On the Craft of Songwriting and Authentic Pop (with Aryn Michelle)

| June 25, 2026 | 0 comments

Michael is joined by songwriter and songwriting teacher Aryn Michelle to discuss both her new songwriting textbook, Play Shape Create, and her new album, Bloodline, set to release in July.

Stay tuned at the end to hear Aryn Michelle’s “Upper Hand (Tamar)” from Bloodline.

Continue Reading

Rich Kid Syndrome and the Decadent Empire of AI

| March 26, 2026 | 1 comment

Michael begins the 2026 season of the Renew the Arts podcast with an exploration of the benefits and costs of technology, the history of the book, and how the adoption of AI will force humanity into a crisis of meaning and discipline.

LINKS

Neil Postman, Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology

Continue Reading

2025 Mailbag Full of Explicit Content, What Makes Art Good, and Unstrange Fire

| December 18, 2025 | 0 comments

Michael answers an international mailbag full of great questions to close out 2025 on the Renew the Arts podcast, including discussions of how Christians should approach non-family-friendly biblical content, what makes art good, baking and cooking as an art, the Holy Spirit’s role in improvisational art as a prayer offering, and much more. Stay tuned at the end for “Spirit Move,” by Civilized Creature, featuring Isaac Wheadon, from the 2024 album Whose House. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

LINKS

26k for 2026 Renew the Arts Fundraiser Sex ’n Hip-Hop with Sho Baraka Hosea, by Rachel Wilhelm 1:07 — Go Bleep Yourself The Nothing Human Podcast (first fifteen episodes on Three Powers of the Human Spirit) Sight (2024 Angel Studios Movie) The Martyr Made Podcast (Daryl Cooper) Julianna Schlager (Ballet 5:8) “Fellowship with the Worms,” by Lindsey Priest “Forever Overhead,” by David Foster Wallace Photay J. Lind, Rotations Kevin Schlereth, Settle In Brother James, Be Alive Zane Vickery, “All Things New” Warbler, “America!” [Official Music Video] Prayerbook, by Mike Roelofs  

Continue Reading

Start Here

If you provide your email address, we can get to know one another!

No, it's not a trap. We promise not to bombard your email inbox. In fact, most people complain we don't send enough emails! But here's what you can expect:

  1. In the following week or so you'll get a few messages. These are individually designed to catch you up on all the great things we're doing!
  2. Once you're caught up, you can expect (on average) one email a month, keeping you updated on the progress we're making toward our mission to liberate Christian creativity.
  3. And once you have a handle on our work, we can try to get you plugged in. Maybe you're an artist who wants to get more involved. Maybe you want to keep tabs on our projects. Whatever has drawn you to our work, this is the best way to get plugged in.

You have Successfully Subscribed!