While on vacation last month I was able to read Ed Young’s book, The Creative Leader. Ed is pastor of Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas which grew from 150 to 10,000 people in just 15 years. This book reinforced in my mind the need for us to be willing to be creative in communicating the timeless truths of Scripture from Sunday to Sunday.
In the beginning chapter of his book, Young says, “If the local church is not the most creative, innovative, and alive place on the planet, we are failing as leaders.” Now if you do not think there is any room in the local church for this kind of creativity, than you underestimate the fact that creativity originated with God. After all, what is the fifth word in the Bible? “In the beginning God CREATED…” God is the one who invented creativity. Young goes on to say, “If God wasn’t content to make a bland, predictable world, why are we content to make church that way?”
After all, Jesus was the most creative leader and teacher that has ever walked the planet. Young cites that 72% of all Jesus’ words in the Gospels were based on application. Jesus understood 2,000 years ago that we are visual learners. Remember his teachings? “Look at the birds!” “Look at the trees!” “Look at the flowers!” He even pulled a coin out of a fish’s mouth. That’s why in recent Sunday mornings I have held up a football; broken a vase; had a strength machine; and we have even set up the stage to look like a library or in the round.
Ed Young talked in his book about visiting Vegas and being amazed at the numbers of different and varied signs that businesses use to communicate virtually the same message. He said to his wife, “These people in Vegas don’t have very much to say but they sure no how to say it!” That’s when it hit him. The church’s problem is just the opposite. The church has everything to say but we don’t know how to say it.
Below are some more quotes from Young’s writing:
“Churches that are committed to doing whatever it takes to reach our lost world will raise their share of critics, but they will also turn people into passionate pursuers of Christ!”
“Ask God to enhance your creativity!”
“Most of the time a creative idea dies due to lack of courage to follow through with it!”
“The higher the predictability, the lower the learning!”
“Creativity is more environmental than informational!”
“The local church should be the most exciting entity out there. What can you do to show your community that you church is the place to be!”
In the beginning chapter of his book, Young says, “If the local church is not the most creative, innovative, and alive place on the planet, we are failing as leaders.” Now if you do not think there is any room in the local church for this kind of creativity, than you underestimate the fact that creativity originated with God. After all, what is the fifth word in the Bible? “In the beginning God CREATED…” God is the one who invented creativity. Young goes on to say, “If God wasn’t content to make a bland, predictable world, why are we content to make church that way?”
After all, Jesus was the most creative leader and teacher that has ever walked the planet. Young cites that 72% of all Jesus’ words in the Gospels were based on application. Jesus understood 2,000 years ago that we are visual learners. Remember his teachings? “Look at the birds!” “Look at the trees!” “Look at the flowers!” He even pulled a coin out of a fish’s mouth. That’s why in recent Sunday mornings I have held up a football; broken a vase; had a strength machine; and we have even set up the stage to look like a library or in the round.
Ed Young talked in his book about visiting Vegas and being amazed at the numbers of different and varied signs that businesses use to communicate virtually the same message. He said to his wife, “These people in Vegas don’t have very much to say but they sure no how to say it!” That’s when it hit him. The church’s problem is just the opposite. The church has everything to say but we don’t know how to say it.
Below are some more quotes from Young’s writing:
“Churches that are committed to doing whatever it takes to reach our lost world will raise their share of critics, but they will also turn people into passionate pursuers of Christ!”
“Ask God to enhance your creativity!”
“Most of the time a creative idea dies due to lack of courage to follow through with it!”
“The higher the predictability, the lower the learning!”
“Creativity is more environmental than informational!”
“The local church should be the most exciting entity out there. What can you do to show your community that you church is the place to be!”
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