacity to exalt God and inspire His people, Marianne loves to encourage and mentor Christian artists toward the full expression of their gifts, especially in the context of worship. Marianne’s experience includes writing in secular and Christian venues, leadership in worship and dance ministries, teaching worship arts seminars for children, and sponsoring visual arts workshops and exhibits.

In 2010, she initiated “Art in the Beauty of Holiness” seminars, specifically designed for visual artists and subsequently produced in DVD format. After the formation of GCA and its core group in 2011, she produced four more DVDs featuring artists’ interviews and three other seminars: Worship in the Potter’s Hands, Waterfalls with Rev. Paul Oman, and Banners with Elsa Hammond. She also created a cable television presentation on art and worship. 

Starting in September of 2012, Marianne inaugurated the first Great Commission Artists Exhibition, “Psalms Exhibit and Creative Arts Celebration,” at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. This event included a juried exhibit, continuous original worship music provided by local composers, and dance presentations. Since then, as of spring of 2023, GCA has presented eleven exhibitions with multi-generational artist participation, including numerous high school students from local high schools. The last six exhibitions have traveled for month-long display at Twin Cities’ churches.

Additionally, Marianne believes the Great Commission applies to all of the body of Christ, including artists of all definitions. Thus, she has guided Great Commission Artists to create a variety of teaching conferences and art-based community service projects including Kids Love, a popular Valentines day outreach to homeless children. Great Commission Artists is fulfilling its namesake mission to minister Christ to their world and glorify God.

With a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Minnesota, Marianne is an author and speaker. She has served as a board director for the Minnesota Christian Writers Guild and also leads a Christian writers’ critique group. Her 2016 book, 8 Steps to Getting Real with Cancer, won the Midwest Book Awards in the health category. In 2018 she released Beating Cancer One Truth At A Time, another guide for newly diagnosed patients designed for individual or support group reflection.

Marianne enjoys writing in various genres and desires for writers to explore new ways to release their talents to exalt Christ. Her passion is to see God’s beauty revealed in all of the creative arts.