Hold Fast to What Is Good
Briarwood Fine Arts Academy students use their gifts to share biblical truth around the world.
Each year, students in the Briarwood Fine Arts Academy prayerfully study a selected passage of Scripture and seek to communicate its truth through a large-scale art project. What begins as paint on canvas becomes something much greater, a visual testimony of God's Word and a reminder that artistic gifts can be used for His glory.
Department Head and beloved art teacher, Belinda Youngblood, shares, "At Briarwood, art is understood as far more than a creative pursuit—it is a gift from God that reflects His truth, beauty, and goodness and calls for excellence, purpose, and faithful expression. Rooted in the authority of God's Word, the arts provide a meaningful way to engage both students and audiences in what is true and worthy of praise."
This year's project was inspired by Briarwood Christian School's 2025-2026 theme verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22: "Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil."
As students reflected on these verses throughout the year, they set out to create artwork that would encourage viewers to think deeply about discernment, truth, and faithfulness to Christ. The result is a series of four large-scale murals that tell the story of the Christian life through the journey of a traveler named Sojourner.
Called by the King to walk His path, Sojourner travels through a world filled with competing voices, temptations, and trials. Along the way, he is guided by Lady Faith, illuminated by the light of God's Spirit, and strengthened by the truth of God's Word. Each mural captures a different stage of the journey, illustrating the believer's calling to test everything, reject evil, and hold fast to what is good.
The artwork provides a powerful visual representation of Paul's instruction in 1 Thessalonians, inviting viewers to consider how they, too, are navigating a world filled with distractions and competing claims to truth.
The vision for this project extended far beyond creating beautiful artwork. Students and faculty worked together to develop a complete set of discipleship resources to accompany the murals, including written and video narration, as well as a Bible study guide. These resources help viewers engage with both the artwork and the biblical truths woven throughout each scene.
To expand the project's reach, the Academy also created bookmark packets featuring the murals. Each bookmark includes a QR code that links directly to online resources, making the project accessible to individuals, churches, schools, and ministry leaders worldwide.
What makes this project especially meaningful is its global impact. These bookmark packets will be distributed through more than 90 international ministries, placing Scripture-centered art and teaching resources into communities across the globe. From classrooms and churches to mission fields and ministry gatherings, the project serves as a reminder that art can be a powerful tool for communicating the truth of God's Word across cultures and languages.
For the students involved, the project represents much more than artistic achievement. "I loved working on the 'Hold fast to what is good' mural because it was a great way to not only share the love of Christ through the visual medium, but also a way to push our creative and technical skills, as well as grow closer as a team of artists," says student, Campbell Crowe. "The project was special to me because I was able to see the piece grow and improve over every step of the process, from sketching to blocking it out, to witnessing the final product. It is truly an incredible experience to see your collective work come into fruition and more so to see it be used as a tool in spreading the kingdom of God so that others might experience the same journey that we described in our mural."
Through months of study, prayer, design, and collaboration, they experienced firsthand how God can use their creative gifts to serve His Kingdom. They learned that excellence in the arts is not simply about creating something beautiful, but it is about pointing others to Christ. Youngblood says, "The goal is to cultivate both artists and audiences who engage with creativity as a form of worship and who are shaped by God's standards of truth and beauty."
In the final mural, Sojourner reaches the presence of the King and hears the words every believer longs to hear: "Well done, good and faithful servant." That is the hope at the heart of this project. Through paint, storytelling, Scripture, and discipleship resources, Briarwood Fine Arts Academy students have created a ministry tool that will point people to biblical truth around the world, encouraging others to pursue discernment, embrace what is good, and walk faithfully with Christ until faith becomes sight.