Jin (Hong Kong) is the only OM worker in Croatia’s capital of Zagreb. Through art and creative forms of evangelism, she seeks to build bridges to people’s hearts and make the invisible visible. “I want to give both non-believers and Jesus followers a fresh perspective on the Kingdom — on what life, on what faith, could be,” she says.
The Balkans are known for the many conflicts that have taken place there, during which bridges were often destroyed. Although those bridges have since been rebuilt, people still struggle to connect with one another. Through creative expression, Jin wants to help people truly see each other and make the unseen reality of God’s Kingdom tangible.
“Creative talents are gifts from God, given to reflect His glory,” she says. “Artists often have the ability to see, sense and express what is invisible.”
In addition, art in public spaces provides a great conversation starter. Yet despite its potential, Jin still often hits a wall, and much of her work involves pioneering and breaking new ground. “People often don’t see the potential yet, nor the connection between faith, outreach and art,” she explains. “That’s why we also need a new perspective on worship. We must learn to not only use the left side of the brain, but also the right.”
Using art for God
Recently, while Jin was speaking with a pastor who seemed apathetic about using art in outreaches, someone overhearing the conversation was deeply touched. Pawel* came to faith four years earlier and had then given up his graffiti art. He believed it wasn’t compatible with following Jesus. “But someone had recently prophesied over him that he would take up his art again for God,” Jin explains. “That message touched him deeply, but he did not really know what that would look like. Then our paths crossed.”
Pawel turned out to be an excellent painter. During the next outreach event, he and Jin invited people to draw simple lines, which he then transformed into paintings with a prophetic message. One of the people they met, a man named Deep*, wrote that a heavy burden was weighing on his soul, so Pawel added Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” to the painting.
“We started a conversation with Deep, but it soon stalled on topics like Hindu gods and meditation,” Jin says. “He looked troubled. At one point I said to him, ‘You know, I once looked just like you. But Jesus changed me.’”
After Jin shared her story and the gospel with him, Deep turned away and began to cry. Minutes later, he gave his life to Jesus. A friend from Jin’s church who speaks Hindi offered to contact Deep and invite him to church.
When the service began, Deep was nowhere to be seen. However, another Hindi-speaking man had been brought along by someone else. As Jin was about to take a group photo to send to Deep as an invitation, he suddenly walked into the picture. Jin later captured this special moment in a linocut print.
The conversation with Deep took place during the Million Month outreach in Zagreb, during which 217 people decided to follow Jesus. Powerful moments from this outreach were captured by Pawel in a painting, which he later presented to an enthusiastic audience at his church. For Jin, this may have been the most beautiful outcome of all.
“Pawel, who had once given up his art, was now sharing his prophetic work with his own people in his own language! And with great boldness, I heard him encourage everyone to use their talents and art as a testimony to the Lord.”
*name changed
