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Every Creation Has a Creator

Hello, Praying Friend!

Here in Central Florida, we are sizzling in the summer heat! The mornings are thick with humidity, promising another hot day ahead. Last year in May, on a warm morning similar to this one, I sat at breakfast with our FaithKidz director, Steve Pennington (former children’s program director at Saddleback Church), at the small cafe named Cody’s. It’s just down the stairs from my New Dimensions office here on 4th Ave in downtown Mount Dora. (If it sounds quaint and lovely, it actually is! Come visit!)

As Steve and I joyfully brainstormed various projects, I shared the need to develop summer programming for children at First Baptist Mount Dora on Wednesday evenings. I didn’t want to repeat the ‘Game On!’ theme I had done the last two summers, so I prayed for something deeper. During our creative collaboration over coffee, I thought of my new friend and young artist, Jawan. He recently entered a relationship with Christ and works part-time at the art studio across 4th Avenue.

At 22, Jawan, an African American artist, brings a unique life experience to his creative process. His journey, different from mine at the same age, is a testament to the universal urge to create. While I expressed my creativity through sleight-of-hand and engaging audiences, Jawan uses a brush, pen, and paint to captivate the eyes and thoughts of the viewer. Both are creative expressions of the Divine Creator.

By the time breakfast was over, Steve and I had a clear mission: to create a summer teaching series for children called Creativity & The Creator. Then, thanks to our outstanding Creative Content Director, Zyrah, we developed eight weeks of lessons, crafts, videos, and more to teach the truth that we can be creative people precisely because we are a creation of a creative God!

The book of Genesis reminds us that God is the ultimate Creator, responsible for the creation of the universe and all living beings. (That’s you & me!) Every creation has a creator. In the Genesis account, humans are created in God’s likeness, imbued with the capacity to exercise dominion over the earth and to participate in acts of creation. This divine creative capacity reflects God’s creative nature, emphasizing the inherent connection between human creativity and God’s image.

The theological concept of “imago Dei” (image of God) underscores the truth that every human being carries the imprint of God’s divine nature within them. This includes engaging in creative expression through artistic endeavors, problem-solving, scientific innovation, or even through a bit of well-executed sleight-of-hand. Thus, human creativity is not merely a cognitive or psychological process but a spiritual reflection of the divine creativity manifested in the act of creation.

Creativity reflects God’s image and has profound implications for how it is understood and valued in human life. As bearers of the divine image, humans are called to embrace and steward their creative capacities in ways that honor and reflect the character of the Creator. This perspective invites a deeper exploration of the spiritual and ethical dimensions of creativity and a renewed sense of responsibility for exercising creative expression in service of the flourishing of all creation.

Simply put, kids, you and I need to remember that every creation has a creator. And the creative potential inside of us is frankly mind-tripping. Every man-made object that surrounds us was first a creative spark—a thought, an idea—that was hashed out, experimented with, and then built, painted, or performed.

Need Help? Want to Help?
If you are looking for a way to spark children’s imagination, below is a link to the entire Creativity & The Creator program. It’s donation-based, so pay what you can. Also, here’s the link to my blog posts last summer about the journey. Lastly, you can support this work with a one-time gift or become a monthly partner and help us reach, teach, and inspire kids and families through creative connections. Learn more about this work and give at ndevangelism.org

Sharing His Wonder,

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