and it wasn’t even a “Christian” concert.
A few years ago, I led worship on a retreat for a room full of seminary wives and students. Even though we were from all over the world, we had Jesus in common. We also had a need for rest and refreshment. My Northern Irish friend shipped her mom across the pond as our keynote speaker. [...]
artful markings
We all have mundane moments. You know, the ones that are boring and barely worth noting. Like the drab experience of checking out at the grocery store… Or the hazy everydayness of making the morning coffee… Or the commute home… Then we have moments of grand gesture. Like wearing dark oversized robes and a square [...]
book review: creative theology
Creativity. Artist. Church. Bible. Creation. Creator. Throw all these words together in an explanatory fashion and I want to read what you have to say. And this is exactly what Sam did. And as I turned each page of Creative Theology, I found myself gaining a new insight into the relationship between all those words. [...]
[mankind toons] Jesus feeds the five thousand
![[mankind toons] Jesus feeds the five thousand](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/mankind-toons-five-thousand-150x150.jpg)
And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. ~ Matthew 14:21 Source: MankindToons.com (used with permission)
a short lesson in journalism for the Christian blogger
On the first day of journalism class, I ask my budding new reporters an important question to kick things off: “By a show of hands, who in this room trusts news reporters?” And every time – every single time – no one raises a hand. (Insert sound of crickets here.) These are the students who [...]
how taking pictures makes me a better writer
The comment said, “brilliant bokeh Dan.” And I was like, “huh, what?” She continued, “amazing that you captured this with a DROID!” And moving from the confused look to the big cheesy smile look I was like, “oh yeah!” The comment was on one of my photos on Flickr for a PhotoPlay project at TheHighCalling.org, [...]
[mankind toons] rocks, paper, scissors
![[mankind toons] rocks, paper, scissors](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/penguins-150x150.jpg)
Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. ~ Genesis 6:20
how is your environment impacting you? [a @thehighcalling photoplay]
![how is your environment impacting you? [a @thehighcalling photoplay]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/rusty-bracket-150x150.jpg)
Rust. That’s the focus of the current PhotoPlay at The High Calling. In basic terms, rust happens when iron and oxygen react to each other in the presence of water or air moisture. The crazy thing about it is that iron is relatively unaffected when by pure water or dry air. While both are harmless by themselves, [...]
10 ways pain can help us tell story better
Pain is ‘painful’ and mostly not desired but a lot of people are always affected one way or the other by it and creators of art aren’t always left out. And some say that a creator (a writer especially) has more to create when the person has experienced a lot of pain. Most have heard [...]
my history [five images for @thehighcalling photoplay]
![my history [five images for @thehighcalling photoplay]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/beach-days1-150x150.jpg)
History is important. We can learn so much from it. So when I saw that the theme for The High Calling’s latest PhotoPlay was sharing images that represent our past I was excited to take a look at my own personal history. I was excited to see what I could learn about myself. Too often [...]
on ‘untitled: thoughts on the creative process’ [an interview with @blainehogan]
![on 'untitled: thoughts on the creative process' [an interview with @blainehogan]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/blank-page-150x150.jpg)
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat there staring at a blinking cursor. It’s not like I’ve run out of ideas. I can talk about anything. But sometimes looking at a blank page is just intimidating. I don’t know if it’s the expectation that comes with a full-page, or maybe it’s the fear [...]
on the creative collective [an interview with @blainehogan]
![on the creative collective [an interview with @blainehogan]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/creative-collective-150x150.jpg)
I think the word is synergy. It’s the idea that the result is greater than the sum of its parts. In other words, one plus one equals three (or four, or five). That’s a pretty powerful concept if you really think about it. An idea like this really emphasizes the importance of community. Something special [...]
on creativity for every Christian [an interview with @blainehogan]
![on creativity for every Christian [an interview with @blainehogan]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/church-girl-150x150.jpg)
One theme that I’ve seen pop up over and over around here is this idea of the importance of community in the church. I’ve been thinking about how the church has become very focused on the ‘anointing’ of specific individuals as it relates to our spiritual growth. As a result, we overlook the power of the [...]
how churches can be creative [an interview with @blainehogan]
![how churches can be creative [an interview with @blainehogan]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/the-preacher-150x150.jpg)
Not every church can have a Blaine Hogan on staff. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t implement a creative vision like his in your church. In part two of this five-part interview with Blaine, we take a look at some of the things that the average church can do to be creative. What I [...]
[creative matters] chapter five: further thoughts from the front lines
![[creative matters] chapter five: further thoughts from the front lines](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/CreativeMatters-chapter5-bottom1-150x150.jpg)
In collecting these quotes, the overarching theme of chapter five began to take shape in my mind. As artists, as creatives, as innovative thinkers, we have the responsibility and duty and joy to influence the Church, by reminding her who she’s been, who she is, and who she is becoming. Of course, their concepts are [...]
[creative matters] chapter four: resisting resistance
![[creative matters] chapter four: resisting resistance](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/Glinda-and-Munchkin-150x150.jpg)
Call Me Glinda: Tension and Relief for Successful Work Teams This past weekend I saw the broadway show Wicked. It was a hilarious re-envisioning of the Oz story, centered on the bond between two unlikely friends: Elphaba and Glinda. They couldn’t have been more different. Elphaba was unpopular, brunette, and analytical. She had a thing [...]
[creative matters] chapter three: getting to work
![[creative matters] chapter three: getting to work](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/290-150x150.jpg)
5 Lessons From Hackers To IgNiTe Your Creativity It is a Monday morning and sun dapples against my cheeks as I make my way down the cobbled streets of downtown Dublin. Temple Bar is a collection of alleyways that hide and boast in equal measure the creatives and addicts of this city. I see the [...]
[creative matters] chapter two: bring on the blank canvas
![[creative matters] chapter two: bring on the blank canvas](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/blank-canvas-150x150.jpg)
This chapter features some of my favorite creatives and thinkers — people like Lisa Gungor and Blaine Hogan. I couldn’t do this chapter justice by writing a typical, rote review of the topics broached in it. It wouldn’t do it justice. Instead, I’ve opted for sharing what I’ve taken away from the chapter — what’s [...]
[creative matters] chapter one: created to create
![[creative matters] chapter one: created to create](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/light-150x150.jpg)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good… [...]
creative matters [an ebook by @createcoll]
![creative matters [an ebook by @createcoll]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/CreativeMatters-150x150.jpg)
I get into my car and drive to work. During the short commute that starts each day I’m blasted with dozens of signs and messages telling me what to do or think. Eventually they all simply become noise, blending in with each other so that not a single one is noticeable anymore. Why does creativity [...]
let’s talk [a photoplay on conversation for @thehighcalling]
![let's talk [a photoplay on conversation for @thehighcalling]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/conversation-community-uganda-150x150.jpg)
One of my favorite activities with The High Calling network is PhotoPlay. The current project is on conversation. Claire Burge says, “Conversation is an art. Capturing it is also an art.” The challenge is to capture conversations using shared best practices, and then convert the photo to black and white (I believe to enhance the focus [...]
who are you and what are you doing here?
There once was a rabbi who roamed the countryside meditating on scripture. From morning to night he would walk aimlessly through the wilderness inquiring of the Lord. As he walked he would tap his finger on his forehead as if to pound the truth direclty into his mind. One morning he set off into the wilderness pondering [...]
moving on [thoughts on jesus's last days]
![moving on [thoughts on jesus's last days]](http://bibledude.net/wp-content/uploads/last-supper-100x100.jpg)
Today is Maundy Thursday. We begin what many consider to be the most holy days of any year. We remember, solemnly, Jesus’s final days on Earth. As I have been reflecting on Jesus’s last days on earth, I can’t help but think about what it must have been like. How did he know his work [...]
the path
At least four inches of snow had fallen. It was much too cold and much too early for my muscles to be aware of what I was asking of them. I forced on my boots, grabbed my hat and gloves, and slipped out the front door. I was met immediately by the wind pounding hard [...]
