Engaging Your Creative Intellect

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

Matthew 28:18-20 (better known as The Great Commission) offers an opportunity for believers to use their brains in a manner that requires the acquisition of knowledge.  Believe it or not, God wills that we be creative and intellectual – just as He is.

“Within the framework of revelation humans are free to use their God-given brains and senses to gather knowledge, to classify it, to deduce relationships, to invent, to plan and to have dominion over the creation”

Graeme Goldsworthy

In its very essence, the Great Commission is an assignment that fulfills our call to gather knowledge, pursue wisdom, and be creative.

First of all, believers are commanded to engage others in relationship in order to share the Gospel with love. This requires wisdom in action and speech with others; it also requires believers to think about how faith must encounter and interact with secular culture. Furthermore, the followers of Christ are called to “go and make disciples of all the nations” and “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.” This is not possible if the believers are unaware or ignorant of the Gospel revelation and the commands of Jesus. Thus, the Church should seek to acquire head knowledge (truly found in Christ, who is the wisdom of God – as mentioned 1 Corinthians 1:24), that we might lead new disciples in the way of faith. Therefore, the Great Commission was and is an open invitation to gather knowledge, to classify it, to deduce relationships, to invent, and to plan – all for the sake of preaching the Gospel and reaching the lost.

Furthermore, we are not called to mindlessly regurgitate facts and theological definitions to people – that is not the point of God’s assignment. He wants us to put the intellect with which He blessed us to good use.

This is why I appreciate artists, writers, photographers, and musicians so much. They seek to use their creative intellectuality to build bridges to the lost – and spread the love of the cross with their respective medium. Now, maybe you don’t have quite the same gifting, but you certainly have expertise and ability in something!

Whatever it may be, continue to gather knowledge and grow wiser within the practice. As a result, it will be a more powerful tool in your quest to bear witness to Jesus. Think about the ways your knowledge and talent can engage society and impact secular culture – and be inventive with it! You are “free to use [your] God-given brains and senses to gather knowledge, to classify it, to deduce relationships, to invent, to plan and to have dominion over the creation”; do so in a manner that brings glory to the Father, and good news to the lost!


[Adapted] Photo Credit: marttj / Foter.com / CC BY-NC