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WHY THE MOST CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE LEADERS IN THE WORLD AREN’T CHRISTIANS
Kris Vallotton
July 3, 2020
THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION
Have you ever wondered why the most creative, innovative, inventive, intelligent, and gifted leaders in the world often aren’t Christians? Think about it. Consider your own life for a moment. Are you leading with out of the box ideas and forging new pathways in the emphasis you’re called to? For some of you reading this, I’m confident that you are. But, the vast majority of Believers, on some level, are astutely aware that they are not tapping into their full potential. Many are haunted by the
sense that there’s
more, though they don’t know how to breakthrough or worse yet, they’re afraid to let go of what they innately know is not God’s portion.
The fact of the matter is modern-day Believers hold tightly to their theologies and can recite them with conviction, yet if you haven’t noticed, their noble principles fail to be fruitful. So the million-dollar question remains, if we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), if we are seated in heavenly places with an advantaged perspective (Ephesians 2:6) why aren’t Believers leading in every realm of society?
YOU ARE A “PROTOTYPE”
I propose one reason why Believers aren’t the visionaries and the catalysts they were designed to be is because religion has taken the place of revelation. All too often, the divine wisdom we get from God becomes imprisoned in our hearts, guarded by the spirit of religion and taunted by the fear of man. The triumphant call on us to rise and shine with ageless wisdom and supernatural power ultimately wastes away in the confines of mediocrity. This disconcerting demise has reduced those who are designed to be the most brilliant people on the planet to an echo rather than a voice.
Maybe you’ve forgotten 2 Corinthians 5:17 that says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” The word new here is the Greek word kainos, which can be translated as “prototype”—something never before created. This means you are an original; a one of a kind! If that sounds like an overused cliche then you probably don’t get it. As Believers, we’ve been born-again...we have a new heart and a new mind. In fact, we have the mind of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:16). With that being said, it’s paramount that as Believers we begin to press into the reality of our theology!
YOU HAVE PERMISSION
Ephesians 3:20 says that God is able to do “far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.” This is why we should be eager to develop a life in the Spirit, as it gives us access to God’s heart, ways, and thoughts. Even with everything going on in the world around us, God is giving you permission to dream bigger,
in fact, it’s uncertain times like these that our gifts should be leading us in unprecedented ways. It’s time for Believers to start thinking like God instead of thinking about God. It’s time for us to be the cultural architects, the imagineers and visionaries of our time.
In closing, I want to leave you with two immediate actions that help you to lead the way in your sphere of influence:
- Develop a culture
that allows you to think.
The Hebrews writer in chapter 6 verse 1 said, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God...” Believers need to create cultures
that allow the exploration of God’s ideas! Let me be clear, I’m not talking about coming up new theologies or getting more mystical. I’m simply saying that God has equipped us to access real solutions that solve the problems of nations, we just need to mature into His way of thinking and we need one another to grow with.
- Embrace the tension. We must understand that creativity, innovation, and invention is in God’s nature. This means creative thinking and art of solution making is in our DNA. Yet, standing on the precipice of ideation comes a great tension. This pressure causes some to retreat and others to fall, but I want you to know that you were made uniquely to look fear in the face and tell it to stand down. Don’t forget, the Spirit of the Living God lives in you. You were designed to carry the creativity of God’s thoughts and ways. You are a supernatural solutionary!
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