You may be wondering: "Is this a personal web site designed to promote various artistic endeavors specifically pertaining to Mark Pettigrew and his skills as a photographer, pen & ink portrait artist, digital artist, musician, graphic designer, poet and writer? Or is it a web site for a new organization to be known as the North American Association of Artistic Christians, created for the purpose of uniting artistically talented Christians throughout the United States and elsewhere in pursuit of the ambitious goal of transforming culture in positive ways through the proclamation of the message of redemption through Jesus Christ?"

     My inspiration for creating this web site and for proposing the creation of the North American Association of Artistic Christians has been derived from my own personal experiences as a Christian involved in various facets of the arts. Some aspects of my experiences as an artistically talented Christian have been positive and uplifting. Other aspects of my experiences have been very frustrating.

     For a long time, I wondered why I had had to experience some of the negative things I experienced, but then I realized that it was God's way of drawing my attention to problems that needed to be addressed. I have reason to believe that I am not the only artistically talented Christian who has ever experienced frustration in connection with the attempt to make the most of my artistically talents in a way which pleases and honors God.

     I'd often heard it said that if one was not part of the solution, one was part of the problem. That made sense. So rather than moaning about the fact that other people were doing a poor job of addressing the issues faced by artistically talented Christians, I decided to take things into my own hands and do something to change things for the better, while relying on God to help me to do things I could not do without the help of the Holy Spirit.

     To truly understand the needs of artists, one must be an artist. I am an artist, and the diversity of my artistic talents enables me to appreciate the perspectives of a broad range of artistically talented people throughout the Christian community.

     My vision for ArtisticChristians.com, for the North American Association of Artistic Christians, and for the Christian Artists' Resource Center is broad and expansive. That vision includes commercial components, but it would be erroneous to characterize it primarily as a commercial endeavor. Any nonprofit organization needs funding in order to survive. A number of nonprofit organizations sell products for fundraising purposes, but they nevertheless qualify for nonprofit status because the overall emphasis of those organizations is on serving the community rather than making money. That's my vision for this ministry.

     Initially, it is likely that I will have to operate without the benefit of 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit status, for the simple reason that it's going to take time in order to get some of these projects started. However, once you see the scope of my plans for this web site and its related projects, I think you will begin to see that it truly qualifies as a legitimate Christian ministry. The overall focus will not be on myself, but rather, on the entire Christian arts community.

     While I do plan to operate as the leader of this organization in the beginning stages (for the obvious reason that the organization would not exist without me and my vision), I have no desire to make this a "one man show". Without your help and feedback and participation, this ministry idea of mine will go nowhere. Therefore, my overall interest is not in promoting myself. Rather, my overall interest is in strengthening the Body of Christ by empowering artistically talented Christians to do things they've never been able to do before now.

     Whenever anyone tries to break new ground, there will always be detractors. There will always be opposition. Therefore, I strongly desire and need your prayers. Please pray that God will protect me from adversity so that I can help to launch a new ministry which will enable the community of artistically talented Christians throughout the United States and the world to achieve great things which are desperately needed in a time when mainstream culture often seems to be sliding into a moral abyss.

... Mark W. Pettigrew
    Webmaster and Christian Renaissance Man