Pat Avery

Seminars

When Mike Lewis painted the eyes of Jesus to complete a 10-minute portrait Friday, the eyes of many of those watching misted at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

A woman in the front row reached for a tissue to dab at the emotion during a special Good Friday Service. She was among an estimated 750 people attending the noon gathering to see the artist who has garnered national attention.

He seems to wield humility as deftly as a paintbrush. A vague image of Lewis’ face, but absolutely no name appeared on information sheets distributed for three services, including one with students.

He was identified only by a label that has stuck the past few years: "the Jesus Painter".

“I view the painting less as art,” said Lewis afterward,” and more as me telling a story.”

The story the Nashville, Tenn., resident told stemmed from Jesus’ suffering and death recorded in Gospel passages, read before and after he began his work on a 5-by-4-foot canvas at the front of the church. Everything within 30 feet, including the altar, was covered by an oversized drop cloth.

Lewis has said he tries to uncover Jesus’ love for sinners.

In fact, he began his second work by painting the words, ‘all my sin” at the top of the blank, oversized sheet.

He wore an artistically paint-pocked T-shirt, splattered jeans and running shoes as he began his work to an instrumental and Christian pop music sound track, stretching from relaxed to rocking.

“I thought it was powerful,” said the Rev. Mark Teike, St. Peter’s senior pastor. “And it’s a fresh way to present the Gospel. It brought tears to my eyes a couple of times.”

Lewis’ first effort included small symbols woven into the picture along the way: a figure kneeling before a cross, and what appeared to be a dove intertwined with Christ’s right eyebrow.

"Isn’t that amazing?” said Debbie Brown.

His painting-within-a-painting approach attracted people from outside the area. New Palestine’s Cheryl Singer drove here with relatives after remembering Lewis’ talent at an event a couple of years ago.

“He’s awesome to watch,” said Singer.

Believers gathered at the Good Friday service of the Ecumenical Assembly of Bartholomew County Churches were touched by singer Scott Dewse’s a capella rendition of the classic hymn, “Were You There?”

“It was very dramatic,” said the Rev. Kirby Rupp, one of the organizers.

About 175 people at the Crump Theatre heard the story of Christ’s passion presented by 14 area ministers.

And at St. Peter’s, the Rev. Mike Malinsky, pastor of adult ministries, challenged listeners to look into Jesus’ eyes. He asked them to note the rabbi’s anger at sin itself by overflowing compassion for the sinner, evidenced by his death that marks Good Friday.

He reminded his audience of a Christian thought often quoted when focusing on Jesus’ death.

“It’s Friday,” said Malinsky. “But (Easter) Sunday’s coming.”

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