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AFMI > |
등록일 |
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2010-07-17 |
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관리자 (admin) |
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| EMPOWERING CREATIVITY |
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| A LOOK AT HOW WE DISCOVER AND RECOVER OUR CREATIVE SELVES AND HELP OTHERS TO DO THE SAME |
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INTRODUCTION
Our commitment to lifelong learning assumes commitment to asking questions and discovering answers that we sometimes don’t expect. This commitment is the most useful thing because the world we live in is in constant change, requiring us to continually learn and unlearn.
Creativity is one such topic that connects various topics and issues that don’t seem to be related at first. Creativity in the modern age has been confined to the highly visceral and gifted artists, musicians, actors, and dancers. Creativity and other disciplines of life were often deemed incompatible.
Creativity in missions world has also been gravely lacking. Creativity on the part of the people that have been the carriers of the gospel provided spurts of creative energy and innovation to effectively get into especially hard places and to share the gospel. But they have been too few and far in between. What the carriers of the gospel has done in empowering creativity on the part of the people they went to reach out to is yet another story. Rather than to promote and empower creativity, we have generally discouraged and even squashed the little seeds of creativity that might have been ready to burst into open and express themselves in their own cultural contexts. We held them down and they became quite used to the idea of looking over their shoulders to see if they were doing right in the eyes of the outside gospel carriers.
A more fundamental question is whether the gospel carriers’ creativity is activated and displayed on the fields. We have been taught and trained to have “black and white” answers to most of the complex theological and missiological questions. We were taught to know the answers without asking complex questions. Furthermore, we were taught to communicate the answers without considering the questions that arise from the fields. We’ve grown accustomed to maintaining order and organizing thoughts in boxes. Plato once said that after each session with Socrates, students left with more “perplexity” than before and that that is precisely how students grew in their understanding of things. A little “perplexity” that can encourage and activate creativity can go a long way.
HOW WE GOT HERE
We live in a world where post-modern, modern, and in some cases even pre-modern ways of life coexist. The word “modern”, the common denominator, has dominated our way of thinking and life until recently.
Modernity majored in one thing and one thing well—“to observe the material world around us, to draw logical conclusions, and accept only what is reasonable” (Houston, 10). Modernity has provided a fantastic array of achievements that are hard to match, and the bottom line to all these achievements is the fact that we live longer and better. However, modernity has incredible downsides that we are beginning to uncover. And we are realizing that we must not be blinded by all the perceived benefits of modernity.
Starting with the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and the Reformation, and further emboldened by the Industrial Revolutions, the west moved in a dizzying speed toward modernity’s promise—the “progress” of more, faster, cheaper, and better. Industrial Revolutions eventually led to a population explosion in the west due to better technology, medicine, and betterment of life all around. As a result, the west began to distance itself from the rest of the world. The west dominated the rest of the world in the form of colonialism and unilaterally decided to force the mandate to “civilize” the colonized. It made perfect sense for them to do that. The mandate toward modernity was neither questioned nor challenged until the moral fabric of western societies began to fall apart, even with all the perceived benefits of modernity. Furthermore, some in the west began to recognize that the non-western societies have much to offer and contribute to the western societies.
Some missionaries and anthropologists knew all along that modernity met pockets of resistance and came to a sudden halt when some people actually preferred not to be bulldozed by modernity. What has generally triggered post modernity to emerge is the idea that all cultures have much to contribute to the betterment of the society worldwide. Modernity was and is still not the prescribed answer to everything in life.
According to Daniel Pink, the conceptual/creative age is upon us now. We are still part of the Information Age, but the transition has already taken place. Pink explains that the industrial and information ages have been dominated by the left hemisphere of the brain (“L-Directed Thinking”)—“sequential, literal, functional, and textual, and analytic.” (Pink, 26) However, the right hemisphere of the brain (“R-Directed Thinking”)—“simultaneous, metaphorical, aesthetic, contextual, and synthetic” (Pink, 26)—under-appreciated and under-emphasized in schools and organizations, is beginning to assert itself and take charge of human societies.
The history of the church is a few steps behind, continuing to be dominated by L-Directed Thinking, founded largely in the academic theology called scholasticism started in the 13th century (Houston, 171). Houston reminds us that before the 13th century, “all the great theologians, the witnesses to the truth of God, were also great saints. They lived lives of great holiness, and used their intelligence in the service of God. They experienced a lived theology” (Houston, 171). Lived theology is miles away from theology driven by L-Directed Thinking that gets us “saved” by only cerebrally believing certain truths and doctrines. The kind of “Christianity” that was exported to the rest of the world from the west majored in known theology rather than lived theology. It is no wonder we have been more concerned about what people believe rather than how they live out the gospel and the kingdom.
WHAT ABOUT MISSIONS HISTORY?
Much of the practices in Protestant missions history during western colonialism was not an exception to the rule, failing to go against the call to civilize and to modernize. Even when missionaries were genuine in intention, the propagation of the gospel was juxtaposed with charity, however well meaning, and varying degrees of what some might call a superiority complex.
Some of the better missions attempts came about when the missionaries distanced themselves from the colonizing government and its jurisdiction. Even then, however, empowering creativity in the new believers and national leaders was generally not in the picture. Things began to turn for the better when Henry Venn of the Church Missionary Society and Rufus Anderson of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, two great missionary statesmen in the 19th century, led the discussions of the three-self principles—self-propagating, self-supporting, and self-governing. Their concept of three selfs was in direct opposition to the often colonial and paternalistic mentality on the part of the mission societies from the west. Even then, Venn in particular talked about “regulations” set by the “parent committee” on the part of the indigenous leadership (Warren, 65-66).
Paul Hiebert, in the late 20th century, added the 4th self--self-theologizing. This is a crucial insight, which undergirds the three selfs formula, empowering an indigenous church to read and interpret the Scripture in its own cultural context.
Knowing and practicing the four-selfs formula can be two different exercises. Many would agree that the four -selfs formula is absolutely necessary, but it is desperately lacking in implementation. Having to answer to questions from home, such as, “What are the missionaries doing on the field?” and “How are we spending our missions money?” may have led to such bifurcation.
Underneath the four selfs formula lies the crucial idea of empowering creativity on the part of national believers. “Self-something” is essentially about initiating an effort and maintaining it with very little direct outside help or resources. Sure, outside help, coaching, and partnership may be beneficial when asked for. However, outsiders should not initiate and dictate. This is the heart issue of insider movement. The “self-initiation” process requires the gospel interacting with the culture, the outsiders asking probing questions, and in need of large doses of patience on the part of the outsiders. However, before “self-initiation” process takes place, the insiders’ creativity needs to be affirmed and encouraged.
FREEDOM AND ADULT LEARNING PRINCIPLES
This creativity-empowered process involves finding a sense of freedom as a people and a culture. Jesus says, in his first “official” preaching at a synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4: 18-19):
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
One of the important aspects of Jesus’ mission was about freedom: “to preach good news to the poor. . . to proclaim freedom for the prisoners . . . to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” The two examples Jesus gives are about Gentiles (a widow in Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian) needing freedom from the religious grips of the zealous Jews.
Later on, Apostle Paul’s ministry was essentially to free the Gentiles from the unhealthy religious duties and expectations of the Jews, especially from the Jewish followers of Jesus. Paul’s calling in life was to allow the Gentile believers to remain as they were--free to be who they were under Christ. Rightfully, much of the Book of Galatians is about freedom in Christ.
The above exhortation has significant ramifications. Do the “gentile” believers of our day have the kind of freedom to be who they are without culturally Christian and even religious expectations? Do they feel free? Do they need a champion like the Apostle Paul to defend them from the onslaughts of our expectations? How do we then speak and encourage freedom on those believers that are different from us? It is my assertion that if we can succeed in encouraging freedom, then the kind of creativity that will jump start the four selfs formula will gradually take root with appropriate outside coaching and assistance. In short, without freedom, there is no creativity.
In practical terms, empowering freedom and creativity is tied deeply with what some people call, “adult learning principles”. Malcolm Knowles popularized the term, “andragogy”, which basically refers to learner-focused education for people of all ages, as opposed to “pedagogy”, which embodies teacher-focused education. Jane Vella, in Teaching and Learning, simply yet profoundly asserts that the end of teaching is learning. Albert Einstein said that it is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. This means in one sense, we have to unlearn our tendency to be teacher- oriented in order to be effective teachers. It also means that we have to be extra sensitive in learning and understanding the contexts we are working in.
Allow me to go one step further. We have to go beyond learner-focused education and/or training. It has to be learner-driven. Self-initiated learning is the most pervasive and lasting. Thus our teaching must be generally in response to field initiation arisen as culture dialogues with the Scripture and vice versa. We don’t assume what they need to know and what they don’t from our cultural point of view. They decide, and we help coach, if it is appropriate. Furthermore creativity in learning is best facilitated when it is coupled with self-reflection and self-evaluation. Outsiders can help by asking questions and probing the questions together.
and encourage freedom on those believers that are different from us? It is my assertion that if we can succeed in encouraging freedom, then the kind of creativity that will jump start the four selfs formula will gradually take root with appropriate outside coaching and assistance. In short, without freedom, there is no creativity.
In practical terms, empowering freedom and creativity is tied deeply with what some people call, “adult learning principles”. Malcolm Knowles popularized the term, “andragogy”, which basically refers to learner-focused education for people of all ages, as opposed to “pedagogy”, which embodies teacher-focused education. Jane Vella, in Teaching and Learning, simply yet profoundly asserts that the end of teaching is learning. Albert Einstein said that it is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. This means in one sense, we have to unlearn our tendency to be teacher- oriented in order to be effective teachers. It also means that we have to be extra sensitive in learning and understanding the contexts we are working in.
We have to go beyond learner-focused education and/or training. It has to be learner-driven. Self-initiated learning is the most pervasive and lasting. Thus our teaching must be generally in response to field initiation arisen as culture dialogues with the Scripture and vice versa. We don’t assume what they need to know and what they don’t from our cultural point of view. They decide, and we help coach, if it is appropriate. Furthermore creativity in learning is best facilitated when it is coupled with self-reflection and self-evaluation. Outsiders can help by asking questions and probing the questions together.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN INDIVIDUALLY?
Ken Robinson offers a helpful definition on creativity. He defines it as imaginative processes with outcomes that are original and of value (Robinson, 118). My definition of creativity starts with God the Creator, having made us in the image of God. We are creative beings, reflecting the very image of God the Creator. The ultimate beneficiary and value of our creativities is God and His Kingdom’s expansion and building. Thus, my proposed definition on creativity is imaginative processes with Kingdom-expanding and Kimgdom-building outcomes, which are original and of value.
The primary purpose of finding creative selves is not to indulge in the capabilities of human beings and to better our lives, but to channel our creativities to love God and to expand the edges of His kingdom. Living as a worthy kingdom citizen that is committed to expanding its edges and loving God should be the ultimate aim and natural outcome of discovering and recovering our creative beings. Our creative beings are unleashed to reflect the glory of the Creator God in our lives and around the world.
However, we won’t get to our creative selves until we experience freedom. Freedom from the bondage of bitterness, anger, deep wounds, and/or sins is a must if we are to experience our full creative capacities. Most of us know this as inner healing. It is understood that we will never experience complete wholeness on this earth. However, we need to put our past wounds in the past. One encouraging and even exciting thing with the process of healing is that God often uses us to bring about similar healing in others’ lives. As we become whole, we become “wounded healers”. E. Stanley Jones echoes back, “The happiest people in this world are the people who deliberately take on themselves sorrow and pain to help others. Their hearts sing with a deep, wild joy” (Jones, 98).
In my view, inner healing and hearing God is closely tied together. Our ability to hear God will bring constant healing necessary for us to be free. All of us have the innate ability to hear God’s voice that may be unique to each of us. I’ve heard Dr. Winter comment many times about how our (evangelicals) prayers are not too different from Buddhist chants in that we don’t take time to hear God’s voice. We are busy speaking to God about our needs and requests that we often forget to be still and hear God’s voice.
Let’s turn the table around. Helping, coaching, and encouraging others to hear God should become a critical part of our discipling process. It may sound too simplistic, but as we disciple others to hear God, they develop the ability to be whole and to be free, thus one step closer to expressing their God given creativities. Further, as their God given creativities are unleashed as God’s “fearfully and wonderfully made” creations, they begin to express collective creative energy in their God-loving and kingdom-building endeavors. The Great Commission text in Matthew 28 urges us to teach them to obey as we make disciples of all nations. We have short-circuited this passage to overemphasize teaching rather than obeying. Teaching is a means to the end with an end being obeying. It is my conviction that Jesus’ call to obedience can be summarized in His Great Commandment, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN AS AN ORGANIZATION?
Two core qualities of Oneband are “catalytic” and
“transformational”. We express these qualities through the medium of coaching and training. Our hope and desire is that you will find your creative selves and that you will in turn help others to reach their creative peaks. In my mind, we can and will commit to remove obstacles and barriers in reaching the creative maximum potential. We do this in two ways.
One is to let you become aware of the incredibly strong cultural forces that shape who we are, most of the times without our knowing and comprehending how we got here. Often times, the cultural forces reside over biblical values and they often work to steer us away from biblical values. Rather than biblical values dictating and thus shaping the cultures around us, we have allowed the cultural forces to read into and even skew our correct understanding of the Bible. So a better part of our training and coaching times should be spent in pointing out these discrepancies and to “deprogram” us from the cultural forces that do not reflect biblical values.
The second aspect is inner healing and freedom. Stemming from the combination of our sins and Satan’s deceptive work, we have been deterred and blocked in experiencing our freedom, and thus, our creative selves. At the same time, it is also about holding on as much as it is about letting go. We have to “find” ourselves, our strengths, and our passion. As we find ourselves, we hold on to them as God’s unique design and gift of who we each are. Saint Irenaeus’ wise words, bishop of Lyons in the last quarter of the 2nd century, of “the glory of God is man fully alive” is fitting and thus worth pondering about.
The intricate part in all this is the fact that sometimes these two aspects of blinding cultural forces and inability to freedom coexist, furthering confusion and blocking us to achieve our full creative selves. (AFMI)
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