God’s Story Written on the Walls!

One of the joys of being involved in Faith Formation Ministries is that people share exciting things that are going on in their church. Check out how New Hope CRC in Lansing, IL is putting their faith into visual art on their walls. 

With help from Emily Dykstra, a recent Trinity graduate, the congregation painted puzzle pieces on the wall of the children's education wing at New Hope Church. The puzzle (pictured below) is a metaphor for the many pieces of the Bible fitting together into a coherent whole. 

The center piece (the only piece with all flaps out) connects to everything, with a picture of Jesus' death and resurrection, the Bible’s main event. 

Around the centerpiece eight Bible stories (four from the OT and four from the NT) are added to the puzzle pieces:     

• The stories of creation and the beginnings of the nation of Israel are pictured below the centerpiece. 
• To the left of the center, the pictures show the fall of creation and the fall of a nation (the silhouette shows a lament for fallen crowns). 
• Above the centerpiece we see Jesus' birth and Jesus’ life in the working out of redemption. 
• To the right of the center, the stories represent the recreation by the Spirit and the consummation of the Kingdom (lion and lamb being a dual reference to Micah's peaceable kingdom, and the identity of God).

This artwork can help people of all ages see the Bible as a coherent whole. Pastor Dan Roels finds that “the puzzle wall is a great teaching piece for people new to our church who have questions about the Bible and Reformed theology and our current members are beautifully reminded of what they know.  Everybody has been making a point to go and see the art.”

In addition, Dykstra added two Bible verses that reflect God's promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:3) and the fulfillment of that promise (Revelation 7:9). The verses are opposite each other in the hallway that leads from the offices toward the sanctuary. Anyone walking in that hallway passes between the verses, and thus finds themselves between the promise and fulfillment. The hallway reminds the congregation that we are responsible to work for God's Kingdom now.

What interesting artwork are you doing at your church?