Creative Blackout
So I’ve spent a fair bit of time today thinking about us as Christians and the risks (or lack of) we take or the creativity (or lack of) we are open to.
I know I am painting with a very broad brush here but it seems like a large majority of the time I hear believers talking about risks and the need to take them it’s usually in the context of a short term missions trip or looking at financing a building project.
Not that there is anything wrong with those two things but we have a faith based on a God who sent His son to earth to die on a cross. He then rose from the dead so that we could be reconciled with God and live life to the full. We then usually live safe little lives where we take very few risks. We sit nicely in our pews then go out into the world and blend right in. Large groups of us may raise our voice to complain about something we’re unhappy about (usually the government) but won’t allow God to speak into our lives beyond dealing with some surface level sin.
A lot of these thoughts come from my reaction to an interaction I had earlier today. It was with a leader in a local church and there was just no excitement. There was no willingness to change anything from the status quo. There was no willingness to risk anything. Everything is just fine the way it is and there is no reason to look at anything other than what they’re currently doing and how they’re doing it.
I’m not a fan of change for change sake but I believe we need to be open to God’s calling whenever it comes. We need to be creative in our thinking as we seek to share the gospel. We should be full of a holy mischief. We should make people a little uncomfortable because we live as people who have a hope. A hope that is worth dedicating our lives to and giving up everything for.
Again I know I’m painting with a very broad brush. I know there are people of faith who are taking huge risks for the kingdom of God. I know there are believers who are creating beautiful art and others who are thinking and wrestling with the realities of living a life a faith. So I ask for your forgiveness as I gripe about the way we as Christians often settle for a bland way of living.
February 26th, 2010 at 11:14 am
Hey Charlie, I’d wonder if what you’re describing is more of a human condition rather than specifically a “Christian” response. There aren’t a lot people anywhere taking risks creatively or otherwise. The risk-takers are generally few regardless of the context. That’s partly what makes them special. Think of the Olympics. Everyone isn’t jumping at the chance to go 90mph down a luge track merely inches from the ice. Most people seek out the easy path, the path of least resistance. I see it at work every day, where, generally because of the scale of the company I work at, the risk takers are frowned upon because they might upset the norm, or break something that can’t be fixed in a reasonable amount of time. Not that I don’t disagree with you – I wish there were more risk takers – myself included. However, that brings up the question, if all were risk takers, would that ultimately be better?
February 26th, 2010 at 11:23 am
Hey Ryan
Very valid point. Very very valid.
I guess I was trying to say is sometimes we need to be open to different kinds of risks than just building a building or going on a missions trip. We need to be open to something else sometimes without thinking it’s a ridiculous idea.
Even just the risk of us as Christians walking to a truly different drum from the rest of the world. Or perhaps a different drum than other Christians. Churches are always (oops broad brush)terrified of doing anything that is different than the latest and greatest program than such and such big church is doing.
March 1st, 2010 at 11:19 am
Gotcha. I’m with you. You’re right, it seems there are “acceptable” risks, and then there are unacceptable and/or unconsidered risks. The (big) question is, how do you move people to take on the latter?
Be the change Charlie, be the change.