Creative Church

"It is high time that we saw resurrected an nurtured all that good, creative and powerful potential in the body of Christ which our Creator God put into all of us long ago and which has almost suffocated under too many layers of copied blessings." ~ Wolfgang Simson

Here's an interesting concept: Originality!

Here's something you need to understand about me: I'm not the most creative person in the world but I love being creative. I like to work on things (at my pace) using my hands...thinking through the process...and seeing the finished product. For a while I worked in construction - finishing log homes - and there was great joy in seeing the accomplishments that came about after a few weeks/months of work. Why have we been less than creative when it comes to church? Could it be that we have allowed traditional thinking (this is how church "looks") to stifle any type of creativity?

I'm not saying that we have to be original at everything but shouldn't the creativity of God flow through our churches? Think about it: We have been made in the image of a creating God. His creativity is a part of our DNA. Within each and every individual there is creativity whether you are artistic or not. I'm just questioning where we are in our society when it comes to church life. Every year there seems to be a new concept/idea about how we should grow the church. Many pastors go to conventions where they hear about this "new thing" and immediately begin copying the process without ever questioning if it's going to work.

Pastor Colton Wickramaratne of Colombo said, "How can I explode with someone else's explosion? Do I not sell myself too cheap by denying the creative and powerful potential God has given me - and each of us? As long as I am busy copying someone else, how can I be true to myself?"

The time has come for the church to be creative again. We must find out how God wants to impact our city and culture. We need to allow Him to be creative with us and refuse to settle for someone else's blessings. Sure...there are plenty of great ideas that we can borrow. However, I have never believed in a complete transfer of anything. Not everything that is being done in Florida, California, or elsewhere is going to work in SW Virginia. Not everything that is being done in church planting in D.C. is going to work in Max Meadows. How can we ever expect to reach our hometown by doing ministry with a Hollywood model?

Just last week I was having a conversation with my wife's grandfather who pastored for years. He said that he and another pastor once had a conversation that went something like this: "I almost hate coming to these conferences. You think you are doing pretty good in your church and come in hear to find out that you are doing it all wrong." I know how he feels. I'm not denying that God is blessing what some people are "selling"; I'm just saying that your blessing is your blessing. What I have to do is be willing to allow God to do the same with me in His way.

Why am I saying all of this? Because you need to know that I don't have a problem with churches being different. In fact, they should be different because of the different dynamics of the people and culture.

Think about this: If Jesus was incarnated NOW - would He be different than He was when He was in Jerusalem? In quality - NO! In style - Yes! Jesus' quality was a God quality. He lived out everything that was God. His style of dress, conversation, teaching was consistent with the times in which He lived. If He showed up in 2010 you can expect the same grace, truth, and love but the package would look differently. Get my point? The church should be a re-incarnation of a living Savior. Then, and only then, can we expect the church to be RELEVANT in the lives around us.

The Apostle Paul said: "...I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." (1 Cor. 9:19)