Creative Faith :

living and leading with an

artists heart
Cole NeSmith

colenesmith.com
Preface 4 .................................................................................................................
Creative Heart 6 .............................................................................
Divergent Thinking, Creativity and Jesus 7 .............................................................
The Foolishness of Art 11 ........................................................................................
Spirit Birthed Creativity 13 .....................................................................................
Creative Practice 16 ........................................................................
Suspending the Suspension of Disbelief 17 .............................................................
Iconography and Creativity 20 ................................................................................
The Obscenity of Christian Art 24 .........................................................................
Creativity and the Defeat of Poverty 29 ..................................................................
Creative Leadership 33 ...................................................................
The Art of Leading : How creativity inuences leadership 34 ...............................
Empowering Creative Voices 41 ..............................................................................
Get Up! Your Church Is Waiting For You 43 ..........................................................
PREFACE

Thank you for downloading this eBook. I have a more extensive book coming in late summer
2014, but in advance of that, I wanted to connect with you. Ive been given an incredible
opportunity to meet and work alongside so many wonderful, creative people, and the themes in
this eBook come up over and over again. I hope whats written here will resonate with you and
will serve as a point of encouragement to press on in your work, ministry and life.

Ive spent my life in what I used to consider a tension between being an artist and a Christian.
Maybe youve felt that tension in some ways as well.
Much of my life as an artist is about exploring. Its about the freedom to walk into the
unknown and uncover something Ive never seen, heard or experienced before. Theres an
expectation of discovery in the heart of the artist that leads us to ask questions without the need
for concrete answers.
But my Evangelical upbringing painted a picture of Christianity as a series of concrete
statements. The ultimate goal of life was to understand - to ascend mentally to a greater level of
intellectual knowledge. I came to believe that the most pure expression of Christianity was a
series of dogmas that became more true when combined with hostility.
But God kept calling me, drawing me in closer, and I discovered that there was so much more
to Him than I could ever imagine. I came to understand that if God is innite, there is far more I
do not know about him than I do know about him. It was a beautiful discovery that revealed the
fact that - even if I had a thousand lifetimes - I would never come to the end of discovering who
God is.
And as I understood more of the heart of Jesus, I recognized that he is more like an eccentric
artist than he is like a red-faced, angry politician or a militant soldier. I came to understand that
all those things that make me an artist arent contradictory to my walk with Jesus. They are an
essential element to uncovering the depths of who he is, who I am and who hes made me to be.

This book is a collection of writings on that journey. It comes in three parts.

1. Creative Heart
Well begin by exploring the inner life of the artist. How do we see the world? Where does
creativity come from? Why do we create?

2. Creative Practice
This section traverses the philosophy of art and how that philosophy becomes tangible
practice. How do we create? What kinds of things do we make? What role does our practice play
in the world?

3. Creative Leadership
Finally, well ask how creativity uniquely shapes our leadership. How do the principles of art
and performance inuence how we interact with other people? How can art bring a new level of
effectiveness in our interactions?

Maybe you say, Im not an artist. To that, I say wonderful. Or maybe you say, Im not
creative. That that, I say, you most certainly are.
This book isnt a book only for those traditionally considered artists. This book is for people
who want to step into a new level of embodying the creative heart of God. This is for all of us
who believe there is so much more to be uncovered in life, faith and relationship.
As you read these pages, its my heart that - together - we are awakened to a new level of life
with God and faith for whats ahead!


Creative Heart
DIVERGENT THINKING, CREATIVITY AND JESUS






Scrolling through social media is, unfortunately, a potentially accurate assessment of the state
of a large percentage ofChristianity in 2014 America.
Its run amuck with a blurred line between the political right and Evangelicalism, crazed
tunnel vision on specic social issues, judgements of others without even the context of a
conversation basically, bedlam.

Today, the American Evangelical Church has embedded itself
with conservative politics in an attempt to gain control by
force.

And somewhere in the middle of all that mess is this inconvenient gure named Jesus. A man
who was more likely to tell a story in the face of controversial questions than to provide a divisive,
easy answer. A man who entered into a well established religious society and overturned
everything.
Jesus faced a culture of conservative politicians and conservative religious leaders, and he
thought radically differently than they did.

This is where he (and we) run into trouble. Jesus was a divergent thinker. Everything he did
and said was about revealing a new way of doing things. He interrupted the habits of the
religious and offended their sensibilities.

Jesus so threatened the religious conservatives of his day that
they killed him for it.

Here is where I - as an artist - nd myself resonating with Jesus. He entered into a culture of
customs and traditions and caused people to question everything they thought they knew. This is
the power of creativity. This is the artist as a modern day prophet. As the artist creates, he has the
ability and opportunity to help people confront their lives in a way that invites them to question
everything.
Jesus used the power of storytelling, for example, to help people explore and understand
deeper spiritual concepts. He saw the ability of this art form to take people deeper.
In 2012, I wrote and produced a theatrical production with some friends called Connected :
An Interactive Experience. The story followed a character named Jacob as he relived some of the
difcult experiences of his past that had caused him to disconnect relationally from the people
around him.
We wired the theater so that each seat had a pair of earbuds. As Jacobs story unfolded, there
were moments of introspection during which a third-person omniscient guide would ask the
audience members questions about their own lives related to the themes they were seeing in
Jacobs life. When the play debuted at the Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival, it was
amazing how the use of story and the environment of the theater allowed people to open up to
some very deep moments of vulnerability.
There were lots of questions, and not a ton of answers. I think thats one of the things that
frustrated people about Jesus. They would come to him for very clear answers, and his responses
would cause them to go away with more questions.
As the Western Church adopted the practices and customs of Greek culture, our faith
became less about the creative depths of God and relationship to him and more like a public
debate or sterile classroom. But even in Greek debate, the discussion was not for the sake of one
side being right and the other wrong. Rather, it was an opportunity to discover ideas together.
Today, the evangelical church is dened by words like safe, comfortable, rigid and
conservative. The rst century church would have been dened as dangerous,
uncomfortable, risky, and unconventional. They were the religious liberals of their day.
They had been freed from the fear of religion and into a deep exploration of the innite heart of
God. Like Jesus, they were divergent thinkers.
As an artist growing up in the heart of the conservative American Evangelical church, I often
felt like an outsider. I was torn by my desire to ask questions and see things differently while
existing in a system of rigid, religious legalism.

Creativity requires divergent thinking, and conservatism is
threatened by newness.

So what can divergent thinking in the context of the Christian life look like?

Everything about the early church revolved around creativity. The crux of their faith was not
looking backwards for their spiritual sustenance but forward. Hearing from God and discovering
the heights and depths of His character were the daily expectations and reality. Like Jesus, their
understanding of faith was not the mere acquisition of knowledge but divine revelation.
As Paul was penning much of the New Testament, he anticipated an ongoing dialogue
between God and humanity. He knew the promises from Jesus of the Kingdom of heaven
coming to earth and the followers of Christ exceeding the miracles of Christ himself. And Paul
knew that kind of activity was dependent upon continual willingness to listen for and respond to
the voice of God.
This is what the rst century church had seen modeled in the life of Christ, and its the
biblical model recorded for us in the gospels. The effectiveness of Jesus ministry was built upon a
deep level of intimacy with God. In that intimacy, Jesus connected with the movement of God
and responded by doing what He saw God doing and saying what He heard God saying. Jesus
life was devoted to a deeper revelation of the heart of God that was, up to that point, unknown.
Crazy, right? And maybe you say, Well, he was the son of God. Of course he had that kind of
intimacy. But Jesus relationship with the Father was not an exception. It was an example of
what a reconciled relationship with God is meant to look like.
And that kind of divine creativity is essential to accomplishing the agenda of God on earth
the revelation of Himself and the coming of the Kingdom of heaven on earth. It starts with
something as simple as recognizing that God wants to accomplish something specic in this
moment in time, right where you are, through you in a way that only you could accomplish it.

Your history, personality, gifts and talents give you the ability to
reveal God like no one else in the history of humanity.

Gods heart for humanity is not conformity. Gods heart is to free us into a deeper level of
creativity and individuality. When we know we are loved, it gives us the freedom to take risk and
step into new territory.
This level of creativity is essential for the coming of the Kingdom of heaven on earth and the
advancement of Gods agenda to see all creation reconciled to himself.

If we serve an innite God, then surely there is more of him we
do not know than we do know.

If the Kingdom of heaven is steadily advancing (Matthew 11:12),
if there is no end to the increase of the government of Christ (Isaiah 9:7),
if Gods glory is steadily increasing throughout the universe (2 Corinthians 3:18),
if God is reconciling all things to himself (Colossians 1:20),
if the followers of Christ are meant to do greater things than the things he did (John 14:12),
if Jesus taught us to pray, Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in
heaven (Matthew 6:10),
then surely there is more to be discovered than what we see now. If were to step into the level of
ministry Jesus has commissioned us into, it requires us to think differently - to have a spirit of
creativity and exploration.

A life modeled after Jesus resembles an eccentric artist far
more than it embodies a conservative politician.

So today, step out of your shell. Smash your idols. Interrupt your habits. Break your rules.
Open your spiritual eyes and ears, and participate with the activity of God stirring everywhere
you go. Heighten your expectations and believe that God will accomplish far more than you
could ever ask for or imagine!








This article appeared in its original form at colenesmith.com
THE FOOLISHNESS OF ART






Theres an improv game called Blind Freeze. It goes like this:
Actors line up at the back of the stage. Two players step out and improvise a scene while one of
the other players has his back to the scene. At some point, one of the actors from the ensemble
yells, Freeze! The improvisors in the scene freeze in their positions. The player with his back to
the scene turns around, tags one of the frozen players out, then starts a whole new scene based
on those positions.
A while back, I taught a class called Be Present The Intersection of Faith and the Arts. I
based it on what the principles of acting and improvisation teach us about our relationship with
God. Its amazing to see the transformation of the students in the class through something as
simple as Blind Freeze. To the observer, Blind Freeze might seem like a simple game of nonsense.
Like most art, depending on the eyes of the viewer and/or participant, it can seem frivolous. But,
like most art, there is something much deeper going on below the surface.
At rst, I told the actors in the class how to play the game. I explained it to them as I have
explained it in the rst paragraph of this article. As wed play, one of the ensemble members
would yell, Freeze. The blind player would turn around and slowly approach the two players
in the scene examining them as if they were relic statues from ancient Greece. And you could
see, behind their eyes, the synapses ring. What can I do with this? What will be funny? If I
choose that, the others might think Im stupid. No, Im not going to start that scene. Even I
think thats stupid. Eh, I guess Ill settle on this.
Its a constant process of editing in an attempt to minimize risk and the effects of unintended
consequences. Just like our everyday lives, these actors were trying to gure it out. They were
reinforcing the human habit of leaning on our own understanding in hopes of not doing
anything too foolish. But being an actor is about recognizing whats happening in the moment
and responding.
As the actors continued playing Blind Freeze I encouraged them with this. Stop trying to give
yourself more time to gure things out. Get to the scene. Tap one of the actors out. Take the
position, and in taking on the position, youll know who you are. The scene will come from that.
Good acting is all about identity. Good actors actually take on the identity of someone else.
This is the embodiment of the Christian experience. We dont put on a new, redeemed self on
top of the old one. We cast aside the old identity and take on the new identity God has declared
for us: Reconciled, Children, Heirs, Beloved, Stewards, Faithful, Trusted.

Being redeemed by Christ doesnt mean the old self is
repressed and stuffed down deep somewhere inside our minds
and hearts. Rather, redemption is about stepping into a new
life.

You know who were often most afraid of ? People who are comfortable in their identity.
People who are no longer bound by the need for our approval and therefore no longer subject to
our control. Its these people we often label as weird, abnormal, eccentric, or foolish. But lets
look at the people of the Bible.
Who were the people who had it all together? The ones who looked really great from the
outside? The ones who followed all the rules and did everything just right? The Pharisees. The
religious leaders.
All the while, those seeking God were ridiculed for eating locusts, wearing animal skins,
speaking in tongues, trying to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, cooking bread over human
excrement, marrying a prostitute, following a star, appearing before royalty to make demands,
parting bodies of water and at other times walking on top of it.
Like art, the Bible shows us the lives were created and crafted to live. But, also like art, often
times we allow these stories to be the things through which we live vicariously. Rather than being
inspired to live lives that are as big as the lives we see in the stories of our art or the stories of our
Bibles, we use them as excuses. That was a different time and a different place. I cant do those
kinds of things now. Or, Oh, Im glad they lived that way, but thats not for me. We end up
putting Moses and Harry Potter in the same cognitive le folder labeled Nice Stories.
But thats one of the things I love about art.

Art doesnt merely show us the kind of lives we can live. It is
practice for the lives we are meant to live.

The creative process is a direct parallel to the Christian process. Listen, Trust, Risk, Reveal.
Whether an artist or a Christian, both need to be a little crazy. Often, that will result in some
name calling. But show me one person who accomplished something important in the course of
human history, and Ill show you someone who at some point was labeled a fool.





This article appeared in its original form at sundaymag.tv
SPIRIT BIRTHED CREATIVITY






As God breathed his breath into humanity, he imparted in us a soul. The Hebrew words is
nephesh meaning soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion,
passion. Its distinct from the other parts of what makes us human.
Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian teacher and author from the rst half of the twentieth
century, noted the soul as one of three parts of our humanity.

The body - our esh, the physical part of us
The soul - the mind, will and emotions
and
The spirit - the eternal part of who we are that communes with God

Most of the time when we think of creativity, we think of engaging the soul - the mind and
emotions - to create or experience a work. We create every day using our soul. We think of good
ideas to solve problems. We feel something deeply, and out of that place write a story, a song or a
poem.
But creativity from the soul is only the beginning of what were capable of. What would it
look like for us to engage that deeper, eternal part of who we are - the spirit - in our creative
work?
My working denition of creativity is, bringing about that which didnt previously exist,
and we accomplish this by engaging the soul and/or spirit.

So what does it mean to create from the spirit? We see this deep creativity throughout the
whole of scripture. As the Israelites wandered through the wilderness, God provided manna
supernaturally for them. Six days a week, this bread fell from heaven to provide sustenance for
the people as they traveled. The name, manna, tells us something about this heavenly food.
When literally translated manna means, What is it?
This supernatural provision of God was so out of the ordinary, so unexpected and came by
such uncommon means that its name reected its mysterious, divine origin. The Israelites had
nothing to call it other than to recognize its strangeness in the form of a question every time they
referenced it.

When we create from the soul, we can create some pretty
compelling things. But when we create from the spirit, the
things we create point to their divine origin.

Several years ago, I was sitting in my living room with my friend, Jacob. It was late afternoon
in the fall, and the sun was coming in as beams - broken up by the shades covering the windows. I
was sitting in a big, plush chair. Jacob was sitting in the center of the matching orange couch
directly across from me. He was telling me of the heaviness he was feeling for several friends of
his as the result of the things they were going through and decisions they were making.
His voice us quiet, and his eyes were xed downward - unfocused on anything in particular
but pointed in the direction of the candles in the center of our living room coffee table.
And as I looked across the room at my friend, Jacob, the Lord planted very specic words in
my spirit for him. It was different than a good thought birthed in my brain. They werent words
spoken out of a solely emotional place of caring for my friend. Rather, these words seemed to
have been delivered from someplace else, and as they lled me, they welled up into my mind and
emotions and, eventually, out of my mouth and into the warm air of the living room.
Jacob, what youre feeling is a deep level of empathy that is birthed in the heart of a pastor.
Your care for people is beautiful. Its divinely planted. And as you continue to grow in and
understand your gift, youll know how to be empathetic without being defeated.

Spirit birthed creativity brings about that which didnt
previously exist

In this case. a declaration of Jacobs identity, a greater level of understanding, a deeper level
of hope, clarity in calling and direction.
We often think of this type of divine, spirit-birthed creativity when it comes to language
based creativity, like prophecy and words of knowledge. We rarely apply it more broadly to other
areas of our lives. But Jesus shows us what it means to allow this depth of inspiration to permeate
everything we do.
Creating from the spirit begins with intimacy with the Father. Jesus, as our example of
intimacy with God, did what he saw the Father doing and said what he heard the Father saying.
Jesus existed in a state of deep intimacy with God at all times, and out of that intimacy owed
deep creativity. Each time Jesus exhibited creativity by manifesting peace, speaking truth,
delivering a word of knowledge or performing a miracle, it was because he was joining in with
the divine plan God was and is unfolding in the universe. He had a deep connection in the
spiritual realm and was able to manifest spiritual realities in the physical.
And in the same way the Israelites were amazed by the manna, so too were the people who
encountered Jesus. Not only did Jesus demonstrate to us the power of life lived in the Spirit, he
commissioned us into a life of Kingdom-manifesting creativity. But that creativity necessitates an
intimate relationship with God in the spirit.
In creating, we have our habits, our methodologies which each reect varying levels on a
spectrum of soul to spirit birthed creativity. On the far end of the soul side of the spectrum we
have something like :

Browsing the internet, looking for something cool and replicating it.

This is the epitome of recreating what we see and requires little to no actual intimacy with
God. We simply engage our senses and bodies to remake that which has already been made.

As we continue on the spectrum toward creating from the spirit, we see :

- Going to a conference, seeing what they do, and recreating it.
- Being inspired by another creative work and rifng off it.
- Creating from a personal experience.
- Accessing our mind and emotions to create something unique.
- Employing imagination to devise a story beyond true events.

Each of these things require an increasing amount of connectivity at least with ones self. It
necessitates a deep level of consciousness and willingness to engage ones mind and emotions.
But, at some point, we cross a threshold into divine territory and deliver to the earth creativity
that is unleashed from Gods divine storehouse resulting in the other end of the spectrum :

Being inspired by the Holy Spirit in a specic moment to make or do something that has a
specic divine purpose for a specic person or group of people.

And its at this moment we enter into manna creating. The poignancy of our work is so
meaningful and applicable to our audience, they are astounded by the message we deliver and
the medium by which is comes.
We can make long careers impressing people with our soul-derived artistic endeavors -
leaning on our own understanding to bring about an expected outcome. But if you and I desire
to rise up into the calling of God on the Church and on ourselves, we must enter into a new
depth of intimacy with Him. Out of that intimacy will ow supernatural power to exhibit
creativity in every facet of life that manifests the Kingdom, draws people closer to Jesus and
brings glory to the author of it all. Go create.



This article appeared in its original form at sundaymag.tv
Creative Practice
SUSPENDING THE SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF

Growing up, Id go with my family to Dothan, Alabama - a small town not far from the
border between Florida and Alabama. At the time, there wasnt much to the town - a Chuck-E-
Cheese, a small mall and a movie theater were about the only forms of entertainment.
After the sun went down, there wasnt much to do out in the country. So one night, we
traveled into town to see I Know What You Did Last Summer at the movie theater. The
theater had long rows of seats covered in mustard yellow cloth with semi-reclining backs.
The movie - as I remember it - came to a point in which one of the characters was walking
through a warehouse space with mannequins covered in opaque plastic. The tension was getting
to me, so I put my feet up in the chair and clasped my arms around my shins - my head just
popping up over my knees to see the scene play out.
Suddenly the villain, covered in plastic, lunged toward the hero. I gasped and uncontrollably
kicked my legs straight out in front of me. My legs were just long enough to kick the swiveling
back of the seat in front of me, and I saw the head and long hair of the woman sitting in the
chair whip forward with great force.
Uhhh. Sorry maam. I said in my pre-teen voice.
In that moment, I was entrenched. Everything about what was happening was as real to me
as if I had been standing in the room with the killer myself. I didnt have to convince myself it
was real. No one had to tell me to pay close attention. I was captivated. I believed what was
happening to the point that it affected me.
I think this is the way the Christian life is supposed to look. But

too often we ask an unbelieving world to suspend their
disbelief while the ministry of Jesus was full of real signs of
the divine.

When poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, coined the phrase suspension of disbelief in 1817,
he was imposing an obligation on the creator of a work. Taylor was suggesting that the author
has a responsibility to create a cohesive world that invites the reader in unencumbered. Somehow,
today, the phrase has shifted from a burden of the writer to a burden of the audience that
audiences should be willing to overlook aws in a story or created universe or even the obtrusive
nature of poor technology or effects and simply believe what the author, lazy or underdeveloped
as they might be, puts before them.
I want to point us back to Coleridges original source of responsibility the presenter.
When an artist creates, one of the jobs of that artist is to create a cohesiveexperience for the
recipient of the art. He or she does so by crafting a world so compelling that the reader or viewer
has a seamless journey into that world.
Actor Bill Arnett has a quote that says, In a world of Nazi Vampires, a Nazi Vampire Shoe
Salesman is just a Shoe Salesman. Why? Because the creator of the universe has been so
successful that the Nazi Vampire part actually is so ubiquitous and believable while the Shoe
Salesman part is the only odd or unique reality ascribed to that particular Nazi Vampire.
So, whats the point? For artists : of course its a challenge to be holistic in and committed to
your work. Pay attention to detail. Be thorough. Go the distance in creating well so that audience
members dont have to overlook the aws in your universe. But theres a larger point that has to
do with Christendom.
It seems the ideologies and promises we espouse are so far from the reality of what we say
should be.
Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, puts it like this, My message and my preaching were
not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirits power.
Now, I love words. There is much power in them. This essay (and Pauls words here) are not
to discount the power of words. But in large part, most of Christianity has lost sight of the last
part of this statement -a demonstration of the Spirits power. Weve delivered words to the world
and followed it, not with a powerful demonstration of the Spirits power or a more peaceful,
loving world, but by asking them to willingly suspend their disbelief. And then, weve mistaken it
for faith.

Faith was never meant to be an excuse for a powerless life or a
dead religious experience.

Faith is meant to be the expectation of what weve yet to uncover. Faith is meant to point us
to the continued increase of the Spirits power on the earth. Miracles, signs, wonders, even
resurrection these things have all taken place. They dont require faith. They are the baseline.
The norm. The expectation of faith, then, is to ask, What are the greater things?
See, there are artists who are lazy and, therefore, expect the recipient of their art to make
concessions for them. The modern Church has done the same. The message has lost the
accompanying demonstration of the Spirits power and has been replaced with, Just trust us.
What were saying is true.
I was talking to a friend and he said, The things you believe as a Christian can be arrived at
by many other means other religions, other philosophies.
Youre absolutely correct, I responded. But I dont believe thats the way its supposed to
be. The Church has slowly lost something over the last 1500 years or so. Following Christ used to
mean a powerful demonstration of the Spirits power for the sake of Gods glory and the
revelation of the Kingdom of heaven on earth. Today, thats whats missing.
I kept thinking about it after our conversation, and I realized,

Without the power of the Holy Spirit, Christianity is pretty
much just a lame book club.

Jesus put it like this, Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have
been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
I dont know what to do with that. I dont always know how its supposed to be lived out
practically everyday. But what I do know is that I cannot ignore it. I cannot explain it away. You
and I are meant to be doing the things we read about Jesus doing in the Bible, and according to
Jesus himself greater things than those. Were meant to fulll the prayer Jesus taught us to pray,
Thy Kingdom come. Bottom line, its time to get creative again. Its time we proactively build
the world were meant to build. Its time we take some risks, step out and practice true faith as we
expect greater things.








This article appeared in its original form at colenesmith.com
ICONOGRAPHY AND CREATIVITY






We live in a brand-saturated culture. We see icons everywhere. The most famous (and most
cliche ones to mention in an article that references branding) are McDonalds arches, Nikes
Swoosh and Apples well apple.
These things have become a stamp of approval or disapproval depending on our experiences
with the brand. When we see the Apple logo, we have an immediate response. Our brains dont
have to process our experiences again or think about all the places weve seen Apple products
used or who weve seen use them. All of those sentiments are manifested at the sight of an apple
with a bite taken out of the side.
The same is true as we drive down the highway and see a sign bearing the symbol for a park
or a hospital. These pictures immediately tell us I am a park or I am a hospital and that is
enough information. That is all you need to know for now.
Over the centuries, Christians have come to use symbols as visual representations of deeper
philosophical beliefs. The cross, for example, has taken on dozens of ofcial shapes, like the
latticed and highly decorated celtic cross. And while the cross has taken on different proportions
and embellishments, it often remains a symbol for sacrice for the laying down of Christs life
for the sake of humanity. At other times, it has become a meaningless shape worn around the
neck or embroidered with ourishes on the back of a shirt.
The cross has become so iconic, that its shape represents many things to many people. It has
become a symbol that we put on top of a building to distinguish it as a meeting place for
Christians. It has personal meaning as well that may elicit positive or negative emotions
depending on our experiences. Like a road sign indicating the direction of a hospital, the use of a
cross often says,
This thing is Christian, and thats all you need to know for now.
In addition to the cross, we commonly encounter other repeated symbols or icons such as
pictures of saints, the symbol of a dove or the ichthus.
But are there negative effects to centuries of iconography :

Has Christian iconography killed the creative heart of the
Church by allowing it to settle for the banal?

As Ive had the opportunity to create interactive art installations around the country, Ive
often invited people into creating original works on a common canvas. And one thing Ive noticed
is that when the environment of the installation is particularly Christian, many if not most
will present one or more of these icons in their work.
For example, if individuals are presented with a prompt like use this canvas as a space to
create visually as an act of worship, often times the canvas, by the end of the experience, will be
covered in crosses or transcribed Bible verses. And while these things might have intrinsic
meaning to the participant, they seem to be a surface response to the prompt something that
could be presented without thought.
Additionally, because of their repeated use, icons have undergone an unspoken approval
process. They have become a safe response that will ensure no risk is taken and that no criticism
will ensue. Its a stamp of approval to say, This is a Christian environment in which Im
expected to create a piece of Christian art. This cross or scripture reference validates my work
as Christian approved. And that is all you need to know for now.
So it seems that were able to participate in what we would call art without thought,
introspection or risk three things that I would consider essential elements of the creative
process.
So often, I am given the opportunity to partner with amazing organizations to create
interactive art pieces. The people of these organizations and the work that they do around the
world are amazing!
But I noticed something while doing a recent installation around relationship. This was the
prompt : Here is a box covered in a grid of nails. Consider your relationships. Who are you
most intimate with? Who are the next closest people in your life? Who is distant from you that
you would like to rekindle a relationship with or reach out to for the rst time. Now, choose a
nail. This nail represents you. Stretch rubber bands outward from this central nail to other nails
that represent these people in your life. As you do so, consider and pray over your relationships
with these people.
During the days the piece was up, thousands of people contributed, and the piece
transformed into an interwoven web of relationships represented in the form of overlapping
rubber bands.
Yet, while this prompt in no way moves people toward religious iconography, many of the
participants see the grid of nails as a series of cross after cross. In the rst few days, there were at
least a dozen rubber band crosses stretched over the grid. Perhaps in the minds of those
participants, the piece had now become more spiritual or was now ofcially approved because it
bore the mark of the Christian brand the cross.
Simultaneously, these crosses allowed some people to participate in the piece without having
to be introspective about their relational life. There was no exertion of mental or spiritual energy.
It was an opportunity to appear and perhaps even feel spiritual without having to engage in
spiritual discipline, introspection or listening. And this is why I would suggest that Christian
iconography can, indeed, make us lazy.
It has given us the impression that there is such a thing as Christian art and that works are
labeled Christian not because of the heart of the person who created it but because of the
content of the work. And works are labeled art because they are representational of a simplistic
ideology or ideal.
Therefore, a Christian who creates from a low point or a dark place may create a painting or
write a song that doesnt contain elements of hope. Its a recognition of the pain of life without
the bow of the word but. This work might be considered by some as a work that is not
Christian because of its dark content. And some might not consider it art because it is not
representational of an ideal.
But an atheist could paint a winding road under a colorful sunset, and at the end of that road
off in the distance a small cross. The message is clear. Walk the road. Theres always hope.
Just keep walking. And regardless of the heart or motives of the creator, thousands of paintings
just like this one are sold in bookstores all over the country every year. It is Christian because it
has the stamp of the Christian brand. And it is art simply because it can be framed and hung
on the wall.
But I would ask, Which one is truly art? The piece that depicts the trite and predictable
that could be created without thought or introspection, or the piece that is the result of the
experience of the individual who through living has created a work of honest expression?
One of the things I nd interesting is that in writing this article its simple to describe
what would be contained in the painting sold in the Christian bookstore. But the description of
the other piece created out of honest expression is necessarily nebulous because these works
of art would be as numerous and unique as there are people who would be willing to create
them.
Now back to the cross as an icon. It absolutely can and should have deep meaning. But

The cross certainly does not reect the easy way. It reects the
difcult road.

It is a symbol of Christ pleading he would be spared of its pain even to the point of
sweating blood. Its the symbol of the willingness to sacrice everything for the sake of another.
And its a symbol of walking the hard road because its the right road.
So let me suggest this : The very message of the cross in a way prohibits us from using it
in our art.
The cross prohibits us from taking the easy way out. It requires that we would search deep
within ourselves and that we would embrace both the highs and lows of life. It means that we
dont live life ippantly but fully.
And so too must our creative process embrace this hard road. So we let go of our easy, pre-
approved stock imagery and search the depths of God and ourselves for the path that only we
can walk.









This article appeared in its original form at uncoverthecolor.com
THE OBSCENITY OF CHRISTIAN ART






In 1987, photographer Andres Serrano, released what would become a controversial
photograph called Piss Christ. It depicts a plastic crucix immersed in a jar of the
photographers own urine. Injunctions, protests, vandalism and even death threats have
surrounded the creation and display of the photo.
Perhaps there was something to actually be said in 1987 through controversial artwork, but
today, it has become so ubiquitous that it is kitsch. In December 2013, I attended my third Art
Basel in Miami. One thing was clear :

The irreverent has become clich.

Dont have something to say as an artist? Put the f-word, a gratuitous set of male or female
genitalia or a Disney character doing something ironic on your canvas. And if you want to take it
a step farther, make a big deal of it.
Interestingly enough, as I looked at walls of artwork featuring painting and photos of nude
men and women in gratuitous poses, I thought to myself, This is like a lot of Christian art.
Let me provide a working denition of Christian art. Of course, there are Christians who
are making art that is compelling art that is important and contributing to the human
conversation. For this article, when I say Christian art, what I mean is the brand of art that is
generated by a modern, Christian industry built on catering to the desires of a Christian market.
Serene landscapes framed with a Bible verse, Footprints in the sand, a hill with three crosses.

So what are the similarities between Obscene art and Christian art? How are these two things
that have so often set themselves against one another actually akin?

Theyre easy

In improvisation or stand up comedy, Ive seen a consistent phenomenon. A comedian isnt
capturing the crowd, so they just throw the f-word into their act as a last ditch effort to get a
laugh. And it often works. I usually roll my eyes because its cheap. It doesnt take intelligence or
comedic ability. Its something a sixth grade boy does while hes sitting around trying to impress
or provoke his friends (and something we often continue to do throughout life).
Several years ago, I was watching a painter create a piece live. He painted a few hills with a
path leading up the hills. The message was clear life is a journey, were all travelers. As he
was nishing the work, the painter put white paint on his brush and painted three little crosses at
the top of the mountain. I rolled my eyes in the same way I roll them when the comedian uses an
obscene gimmick to get someone to laugh or a painter who gratuitously includes genitalia in the
middle of his piece.
Ultimately, it makes the work trite and banal and communicates that the artist has little faith
in his ability to communicate clearly to his audience and the ability of his audience to derive
meaning from his work.

Theyre kitsch

Christian art, like obscene art, is surface level.

Its much like a Florida postcard in the highway gas station. Heres what Florida looks like,
and in case you couldnt gure it out the word Florida is written on the front side of the
postcard in bold letters.
It requires little work on the part of the artist because all the artist has to do is pull from a
prescribed bag of words and images. It requires little from the viewer because it tells the viewer
exactly what it is from the get-go.
This is a vagina. This is a cross. This is a penis. This is an ichthus. This is a painting of
people having sex. This is a painting of the story of the calling of the rst disciples.
Theres no need for the viewer to engage in the work because the work is what it says it is and
nothing more.

They have a single point of view

Life is complex. Belief is complex.

Humanity is complex. But kitsch art whether obscene or
religious treats the world as one-dimensional.

Youre over there, and were over here. It pushes people away from a conversation instead
of inviting them into one.
Either you like this painting of Jesus or you dont. Either youre in the club or youre not. You
listen to Christian radio because youre in the club or you dont because youre not.

They tell. They dont show.

The rst rule of writing class is Show. Dont tell. Its a guideline that has been developed to
help writers engage their readers more deeply. One of the values to reading as opposed to
television, for example, is that it actively engages part of the mind of the reader that is not
engaged in watching a story unfold on a television.
When a writer uses words to craft a scene, it activates the mind of the reader to visualize that
scene in his or her own imagination.

Every piece of art has the opportunity to engage the participant
or to dictate instructions.

When a writer tells the reader, John was in love with Rachael, the reader takes that as fact.
But when the writer chooses to show instead of tell, the reader engages more deeply with the
work and the characters. For example,
John saw Rachael from across the room. He wasnt looking for her because he didnt know
she existed. But when he saw her, he had to look back again and again. For the duration of his
lunch, he scanned the room longing for that instant when she would be in his line of sight. And
every time he saw her, it was like the rst time. Something new to see. Something new to be felt.
An increased longing to know her name, to hear her voice, to truly experience her.
And when the reader reads that, they know differently. They dont learn a fact about a
character. They resonate with that characters experience. They reach into the archives of their
own human experience and relive a moment with John. The reader knows what it feels like to
long for someone and the desire to be longed for. By showing instead of telling, the reader gets to
engage their own story and experience.

Obscene/Christian art doesnt leave space for the viewer to
interact. The piece itself tells the viewer what he should think
or how he should respond.

Showing engages the imagination and leaves something up to the viewer to apply his or her
own experience, history and perspective to the work.



And in that moment standing in a gallery in Miami, I had a realization. But I simultaneously
recognized the value of the age of obscene art and the last two decades of the rise of the
Christian art industry.

So what was the value of these soon to be bygone eras?

It taught us what obscenity truly thrives on : reaction.

The popularity of irreverent works are contingent on two types of reactions.

1. The reaction of those who choose to be offended.
and
2. The reaction of those who say, Oh. Im edgy. Ill buy that.

In regards to Christian art, the reactions are most often

1. That is separate from me, so I chose to ignore it.
or
2. That inspires me, Ill but that.

But those outside the realm of offended or inspired walk by obscene and Christian art
the same - unmoved and unimpressed.
Whats ironic about the reaction of the offended is that it only serves to give a broader
audience and voice to that which the opposition desires to silence. Perhaps we will all eventually
learn that the best thing to do with things we disagree with is let them fall into obscurity
unnoticed.
As we move from the age of obscenity and the age of inspiration, well move into a place of
greater authenticity. There will be a greater expectation for our art to reect the complexity of
life and faith.

It let the irreverent and inspirational run its course.

There will always be movements that question the establishment, and those movements are
good. But obscenity and irreverence dont ask questions. They are a reaction. They exist only
because something with a louder voice has existed before them. Now that the irreverent has run
its course, we can move on.
And in the realm of Christian art, well see a move from an attempt to inspire the recipient of
the piece to the hard work of artists engaging emotionally and spiritually to create meaningful
art. Its much easier for me - as an artist - to create from a toolbox of catchphrases and cliches
than for me to actually engage my heart and soul in creating. But, as we move beyond the age of
Christian art, well move into an age of art derived from the spirit and the meaningful
experiences of the artist.

Weve become un-shock-able.

Weve been confronted with so many images attempting to elicit a reaction that weve become
immune to them. There will be those who continue to just try to take it one step farther. But, for
the most part, I think serious artists will nally move on to actually trying to say something
important. Well move from two sides reacting to one another and maybe just maybe move
on to creating art that actually engages people in legitimate conversation.
Christian art has run its course. And weve become (in the case of Christian art) un-
inspirable.





This article appeared in its original form at colenesmith.com
CREATIVITY AND THE DEFEAT OF POVERTY






Several years ago, I was talking to a friend about work he had done for the previous two
decades in Haiti. Ill never forget what he said about the root of the poverty there : Present
hedonism.
What my friend meant was that when a people are conditioned to be concerned only with the
present circumstances, it becomes an all-consuming pursuit of pleasure (or survival) in that
moment. Ive never been to Haiti, so I cannot comment on the veracity of his statement about
the ethos of the country. But for this conversation, lets broaden it to something I do know
homelessness in America.
I was walking with some friends along the beach recently. Just beyond the dunes, were several
rows of tent camping sites under the protection of some trees. Near the camp site was a
cinderblock building that housed showers and toilets. If I were homeless, Id denitely live on
the beach, I said to a friend. And thats maybe one of the reasons youre not homeless, replied
the friend. In other words,

The ability to dream beyond the present situation is key to
stepping beyond it.

Lets broaden the conversation yet again. This time to Millennials. Im generally averse to
these broad designations and categorizations, but I mention it for the sake of example. The
Millennial generation seems to be the recipient of consistent criticism for being lazy and childish.
And in the criticism, Ive heard many Millennials acquiesce to these criticisms and fall into excuse
making. Well, theres a recession, and thats certainly not our fault or I have to live in my
parents basement because the growth rate of the economy is so slow. But the truth is, there are
plenty of Millennials starting companies and making a living and making a difference in the
world.
The common denominator in all these cases creativity. When we think of creativity, its
often thought about in the context of art and artists, but creativity is essential to any life of
thriving.

Creativity is the ability to imagine a different future and carve
a path toward that future.

Maslow, in his hierarchy of needs, presents an order of how humans move to a place of
thriving : physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization (including creativity).
And we often view human need in the context of this hierarchy. The end results in most of our
benevolence coming in the form of meeting the more basic needs of food, shelter and water.
But let me suggest another point of view.
Creativity is an essential element to the end of poverty.

The ability to envision another life, another way is key to ones
upward movement.

It cannot be placed at the top of a pyramid like the cherry on top of the cake. Creativity is an
undergirding, foundational element in helping an individual solve his or her own hunger
problem. The same is true for a Millennial. While his physiological needs have been taken care
of, and hes even received 13 or even 17 years of education, its creativity that will bring him to a
place of thriving in life.
As our educational system has so consistently demonstrated, our culture nds creativity to be
an accoutrement. As art and music programs are increasingly defunded, we make a declaration
that creativity is unimportant in the holistic development of a human being. But in actuality,

Creativity is the impetus for imagining a better world for
ourselves, our fellow human beings and our children.

Even when we come to the idea of helping equip people to become creative thinkers, it
requires creativity.
I was recently talking with a friend, and he shared something he had never shared with me
before. For much of my life, I expected that I would be involved in homeless ministry some day.
My cousin and I had made plans to pursue it together. Then, I took a trip to Chicago and spent
some time in some low income areas of the city. As I was there, I thought to myself, I have
absolutely nothing in common with these people. What could I ever say to them? I kind of gave
up the dream after that.
But this friend, you, me - none of us are powerless in our desire to help others overcome.
No, I said to him. I understand the feelings of inadequacy. I understand feeling alienated
and different. But in reality, there are people who are just like you who will listen and be receptive
to you and there are people who are just like you who wont listen and be receptive. At the same
time, there are people who are different who will listen and those who will not.
I continued on, But in addition to receptivity, theres the recognition that you have an
incredible tool at your disposal - supernatural wisdom.
My friend could step into those experiences, relationships and ministry moments with his best
ideas. Or he can walk in with a supernatural understanding of what God is doing and how he
could participate in that work. The very same thing is true for us.
This is the crux of creativity. We can accomplish some great things by our own strength and
understanding. We can use our brains and emotions to accomplish some pretty amazing things.
We can dream. We can hope. We can see down the road. We can deduce how things will go. We
can see a problem and come up with creative solutions.
All these things can result from our human abilities that ow from the identity of God
implanted in the ber of our being. At the end of the day, were pretty stinking amazing.
But theres a limit to the extent of our human understanding.

Theres an end to our ability. And its at that end that we have
the opportunity to step into supernatural wisdom.

Its what we see embodied in the prayer of Solomon. God places Solomon as king over Israel.
He has so much already. And God comes to Solomon in a dream and asks, What do you want
of me? Solomons response, Youve given me a big job, and I need wisdom beyond me to
accomplish it.
Thats supernatural wisdom. Solomon knew that in order to accomplish the task set before
him, he needed something beyond his own human strength and ability to accomplish it. He
needed the wisdom of God. He needed ideas beyond what he could imagine in his mind. He
needed creativity beyond what he could construct on his own.
The truth is, whether we rule a nation or we serve food or work in retail or minister to the
homeless,

All of us have the ability to accomplish things that are far
beyond our own human strength.

God granted Solomon wisdom so that people came from far and wide to see how he ruled.
The Queen of Sheba traveled to Israel because she had heard of the wisdom with which
Solomon ruled. 1 Kings 10 says, When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and
the palace he had built,the food on his table, the seating of his ofcials, the attending servants in
their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was
overwhelmed.
Solomons wisdom wasnt only some spiritual reality. It extended into every aspect of
Solomons rule including how his servants were dressed and how he set his table. The
supernatural wisdom of God owed through Solomon so that even the most menial tasks were
performed with a high level of excellence and wonder.
And all this before the redemptive work of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Today, believers are lled with the Holy Spirit and possess the mind of Christ. Each of us has
access to the supernatural wisdom of God in everything we do.
Paul reminds us of a God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us. Paul acknowledges our ability to dream and
imagine. But then, he reminds us that the innite God of the universe is able to accomplish far
more than we can imagine in our most creative moments. And not only can God do those things;
he wants to.
Its easy to see our limitations in moments of feeling overwhelmed. Its easy to want to give up
when things seem beyond us. And the reality is that - in our humanity - we do have limitations
and things are beyond us. But, when God is with us, nothing is impossible.
I remember a phrase I heard Louie Giglio say several years ago. I am not, but I know I
Am. There are things we are not able to accomplish on our own, but when we are lled with the
spirit of God, nothing is beyond our grasp.
This is who we are. We are not helpless in ministry. We are not helpless in life. Rather, we
have the Helper, empowering us to accomplish the work of reconciling all the world back to God.










This article appeared in its original form at colenesmith.com

Creative Leadership
THE ART OF LEADING : HOW CREATIVITY INFLUENCES
LEADERSHIP






For millennia, art was primarily representational. The term in the technological eld is
WYSIWYG or what you see is what you get. In the realm of art, its known as representational
art. Paintings depicting physical objects for what they are - portraits or still life paintings.
From the Renaissance to the end of the 19th century, the goal of most art was to depict
reality, but eventually abstract art emerged. The exploration of color, space and metaphysical
ideas were becoming as important as the ability to represent a physical object accurately.
The emergence of abstract art near the end of the 19th century runs parallel to a broader
cultural shift. A shift in which questions were becoming more important than answers and in
which long-held structures were being questioned. German sociologist, Theodor W. Adorno,
drew the comparison between the rise of abstract art and the skewing of social relationships that
accompanied industrialism.
Art was becoming not only a tool of the artist to represent something. It now was a visual
representation of the artists unique perspective on issues, ideas or even physical objects. The
artist was transitioning from doing the bidding of a patron to having a unique voice in shaping
culture. The artist was no longer simply a craftsman. He was becoming a leader.
In this article, well look at some of the characteristics that enable an artist to see things
differently. Then well ask how these characteristics shape our lives and amplify our ability to lead
people into viewing their lives with new perspective.

Authenticity : Understand and love who you are.

Several years ago, I was part of a large Baptist church. Every Wednesday evening, they had a
worship service that was attended by several hundred people primarily over the age of 65. So of
course, when the worship leader who had been leading that service was no longer able to do it,
they called me - a guy in his young twenties. It was unknown, unfamiliar territory and one of the
most nerve racking experiences of my life. That rst night, I showed up an hour early and ran
through the set of hymns with the accompanist - a middle aged woman on the piano. As the
service began, I realized I had two main options. One, I could be who I knew they were
expecting me to be as a worship leader, sterilize the experience to make it t their paradigm,
wave my hand with the tempo and just get through the set. Or I could be true to how God had
been molding and shaping me and pray for the best. Thankfully - only by Gods grace - I chose
the latter.

Authenticity is the foundational characteristic of an artist.

In fact, selling out is one of the most painful critiques an artist can receive. It implies that
an artist has become something other than what he or she has been created to be - that his or her
artistic expression is a dim rip off of something else or has been watered down for the sake of
commercial viability. And although its nearly impossible to quantify the specics of what
characterizes selling out, theres some unspoken sense of dishonesty and insecurity that is
perceived by most who see the work.
In an age of commodied Christianity, weve become obsessed with providing products that
are intended to attract as many people as possible into our spiritual factories. We cast our nets
wide by catering to the lowest common denominator rather than asking what role we play in the
unique landscape of the global body of Christ. We attend conferences - not to hear a unique
word from God - but hungry to hear and see that which we can steal to take home to our
congregations. We read books or magazine articles in hopes that well discover the next
innovative formula for how we can grow to the size of the bigger church down the street or in a
city across the country.

But artists dont emulate - they create.

The former is what we see of the devil in scripture - a pitiful creature who can only copy the
original Author in hopes that he can trick some into his fold. He creates a den of false, temporary
pleasures meant to distract humanity from the lasting pleasure of life in Christ. In contrast, our
rst glimpse of God in scripture is as Creator. He speaks into nothing - something, and at the
sound of His voice, a beautiful world unfolds. Each piece is fashioned to reect His glory, to tell
of who He is, and then - in his crowning glory, humanity - He places His image. He instills in
humanity the ability to create.
This ability for authentic expression is at the heart of Jesus words to the woman at the well in
John 4:23. The Message version phrases it like this : Thats the kind of people the Father is out
looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship.
And thats exactly what I discovered with those older folks at the Baptist church several years
ago.

Not only is God looking for people who are simply and honestly
themselves before Him in their worship, but people are looking
for the same thing.

Our common ground was that we loved the uniqueness of who we all were. I discovered the
beauty and authenticity in their passion for hymns, and they discovered my passion for the
mysterious movement of the Holy Spirit in our musical worship. So we met each other in our
individuality, and then we moved forward into God together as honest worshipers.
And this is what we see in Emmanuel. Even in meeting humanity where we are, God
maintained His true identity in the person of Jesus. As we lead, its essential that we begin by
letting down the facade that weve created and live honestly before God and humanity.

Declassication : Understand and love the people around you.

And just as we should seek to be simply and honestly ourselves before God, so should we help
those around us seek the same.
I love efciency, and one of the best methods for attaining an efcient life is categorization. If
I want to buy an orange, I walk to the produce section of the grocery store. If there was no
categorization, the orange would be just as likely to be placed on a shelf next to the toothpaste as
it would be placed next to the tangerines and grapefruits. But often, when we treat people like
produce and place them into categories, we move away from the words of Jesus in John 4:23. In
our classication, we rob people of their individuality. But the heart of the artist is to discover the
beauty that exists below the surface of what is seen in each individual.

While highly inefcient, declassication is central to leading
well.

This statement might seem like a re-hashing of the postmodern ethic of ambiguity of
meaning, but let me suggest just the opposite. Declassication helps us move away from blanket
denitions and allows us to understand the individuality of things and people.
The primary result of categorization is to construct a worldview that will allow us to more
quickly erect walls between us and those who differ from us. Categories enable us to immediately
make a decision about who we think a person is based on a few pillars of their personality or
behavior. And, as a result, we can assesswhether, in our own minds, they are valuable to us. But
categories, like comfort foods, are mostly bad for us.
Look at the idea of nationalities. When two countries engage in a war, one of the rst forms
of propaganda is to make the enemy a nameless, faceless hyperbole. We see images ofturban
headed, bomb toting caricatures of Iraqis rather than the faces of individuals with stories,
families, hurts and joys.
Categorization allows us to write people off. Like the phrase, Oh, hes just a Charismatic
Christian. In long form, this phrase really means, Oh, that person with his ailing arms and
dancing most likely isnt genuine in his spiritual expression. He is just copying what hes seen
other people in that Charismatic Christian category do.

Categorization not only allows us to write off the individual, it
frees us from having to ask if their experience means
something for our lives.

And you can replace Charismatic Christian with pretty much any category : the gays,
the Jews, boys, girls.
Then, after categorization and the formation of our opinion of all people in that category, we
begin creating systems of how we will respond to anyone we encounter from that category. It
allows us to ignore relationship and maintain our stereotypes.
The life of Jesus is a perfect example. In Jesus day, there were lots of people claiming to be
the Messiah. Most of the pious the ones who should have recognized him the most were able
to simply write him off as just another guy in the claiming to be the Messiah category. The
problem is he actually was what he was claiming to be.
Richard Florida, in his book, The Rise of the Creative Class, speaks of the Tolerance
Index. There are some controversial issues related to this concept - especially for the life of the
Western, Evangelical Christian - but the central tenet is important. It points out the willingness of
creative individuals to share life and experiences with people that are unlike themselves.
This is the very context of Jesus comments in John 4:23 about existing simply and honestly
before God in our worship. Jesus was having a conversation with a Samaritan woman - a
separation of both nationality and gender. Jesus was constantly willing to step outside culturally
imposed norms to build relationships with the outcasts of society.

You and I can go on categorizing in an attempt to make life
simple. Or, we can awaken to the beauty of uniqueness by
discovering the individuals around us.

Redemption : See the future of who you and the people around you can
become.

Once we begin to understand and live out the ideas of Authenticity and Declassication, then
- and only then - can we begin moving forward.
That forward movement was so eloquently summarized by Madeleine LEngle, in her book,
Walking On Water when she said, "There is nothing so secular that it cannot be sacred, and
that is one of the deepest messages of the Incarnation." By knowing the former depravity of our
own hearts, we are brought to a place of humility in recognizing just how far Gods grace has
brought us. That postures us to receive others as they are - not categorically dismissing them but
seeing them the way God sees them. And once we begin cherishing the uniqueness of who
people are as individuals, we can move forward together.

The prophetic heart of the artist is about recognizing and
revealing the beauty in people and things.

No individual, thing or group of people is too far gone to recognize and begin living out the
life that God sees for us. In Culture Making, Andy Crouch points several typical responses the
Church has toward culture. Two of them are condemning and critiquing. The easiest
response to seeing something that is broken is to look at it, point at it and tell it that it is broken.
But when we look at the words of Jesus, we see a better way. He looks at the Pharisees and says in
John 8:15, You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.
When you and I are lled with the Spirit of God, we are - like Jesus - able to walk into a
situation full of hate and bring peace. We can walk into a relationship full of anger and bring
patience. We can enter into a conversation full of selshness and bring love. When we think of
creative works, we usually think of painting a picture or writing a song. But the heart of an artist
is necessary when engaging in the work of the Kingdom. It requires us to walk into a situation
and speak into existence that which has only been revealed in the unseen realm of the Spirit.
When I pass a homeless drug addict on the street, I can respond with my earthly, uncreative
heart that sees what is before me. I can call him an addict. I can pass by and believe that I am
somehow better than he is. I can scoff at his irresponsibility. Or, I can choose to look with the
creative heart of God that sees something that is yet to exist. God looks onto what seems like a
dark canvas of nothingness and imagines a beautiful life a life bearing all kinds of good fruit
that nourishes those who come to eat of it.
So, as you and I enter into relationship with people, we must see the beauty of 2 Corinthians
3:18, in which Paul says that we are being transformed from glory to glory. Its the truth that
God loves us where we are, and if we are to move to a new place, He will take us there by means
of His loving kindness. And God invites us, as His followers, to partner with Him in His work of
reconciliation.

Empowerment : Help provide the tools for individuals to be all they are
meant to be.

Once we see that beautiful picture of what can be, its our natural propensity to begin
doing the work to get us all to move there. But in this process, its important to remember another
central tenet to the heart of the artist : empowerment.
In leading creatives, one of the things Ive become passionate about is freeing them in their
creativity. If we believe that each member of the body has been uniquely gifted for acts of
service, we must also believe that God is equipping them for those acts of service. Most often, I
see artists leveraged in churches for someone elses end goal. As a result, the artist is
commissioned - not into an honest expression - but to create a piece of entertainment that
viewers will enjoy on Sunday morning. So what would it look like to move our view of people
from leveraging to empowerment?
From an artistic perspective, perhaps we give the artist a theme for inspiration and invite her
into an honest expression of who she is. Rather than dictating a set list for the band, we ask them
to write a song of their own. In our small groups, we stop telling leaders which curriculum to use
and ask them to nd something that aligns with the passions of what God is revealing to them in
that season of their lives.
Just as individuals are uniquely gifted and shaped, so too are our individual communities.
And empowerment is key to discovering the expression of that uniqueness. But empowerment is
messy. Its not pre-packaged. And its certainly not easy. It requires us to create an environment
where mistakes will be made. The clock wont always rule our gatherings. And sometimes,
someone whos not so eloquent might be holding the microphone. But our organizations move
from an attempt at a beautiful facade into a collective expression of honesty before the Lord.
So what does empowerment mean for a leader? It changes our role altogether.

We move from providing services and programs that tell people
what to do, and we move into providing tools to help
individuals experience God rst hand.

Our church in Orlando has dened our role this way : We desire to encourage, challenge
and equip one another to recognize and fully live in Gods presence
The difculty is that, when given the option, people would rather someone else live their
spiritual lives for them. Its much easier. So, they give power to those on the payroll. And for the
people on the payroll, doing the work is often much simpler than delegating. On top of that, we
fall in lusty, eros love with power and ght to keep it.
But in order for us to have a community that is thriving spiritually, we must continually push
responsibility back where it belongs. We must be steadfast in our ght against leveraging
individuals in the work of building our own kingdom and redirect them toward actively engaging
in the work of Gods Kingdom.

Love : Adopt the proper posture.

One of the most intimidating things in life is presenting a creative work to the world for the
rst time. Its a moment of extreme vulnerability that welcomes criticism. The same is true for
every day life. As you and I bear our full, authentic identities, theres a potential for criticism. As
we seek to engage with individuals on a unique and personal basis, we will inevitably enter into
some difcult and painful relationships. As we hope for redemption, it might not always turn out
as we expect. Empowering individuals toward the work of the Kingdom will mean that
sometimes not all the work will get done just the way we thought it would. All of these things
involve risk - another characteristic inside the heart of an artist.
We in the west have a cultural obsession with safety, and we often allow that to dene our lives
as Christians. Weve spent the last several hundred years sterilizing our relationship with Christ
into a religion that is neat, dened, predictable and systematic.

Weve worked hard to eliminate as much of the unknown as
possible, and we wonder why we feel distant from a God who
exists in the mysterious.

But God has called us to a life of abundance. He promises to do things far beyond what we
can ask or imagine, and to enter into this abundance, we must move from our life of risk
management and dive into the unpredictable life of Christ.
The only hope for our ability to take these steps of faith is to truly understand, receive and
live in the unconditional love of God. Fear leaves us paralyzed, but Christs perfect love drives
out fear. When you and I are called to take a risk that might leave us at on our eshly faces, our
only hope is to be rmly planted in the good ground of Gods love. It gives us freedom to do the
unthinkable because we know that, even if all the world leaves us, God will never leave us or
forsake us.
And as we experience Gods love rst hand, we begin showing that same type of
unconditional love to the people around us. Its a reciprocal sentiment that fosters an
environment of exponential risk taking creativity.
No matter where you are or what youre doing right now, you have the same two options I
had at that Baptist church several years ago. You can continue creating a nice facade for your life
and hind behind mundane niceties. Or you can be true to how God has molded and shaped you
and pray for the best.
There are a million excuses for whats preventing you from leading creatively, but ultimately,
you are the only one who can take the step of faith for yourself. Today, start trusting that the
Creator knew what He was doing when He painted the unique you on the canvas of His world.
Stand and show the world what He has made.






This article appeared in its original form in Neue Magazine, a Relevant Media Group
publication.
EMPOWERING CREATIVE VOICES






In 2012 and 2013, I got to be part of the Echo Conference - a wonderful group of people
who desire to see the Church emulate the heart of the Creator as we gather to worship.
While sitting in several of the sessions the rst year, I noticed a consistent thread that seems to
have far reaching implications into every aspect of church life and ministry. I think Blaine Hogan
summarized it well in the phrase, Pastor CEO : The idea that most of our churches are run by
a sole, central gurehead, and the staff and volunteers of the church serve that individuals vision
and mission.
Barton Damer, speaking on the creative process, also touched on the concept. There were
several times where he accurately referenced lead pastors he worked for as the client. I was
listening to Barton, who just completed designing a global campaign for Nike, talk about
presenting work hes done for churches to lead pastors. Most of those pastors are foreigners to his
eld, but they end up giving him feedback on what he should change. What?!
Recently, our church in Orlando went through an identity change process. We began as the
ministry of a local church and were being sent out to plant our unique expression of the local
church. In the process, we commissioned a group of about a dozen designers, branding
professionals, writers, and artists in our community to seek Gods wisdom and direction. The
team came back with a name and visual identity they believed t us well. So the next step was a
presentation to our elders.
After a short presentation came the feedback process...
Most humans default to their preferences. Its most easily seen at the movie theater. We watch
a movie, walk out, and whats the rst question we ask? Did you like it? Its the question we
most often ask about any creative work, and we rarely go any deeper.
Our church had commissioned a collective of full time artists to lead us through this process.
Then we a team who are mostly untrained in this area become the critics based on our
preferences. We start talking about fonts, placement of words, and colors.
Had Moses done a visual identity campaign for the Exodus, it would have made sense for him
to oversee the process. He was the sole conduit through whom God was delivering His message.
But after Israel left Egypt, Moses continued to do all the work and make all the decisions. Jethro,
Moses father in law, came to him and said, What is this you are doing for the people? Why do
you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?
Moses replied that the people were counting on him to hear from God to which Jethro
replied, What you are doing is not good.
As Jesus transitioned us to the New Testament age, we see an even greater shift to shared
responsibility as the Holy Spirit empowered individuals in the Church with spiritual gifts to
build up the Church.

Isnt it possible that each time our preferences become the
base line for decision making, were interrupting the work and
giftedness of those in our congregations?

So, as our elders gave feedback to the presentation of our new church identity, it was
important that we made a shift a shift from asking do you like it to does this align with the
spiritual direction of the church? Elders and Pastors do have a spiritual responsibility, and those
are the eyes through which we should look. Rarely are there deep spiritual implications to the
minutia of what we give our time, attention, and feedback to things like fonts, colors, or
placement or the equivalent components in every other ministry of the church.
Many of us as pastors unintentionally rob people of their God-given voices. When we see our
leadership and volunteers as servants to execute our vision, we no longer believe that God is
empowering them to contribute to the mission and vision of His Kingdom. But we know that
God, beginning in Acts 2, poured out his Spirit on all people. Artists arent in the church to give a
creative voice to my vision as the pastor.

Artists are in the church to help make the revelation of Gods
vision more complete.

Together, we steward the communication of Gods vision.
The role of the pastor is to equip people for ministry and then free them into living out their
spiritual gifts in the context of community. Its messy, and its way more difcult than making all
the decisions ourselves. But in order for the church to be all that it is intended to be and for us to
live into the effectiveness God has called us to live into, it is essential.
Today, be encouraged. Make a shift from controlling as much as your strength will allow to
recognizing and empowering people to live out the gifts God has placed in them. As we do, well
see the church ourish like never before.




This article appeared in its original form at sundaymag.tv
GET UP! YOUR CHURCH IS WAITING FOR YOU






Growing up in Orlando in the early 80s and 90s provided lots of opportunity for a kid actor.
Nickelodeon Studios had set up shop, TV and movies were shooting at Disneys MGM Studios
and dozens of production companies were using Orlando as their hub. At the age of 12, my rst
real acting gig was in a Disney stage show called Holiday Splendor.
The kids in the show - one boy and one girl - served one purpose : to be cute. We were full of
affectation and smiles. We entered the stage skipping.
By the time I was 15, I would lay down my acting hat, and it wasnt until a decade later that I
would pick it up again. But this time, it was very different. As a kid, acting consisted of being told
to do something and doing it. It was very much about putting on a role. Think of Mary Kate and
Ashley Olsen on Full House. No one ever found their performance believable. They existed for
the same reason I was on stage at Disney - to be cute.
But now, as an adult, I was discovering there actually is a lot of depth to acting. Between
pastoral meetings at church and weekend message prep, I was sneaking away for acting classes
and workshops. And this newly reignited passion was teaching me more about my life with God
and as a leader than anything I had encountered in my adult life. The rst lesson I learned :

An actor is most compelling - not when he plays a character
well - but when he becomes the character.

Leading well, like acting well, isnt about playing a role. Its about living a life. Theres an
acting coach named Margie Haber, and her terminology for playing a role is slice of life. Its
the concept that Im most effective in my job as an actor when I become someone, not when I try
to pretend to be them. Playing a role well isnt about trying harder. Its about surrendering more.
Sounds like something Jesus might say about leadership. Its much easier for us to stand on
stage and teach philosophically about what we believe Jesus can do, but God calls us to live a life
that embodies what we believe.

People dont want to hear leaders tell them how they should
live. People want to be inspired by example.

This reality is why we go to the movies or the theater in the rst place. We are all hungering
to live a better story, and the people we see on stage and screen are living the kinds of lives we
wish we were living - taking bold risks, making difcult decisions, living with emotional
vulnerability, saying the types of things we wish we had the gumption to say, living lives to boldly
go where no man has gone before.
And again, we see a list paralleling the call of Christ on our lives as followers of him and
leaders of others. The lives of the leaders we see in scripture paint a picture of people who were
willing to take risk - most of the time in very public ways.

Moses walking before Pharaoh and saying, Let my people go.
David confronting Goliath on the battle eld.
Ezekiel cooking bread over cow dung while laying on his side for 430 days.
Peter standing up on the day of Pentecost and sharing the message of Christ.

What we say is, of course, important. The messages we prepare, the language we use, the
precepts we teach can all have power. But

Truly powerful messages are messages accompanied by a life
that embodies them.

Your church needs leaders like this. The Kingdom needs leaders like this. When Jesus taught
us to pray, Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, he gave us a
glimpse of what is to come. And how is God revealing his Kingdom on earth? Through his
church, here and now.
God doesnt need more actors playing roles. Hes looking for authentic leaders willing to
embody what it means to follow Jesus.
The key to being an actor is the same key to being a Christian which is the same key to being
a leader : Be open, honest and available. The primary tension of the actor is what are people
going to think of me if I truly let go and give into this moment? But this level of vulnerability is
the exact reason people came to see the actor in the rst place.

The people you and I are leading are waiting for us - as leaders
- to give them permission to live lives of risk by being the rst
to go all in.

These moments of risk might come in the form of being honest about your pains and
shortcomings or in the form of making a bold choice that exhibits big faith. We all want to be
more honest in life. We all want to make bold choices. And our willingness to do those things
often comes on the heels of seeing it modeled for us.

Stop performing. Start becoming.
Stop trying harder. Start surrendering to the big call of God on your life.
Let go of the desire to mitigate risk. Go all out.

These are the types of leaders the people in your church really want and need. Show them
how to live by embodying the messages youve been teaching them for years.










This article appeared in its original form at catalystleader.com