About the vision

CreativeWorks is not specifically about the creative arts, although the creative arts are indispensable to what God is doing in the world. CreativeWorks is about innovative problem solving that helps move the work of God’s kingdom forward.

The CreativeWorks vision is to come alongside European ministries to help them:
1) clarify what God wants to do in their midst.
2) Identify barriers that are keeping those things from happening.
3) determine creative, innovative ways to move ministries toward their God-given goals.
4) be part of providing these innovative solutions when necessary.

These solutions typically fall into categories:
1) Consulting and networking- Clarifying vision and goals, and connecting churches with resources that already exist to help meet them.
2) Training and mobilizing- Helping churches develop their people and their abilities to use new and existing resources effectively.
3) Creating and producing- Providing events and materials (curriculum, videos, websites, graphics, music, special event guides) that fill a gap and meet specific needs locally.

Examples:
Consulting and networking: I’ve had countless phone calls, emails and visits with leaders that simply need to talk through where they are in ministry with someone who can listen objectively and nudge them in helpful directions. The advantage of having been in Europe for 25+ years is that I know creative people around the continent and in the US to connect them with.

Training and mobilizing: Working with a local Dublin church, a new communications team was developed to oversee the public website, small group curriculum development and weekly podcasts and sermon broadcasts. CreativeWorks’s goal is not to become the production team that produces for dozens of churches, but to multiply dozens of churches producing useful ministry resources. Whether in workshops, one-on-one or in the context of team ministry, CreativeWorks tries to multiply creative people as well as ideas and resources.

Creating and producing: The children’s program “Imagin’Air” was designed to solve a problem: How can non-English speaking ministries take advantage of volunteer teams from North America in direct ministry in Europe? Other programs like “Spark”, “Gospel and Culture” and the upcoming “Last Lighthouse” series are all simply innovative ministry solutions to ministry problems we were asked to help solve.

Events are important when there are unique opportunities for ministry. A friend in Poland knew the coordinator for chaplains of Polish prisons and wanted to open these places up to provide men and women with hope in Jesus. CreativeWorks coordinated the tour of the Kyle Dillard Blues Band to provide hope by using stories of heartache and disappointment with those who’ve ended up in prison and then sharing personal stories of forgiveness and restoration in Jesus.