Five Reasons for Creativity
John 10:10
Introduction
Quote by John Henry Newman:
- "Fear not that your life shall come to an end, but that it shall never have a beginning."
- Reflection on the Christian worker's life
The Problem of Conformity
Cultural and Doctrinal Stagnation:
- The struggle to change doctrinal statements versus physical elements in church
- Churches being set in their ways and committed to the status quo
The Need for Creativity
Five Reasons for Creativity:
- Perpetuates Learning: Importance of continuous learning for living and leading
- Adapts to Changing Society: Differences between biblical principles (non-negotiable) and cultural practices (negotiable)
- Enhances Communication: Freshness and vitality in communication, reducing predictability
- Develops Leadership: Correlation between creativity and leadership effectiveness
- Overhauls Life: Living fully as Jesus intended
The Importance of Lifelong Learning
Peter's Encouragement:
- Second Peter 3:18 – Growing in grace and knowledge
- Learning as a continuous process in the Christian community
Embracing Change
Paul's Teaching:
- Romans 8 – Being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ
- Expecting and preparing for change
The Role of Creativity in Ministry
Examples of Jesus' Methods:
- Jesus' diverse approaches in his ministry
- Example of Jesus answering the Pharisees about taxes
Practical Applications for Creativity
- High Tolerance for Ambiguity: Dealing with ambiguity in decision-making
- Perpetual Growth and Curiosity: Continuous curiosity and learning
- Willingness to Fail: Risk-taking as part of the creative process
Overcoming Barriers to Creativity
- Conditioning as a Barrier: Influence of parents, teachers, and television on creativity
- Reversing the Conditioning Process: Willingness to pay the price for creativity
- Creativity as a Lifestyle: Integrating creativity into all aspects of life
Encouraging Creativity in Churches
- Creating a Conducive Environment:
- Avoiding bureaucratic stifling of creativity
- Promoting originality and individuality
- Encouraging Incessant Evaluation:
- Continuous evaluation for improvement
- Avoiding complacency in ministry
Conclusion
- Embracing Change:
- Change as an opportunity rather than an enemy
- Involving people in the process of change for better commitment
- A Call to Action:
- Reflecting on A.W. Tozer's words about the state of Christianity
- Encouraging passion and vitality in preaching and teaching the Word of God
*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.
About the Contributors
Howard G. Hendricks
Dr. Howard G. Hendricks, known simply as “Prof,” directly or indirectly touched millions of lives in the evangelical community and beyond. For more than sixty years Prof served on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), where he taught more than ten thousand students. He served as the chairman of the Center for Christian Leadership for over twenty years. He also ministered in person in more than eighty countries. Through speaking engagements, radio, tapes, films, the sixteen books he authored and coauthored, countless journal and popular-market articles, his service on numerous boards, and his work as a chaplain to the Dallas Cowboys (1976–1984), his reach was and is worldwide.
His legacy, in partnership with Jeanne, his wife of more than sixty-five years, includes four children and six grandchildren. Holding large audiences enthralled at venues such as Billy Graham’s conference center or Promise Keepers’ stadium rallies, Prof would confide, “It’s wonderful to be here with you, but I have a group of delicious students waiting for me back at the seminary.”
Contributors
