Creative Thinking audio video notes. Do we copy or create? An extraordinary church will be creative. Creative thinking is not taking someone’s idea and copying it or making it better. God did not take some different god’s idea and improve on it or make it applicable to what he wanted to accomplish. This is not to say this is wrong. If it works then use it. Creativity is taking nothing and making something. In everything God created he said either, Let there be or Let the…. or Let them… In everything God creates there is a creative productivity let loose.
Ordinary or Extraordinary
By Pastor Delbert Young
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at ‘Creative Thinking’
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Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at ‘Creative Thinking’
Scriptures: Genesis 1:1-14, Psalms 93:1, Psalms 97:1, 1 Chronicles 15:1, 2 Samuel 6:5, 1 Chronicles 23:5, 2 Chronicles 30:21
Ordinary people live ordinary lives and die having changed nothing. Extraordinary people live extraordinary lives and change everything they touch. Their lives affect others
Last time we were together we talked about Ordinary or Extraordinary concerning the church. All Sides Are the Same in the New Jerusalem. There is not a “bad side.” We talked about excellence and making our facility excellent. We are an extraordinary people and have been given an extraordinary message. So, we need to have an extraordinary facility projecting excellence. I have heard some wonderful ideas about things you say you would like to do to the facility. I hope they are followed up
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at ‘Creative Thinking’
Let’s read together and aloud.
Genesis 1:1-14
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, LET THERE BE light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 And God said, LET THERE BE a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
Genesis 1:10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 And God said, LET THERE BE lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at ‘Creative Thinking’
The Bible teaches us God created the heaven and the earth. How innovative! Out of nothing but void God created. There was nothing like this creation before. He was not doing what he had watched some other gods do. He said, “I want the earth here and the sun here and the moon here. I want these planets here and this solar system there.” What a creative idea. God created his environment. Our God is no ordinary God. Our God is extraordinary.
Are we (are you) ordinary or extraordinary in your ideas? Do we copy or create? An extraordinary church will be creative. It will be creative because the extraordinary God dwells within the members.
Creative thinking is not taking someone’s idea and copying it or making it better. God did not take another god’s idea and improve on it or make it applicable to what he wanted to accomplish. (This is not to say this is wrong. If it works then use it. That is not what we are talking about here). Creativity is taking nothing and making something.
In everything God created he said either, “Let there be” or “Let the….” or “Let them….”
In everything God creates there is creative productivity. Out of the void came heaven and earth. Out of darkness came light, and out of the waters came the firmament. Then out of the firmament came the great lights. Out of the great lights came seasons and days and years. Out of the waters came dry land, and out of the waters came moving creatures – the fowl that fly and the fish that swim. Next out of the land came grass, seed, and cattle; it was so good. Everything had a “let there be” or a “let the….” or a “let them….” Everything was given a creative ability
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at ‘Creative Thinking’
When God was ready to create man he said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” The Bible says God breathed into the nostrils of man and man became a living soul. The difference between a man and an animal or a bird or a fish is man is a living soul. Animals have minds but not souls. The soul is the creative part that is like God! Within each of us, there is a let there be or a let it… We are new creations. We are created by God, and we are created with creativity. From each of us should come something not existing before.
Life Gate Church is not like any other church. The reason for this is because we are extraordinary people. We are a creative people. I believe the change of the century and the new millennium will bring yet more creative ideas and ways to preach the everlasting gospel.
We are creative because a creative God dwells within us
I want to look at a very creative person in the scriptures quickly.
King David
King David was once an ordinary shepherd boy who was called by God and anointed. David believed his God was God. David believed his God ruled the universe because his God created the universe. However, David did not believe, as modern theology says the devil rules.
Psalms 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
Psalms 97:1 The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof [isles would mean continents
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at ‘Creative Thinking’
David’s creative thinking began with realizing the Lord reigns!
Goliath
All of David’s life we see his innovation. When David was but a boy the Philistines were oppressing Israel. They had sent their champion, Goliath, with a challenge to Israel. Goliath mocked and made fun of the people of God. The people of God hid in holes and caves. David came and said, “What is this all about? How can you allow the Philistines to mock God’s people? They are making a mockery of us. If you will not fight this idiot then I will.”
Let me work here just a minute. The Philistines have sent their champion today. It’s called Y-2K. It’s called the any-minute rapture. Or, it’s called the Great Tribulation. It’s called dispensationalism. It mocks God’s people as God’s people hide in holes scared of a giant that can be brought down with a rock
The system tried to put Saul’s armor on David, but David would not wear Saul’s armor. David did not pattern himself after others. David said, “I can’t do this your way. I have my own idea. I have a creative concept. It has never been done this way before, but I believe my way will work.” He did not fight Goliath in a conventional way. He had a creative idea. We know how the stories worked out. David took out Goliath because David allowed his creative idea to materialize
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at ‘Creative Thinking’
Ark of the Covenant
Before Israel had a king, the Ark of the Covenant had been taken by the Philistines. The Philistines gave it back because of the havoc it brought upon the Philistines. Yet the ark stayed in the house of Abinadab in Gibeah (2Sa 6:3). David wanted the ark back with the people. He prepared a tent to place the ark into. That was innovative!
1 Chronicles 15:1 And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent
Due Order
We learn an important principle from the story of David bringing the presence of God to the people of God. It must be done in due order. The ark had been kept at the house of Obededom. David went to retrieve it, but was not in due order (1Ch 15:13). We cannot let our creative ideas be out of the prescribed way God has said to do things. It will cause death. David learned to search the scriptures and be certain of God’s proper ways. Creativity is encouraged by God, but certain principles must be kept in due order
The Tent
David finally brought the ark to Jerusalem. That was a creative idea. The remainder of the tabernacle (all except the ark) was with Israel in a separate place. Paul said there is a form of godliness denying power (2Ti 3:5). We can have religion, but no relationship. They had their religion at the Tabernacle, but no ark. Why would David retrieve the ark, but not place it back into the tabernacle Moses had built? The answer is creative thinking. The God who dwelt in David allowed David to understand God was not a God of religion. Rather he is a God of relationship.
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at ‘Creative Thinking’
Until David, God was worshiped only at the Tabernacle. Until David, God was worshiped in a conservative, restrained, subdued, dead manner. There is nothing wrong with worshipping God in serenity and calmness, but this was not the creative “let there be” stirring within King David. David brought God out of a religious tabernacle and expressed a relationship with the God of the universe. How innovative! David made the presence of God accessible to everyone. We can now come boldly before the throne of grace (Heb 4:16) and find help and grace.
Ministry of Reconciliation
You and I must create ways to reconcile people to God, but not formality and dead religion. We must create a tent where God’s presence is accessible, where relationship is ministered. We must show God is accessible. Paul said we have been given to us the ministry of reconciliation (2Co 5:18). We are to show God is accessible. That comes from creative thinking
Praise
We see this as the great ark was brought into Jerusalem, David took off his kingly garments and danced with all his might in his linen ephod. How creative! How innovative! This upset the religious world then as it does today. It even upset David’s wife Michal (2Sa 6:16) who because of David’s creative thinking, despised David in her heart. She became barren
We need creative praise displayed before the region. We must take off pride and our titles and wear the white linen ephod as the bride prepared and praise him. Praise is created.
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at ‘Creative Thinking’
Psalms (Songs) and Instruments
David sang new songs to the Lord. He created a mentality in his people through song. These songs are recorded for us today in the Psalms of the Bible. If we will do what the Bible teaches and sing them, we will see a God who reigns and is clothed in majesty. These recordings make up much of the book of Psalms. David was creative and innovative. This is one reason why people followed David. He took them to new places in the kingdom. The kingdom of God expanded to its greatest borders under David’s reign
David changed worship and praise. He wrote songs and he created instruments of praise.
2 Samuel 6:5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals
It had never been done this way before. David was innovative and creative. Inside of David was a let there be
Temple
David did not stop with placing the ark in a tent. He would architect a temple. After David was gone Solomon built the temple. The temple was huge and innovative. There had never been anything like it before. Ezra would later copy it and Herod would copy it, but David created it. To this temple, thousands could enter at one time. The tabernacle of Moses could only accommodate a few. David wanted all to experience the wonders of God.
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at ‘Creative Thinking’
Instruments in the House of God
David changed worship in the house of God forever. It was not a “one-man show.”
David changed the music. His God was not dead and did not need funeral music. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. David said to praise him with loud instruments.
1 Chronicles 23:5 Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith
2 Chronicles 30:21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD
David was innovative. David was creative. He was a man after God’s heart. David experienced a relationship with the Lord. He displayed his relationship and made the Lord God accessible to all.
Delbert and You
Just as David was an ordinary shepherd boy, we all were once an ordinary something. I was an ordinary supervisor at a cotton mill. Then I was called and anointed, just as was David. The God of creation came to live in me. I became creative. Within me was a desire to have a church like no other. I would use the experience of others to succeed, but I wanted to create a church in this area that would serve God, worship God, praise God, and live in the kingdom. You too were once an ordinary something. The God of creation dwells within you. He desires to create something through you — a new heaven and a new earth.
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at ‘Creative Thinking’
You are a new creation. If you can tap into the river of creation, you will abound and have a life surpassing anything you can ask. What is it you can create? (A forklift company [Turk]? An employment service [Teresa]? It doesn’t need to be a company. It can be an idea or an invention. I simply know there is something creative inside of you. That is what will make you extraordinary
Conclusion:
How far can we take creativity? Is it only for our church? Can you apply creative ideas to your finances? Can you create a business? Ask can you have innovative ideas for raising your children, for your marriage. Inside each of us there is Creative Thinking and a Let There Be…
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at Creative Thinking
Exploring Creativity: A Deeper Look at Creative Thinking
Other Related Sermons:
Ordinary or Extraordinary sermon series
Apostles Ordinary Men Chosen Luke 6:12-16
Creative Power Of Words series audio video notes(Opens in a new browser tab)
Thoughts The Creative Power sermon series(Opens in a new browser tab)
Also see: