Our Values

We, the members of ICE, encourage the use of heart music and other arts, forms of communication often learned in youth and that most fully express one’s emotions.

We affirm:

• that music is a universal phenomenon but not a universal language; our response to music is learned and not innate. Likewise, other arts have forms whose meanings vary from culture to culture;
• that systems of artistic expression differ in structure, function, use, and even the concept of “art” itself;
• that these forms of artistic expression may reflect a mosaic of rural and urban creative systems;
• that the more non-local artistic expressions are used for evangelism and in the church, the more foreign Christian faith may appear; and
• that in using culturally appropriate artistic expressions we are tapping into forms of communication already recognized, appreciated and understood.

Our encouragement of heart music and other arts will include:

• showing appreciation for the various creative expressions found in local communities;
• participating in local forms of music-making, dancing, sculpting, acting, painting, storytelling and so forth;
• studying local forms of artistic expression and their meanings; and
• catalyzing the creation of culturally relevant and biblically appropriate music and other arts in the life of the local church.
  
  

Download an Adobe Acrobat PDF titled "What is Your Heart Music - Questionaire" here!