Tired of Feeling Misunderstood in Church? Here’s a Better Way Forward.
How to be pastored, cared for and encouraged if you're a Christian creative.
Growing up as a creative in church, I never really knew where I fit.
I loved design, music, art, photography, and dreaming up new ideas, sometimes all at once.
Our backyard was my lab, my studio, and just a place for wild experiments.
I remember building and then burning a giant powerpoint (haha, it’s a long story), painting elaborate backdrops, and band rehearsals.
I lobbied for more current music and new ways of doing church. Our pastors tried to understand, sometimes bewildered by all the ideas, but they did their best to make space.
For a long time, I thought it was just me, and that the ache for belonging as a creative person was a selfish feeling. But I’ve come to realize that it really isn’t.
It was when we moved to Hillsong that I found a community of creatives, and I realized we need to shepherd one another, not just as creatives, but as people. And as a result, Cass and I have been passionate our whole pastoral lives about the need to pastor 2 things - the person and the gift.
I‘ve learned that too many creatives are applauded on the platform but ignored off it. And when your worth feels tied to what you produce, it’s hard to believe you’re truly seen.
Have you ever felt like that? Asked those questions no one voices, like “Who actually cares for me while I’m giving my all every weekend?”
Over the years, we’ve spoken with literally thousands of creatives, and the feeling is universal. So many feel overdrawn and underseen.
So what does it actually look like to be cared for?
How do we shepherd creatives with intention?
This month, we are committed to talking about pastoring creatives. So if you are a creative that needs pastoring, or a pastor of creatives, I hope you find this invaluable.
I’ve spent a lot of years living this post, but now I’ve taken some time to write down my pastoral approach from Psalm 23. I hope it is not only personally encouraging but also serves as a guide to help you be shepherded well, even if no one is currently pastoring you.
Pastoring creatives is both sacred and complex. I’ve attempted to pull together a guide you can use right away. Below are six simple shifts that pastors and leaders can make, along with key scriptures, and small things that make a big difference when it comes to shepherding creatives, not just their gift.
If you're in a role where you care for creatives, officially or even unofficially, this is advice for you. Perhaps you’re the creative and need a little more care. Allow us to pastor you today, and/or feel free to share this with your pastor (with grace and humility).