Practical Steps to Engaging the Holy Spirit in Your Creative Process

03 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by in Prophetic Art, The Kingdom

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So many artists, myself included, never think about actively engaging the Holy Spirit in their creative process. It’s just ‘what we do.’ However, now that we are His, so is our expression – but not in some robotic way. This idea of ‘more of Thee, less of me’ can cause us to be self-depricating, falsely humble artisans. If God wanted less of you He wouldn’t have created you. As Bill Johnson says, “He had none of you before He created you and evidently He didn’t like it!” God created you with His heart for creativity. He wants you to desire Him and explore the creative expanse of life with Him. He desires you to co-labor with Him in your creative expression so that your art becomes a prophetic declaration of the Glory of God in the earth.

These steps below are by no means steps in a formula to wrangle the Holy Spirit into your creative world. Rather, these are signposts that have helped to direct me on my own journey toward actively engaging the Holy Spirit in my own artistic expression.

1) Intentional Intimacy
I’ve found in my own life that the Holy Spirit likes to move in people who know Him, recognize Him and desire to be with Him. That being said, if you want God to invade your art, first He’s got to invade your heart. He wants a heart that’s completely His, a desire that’s for Him and a mind renewed with a Kingdom mindset. Facilitating intimacy is really as easy as setting aside time with Him just to be with Him. When I started this process, I thought I would go downstairs to my piano, play, worship, sing and wait on the Lord. In fact, the Father had other plans. He had me play CD’s and sit quietly in silence most of the time journaling my thoughts on paper – something I had never done before. What that did for me was take me ‘off my game’ and put me in a raw, unfamiliar place where I could really hear from the Lord without the normal ‘ministry’ or ‘quiet-time’ routines to which I had become so calloused.

2) Desire to Hear from Him
This goes much deeper than just wanting to be with Him. It is not wanting just to talk to Him, but to hear Him. When I began to sit with the Lord in His presence and He really began speaking to me, I was blown away. A lot of the stuff He would tell me didn’t make sense. Most of it was vision – BIG VISION – of what He wanted for me, my life, my art, my family, my business. He began raising my vision to His vision, which can be scary. For me, it took me out of my comfort zone of what seemed normal into a dreamer’s mentality. Instead of looking at natural circumstances around me, or trying to figure things out based on my experience, my skill, or the people I knew, I began to dream about what was possible. Pretty soon, my desire to hear from Him became insatiable! I went from being nervous about it (mostly because I was dealing with shame issues from my relationship with my own dad and past sin) to excited and anxious to hear from Him. Once I began to know Him, trust Him and understand His heart for me, my heart was undone with gratitude that He really did love me. He wasn’t mad at me – and He’s not mad at you. In fact, He’s in a good mood! He loves you with an everlasting love! He’s for you and wants to prosper you in His Kingdom today! Get this in your heart and you’ll spend a lot of carpet time with the Father, weeping in His presence.

3) Dance the Dance
Once you’re in the place where you are hearing from the Father, spending time in His presence and letting Him love on you, just dance the dance! What I mean by that is fully engage in the dance that He’s dancing with you! He wants you to swing your head back, kick up your heels and dance passionately! Take a chance and trust Him. Believe that what He has promised you will come to pass. Begin to create and pursue your artistic expression with new zeal and abandon as He inspires your heart. Pretty soon, you’ll become a conduit for the Holy Spirit to pour His presence through to touch the earth. The lives of thousands will be changed because you chose to dance with the Father!

Riding the Wave of His Presence

03 Saturday Sep 2011

Posted by in The Kingdom

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I love this short video clip about famous surfer, Laird Hamilton because it speaks to the very core of who we are as artisans in the Kingdom of God. There is a quote at the very end that says of Laird, “No one had ever ridden as Laird rode on that wave before. It was the imagination of dealing with that unimaginable energy and coming up with the plan spontaneously – he couldn’t practice!”

God is calling us as artisans to that same place of imagination and creativity in order to take a mountain that’s so big, no one has ever dared take it before – the mountain of arts & entertainment. He’s calling us through our creative expression and the expression of our lives to release the Glory of God and impact culture around the world.  He’s looking for those artisans who are willing to risk it all for the thrill of conquering in His kingdom. He’s looking for those who have dreamed of a moment like this, where their actions and the actions of those around them would forever alter the fabric of history in this realm.

The story of Laird Hamilton is not that he reached some long sought-after destination but rather the culmination of everything that he was, knew and had experieced prepared him for this perfect wave on this perfect day. It wasn’t that he wasn’t looking to go conquer that particular wave that day. In fact, he probably thought it was just another day on the water like he had spent many days before.

The same is true for us. Conquering the mountain of arts & entertainment and impacting culture is not some destination. Rather, it’s about doing what you do every day as an artisan in the Kingdom and then all of a sudden waking up to the reality that you’re right in the middle of the biggest moment of your life. It’s the day-to-day journey of life, community and creativity that prepare us for these moments of destiny.  Whether you’re just beginning this journey of creativity in the Kingdom, or you’ve been preparing your whole life, I’d like to offer some sign posts for the journey to help guide you down this road of destiny.

Ride the Waves
One of the most important principles to learn in the Kingdom is that God creates the waves – we ride the waves. Arthur Wallace once said “If you would do the best with your life, find out what God is doing in your generation and fling yourself into it.”  Any time we get into creating the wave, manufacturing the circumstances, stirring up the momentum it likely leads us to moving outside the Spirit. Don’t hear what I’m not saying though. God’s looking for dreamers – those who will go for it – but all under His strategic guidance.

Every wave we experience in our life – creative or not – is seasonal. It’s up to us to learn how to embrace the season we are currently in so we can fully experience and cooperate with what God is saying and doing now. When we try to operate the other way, by manufacturing situations or momentum, we become easily frustrated and blocked both spiritually and creatively. The Jesus model is to love us in relationship, show us the mysteries of God  and then reveal greater works to us.

19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

It’s All About Balance
When you’re riding a wave, the focus of your attention has to be about balance and forward momentum. You can’t stand still on a wave or you’ll get crushed. The same is true creatively. You’ll die as an artist if you don’t learn to move with the Spirit of God and connect to the source of all creativity.

The balance we desperately need as His creative ones is learning to flow in the right things at the right time. I’m typically an all or nothing kinda guy, so balance doesn’t come naturally. If I am going to pursue something it’s usually at the expense of something else. The Lord’s plan for us as artisans is to be so tuned in to Him creatively that no matter what He calls us to – art, family, an upcoming show, volunteering at church, community events, work, a new project – we are able to flow in the grace and creativity He is releasing for that season. Again, our job is not to create the wave but to cooperate with it.

Beyond Practice
Lastly, I believe the Father wants to take us to a place in Him that’s beyond practice and the rudiments of our creative medium. His desire is that we trust and flow with Him in the realms of life and creativity where it’s impossible to practice or prepare.

This may seem unnatural to you, but it’s exactly the story of Laird Hamilton and of Jesus. Both worked their whole life – listening, looking, percieving, preparing – Laird with the flow of ocean waves and Jesus with the flow of His father. Then, at the right time, with no real notice, they find themselves on the ride of their life where everything they are doing is the culmination of their entire experience.

For us to go to the levels in God that is required for us to take dominion over the mountain of arts & entertainment and really shift culture, it’s imperative that we learn to go beyond what we can do naturally. We must learn to operate in the supernatural creative flow of the Holy Spirit. That’s the place where the Kingdom and God’s power are simply flowing out of you. Whether you’re eating lunch, creating or talking to a friend, you’re flowing in the Kingdom and the Glory is being revealed in and through you. It’s what I call the ‘shadow anointing.’ Just like the disciples when they walked down the street and people got healed when their shadow fell upon them. The disciples didn’t do anything per se but just be who they were in the Kingdom and boom – a normal everyday event like walking down the street becomes a supernatural explosion of creativity and healing.

I encourage you as a fellow artisan in the Kingdom to pursue the deeper life in God and in the Glory of His presence. Learn to flow in His rhythm and together we will see an army of artisans arise!

How to Make Money as an Artist: 10 Important Keys You Need to Know to Thrive as an Artist.

26 Tuesday Jul 2011

Posted by in Prospering Artists

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You have an artistic gift. You create beautiful pieces of art and people like your work.  You’ve sold some things over the years, honed your creative skills and now you’re ready to take it to the next level – actually making money from your art.  So what’s the next step, you ask? How do you go from just producing a few cool art pieces on the side to actually making a living doing what you love?

So many artists, maybe even you, are sitting on ready, waiting to sell their art on the open market to clients just waiting for the newest, hottest piece of their work to come on the scene. They live under the spell of an illusive dream, hoping that one day they will be able to cast restraint to the wind, quit their ‘real job’ and just ‘be creative’ when in fact the road to becoming a profitable and prospering artist – either full-time or part-time – is typically a long road of choices that lead to a successful career.

While there’s no 10-step, iron-clad, sure-fire plan for artists to succeed in our creative career, there are keys that hold true no matter your creative medium, years of experience or geographic location. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to practice and observe these keys in my life and in the life of many successful artists. I’d like to offer them to you here:

  • Be Excellent
    You’re asking people to spend their hard-earned money on something you’ve created.  Not only that, you’re asking them to bring it into their home and have it be part of the landscape of their life for many years to come. Make sure that whatever it is that you’ve created – a painting, a pot, a sculpture, a piece of clothing – that it is done with excellence and attention to detail. Early on in my career, I remember going to high-end craft fairs and realizing that much of the work looked ‘perfect’ – every edge clean, every shape beautifully formed, every line carefully painted. That perfection is not something that happens but rather the convergence of skill, eye for quality and spirit of excellence that come together in the work of a great artist. Don’t make the mistake of making something that’s ‘just good enough.’ Just because you have a booth full of art doesn’t mean it’s worth the canvas it’s painted on. Take the time to learn your craft, hone your skills, master your technique and give your very best.  Believe me, it shows.
  • Developing Your Image
    It’s been said that “image is everything.” I’m not sure I agree totally with that statement, but many times image is the first thing that people see when being introduced to your work. Whether in a gallery, an art show or craft fair the way you present your work is vital to your success. Is your work displayed professionally with good lighting? Is your sales booth clean, uncluttered and inviting? Do you have your artist statement and studio photos somewhere that prospective clients can learn more about you? Is your sign professionally created with a strong logo, clear wording and in a location that draws attention to the crowd? Doing little things like coming up with a clean logo or icon for your work and then putting that on postcards, business cards or a sign really makes a big impact on prospective buyers. It lets them know that you’re not just some schlep that’s come up from the backwoods with your bucket full of crafts but rather a serious artist with beautiful, quality art they should consider purchasing.
  • Find Your Niche
    Someone once told me you don’t have to be the best, you just have to find your niche. That is so true. You may be reading this article and thinking “Wow Matt, I just want to sell some of my art on the side and make a few thousand dollars extra every year” or “Matt, I’ve been doing shows part-time and am ready to take it to the next level.”  Whatever your goals are, it’s important to understand the market for your product and go after it. Let me give you an example. I am a basketmaker and create rustic Appalachian-style handmade baskets out of natural vines I harvest in western North Carolina. (You can see my work at http://www.matttommey.com) Most of my pieces range from $180 to $900 depending on the size, shape, materials, etc. I found out a number of years ago, after doing numerous outdoor shows that my work didn’t sell well at shows where there was lots of music, food vendors and a ‘community-event’ type atmosphere. Most folks were there just looking around, having fun and spending the day with their family. Consequently, I started researching my niche. I found that I was in a category called “Fine Craft” and that collectors who wanted my type of work typically attended high-end, indoor shows sponsored by Guilds or other reputable craft organizations. Not only that, but I realized that people with luxury mountain homes found my work desirable as a unique rustic accessory for their home. No more outdoor community festivals for me.
  • Media & Technology
    No matter what industry you’re in, creative or otherwise, your website and social media presence is one of the first places people will try to find out more about you and your work. You need to make sure that your website adequately represents your work, vision, image and the creative niche you’re in. YouTube is owned by Google and consequently is a huge boost when trying to get search engine traffic. If you’re not already, start your own free YouTube Channel and try putting out some video’s out there that are ‘tagged’ with appropriate keywords (See Google’s free “Keyword Tool”). Once you have some video’s out there, be sure to set up your own Facebook and Twitter account for your art business. Using a free program called “Hootsuite.com” you can manage all of your social media in one place, making it an easy yet powerful tool in your marketing arsenal. Throughout all your media, tell your story through pictures and video. People want to see your latest work, work in progress, even pictures of your booth at shows you’re doing. Keep up the buzz!
  • Make what people want
    If you’re a new artist, you’re going to have to find out what pieces you make really cause people to purchase from you. For me, I love making big baskets out of big, knarly vines. They look great on fireplaces and porches but honestly not everyone has a place for such large pieces of my work – especially if it’s their first purchase with me. I learned early on that I needed to offer my clients a variety of shapes, sizes and price ranges in order to fit their needs. That also gives your clients something to work toward. They may start with a small piece and over the years purchase from you until they make that large purchase that they have been dreaming of. Research your industry and find out what’s selling. Find out what colors, textures and finishes are hot right now and try to incorporate those into your work. I know, some of you are saying “but that’s not art!”  Say what you want – this article is about making money and prospering financially. If you make what people want at a price they find to be valuable then you, my friend, will have the opportunity to do what you love – create art. If not, you’ll have a whole bunch of stuff in your garage you think is really awesome. Remember this is a business and it’s important to know what your clients will respond to. Finding the balance between marketability and creative expression is a healthy tension.
  • The Price is Right
    I have read more articles on this subject than I care to mention, especially when it comes to the wholesale versus retail conversation. A mentor of mine, Bille Ruth Sudduth told me one time that you should always price your work at the price for which you’d be willing to make another piece of the same size and quality. I have found that to be a good rule of thumb. If you’re considering selling wholesale, remember you’re going to be selling to the gallery at 50% off your normal retail prices. That means if your painting is $100 retail, it’s selling to the gallery for $50.  Are you willing to paint, prep and market another piece just like that for $50?  There’s no right or wrong answer, it’s just a conversation you need to have with yourself. A couple of other ways to price your work is:
    • Survey the competition and find out what they are selling comparable work for.
    • Determine a reasonable hourly rate (both wholesale and retail) and then price your work by the hour plus materials, overhead and marketing.
  • Networking & Building Relationships
    People always laugh at me because I seem to get a lot of ‘favor’ when it comes to media, interviews, show selection, etc. I’ve heard them say things like, “Wow Matt, you sure are lucky,” or “You were just at the right place at the right time.”  The fact is much of my success with people is because of my serious investment in networking. I love meeting people, finding out about their life and connecting with them in an authentic way. More times than not those relationships yield incredible benefit for me and the person I’m in relationship with. When you choose to invest your time and energy in a relationship with someone – a client, gallery owner, friend – you place value in that person and believe me, that is recognized. When I meet new people and interact with ones I’ve known for years, I really try to be ‘present’ with them, focusing on the conversation, listening to them and asking myself, “How can I help them succeed.”  This model of relationship building and honoring the other person has not only  developed many friendships over the years but has produced much success in every area of my life. One practical thing that I always do is go straight to the top. Through my network of friends around the country I usually know somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody. If you’ve done the foundational relationship work, most people are happy to refer you right to the decision maker.
  • The Jury Process
    Once you’re ready to actually market your work into a gallery or show, you’ll more than likely have to go through what’s called a jury process. This is a group of either artists, producers or both who judge your work for its quality, design and craftsmanship. 99% of the time this process is done through photographs which means you need to have great photos of your work. Finding a reputable photographer that’s worked with your media is vital to your success in a jury. You can expect to pay $75 – $300/hr depending on the photographer but it’s well worth it. For me, if I sell one piece, I’ve paid for an entire photo shoot of 8-10 items. It’s well worth the investment. Your artist statement and work descriptions are also vital to your success in the jury process. When you’re writing your artist statement, make sure you adequately tell the story of your work. What inspires you to create? What’s unique about your work, materials or process? How did you come to be an artist in this medium? What do you hope patrons of your work will gain from interacting with your art? These are details that help clients and gallery owners understand and advocate for your work. Always be sure to include a nice picture of you working in your studio, etc. People love to see artists ‘in their element.’
  • This is a Business
    In his incredible book “The E-Myth”, Michael Gerber talks about would-be entrepreneurs who suffer from what he calls an “Entrepreneurial Seizure” – thinking that just because you’re a good technician (Painter, potter, actor) that you should automatically start your own business. Many wake up a year or two into a new business venture often disheartened and disillusioned by the failure they are now experiencing. The main reason you ask? Because most people, especially artists, don’t treat their creative pursuits like a business. The bottom line for all of us artists is that no matter how great our art may be or how talented we think we are, unless we are creating art that people will purchase, marketing to our niche market, selling those pieces and actually turning a profit we’re not going to survive. I recommend either taking some basic business and marketing courses or being mentored by another artist who’s further down the road than you are in their creative career.   You’ve got to know at the end of the day if you’re profitable or not – that is, after everything is sold and all your expenses are paid, did you walk away with money? If you didn’t you have a problem. One of the best business resources I’ve used over the years is something I learned from a business coach I retained from Action International. It’s called the 5 Ways Profitability Calculator.  Here’s a link you can use: http://www.actioncoach.com/free-business-calculator-profit.php

There’s no silver bullet when it comes to making money with your art. In fact, for every artist that’s in the marketplace there’s a different story to how they developed their career. One thing’s for sure. If you try to copy what someone else did just because they are successful, you’re sure to fail. Rather, use these 10 important keys to success as signposts that help you check your own development as an artist. Your journey to success will be as creative as your art and remember, that’s half the fun!

For more about prospering as an artist, “Like” our Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Worship-Studio/160330830695884 and click “Email Signup” to join our mailing list.  You’ll get all the latest teaching and tips from The Worship Studio twice a month.  Also, visit http://www.gatheringofartisans.com – our yearly artist conference with several workshops on prospering as an artist.

Connecting the Dots

17 Tuesday May 2011

Posted by in Prospering Artists, The Kingdom

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It seems the passion of my life has been to create and to be immersed in the creative process. From the time I was a little boy until today, my desire to create has taken me down many paths from making mud-pies and makeshift army forts as a child, to songwriting, leading worship, graphic design, marketing consulting, basket weaving and a deep love for Appalachian-style fine craft. For most of my life I have to admit, I felt a little ADD – feeling like a jack of all artistic trades and yet a master of none. Only recently have I come to a more full understanding of who I really am as an artist and been able to embrace it. Not only embrace it, but able to fully engage the Holy Spirit within the creative passions of my heart to see Him show up and reveal the Father in new and exciting ways!

Stuff It
For most of my life, I tried to stuff my creativity into a religious box. Being a Christian and sensing a call to ministry early in my life, I blindly went down the road of ‘Christian service’, hoping to find the fulfillment of a life’s calling and creative outlet. What I ended up with was a lot of frustration and confusion about how my calling was to be worked out within the Church and the Kingdom. Never would have I described myself as an ‘artist’, only a functional title like musician, pianist, singer, or worship leader. Even the visual artist in me was reduced to just functional tasks within ‘ministry’ – designing media presentations, brochures or various printed materials. It was all in a neat little box, but God wanted to bring me to a place where He was breathing on ALL my work, flowing in ALL my art and allowing me to touch His heart through ALL my creative expression in the wider context of His Kingdom.

I have to admit, half of me has always been a closeted artist. The musician/worship leader/songwriter part of me has easily been on display in the context of the Church. Even the graphic designer part of me, from time to time found a place. However, there was a side to me that very few people ever saw. The side that loved to get up early on a cool fall morning, put on my overalls, boots and ball cap, grab my garden clippers and head off into the woods on a treasure hunt. I’m a basket weaver. From the time I was a teenager, I have loved to walk in the woods, alone, searching for natural vines and other materials to weave baskets. At times it’s been artistic and at times therapeutic. All the time, that process for me has been deeply spiritual – and yet it’s the part of my artistic expression with which I was the least comfortable. I mean honestly, we’re talking about basket weaving here! First of all, most guys don’t consider that the “manly” thing to do. Secondly, how many jokes have YOU heard about basket weaving as the favorite activity of mental patients. Thirdly, as someone ‘busy’ with ministry, how could I justify spending time on what seemed like a meaningless hobby when I should be ‘working for the Lord’ and serving my family? (Can’t you just feel the religion all over that? Yuk!).

As I’ve grown as an artist and as one who is called to walk with artists in their journey of faith in the Kingdom, I know all too well that my story is the story of thousands. Ones who love the Father and desire to serve Him, but feel misunderstood and marginalized by religious mindsets and preconceived notions of what is spiritual and valued by the Father. How is it that the times I have heard and engaged the Holy Spirit in my creative process have had little to do with Church, ministry or organized religious activity? Rather, it has been in the quiet moments walking in the woods, enjoying the kudzu-covered hillsides of north Georgia and creating something beautiful out of crusty, gnarled vines that I have sensed His pleasure so deeply.

Light Bulb Moments
It’s funny. I’m still getting comfortable with this title of ‘artist.’ Just a few weeks ago, I was leading worship at a large youth camp in South Carolina. During the course of the week, I struck up a conversation with the camp nurse. She sat at the leaders table and we shared about our lives, interests, hopes and dreams. One day I talked about being a worship leader and songwriter. Then later on I’m sharing about the clients I am working with as a designer and marketing consultant. Later in the week, she saw me sitting on a log outside the lodge weaving a basket out of kudzu and wisteria vines. Another day we discussed my passion for raising up artists and The Worship Studio (an artist community I lead with a team of other artists in Canton, GA). By the end of the week, she just laughed and said, “So, Matt, what do you do for money?” I had to chuckle and say “Well, a little bit of everything – however the Lord brings it.” In that moment, she said something very profound to me, which I have to admit made me feel a little uncomfortable at first. She said “Well, you’re quite the artist aren’t you?” I thought for a moment and then like a rush of wind in my spirit, the Holy Spirit said “Yes you are, and I love it!”

What the Lord began to show me on my own journey as an artist in the Kingdom is that I’m not like everyone else, nor am I supposed to be. The very sensitivities and creative spark that He has put in me is the very essence He wants me to explore with Him. His desire is not for me to jump on some corporate treadmill, get a dead end job and have a hobby on the weekends when I have nothing else to do. He has created me as one who is a creator – a co-laborer with Him in the Kingdom – a dreamer who desires what could be, sees what others miss, loves beauty, appreciates detail, and senses His presence at the most inopportune times. I am an artist.

Ramping Up
During a recent season of healing and brokenness in my own journey, the Father began to really show me how to walk with Him as an artist and engage Him on a deeper level creatively. It came after a job loss. I was a worship pastor most of my career. In 2003, I left full-time ministry during a mess at the local church I was serving. God was working on all of us, and honestly, God needed to get at some places in me that He couldn’t get to in the context of church. Long story short, I started a design firm, grew it pretty large over a period of about 5 years, made a lot of money and then lost it all – I mean all. I floated for a little bit, worked some odd jobs and then settled in a corporate job at a major multi-billion dollar technology firm doing sales and marketing. I did well there, even won a lot of awards, but was never fulfilled. The whole time I was crying out for God to rescue me from ‘cubicle hell!’ He was working something deeper in me.

During that season, I had come to the place where the Lord was opening up doors for ministry again as a worship leader. Conferences, retreats and even some interviews for worship pastor position at some large churches around the country flowed in. I was getting antsy. Part of me wanted to escape. The other part of me really wanted to engage creatively again. After almost a year at the company, I was laid off in a massive corporate downsize because of the economy. I was faced with a choice – jump back into a dead-end job that will pay the bills or lay it all down and let God do what He was going to do. For me, it was one of those Paul moments where I was like “Why not just go for it? I can’t lose anything more than I’ve already lost. And who knows, God might just show up this time!” He did, and in a powerful way.

Popcorn
During this season of waiting, the Lord told me several things. First, he showed me a picture of a huge field with mountains, the sky and a breeze blowing through the field. Then He said “Don’t look for a job, your provision will come like popcorn.” As I looked at the field again, popcorn started popping everywhere and He said to me “I’m turning up the heat and pouring in the oil.” The next day, people started calling me out of the blue for websites, logo designs, and other design projects. Before I knew it, I had 6 clients and was making more money than I was when I was working fulltime in cubicle land.

Right after that, the Lord had me start seeking Him in a more intense way. My wife and son would be out the door in the mornings by 6:45am. I’d grab my coffee, go downstairs in my studio and begin to seek God. I’d lay on the floor, worship, cry, read the Word, journal, walk around, intercede and anything else He told me to do. Then, before I knew it, lunchtime had rolled around and I’d eat lunch. Then I’d go over to my church and seek Him some more in the prayer room. This went on for weeks. All I was doing for most of the day was what I call ‘soaking prayer’ – literally just laying in His presence and allowing His love to wash me and renew me in a deep way.

Pretty soon, the Lord began to pour out great vision for my life, my art, my destiny as a father to artists and even business opportunities that I had not even dreamed of. It was during this time that I began to see how the Lord wanted to connect the dots with His presence and my creative expression.

1) The Secrets of the Kingdom are our inheritance (Luke 8:10)
There are things that God wants to release in the earth – secrets – that He will only reveal to those who diligently seek Him and who desire His kingdom, not their own. He is the source of all creativity. He already owns everything. He knows everything. Every problem, challenge or issue that’s in the world today He already has a solution for it all – He’s just looking for some passionate lovers of His heart that He can reveal those to.

2) Filled and Skilled (Exodus 31:1ff)
The Father loves craftsmen and artists. Since the beginning of creation, He’s allowed people to walk in creative authority in the earth with Him, under His inspiration. All throughout the Bible (Tabernacle of David, Building of the Temple of Solomon, Tabernacle of Moses, etc), God speaks of filling artists with the Holy Spirit and endowing them with skill in artistic expression for the purposes of beauty and prophesying. He’s doing the same thing today – filling artists with the Holy Spirit and teaching them how to involve Him in the creative process. The result is not just art for art’s sake, but co-laboring in creative expression that literally carries the presence and the power of God – prophetically declaring His purposes in the earth. God Himself is a multi-faceted Creator, and He loves sharing His nature with those who care to partake.

I’ve also noticed during this season that as I put my focus on becoming more skilled in my craft – whether that be design, music or craft – I sense the presence of God much stronger. Skill brings freedom; specifically, the freedom to respond to the Holy Spirit in a unique expression of creativity. Without skill, I believe we limit our ability to co-labor with Him in the Kingdom.

Excellence is an honor to Him, and a more accurate representation of who He is. Sure, God can ‘boom’, give us the skill. However, I’ve found the Father is much more about the journey to skill and the process of development than He is about the end result we so desire. We come to know Him and ourselves better in the process. It is astounding!

3) Focus on the Kingdom brings Creative Inspiration
Jesus said, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.” If you need anything added to you, seek the Kingdom. Whatever you need in your life, seek the Kingdom and seek His presence. When we connect our desire to Him and His heart, all the things that we need in our life suddenly begins to manifest. Connection to His purposes unlocks a divine flow in our life where we are able to walk in prophetic expression in every area we put our hands to.

I’m walking now in creative expression in areas I never thought possible. For example, the Lord is showing me new ways to create vessels using gourds, scripture, color and hand-tools. I’m writing new songs, learning new designs for baskets, creating new work for clients. The divine flow of creativity is causing my worlds to collide. To be honest, it’s quite freeing – to know that God is free to move through all of me at any time using many different creative expressions of my life.

4) Extended Time In His Presence Yields Extraordinary Creativity
God has wrought into my being the understanding that time with Him and in His presence yields much more than I could ever do on my own. It refreshes me, centers my heart for the day and causes me to listen for Him in ways that are different than what I can experience in the day-to-day busy-ness of life. The Father longs to give good gifts to His children – to dote on you – to make you smile – to give you the desires of your heart. We have to choose to be with Him. When we do, He stands ready to pour out such love, inspiration and creativity on us that once we experience it, we will never desire to go back to life as usual.

Hearing God in Your Creative Process (Part 1)

15 Tuesday Feb 2011

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For the artist, our creativity is at the heart of our being.  It’s within the exploration of our creative self that we most sense a connection with the Father because:

  • God is a creator and we are created in His image
  • He lives in us through the Holy Spirit
  • Creativity is not just something we do, it’s who we are.  We are creative.

For many artists, connection to the creative self is something that’s easier said than done and the reasons why can be as varied as the number of people you ask.  Maybe you never thought God even cared about that part of your life.    Maybe engaging your true creativity brings up bad memories of dreams lost, hopes unfulfilled or emotions stuffed long ago.

If God is creative and we are created in His image, then we are creative.  And if the source of all creativity is God, then our search for ultimate creativity must be rooted and grounded in Him.  Our search for creativity at the end of the day is really our search for the fullness of God in and through our life.

Most of the time, creative ideas are not the fruit of a single moment in time, but rather the result of a process over time.  Skill development births creative freedom.  Investing in relationships births intimacy. Learning to listen brings clarity to speak.

In my search for more information on “the creative process”, I came across a great article by blogger Charlie Gilkey called “Demystifying the Creative Process“.    He believes that the creative process has 4 distinct phases.  They include:

  • Preparation: getting ready, revisiting old projects, doodling, etc.
  • Incubation: thinking about the project consciously and subconsciously
  • Illumination: the eureka moment – you’ve got it!
  • Implementation: doing what you’ve dreamed

In thinking about my own creative process, I have discovered 3 distinct yet related phases.  Distinct in that they each yield a different result.  Related because each phase relies on the next to propagate continued creativity.   They include Intent, Creation & Enjoyment.  In my next blog I’ll dive into each of these phases in more detail.  Stay tuned!

Easily Provoked: Confessions of an Artist

13 Thursday Jan 2011

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The Worship Studio, Prophetic Art, Worship Art, Christian Arts MinistryNo matter how talented an artist I am, or how much God chooses to use me creatively in the Kingdom, at the end of the day it boils down to one thing.  Am I walking in Love? Recently in my own journey I have found the Father calling me to a deeper walk of Love. He’s been challenging me to make love my reflex, not just an afterthought.  It is easy to talk about love but when it comes down to it, I have to be honest – it’s something the Father has to work in me. It is not my natural reaction. If you’re an artist I would venture to say you probably deal with this same challenge.

Over the years, one of the primary challenges I have faced in my love walk comes out of I Corinthians 13:4 where Paul says that Love is not “easily provoked.” Honestly, I have a tendency to be very easily provoked. If a situation arises and it’s something I care deeply about, or has the potential to shine a negative light on me then it’s on. I’ve recognized this pattern time and time again in my own life. Finally, I got the memo and began to ask the Holy Spirit for help!

Recently, I’ve taken time to explore this phenomena with the Lord and found that at the core of my propensity to be easily provoked is a desire to self- protect. Here’s how it happens. I have my life all planned out (of course there are no perfectionistic tendencies here) and then some situation or well-meaning person comes along, and in my opinion, screws things up. It could be as simple as changing a date or a time for an event, challenging my reasoning for a decision, or calling into question my motives. These sort of questions cut deep to the core of my being and my natural reaction is to come out with a Braveheart-esque vigor to defend what is mine. Phrases like “it’s not fair” or “that will make me look bad” are often at the core of my anger, revealing a not-so-righteous indignation and delusional feelings of self-importance. Consequently, it set me up for many a heated battle that often ends in strained personal and public relationships.

As I’ve embarked on this intentional journey of Love, the Father started showing me that my desire to self-protect and defend myself so vigorously was rooted in my lack of trust in Him as my protector. That was hard to swallow at first but upon deeper examination was found to be absolutely true.  n my own self, I am much more comfortable in taking the sword and “cutting off the ear” of anyone who comes against me rather than allowing my Father to be my defender. This propensity comes from the patterns that I learned growing up in a very emotionally dysfunctional household. I learned to believe that unless I protected myself, no one else would. Consequently, control, perfectionism and rigid image control was the name of the game. A life based on lies produces fear, not love.

The truth about Love is that the Father never asked me to defend myself. He declares in His Word that He is my defender, my rock, my fortress, my very present help in time of need. My challenge and yours is to, in that split second of time when we have the opportunity to choose a reaction to a provocative situation, to choose Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the Father is leading each of us to a life of trusting Him. It’s like the lyrics to Desert Song that says, “All of my life, in every season you are still God. I have a reason to sing, I have a reason to worship.”  No matter what’s going on in my life I can choose to trust Father and walk in love or pick up the sword and chop some ears. His desire for each of us is that we be free to completely love others and completely trust Him for the details. As for me, I’m learning to put down my sword.

From Cloud to Crowd: Moving from Experience to Demonstration

23 Saturday Oct 2010

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This phrase came to me the other day as I was praying and thinking about my own paradigm for life and ministry: “From Cloud to Crowd.” My basic thoughts were based in a frustration that many of us in the church seem to be continually waiting on God to come down in some sort of supernatural phenomena like a cloud, revival or ‘wave’ of His Glory that will automatically bring people into the Kingdom, fill the church to overflowing and cause all the world systems to stand up and take notice. While I understand the historical context for this type of thought and I definitely believe it’s possible, in my heart, I believe Jesus is calling us to more.

It seems that Jesus’ focus on the earth was moving ‘from cloud to crowd’ – that is, He lived in the manifest presence of His Father as a lifestyle, doing what He saw the Father doing, spending intimate time in worship and prayer, and from that Glory was compelled into the crowd of people in His generation who desperately needed to see, touch, feel, hear and know the Gospel of the Kingdom. If we choose to live only for the cloud, we wait with a singular, experience-based destination in mind and can tend to discount this incredible journey God’s called us to in the Kingdom. Jesus’ call to each of us is to live in the cloud and move with it into the crowd – the world, among people – where we become the incarnate Jesus among our fellow man, releasing the Kingdom and revealing His Glory in the unique ways He’s gifted and called us.

To live only in the crowd is a recipe for disaster where all your energy, strength, discernment and focus will be depleted in a flesh-based, watered-down presentation of a touchy-feely gospel.  In contrast, to live only in the cloud experience is to cut short the purposes of God through you in your generation. Focusing all our attention on experiencing His Presence inside the walls of the church or our homes for that matter can quickly make us bloated, insulated and self-centered.

The Kingdom message has always been a “Go and Tell” message, not just “Come and See” experience. People on the street want to know, “What does God think about me?  What’s His plan for my life?  How can I connect with something bigger than myself?  What’s the meaning of all this thing called ‘life’?”  “Go and Tell” requires that we have fresh revelation, real power, supernatural love, prophetic discernment and authentic passion to share the Gospel of the Kingdom with others. The “Come and See” mentality tends to put the burden on the person who doesn’t yet understand the Gospel of the Kingdom – asking them do desire something they don’t even know they need.

A purely ‘come and see’ mentatlity can also perpetuate a paradigm of living that’s more concerned about separating from people who haven’t yet come to know who Jesus in an effort to maintain our ‘righteousness.’  Instead, the Father calls each of us to walk with people in authentic relationship, revealing the testimony of Jesus and demonstrating the power of His Kingdom in our daily life.

A passion for the Glory and Presence of God must always be coupled with the release of that Glory in the earth in the context of authentic relationship. Much of the church today has lost the power of the Glory of God in the streets – the true demonstration of the Kingdom – because it’s become more comfortable for us to “minister to Him,” pull back from culture, enjoy the ‘Body of Christ’ and mask our fears in spiritual terminology like “waiting on God.”  The Father is looking for radical dreamers who will dare to co-labor with Him in creative ways to see a generation of sons and daughters come to know the Glory of His presence and fulfill their God-given destiny in His Kingdom. The world is looking for the real Jesus… they just don’t see Him yet.

The simple fact is, you are the cloud! You are the carrier of His Glory in the earth! You are the vehicle in which God has chosen to pour out His Spirit in your generation! Don’t back up from all that the Father has deposited in you! Press in to your inheritance and move with the cloud into the crowd to demonstrate the power of the Kingdom.

Raising Up An Army of Artists: A Celtic Model of Ministry

18 Monday Oct 2010

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I just finished hosting an incredible weekend called “Gathering of Artisans” with artists and creative people from fourteen different states around the country. We were able to share vision and passion for who God has created us to be in the Kingdom while also being equipped for what’s next. Several times over the weekend, and in days before and since, I’ve been asked the question – “So Matt, how are you going to raise up an army of artists to reveal God’s Glory in the earth?” It’s a great question.

First of all, we are compelled to look beyond the walls of the Church as we raise up the army. The Father is passionately seeking all His creative ones – not just what we’d call “Christian Artists.”  When I see the valley of dry bones before me – millions of artists passionate for creativity and desiring a deeper meaning to this life – I have often wondered “How will they hear? How will they come to know Jesus in an authentic way?” The questions rage loudly in my head not because I don’t trust the Holy Spirit to reveal the Father through Jesus but rather my own preconceived notions of how people actually come to know Jesus.

For me and millions of others in western Christianity, we were assimilated into the Church after we became believers. Before that, we would have been termed “lost” and not easily welcomed into the community of Christ-followers because we didn’t follow all the rules, look the part, or accept blindly the myriad of standards imposed by church culture. My whole life I’ve had this sense of ‘us and them’, ‘lost and saved’, ‘secular and sacred.’ Understanding this dynamic and knowing creative people as I do has caused me to cry out to the Lord for His strategy – not man’s cookie-cutter religious system.

As Jack Taylor often says, I’m not anti-church, I’m pro-Kingdom. In my search for Kingdom ways of doing things, I’ve come to understand and appreciate what many have termed a ‘Celtic’ model of ministry as opposed to the more traditional ‘Roman’ model which most modern churches employ. Here’s a short comparison of the two from blogger, Seth McBee:

Traditional Evangelism
(Believe in Jesus then belong to the church)

  • Gospel info is presented
  • Hearers are called to make a decision about Christ
  • If an affirmative decision is made, the person is welcomed into the church.
  • Friendship is extended to the person
  • The convert is trained for service in ministry by being separated from culture

Celtic Way of Evangelism
(Belong to the church then believe in Jesus)

  • A genuine spiritual friendship between a Christian and a non-Christian is built.
  • The non-Christian sees authentic faith and ministry lived openly and participates in it.
  • The Gospel is naturally present in word and deed within the friendship.
  • The non-Christian’s conversion to Jesus follows his/hers conversion to Christian friendship and the church.
  • The church celebrates the conversion of their friend.

If you’re like me, the first time I saw this comparison I was so sad because of how I had operated for so many years and at the same time overjoyed because I now had somewhat of a framework for what I’ve always called ‘relational ministry.’ I had to stop and ask myself things like, “You mean it’s really ok just to have an authentic friendship with someone and not invite them to church, present the Roman’s Road or quiz them on their Bible knowledge in order to validate their friendship?” The answer is absolutely, unequivocally yes and the reason is not what you might think.

To many in the west this Celtic model of ministry seems like a lazy-man’s evangelism. I have to admit feeling my good old protestant work ethic coming up all the time saying, “Shouldn’t you do something?” Here’s what I’m coming to understand. I believe at the end of the day the Father’s desire is that we operate just like Jesus did – only doing what He saw the Father doing, saying what He heard the Father saying. He wants us to be in such close relationship with Him through Word and Spirit that we trust Him to bring about divine encounters with the right people at the right time in the right season to produce the maximum fruit. The problem with church people is that we go squirly on people, thinking we have to ‘do’ something when in reality all the Father’s asking us to do is love people and obey His voice.

I have a great friend here in Asheville who’s been a master potter for over twenty-five years now. She shared a story with me of a friend of hers who was a fellow potter and classmate in art school. For eighteen years they were friends – my friend, a believer, her friend, not. For eighteen years she lived a testimony of the incarnate Gospel before her friend, trusting that the Father would bring her into the Kingdom at the right time.  Eventually the friend came to know Jesus in a very powerful way and soon asked my friend, ‘Why didn’t you tell me sooner?’  The answer: “You weren’t ready to hear it.” It’s the Father that draws people to repentance, not us. It’s the Holy Spirit that convicts of sin, not us. When it’s the right time, as we trust the Father and actively co-labor with Him in His purposes, the friends we hold dear will come to know Him.

Friends, if we can learn to simply love people, colabor with the Father in our areas of influence to release the Kingdom and trust the voice of the Holy Spirit in our daily walk we’ll see thousands, even millions come into the Kingdom – not because we guilted someone into making a decision they never intended to keep, but because we trusted the Father enough to use us in His timing in the lives of people we authentically love.  Let’s let God be God and not shortchange the journey of those we walk with daily in order to get another spiritual notch in our belt. I am choosing to trust, believing that it’s worth the wait! Will you join me?

Releasing the Kingdom Within You

16 Monday Aug 2010

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I have been in a season of holy discontent lately as I pondered a question: What is the focus of the Christian life – building the church or releasing the kingdom? I have come to believe that proclaiming, releasing and demonstrating the Kingdom in power is our primary calling and that the church is simply a byproduct of real Kingdom life lived out in the context of community.

Jesus said that building the church was His job in the first place, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. The frustration for many today is that our focus on building the church seems to have it all backwards. For generations, the focus of Christians has been to gather people into a building or an organization in order to preach the gospel of salvation, save people from hell and get them out of the world, when in fact, what Jesus taught was so very different. Jesus preached the gospel of the Kingdom – the Lordship of the Father, through the Son, led by the Holy Spirit – and demonstrated how that Lordship should pervade every area of our life, creatively, professionally, in family relationships or just walking down the street. We misrepresent the message of Jesus by focusing only on a salvation message, when the Gospel of the Kingdom is so much more! It’s about life abundant here and now – doing what we see the Father doing, going where he says go, saying what he says to say and co-laboring with Him in every part of society to release His eternal, unshakable Kingdom.

So how does this change my day to day life?  I’m still working through alot of this right now in my own journey. However, one thing I’m doing more and more is focusing my efforts less on inviting people to be a part of an organization or group called the church and more and more focusing on demonstrating the power and presence of God in my daily life – the Kingdom – so the real Jesus can show up on the scene. When I cooperate with Him, doing what He shows me to do, He is the one that brings the power and ultimately the change in the lives of people with whom I interact. The cool thing is that the church ends up growing as the Kingdom expands. Otherwise, we’re wasting our time building social clubs that love the form but deny the power, trying to draw people the Holy Spirit hasn’t yet drawn – ultimately guilting people into a decision they never intend to keep. On the other hand, when the Holy Spirit draws the heart of someone, preparing them for a ‘divine setup’ and then places me in the middle of their daily life to demonstrate the Kingdom, real transformation will take place and Jesus will be glorified.

Father, help me today to co-labor with you and release your Kingdom in power!

Imagination Redeemed

03 Tuesday Aug 2010

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Art & The Bible, Francis SchaefferI was reading one of the classics in the realm of art and faith this week in my studio – Art & the Bible by Francis Schaeffer. One of the issues he deals with in the book is one I have faced many times as a worship pastor and minister to creative people – what is “Christian Art” and what is appropriate creative expression for artists who are Christians?  Should the subject of our work always be overtly spiritual in nature, or is there room for the expression of beauty beyond accepted religious subject matter?

At this point in my life, the most difficult part about hearing a question like that for me is not slapping the person asking it! (Quit laughing!) Honestly, I get so frustrated with people in the church who segment their lives into ‘secular’ and ‘sacred’! In reality, life in the Kingdom and especially creative expression in the Kingdom is all about the merging of the two – sacred and secular – into a divine dance. It’s all about seeing the creativity of the Father, inspired by the Holy Spirit, show up in unexpected places and bring His presence, power and healing to individuals and culture.

So where’s the line between sacred and secular? Is there a line? And, is there room for beauty that doesn’t carry an overtly religious theme? To answer these questions, Schaeffer masterfully explains how the redemption of man and Lordship of Christ include the whole man and all of his nature – not just the religious portion of his life.  Therefore, anything he puts his hand to, especially the creative, can and should be redeemed – regardless if it is religious in theme. Schaeffer explains, “When a man comes under the blood of Christ, his whole capacity as a man is refashioned.  His soul is saved, yes, but so are his mind and body. True spirituality means the Lordship of Christ over the total man.” (Francis Schaeffer, Art & the Bible, page 10). How much more the imagination of an artist!

The Father’s desire for all artisans in the Kingdom is the redemption and restoration of our imagination in order to infuse us with His creative nature. He wants all of us – spirit, soul and body – to be saturated with all of Him.