Baptist Church Evangelizes With Hallways Filled With Great Art of the Renaissance

TYLER MORNING TELEGRAPH
By Rebecca Hoeffner

"Ascension of Christ" (1721) by Jean-Francois de Troy and
currently hangs in the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence, Italy

TEXAS---Green Acres Baptist Church will attempt to evangelize to people who attend all kinds of events in the CrossWalk Center ballroom. But the church will do it without anyone saying a word. The hallway outside the ballroom, which is used throughout the year by many organizations, faith-based or not, now features 16 pieces of Renaissance art depicting the life of Christ. “During the Renaissance and before, most people were illiterate,” said David Dykes, senior pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church. “They couldn’t read the Bible. Art was the main way the Gospel was explained. Artists had more of an influence on theology than the priests did.” The 16 pieces are all replicas — some of the originals are near priceless, Dykes said. The prints were paid for by an anonymous couple in the congregation. [link]
The other pieces are:

• Gerard van Honthorst’s 1622 “Adoration of the Shepherds”
• Jean Auguste Dominique’s 1861 “Jesus Among the Doctors”
• Paolo Veronese’s 1563 “The Wedding Feast at Cana”
• Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn’s 1633 “Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee
• Lodovico Carracci’s 1594 “The Transfiguration of Christ”
• Luca Giordano’s 1674 “Christ Expelling the Traders from the Temple”
• Hans Jordaens III’s 1632 “Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane”
• Valentin de Boulogne’s 1620 “The Crowning with Thorns”
• Antonello da Messina’s 1475 “Christ at the Column”
• Gerard David’s 1481 “Christ Nailed to the Cross”
• Diego Velazquez’s 1630 “Christ on the Cross”
• Jacopo Bassano’s 1610 “The Entombment of Christ”
• Bartolome Esteban Murillo’s 1658 “The Resurrection of Christ”
• Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s 1602 “The Incredulity of Thomas”
• Jean François de Troy’s 1721 “Ascension of Christ.