Teaching Principles
I have many, many pieces of art that I’ve created for teaching series that I do, and only a few of them have found their way to this platform. We will start to include more in this collection in the future! This also depicts a few of the series that I’ve created through the years pertaining to strategic subject matter and teaching principles that have radically impacted the Body of Christ.
“God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us… raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…”
– Ephesians 2:4, 6 (New King James Version)
This image, Governmental Worship, is one that I use frequently whenever I teach concerning worship. This image depicts us seated in heavenly places – the third heaven – as we remain here on earth. We typically think that we’ll be there in the great by-and-by, but we are eternally seated with Christ since the moment of our salvation. According to Ephesians 2:6, we are also seated in heavenly places – we are citizens of two kingdoms at once. What we see in the heavenly kingdom, through our voice we release the heavenly kingdom (which you can’t see) and change the atmosphere through our speech, to bring the unseen into the seen through our worship, intercession, and prophecy.
So, this image is actually a depiction of the Lord’s Prayer. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
– Romans 12:6-8 (New King James Version)
Over the years, I have worked alongside many who have taught on the redemptive gifts, exposited by the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:6-8. Arthur Burk has done a masterful job at highlighting each of these redemptive gifts, their strengths and weaknesses, and their role in the Body of Christ. I have heard a dear, dear friend of mine, Ruthie Young, teach about the redemptive gifts many times – we have even hosted her in our home to teach about these gifts.
The teaching has resounded with me very deeply, and I’ve created a series of images highlighting each of these gifts, with explanations guided by Ruthie. There are seven of these gifts: Prophet, Teacher, Exhorter, Servant, Ruler, Giver, and Mercy. I myself am a “mercy”, and that’s why I’ve chosen to highlight this gift here. I strongly encourage you to study on the redemptive gifts and find out which you most align with!
“The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
– Revelation 11:15 (New King James Version)
While Seven Mind Molders of Culture is an important reminder – the culmination of my Seven Mountain Series from 2015, it is not my first time engaging with the subject. I first created images depicting the Seven Mountains in 2008 as a commissioned work for an apostle in the Chicago area. This earlier series is my better-known work on the Seven Mountains, but I have a great affinity for both versions. They speak to different roles, and also show my changing nature as an artist in the seven-year time period in which they were released.
The individual mountains – again, Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts & Entertainment, and Business – may be seen at the bottom of this image, Mountain of the Lord, as this titular mountain dwarfs the other mountains with its power and strength. The dove, representing Holy Spirit, is also being sent to minister and invade these mountains.
The kingdoms of this world are daily becoming the kingdoms of our God!
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry…”
– Ephesians 4:11-12 (New King James Version)
The five-fold ministry gifts – Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher – have been taught about many, many times. As such, I’ve created a series of images honoring each of these spiritual gifts the Father has blessed us with. I encourage you to look through all of them and find the image that best resonates with your ministry gift. I’ve additionally created an image depicting the five-fold gifts as they interact with one another. I also created one for the ministry of music; while not one of the five talked about in Ephesians 4, it is still a crucial gift to help lead the body of Christ into worship.
Rather than display all of these images here, I’ve chosen to highlight the Prophet, a crucial gift to the Body of Christ. I also just happen to like this image the best out of this series – I love the vibrant blues in the image. We honor the voice of the prophets that the Lord has graced to read His scrolls in this time and hour.
As the verse in the image itself attests, Heavenly Father does nothing without first telling the prophets, symbolized here by the eagle. Eagles are famous for their clear vision and their ability to soar above the terrain and have a different view of the earth. Isaiah 40:31 also says that we shall mount up on wings as eagles.
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains…and all nations shall flow to it.”
– Isaiah 2:2 (New King James Version)
I would say that one of the most revolutionary teachings to have gripped the intercessory and prophetic world in the last twenty years has been the Seven Mountains. While first discussed by Bill Bright and Loren Cunningham, the teaching has taken on a new life through the teaching of dear brothers such as Johnny Enlow and Lance Wallnau.
These Seven Mountains are the mind molders of culture: Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts & Entertainment, and Business. I have created a series to highlight each of these images, as well as an image called the Kingdom Mountain, representing this mountain described in Isaiah 2:2 written above.
Through these seven spheres of influence, all culture may be touched, shaped, and reformed. As Yahweh’s ekklesia in the earth, it is our charge to capture these mountains and use them to reflect heaven on earth. Yes, His faithful servants are called to engage society rather than retreat from it. This image, Seven Mind Molders of Culture, serves as an important reminder to pray and worship over each of these seven mind molders of culture, and how you, your children, and your children’s children should properly engage with these spheres of authority!
“God… gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
– Romans 4:17 (New King James Version)
This image, Positioned in Prophecy, is another one that I frequently use when I teach concerning worship, that presents our role in the heavenlies. Even though it may feel like it, we are not alone in our worship! I always instruct intercessors and worshippers to link their prayers with every Blood-bought prayer or intercession that has ever been poured out before the throne of grace. Rather than merely being on our own, we are sitting on a tsunami of prayer and intercession – the culmination of all worship leading up to such a time as this.
This image depicts this – we stand between generations past and the generations to come. The figure in the center (a worshipper and prophet bathed in the sound and worship of the eternal now) is drawing back his bow of worship, releasing worship and prophetic decrees over the generations to come. Whenever we worship the Most High, we want to worship and intercede not just on behalf of ourselves or our current environment, but in gratitude for the generations of faithful servants who have come before and in anticipation of the coming generations years down the road.
Even now, we bless you, your children, your children’s children, and your children’s children’s children with the light of revelation of the Living God!