Counter-Cultural: The Result of Christian Creativity
Christian Creativity—It’s Counter-Cultural?
About
What is ”The Counter-Cultural Creative?”
Hi! Thanks for being here! My name is Jake Coffin, and I am a “Christian creative” (quotes used because this a term I will use a lot over the content of this site). Essentially, this means is that I love Jesus, I believe that He loved me so much that He died for me, and my creative endeavors are purposed to worship and glorify Him.
“The Counter-Cultural Creative” is the title of a book that is a work-in-progress. As I’ve been writing it, it’s become clear to me that I have lots of extra content on Christian creativity that I think would be extremely helpful on a blog platform—hence, the existence of this blog!
The Call and the Challenge
I believe that Christian creatives should be the most courageous, most innovative, most controversial, and most inspiring among the creatives out there. Why? Because of the reality of the God that we know!
I believe that those God has imbued with creative desires and talents are called to make major changes and moves in the Kingdom of God, by telling stories, painting pictures, stirring up ideas, setting goals, you-name-it. We have a call—a calling from God to use the gifts He’s given us for his glory and the advancement of his Kingdom. We’ve been given a special, powerful way to share the Gospel. We have a responsibility to get it out there—to use it.
Creativity is a practice of exploring—new perspectives, approaches, designs, etc. A Christian, as in a follower of Christ, by default, will be counter-culturally creative. Just like Christ did while his physical feet walked this earth. Christian creativity should be a stark contrast to what the world has to offer. Doing what the rest of the world is doing and slapping a Christian logo on it isn’t enough. From root to fruit, Christian creatives should aim to be not only creative and innovative, but to be truly counter-cultural.
The Work-In-Progress
From top-to-bottom, this is a work-in-progress. The book, the blog, and the life-application of everything within it.
As a Creative Writing degree holder, I am a big advocate for the Workshop process, where professionals and amateurs alike come together and swap ideas, share expertise and experiences, all for the purpose of building one another up so that each person can see individual success (sounds an awful lot like what the local church is supposed to be, right?)
If you are a Christian artist and counter-cultural creative who is looking for inspiration, looking for ways to impact your community as a Christian, or looking for another way, another definition of what it means to be an artist in today’s world, I hope that you will give this blog a try. And when the book is done (end of 2021 is the goal!), maybe you will give that a try too!
Every one of us is in a work-in-progress. Let’s get in the Workshop together!