My dad sent me this video and asked me what I thought:

I definitely see their point about being a gospel-centered place of worship and understand their warning about cutting-edge performance becoming an idol.  I think that’s a message that EVERYONE should hear because it’s easy to what you do to become who you are.

However, I really disagreed with some of their definitions and conclusions.  It seemed to me that the discussion created a false choice between creativity and the centrality of the gospel.  I think they needed to define their terms more clearly b/c most of the time when they were using the term “creativity” what I think they meant was “sensationalism,” –doing something for the wow factor that is often exhibited in a product that is slick and surface level.  In short, a self-centered performance.  But creativity is just the opposite.  I really heard this when the one pastor said, “We don’t want to be a church that’s known for it’s creativity.” To me, that smacked of a very narrow understanding of the nature of creativity.

It’s refreshing to understand that it isn’t our responsibility to woo people into the kingdom by our art.  I completely agree.  That’s in the job description of the Holy Spirit, but I don’t think that’s any reason to devalue the place of art and beauty–even those that don’t necessarily use overtly biblical themes or text.  In fact, excellent art is anything BUT sensational and seeker friendly.  It requires humility, patience and receptiveness to understand, think about and appreciate.  Like finer points of science or nature, it can also illuminate the truths of the gospel in ways that sometimes cannot be experienced just through words.  I strongly believe that the more we pour ourselves into doing beautifully honest, excellent work the more opportunities we give ourselves and others for experiencing God on a deeper level.  This is especially true of Christians.   Creativity flows from a person’s worldview and toward their endgame.  If our worldview is biblical and our endgame is Christ and his kingdom how cannot it not serve to glorify him?

Sensationalism and self-centered performance seeks to glorify ME, but true and biblical creativity exists to give.  One of the primary ways to worship God is to be creative.  Being creative simply means to use the resources God has given you to make or restore, in other words, redeem.  Creativity and worship go hand in hand.  We should be churches known for  creativity because we should be churches who are full of renewed people who are energetically redeeming the environment around us because we are drawing inspiration for our creativity from the gospel.

This weekend has been filled with visits from family.  My favorite quote from the past three days happened after Dad had sneakily made a seemingly innocent comment calculated to produced a lively response from my uncle.  My aunt reprimanded my 45 year-old uncle for being too loud at the dinner table while my 47-year old father quietly snickered at my uncle’s reproof.  

Aunt Christine: “Turk!  Shhh!”

Dad: “hehehehe”

Uncle Turk: “Well Buck started it!”

It’s so hard to write a blog entry after not posting for ages.  This one has been in the works for two days.  And it isn’t even that extraordinary.  Yes, I’ve been woefully remiss in actually posting content to this blog.  I promise that I’ve had several inclinations to blog and have even signed in from time to time for that sole purpose.  But alas, it seems like I’ve been suffering from a severe case of blogger’s block all year. 

But since I am done with the semester and need something to do that makes me feel somewhat productive before I move on to the next thing I have decided to respond to the public outcry against my silence.  I tell you what, those two posts inquiring after an update were quite motivating.

Newsworthy happenings from the past year follow in no particular order:

- Finishing an entire year of graduate studies.  wOOt!

- Becoming a better musician.

- Learning.

- Figuring my way around the labyrinth that is the music building.

- Braving -30 degree temperatures.

-Having both a Meijer and a Walmart within 5 minutes of my apartment (This might not seem that special but it’s quite the luxury after spending four years in rural Indiana where the nearest Walmart was 20 minutes away in the next town over.)

- Friends.

- Learning to speak a little Indonesian and Chinese.

- Visiting Canada for the first time. 

- Finding a church and a Bible study.

- Looking up and recording all the collegiate flute teachers in the United States (this was not necessarily the most enjoyable experience but this was an epic task basically on par with running a marathon or something and thus was included in the list).

- Teaching a college methods class.  This slowly become less terrifying and more fun over time.

- Learning how to eat Chinese hot pot.

- Hanging out with my Taylor girls in Indy.

- Visits from MWF people!

- Realizing yet again that I am horrible at time management and am probably allergic to day-planners.

- Pulling my very first academic all-nighter as a result of horrible time management and lack of day-planner skillz.

It’s too bad these have been boiled down into outline form because they each deserve an entry to themselves.  But this format is just so darn convenient and user friendly!  This year has been a crazy and at times confusing blur (probably due in part to my inability to consistently use my planner) but of the many things I was able to take away from this year, the innumerable expressions of God’s faithfulness and grace top the list.  Fo’ shizzle.  Ask me about it sometime.  I might even elaborate on it beyond outline form

I usually only read “The Way I See It” quotes on my steaming cups of Starbucks heaven to have a good laugh.  But today I was actually surprised to find the quality of content on the outside matched the the delicious goodness of the inside.  Enjoy.

The Way I See It # 76

“The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating–in work, in play, in love.  The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitations.  To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.” – Anne Morriss Starbucks customer from New York City.

My first blog post (on wordpress anyway).  All my creative powers have been poured into naming and designing my site so any attempt to write something witty and entertaining will have to wait.  But hey at least you have something nice too look at even if you have nothing yet to read.