I have some questions for you, my friends and readers out there. The reason I have been blogging for so long—over a decade now—is the dialogue with real people. I have prepared sermons, found places to visit and changed my thinking because of the encounters I have had with you. This topic is for us “creatives” out there, to challenge your thinking, too.
You know, that term “creative” is an interesting one. I like it better than “artsy” and it represents more than performing arts. There are programmers, business people and charity workers (even pastors!) who are creatives. This tribe is an interesting sort, so I have some interesting questions to challenge the way we think about us. If any of these relate to you, please feel free to answer. Don’t be afraid to challenge your thinking!
10 Questions to Challenge Your Thinking
1. Is creative talent in ministry seen as a commodity to be purchased or an asset to be developed?
2. Was Tolkien right when he called us as people “sub-creators” made in God’s image to create?
3. Are excellence and perfectionism often seen as the same with those who lead creatives in the local church?
4. Being creative is often copying, but that is not the same as “cutting-and-pasting” is it?
5. Servanthood means submission to leadership, but does it mean I go against my own conscience?
6. Is it entitlement to look out for myself and my artistic vision, or is this simply what artists do?
7. Can a creative person also be expected to be an administrative leader?
8. Does my creativity come from my healthy nature as being human, or a faulted and wounded self?
9. As a creative, why does it seem that I MUST create in order to be healthy?
10. Why do us creatives “think backward,” and is that a bad thing?
OK, now it’s you turn to either answer one of these that challenge your thinking or create your own question to will start to challenge your thinking! Which will it be?
