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Lessons from the Forge
Lessons from the Forge
Imagine taking a piece of 1/2 inch square bar steel and bending it cold. At best, you will move it into a not-so-purposeful shape at the expense of sore muscles; at worst, you will snap it in two. Take that same piece and toss it into a forge, heat it to 2500 degrees, and a glowing orange color. Now it is ready to be moved; it has been prepared for the hammer blows to form it into what the Smith intends. As this metaphor continues, substitute the steel with our hearts of stone. Imagine the process of heat being the work of the Holy Spirit, turning hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. Hammer blow after hammer blow we, like the steel, are formed into the creation that our Lord (the master smith) intends. The way we can reimagine the art of Blacksmithing into a gospel message is not unique to this one craft. Art methods can provide a rich source for gospel parallels.
Who is this for?
Who is this for?
The short answer is anyone. Forging lessons can be for almost any group and any age; however, what is offered may vary depending on the audience. Workshops are available for small groups aged 13 and over. With that offering, we will do a gospel message demonstration to start, and then allow participants to forge a simple beginner project (a hook or a small bottle opener). For larger groups or those not able to participate in the workshop, we will simply provide the gospel demonstration and show the process with a classic split-cross.
If you have a group that would benefit from seeing this demonstration or holding a workshop, feel free to reach out and connect with me (triphughes6@gmail.com). Thanks to an artist grant from Creo Arts, I am providing this experience free of charge for the remainder of 2026.
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