Some people are creative wonders, creating incredible works of art using their skills and talents. Others, not so much. People can also be creative with their words, building relationships and coalitions that invite unity and blessing.
But why is it important for Christians to create in the first place? We can learn much about the importance of creative expression from the Word of God.
1. The Creative Trinity Inspires Us to Create
According to the Bible, all three persons of the Trinity were involved in creating the world.
Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The words “in the beginning” mean in the beginning of time; God existed before time was created. Time is measured by the light of days and darkness of nights (Genesis 1:2-5). In Psalm 102:25, the psalmist says God laid the earth's foundations, and the heavens are His handiwork. Jeremiah says that God made the earth “by His power,” founding it “by His wisdom,” and He mapped out the expanse of the heavens “by His understanding” (Jeremiah 10:12).
The New Testament further instructs that Jesus Christ, the Living Word, was involved in the creation of “all things” (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16). In Hebrews 1:2, Jesus is described as the agent of the creation; it was “through” Him.
The Holy Spirit was also involved in creation. Genesis 1:2 says the Spirit of God “was hovering over” the created bodies of water. Also, in Psalm 33:6, the words used are in reference to the Holy Spirit — the heavens were made “by the breath of his mouth.” The word for “spirit” is often translated in the Hebrew as “breath” or “wind.”
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are all creative forces, and everything God creates is good. Since we are created in God’s image and are meant to imitate Him, it follows that God can inspire us to develop personal creative expression. Creativity is one of the good gifts God gives to His children. Our creativity is simply a reflection of His.
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2. The Call to Stewardship Helps Us Understand Creativity
Before sin entered the world, God called Adam to stewardship. He was to use his God-given skills and strength to tend to the Garden of Eden and creatively name all the animals (Genesis 2:15, 19-20). It was work, but also his stewardship of the land that God had created. God’s command to be “fruitful and multiply” might also be described as part of obedient stewardship (Genesis 1:28).
The same God who fashioned us in the womb says through Paul, in Ephesians 2:10, that we were created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared beforehand for us to do. Imagine that. Before the world began, God designed specific "good works" for us to accomplish. That stewardship can extend to “good creations” as a way of praising and serving God and drawing others to consider Him.
For believers, creativity is incarnational, individual, and inspirational. It is incarnational because it stems from the grace we receive as new creations in Christ, the Incarnate. We can use our creativity in ways we might never have considered before we came to know Jesus. It is individual because God gifts us as uniquely designed people according to His will. It is inspirational because we can use our skills and talents to motivate or stir up love and good deeds in others for their spiritual growth.
God can use the stewardship of our skills to create beautiful or useful things, to comfort the hurting, and for many other positive reasons. Consider Bezalel, who engaged in various crafts, including metals, stones, and wood. Or young David, who played his lyre to calm King Saul, who was often plagued by an evil spirit. Or Lydia, who used her business skills creatively as a seller of luxury purple cloth in Thyatira. Or Dorcas (also called Tabitha), who created clothing to express her kindness to the poor. Or all the writers of the Bible that God used to teach, prepare, encourage, and comfort His people.
Jesus is also a good example of stewardship. He was not only creative in the creation we read about in Genesis but also as a steward of His creative gifts while living on Earth. He served as a tekton, creating valuable and beautiful things. Most people describe Jesus as a carpenter, but tekton can be translated as “carpenter,” “artisan,” “contractor,” or even “handyman.” Jesus might have crafted anything from cupboards to animal yokes or farmers’ plows.
Later, when the Lord began His teaching ministry, He taught through original, memorable parables — earthly stories He crafted to illustrate spiritual and heavenly meanings (Mark 4:34a). He was also the master of creativity as He served others. He performed many miracles and sometimes surprised people with His creativity in providing for them or healing them (for example, John 2:1-11 and Mark 7:31-37).
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3. The Bible Suggests Countless Topics for Our Creativity
In a message titled “The Importance of the Bible,” Dr. David Jeremiah said, “No book in the history of the world has inspired more creativity than the Bible.” It’s true. Countless works of art — music, painting, sculpture, books, and more — are based on biblical narratives. Consider Handel’s majestic Messiah, Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, and Michelangelo’s David.
Estimating the number of books about the Bible or biblical themes and truths is nearly impossible. John the Apostle believed that if all the things Jesus did were recorded, the world itself could not contain the books that would be written (John 21:25). In modern times, with the addition of websites, blogs, podcasts, photography, and such, the opportunities for creativity are endless. The Bible offers plenty of material for creative brainstorming.
Creative arts often reflect deep emotions. The Bible does not whitewash or sugarcoat feelings and attitudes. Within its pages, we read about joy, grief, anguish, jealousy, mistrust, rebellion, humility, and more. The “Hallelujah Chorus” lifts Christians’ hearts in joyful celebration. The sculpture The Pietà is a work of art that reveals Mary’s motherly, caring heart for her son and the terrible reality of our Savior’s death before His resurrection.
For Christians, creativity should be a vehicle to draw them closer to the Lord. Creativity often begins with awe concerning God and the desire to express that. While the culture tends to focus on practical purposes of creativity, God clearly delights in creation. He could have created a boring universe that merely sustained life, but instead, He created a beautiful, expansive environment. God wants us likewise to enjoy making beautiful things for our enjoyment and to bless others.
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4. It Takes Time and Perspective to Cultivate Creativity
The Bible teaches us how to create through some basic life principles. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul tells us we are to do all — that would include our artistic creations — “to the glory of God.” Colossians 3:17 says believers must do everything in the name of Jesus. Note that God does not divide secular from sacred regarding His children’s creative expression.
A desire for excellence should inspire the believer’s creativity. Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart.” The Bible celebrates those who excel in their God-given, special skills, crafts, and creations (Exodus 35:35). Whether we paint, garden, prepare a message, or cook a special recipe, we should always want to give our best effort. Wholehearted creativity may also help us prepare for our roles in the Kingdom. In heaven, when the believer enters his or her perfected state, creativity will be cultivated and bloom as never before.
Spending time with creative people can help us become more creative. Creative people are open to new ideas and how to express them. They don’t immediately shut down suggestions. Creative people can motivate us when we feel “stuck” in our creativity. Conversely, God might want us to show others how they can be more creative.
On the other hand, we may need to get alone to discover our creative best. Find places that feed creativity. It might be a walk in the park or an afternoon at a museum. Viewing others’ creations can motivate fresh viewpoints. Discover the best time of day to begin the creative process. For some, that might be early in the morning. For others, it might be after a good nap. Believers can pray about a doable rhythm for creativity and learn to relax. Stress does not lend itself to creative thinking.
One of the best ways to become creative is to allow God’s Word to dwell in our hearts richly (Colossians 3:16). Paul says we can then wisely teach and encourage others, and Paul mentions the ministry of music.
By the way, as you create, give yourself grace. While we want to strive for excellence, we might remember the old Amish saying: “Only God makes perfect things.”
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5. Gratitude For God’s Gifts Can Motivate Our Creativity
The Bible reminds us, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). And James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” Gifts from God should inspire gratitude, and from that grateful spirit, a desire to express our appreciation creatively.
A Christian might argue, “I don’t have any skills. God must not have given me any creative gifts.” That simply is not true. In Ephesians 4:8, Paul taught that when Jesus ascended, He generously “gave gifts to his people.” He bestowed gifts of various kinds upon believers as an expression of His grace. Most of those gifts are spiritual in nature and are called “spiritual gifts.” But God, in His grace, also gives special abilities, personal strength, and skills to develop for today and the Kingdom.
In our modern culture, people who feel they have little creativity can cultivate it through books, community classes, schools, instruction on the Internet, church groups, and many other places. We need others to help us understand our giftedness and how we can use it creatively.
Sometimes, creativity is hard to recognize. Our creativity might not solely manifest through something artistic we make. We might be creative in the connections we make. For instance, a woman lamented that she lacked skills and couldn’t be creative. After counseling, the woman began to see how her engaging smile, encouraging words, and cooking skills might be special means to serve God creatively. With that fresh understanding, she cultivated these gifts by making simple meals to deliver to shut-ins.
It’s never wise to compare God’s gifts to us with those He gives to others (2 Corinthians 10:12), and our skills and talents may change in different seasons of life. Often, our greatest sources for creative ministry arise from challenging circumstances. At other times, God gives us a deep desire — such as for justice, change, or redemptive acts — and we can use our creativity to make a difference.
For Christians, creativity is both important and valuable. We were created to be creatives. We’re called to steward our gifts and talents from God, and we can anticipate creative, even impressive, expression as He leads us.
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Originally published January 30, 2025.
