Becoming Creative In Your Ministry

What are your goals for 2025?

Every year, my wife and I set aside some time to set goals for the year. We like the idea of goals instead of resolutions because goals are something to work towards—they don’t have to happen all at once. Our goals can range anywhere from personal to financial to spiritual, but we try to set them with intentionality knowing that they will become markers of where we want to be by the end of the year.

What are your ministry goals for 2025?

We all are called to ministry in some form, so it makes sense to set goals for the ministries God has called us to. However, when setting these goals the wording may be a little different. Our goals shift from “where do I want to be by the end of this year” to “where does God want me to be by the end of this year.” These goals take time—time to discern both our callings and how we may be able to live into those callings. I also believe that these goals can open the door to creativity in ministry. 

I’m not saying that all ministry should be overly creative—many of us are still called to serve in established places such as our local church or a nonprofit. Ministry in these places is often relatively structured—we are needed to fill a role—to work within a community of believers towards a shared purpose. Attempts at being creative in these spaces, especially if creativity is not what is needed, can sometimes make things more difficult for the people around you. Thinking creatively, however, does open the door for us to discover new ways we can live into our calling—new ways in which God can work through us. 

How can we begin to think creatively about our calling? The hard part about thinking creatively is there isn’t really a set structure—the whole point is to think of new ways in which to live our calling to ministry. That being said, it can be helpful to consider the ideas of others, so here are a few ideas for creative ways to do ministry.

Consider your workplace.

One of our big points of focus this year is the idea of workplace ministry—of being intentional about being a minister in the places God has already called you to be in. While many workplaces are not exactly the healthiest places to be—with issues ranging from overwork to dehumanization or even illegal or immoral activities—we can still try to ask ourselves “how can I minister through the work I do?” Maybe it is becoming a better leader, treating those around you with love and respect. Encouraging them and building them up. Maybe it is by treating your clients or customers better, taking the time to recognize them as human beings rather than just another sale. Maybe it is by praying for your coworkers, caring about who they are instead of what they can bring to the table. 

There are many ways in which you can minister in your workplace, and if you are looking for other ideas, we have a series called Sacred Workplaces which highlights the stories of people who have begun to recognize their unique calling to become ministers in the places they work. We will also continue to build upon this series (in partnership with the Rust Family Foundation) to share five new stories over the course of the year, so be sure to check back regularly.

How do you play?

While we can often follow God’s call in our workplace, we also follow God’s call in the things we do for fun. The ways in which we play are things that bring us joy—a joy we can share with those around us. My wife and I enjoy cooking, and we love to share this joy by preparing meals for others. Through the care and preparation we take with our food we can minister to our family and friends. We can also be intentional about recognizing the deep theological importance layered with food, from humanities beginning in the garden to the deep symbolism of bread. Food can become a spiritual discipline—a way to connect deeper with God.

Many of us may take a more artistic approach to our play. We may enjoy woodworking or painting or photography or playing an instrument. These things speak to the inherent creativity and beauty of God (yes, even if we aren’t very good at them). We can minister in this type of play by reflecting the creative image of God, or learning to both recognize and communicate the beauty of God’s creation through our work with raw materials.

Both of these methods of play—art and food—will become the newest additions to our Resonance series. In each video we will look at both the theological connections and the ministerial purposes of art and food. We encourage you to keep an eye out for when those are released.

Rest for you and for others.

Rest is important. God commanded sabbath for a reason—we all need it on a fundamental level. And rest too can be a creative ministry. Sabbath rest can help us to better develop our relationship with God, becoming more in tune with the Holy Spirit within us. This in turn helps us to become better ministers—more in tune with our own callings and with more energy to live them out. But rest isn’t just for us. True sabbath rest allows for the rest of those around us as well. We can minister to others by simply allowing them time for rest. Permission to be. Through this we in turn let them know that they matter simply because of who they are, not because of what they do. Rest is important, and rest is ministry.

I encourage you this year, as you are thinking about your goals for the year, to take the time to be creative. Reflect on the ways in which God has called you to be a minister, and think about new and creative ways in which you can live into that calling.

What are your ministry goals for 2025?