Every week, it’s so inspiring to see the wealth of wisdom and knowledge that is shared using the Internet every day. So, every Friday we round up a few of our favorite items – photos, videos, articles, quotes and blog-posts – in the hopes that you will be as encouraged and inspired by them as we are.
This week, as we came off of the cultural wave of the Super Bowl, we started thinking about what it means to be a Christ-follower and an artistic shaper of culture. How can we make an impact for good in our world, through creative expression? As we mused, discussed and read about this topic, we came across a few great resources that we wanted to pass on to you.
Pop culture, media and Christianity
Bianca Juarez and her husband, Matt, struggle with how to live authentically and creatively in the world without losing their identity in Christ. “Everyday, we are in the spotlight everywhere we go—I pray we live out the Gospel in whatever spot light God has given you.” Check out the rest of the article here.
How can you live out your faith in the “spotlight” of the world?
After reading that article you may be encouraged to see the popular receipt that has been circulating this week alongside one that was posted yesterday by Ed Stetzer.
This video, from Q ideas (an organization we’ve recommended before, here) gave us some great ideas to think about and even a calling to consider. What is our responsibility, as Christians, to the arts?
A call for more intellect
As we endeavor to engage in the arts, it’s wise to heed both the signs of the times and the pitfalls they come with. As blogger Andi says: “I need to go deeper with my thoughts, to push beyond what I can fit in 140 characters. I need to read books that challenge my mind and my ideas. I need that mental rigor to keep me healthy and sane.” You can read the rest of the post here.
Do you feel trapped by the swiftness of social media and technology? How can you take time to go deep?
Gussy Sews’ creative life
Since we can only do so much musing, we thought it would be fun to end with a practical post on how to practice creativity. This is actually the fifth post in a series on this topic, and we encourage you to click through and check the whole series out here.
What do you think about living a creative life and using the arts to point to Christ? How can this become a reality in your life this week?
Check out an earlier Take Five post here