It is an exciting time to be an artist of faith. We’re seeing the arts being expressed more in many different churches—in services, programs, events. There’s a new sense of corporate approval in the use of the visual arts, dance, film and media, and other forms in services, and creative people are sensing permission from their congregations to express the arts in more ways. Outside the church walls, we’re beginning to see some authentic and unique expressions by different artists of faith unencumbered by the preconceptions of what “Christian art” is supposed to be, unleashed from the message-oriented kitsch that was normative only a decade ago.  And I’m beginning to see glimmers of people who “get it”—that there are real and substantive theological underpinnings behind what it is we do. From the bedroom songwriter who began to play at open mics, to the oil painter who is now booking some…