Fine Arts Festival is officially described as, "A discipleship tool of national youth ministries to 'help students discover, develop, and deploy their ministry gifts.'"

It is popular through the Assemblies of God denomination and also where I was first introduced to it. Throughout the nation teenagers and even college students can practice and perform any form of the arts they wish to "discover, develop, and deploy." There are eight main divisions (Art, Communication, Dance, Drama, Exhibition, Instrumental, Vocal, and Writing) with over 60 subcategories a student may enter. These sub categories include female and male vocal solos, classical solos, dramas, human videos, unconventional percussion, Christian band, worship band, urban dance, worship dance, puppeteers, poetry, short story, piano, strings, woodwind, brass, drums, and the list goes on. Some of the categories even have solo, small, or large group options.

Each student pays to enter into the competition for one category, and each additional category costs a small fee. It is typical for parents to join the student or youth group and also pay an attendant fee.

There is a district competition which, for Northern Missouri, is usually held in March in Columbia. At the end of the long, scheduled day, you find out if you got a superior with invitation. A superior with invitation advances you to the Fine Arts Nationals competition. Youth ministries nationwide come to a single city which differentiates each year. At nationals you can watch every performance under the sun, perform yourself, get scholarships, free t-shirts and gifts, and go sight seeing around the city.

As you can imagine, there is a lot jam packed into these festivals. There are copious amounts of discovering, developing, and deploying along with the emotions that come with it all.

1. Confusion

Confusion is where it starts, right before districts and not too long after nationals. You're about to start planning and practicing, but which category or categories do you want to enter? What is the theme of Fine Arts this year? Do you go solo? Do you get a group together? Are you even good enough to do that category? Which song? Which remix? Which voice-over? When do we have a meeting? Which act do I see? What room am I in? Where can I practice? Do I tell the sound man it needs to be louder? Is this against the rules? Am I over time? Do I start now? What Bible story are they portraying? Who is Satan? Is that Jesus? Is this another Adam and Eve story? What are they trying to do? Is that illegal?

Or for the parents and youth pastors... How much is this going to cost? How many fundraisers are we going to have to do? Is the van going to break down? Will I need to rent a bus? Will I be asked to do a God voice-over? Are we staying over? Which hotel should I reserve for nationals? Do I ask for donations? Is a garage sale a good idea? Should I advise certain students to not do certain categories to be saved from severe mortification? Why am I up? Why are they up? Where's the coffee/Monster/Red Bull?

You probably get the idea.

2. Stress

The stress of organizing meetings with your human video groups, drama groups, band, or puppet group is reaching a very high level. There are your solo acts you need to practice for and the extra jobs/hours you picked up in order to start saving for nationals and to help pay for districts. There is the stress of not getting anywhere in your ideas and plans for your acts, those certain people who just don't get the picture in your head, or those that can't seem to put on a scary, demon face because you chose the lightest and sweetest person to be Satan in your human video.

Youth pastors have to remind every student, parent, and faculty member that the third fundraiser is coming up in two weeks. There is the van/bus/shuttle whose air conditioning stopped working and might take ages to fix, if it can be fixed at all. The students won't give you their papers in order for to get a solid count on who will be coming and then reserve the right amount of rooms.

The Good Lord may indeed be trying to test you.

3. Excitement

Excitement happens all throughout your journey. Whether you got that super complicated lift right, you hit that high note, the band completed the whole song without getting off beat, or your drama covered each emotion and point within the seven short minutes you have. It is typical to feel this way on your way to districts or nationals, after you get a standing ovation, when you get a superior, when you get a merit, when your other friends rock their performance, when your child does super duper good, the air conditioner in the van isn't broken, there is leftover money from fundraising for snacks, and really this feeling is reoccurring and will always be prevalent.

It's OK to get excited!

4. Nervous

You're up next to preform. You're kid is about to go. The person who was supposed to go before you hasn't shown up and it makes you more nervous. The other performers are way too good, no way you could place with them. The air conditioner started making a weird noise. The students aren't going to bed at a timely manner. You can't find some of your students in the convention center. All of the available outlets are taken and you need to record the next performance. You're running across the convention center to make your friend's performance and you might not make it. You are awaiting the scores for your performance. Someone randomly proposes to you and you don't know what to say (it has happened, I was a witness, it was also a joke).

Nerves happen, just don't let them get to you.

5. Cringe

Your coach yells at you. Your friend gets yelled at. You messed up too much in practice. The note wasn't hit. The timing was off. The performer starts crying on stage. The performer runs off the stage. The performer forgets the words. There is someone with lipstick smeared all over her lips while people call her "Miranda Sings" (that was actually me). The van isn't starting. The performer falls. The performer brags too much. The performer's attire reveals more than you wished to see. The parent of the performer smack talks the other student performer. The performer tries to reason with the judges to give him a higher score. The performer thinks he should get a higher score and fights with friends/parents/youth pastor/coach. The voice-over was used five times before. They're using the same song as you did, along with 10 other groups. It's the eighth time you heard "Oceans." That youth pastor allows mixed bathing at the hotel pool?! That youth pastor doesn't allow mixed bathing at the hotel pool?! They only have XL or XXL left at the college booth with the super cool free t-shirts?!

You probably cringe more than you should. It happens. (Not referring to same performer.)

6. Relief

You killed your performance. You're done performing. You recovered your mistake well. The air still works. They have free coffee at the hotel. You found your missing students. The scores are in, and they're great! You got a callback which stirs up nerves, but hey, you must be pretty good. You got the last free t-shirt, in your own size! You made it to your own/student's/friend's performance. You didn't drop anyone. You didn't get dropped. The crowd got your joke. You don't have to perform for the rest of the week. Practices are over temporarily. You found the bathroom. Your coach didn't yell at you. You survived nationals.

There is relief from the madness.

7. Pride

Whether you're a coach, youth pastor, parent, or friend, this feeling winds up being one of the best there is. Seeing them on stage, in their element, and being proud of themselves is so fulfilling. I know how it feels to help kids discover their element, but seeing them blossom is beyond any emotion.

But being haughty is different. Please don't be that person.

8. Inspired

She's rapping and playing the guitar?! They made a cross out of 10 people?! She wrote that song?! He made that sculpture?! You guys wrote that skit yourself?! You can play that fast?! You got a scholarship for how much?!

The plethora of performances you can watch and be a part of are a great way to stay inspired. Use the resources given to you to expand your gifts and discover new ones. Some people can do some really cool stuff and you should take your chance to be unique.

9. Overwhelmed

There's a schedule the sized of a child's chapter book (and that may only be for districts). You have students and their parents to keep track of. There's the performance you have to make. There's the one's you can't physically make. Practices scheduled out the wazoo. Your students can't seem to all make one single practice. The cute singer guy smiled at you. The AG college selection is too much to comprehend. The throngs of people shouting are never ceasing. The escalator moves too fast. The song moved you to tears. Jesus coming out of the tomb got to you for the 50th time today. Her voice was so angelic. You have to practice in a cramped corner while onlookers stare.

Breathe. Relax. Close your eyes. It will all be over soon.

10. Upset

You messed up. You forgot your line. You were off beat. Your counts were wrong. You got lost. Your friend didn't make your performance. Your score wasn't as good as you'd hoped. You missed your performance. Practice didn't go well. Your cool idea is against the rules. Your idea is impossible. The music doesn't work. The WiFi is down. You got made fun of. You let your nerves get to you. The coffee costs $10. You didn't get your coffee. You missed the prize giveaway. You didn't get a t-shirt from the super cool college booth. Your feet hurt. You're tired. You're hungry.

From frustration to disappointment, it happens. You move on and take note for next time.

Fine Arts is incredible. I have been through many years of all of these emotions before, during, and after districts or nationals. I have found where my gifts thrive and I have been inspired by all those who have performed alongside me.

Remember this: getting praise and applause from the crowd is great and encouraging, but it is crucial to know it is all for the glory of God. Deploy your gifts in ministry, at school, or at work. Bear fruit, don't let it rot.

In case you were wondering about some of the categories I mentioned above, check these amazing merit winners out. You can find just about any type of performance on YouTube!

Want to learn more? Click here!