Creativity

My heart sank. “Oh no, here we go again.”

I had arrived at a pioneers' retreat and, there in the corner of the room, was an array of creative materials.

As I sipped my coffee and introduced myself to the people around me, I couldn't ignore their presence. When would the dreaded moment come when we'd be encouraged to use them?

Art has never come naturally to me, despite taking GCSE Art - a decision I still don't understand to this day. So, whenever I arrive somewhere, usually a Christian gathering, and art features in the programme, I feel a sense of dread. I know that others come alive at the sight of those same materials. They look forward to creating and often produce beautiful pieces of art.

Creativity is a gift from God, rooted in the creation narrative. God is the Creator, who made humanity in his image and invites people to shape his creation through stewardship as his image bearers. He then invited Adam to exercise creativity by naming the animals.

Creativity is woven throughout the whole of Scripture. Significantly, the biblical story begins with a man and a woman in a wild garden under God's blessing and culminates with countless people gathered in a city - a place where culture and creation are brought together, and where the garden has become many gardens.

So, on this retreat, I decided to give the art resources a go, and I had a surprising experience. As I stopped running from creativity and confronted my discomfort with it, I sensed the Spirit highlighting the ways I’m creative, though not in the traditional artistic sense.

I've mentioned before my love of barbecuing, and that's an expression of creativity. A football at my feet, DIY around the house (don't worry—it's all legal and safe!), tending an allotment - these are all ways that God's gift of creativity finds expression in my life.

Our Christian gatherings often celebrate creativity through music, art, words, and sometimes even dance. Yet those gatherings are themselves made possible through many other expressions of creativity, and these, too, are acts of worship.

As we think about creativity beyond our church gatherings, I wonder if we could do more to recognise God's creative blessing reflected throughout our communities. Perhaps by complimenting the tradesperson who has taken time and care to do a job well, the farmer who has nurtured hedgerows for wildlife, the gardener who has planted flower beds for others to enjoy, or the committee chair who organises events that bring people together.

Our culture is also losing creative expression in its hurry to produce. A new housing estate has been built behind us. It was constructed quickly, and it's fair to say it doesn't have the same care, craftsmanship, and creativity as some of the older houses in the village that local builders took time to create.

The same can be said of art and photography. AI can now generate images and edit photographs almost instantly, rather than someone taking the time to capture a photograph or inviting an artist to create something original.

Every expression of creativity takes time to nurture, yet that is often where the greatest enjoyment is found - if we're willing to slow down in a culture that constantly urges us to hurry. Of course, there are days when I light the gas barbecue because it's quicker than charcoal! But if we want to nurture our creative passions, we need to give them time and learn to enjoy the process, taking the opportunity to learn how our creativity can reflect the image of our creator.

I wonder whether taking time to nurture and express our God-given creativity might itself be a counter-cultural witness in our rural communities?

If you're not yet aware of the ways God has made you to be creative, perhaps it's time to ask Him.

And if you are, how can you make space to nurture and enjoy that gift?

I hope we all delight in the creativity God has given us.

And if you can't find me at a retreat, I may well be outside tending the barbecue while everyone else is using the art materials. After all, didn't the priests in the Old Testament spend a lot of time barbecuing?

Sam Abramian

Director, East of England