An artist who converted to Christianity and allows faith to infuse his work has a powerful story to share — and Christian Post reporter Leonardo Blair joins ” The Inside Story” to break it all down.

Blair recently visited with Zimou Tan, a portrait artist, to learn about his inspiration as well as his decision not to show Jesus’ face in his religious-themed works.

“It’s kind of ironic in the way that I painted Jesus because I never painted Jesus with a straight-on portrait,” Tan told Blair. “A lot of times, I either put Him under shade, under the shadow or thinking really small, the face is not clear enough. I’m a portrait specialist. Portrait is my specialty, but I do not have that courage. I don’t think that I have that right to narrow down how Jesus looked like.”

Be sure to read his full story on the topic here.

“The Inside Story” takes you behind the headlines of the biggest faith, culture, and political headlines of the week. In 15 minutes or less, Christian Post staff writers and editors will help you navigate and understand what’s driving each story, the issues at play — and why it all matters.

Listen to more Christian podcasts today on the Edifi app — and be sure to subscribe to The Inside Story on your favorite platforms:

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Source: Christian Post, Author: Billy Hallowell

The post Portrait artist’s fascinating decision about how to paint Jesus after ‘encounter with Christianity’ appeared first on Chrife.com.gh.

Rebel was released Friday and is billed as a “bold, genre-defying new album.” The 22-year-old hopes the title track, “Rebel,” will inspire others to be bold in their faith and stay true to who they are.  

“I had had this moment of my career just feeling I was too country for Christian — like, my songs were just not being played on Christian radio because they were too country,” Wilson said in a recent interview with Crosswalk Headlines.

But yet the message was Christian, and it honestly fired me up to go, ‘You know what? I’m not going to please Christian music. And I’m not going to try to change who I am to please country music. I’m going to just be authentically who I am.’ And so it fired me up to go write a song about what it means to be a rebel.”

“Having faith in the world that we live in today makes me feel a little bit like a rebel,” she added. “It’s like when we have faith, we’re the odd ones out. But yet the world can go talk about all these horrible subjects and it’s welcomed and invited. But when we talk about our faith, it’s like somehow we’re like the ones in the wrong. And it just felt like an inspiration to go, ‘You know, I’m going to write a record that is so steeped in faith.'”

Wilson said that being a Jesus follower today “makes you a rebel” because “Jesus was a rebel.” 

And so if you’re trying to be like Him, you’re going to end up being a rebel,” she was quoted as saying. “And so all those different things came into one big idea, and we wrote the song.”

The lyrics to the song read in part:

“Who talks to a man that they can’t see? / Who finds power in an old book they read? / In a world full of doubt, who still believes? / Who talks to a man that they can’t see?”

The album includes collaborations with some of today’s top contemporary Christian music stars, including Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, Lainey Wilson and Jordan Davis.

Wilson “felt really called to just preach the Gospel, point blank, share the truth.”

“There are a couple of songs on the record that will be on country radio that maybe don’t specifically talk about God,” she told CrosswalkHeadlines. “But it’s like a nod at it. My goal is to get people to hear the song and them want to know more.”

Wilson got her start on the Christian charts in May 2022 when her popular studio album “My Jesus” debuted at No.1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart.

Wilson was also nominated for a CMT Music Award in the Breakthrough Female Video of the Year category for her song “Rain In The Rearview.” 

Earlier this year, Wilson made CMT’s 2024 class of the CMT Next Woman of Country  list with roughly 13 other female artists.

Song:

Source: christianpost.com, Author: Nicole VanDyke

The post Anne Wilson hopes to inspire Christians to be a ‘rebel’ like Jesus with new album appeared first on Chrife.com.gh.

The transformation in Abdul Fadi’s life compelled him to embark on a new path. Now a devoted follower of Christ, he has established his own ministry, actively working to bring other Muslims to the Christian faith. His experiences and personal journey have equipped him with a unique perspective and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by Muslims seeking to explore Christianity.

With his ministry, Abdul Fadi aims to bridge the gap between Christianity and Islam, providing resources, support, and guidance to those who are interested in learning about and embracing Christ. His ultimate goal is to share the love and grace he experienced with others, helping them find spiritual transformation and a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Abdul Fadi’s remarkable story serves as a testament to the transformative power of love, kindness, and personal encounters. It highlights the potential for individuals to change their perspectives, beliefs, and entire lives through the influence of compassion and the message of Christ.

Source: ifoundthetruth

The post Al Fadi Testimony – Finding the TRUTH in Jesus appeared first on Chrife.com.gh.