Leadership Journal has a good article by Ed Young, Jr. senior pastor of Fellowship Church titled Creative Tension addressing conflicts that will inevitably face every innovative leader. In the article, he points out 3 creative struggles that most church leaders face at some point. I have included these 3 struggles here with brief excerpts from the article, but you really have to read the article to fully appreciate where he’s coming from.
One common belief is that creativity means spending more money. But that’s a fallacy.
In today’s technology-crazed world, it’s tempting to keep buying the hottest equipment. But does that purchase serve a higher purpose, helping reach people more effectively, or is it just a cool toy for your team to play with?
Seeking creative excellence can lead to one of two extremes.
On one end is the keep-it-real crowd that tries so hard to be spontaneous, unstructured, and free-flowing that it can segue into laziness. Under the umbrella of “”authenticity,”" it’s easy to forget that hard work and strategic planning are important to creative communication.
Criticism inevitably surfaces in the presence of creativity. Don’t let it discourage you. If you cower from criticism, you will never have a church marked by creativity. Sometimes that criticism comes from unexpected sources.”