3 Common Mistakes Of Christian Creatives

Every Industry Needs Creatives

Creatives are found in every industry. In today’s day and age, the starving artist is becoming less and less of a reality as every business in the world benefits from the services of creatives.

In the digital age, art is heavily consumed.

So this makes us think: how then could a Christian creative be set apart from the millions of other creatives in the world?

How can we keep ourselves from falling into the world’s patterns?

How Christians Are Called To Live

If you are in Christ, it is a given: you must glorify God. Why? Because you now belong to Him:

📖 1 Corinthians 6:20 (ESV) For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

We are also commanded to glorify God, in literally everything we do—even eating!

📖 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV) So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.

Moreover, if you are mature in your walk with the Lord, you understand that God’s ultimate purpose is for all the world to be filled with the knowledge of His grace and glory.

📖 Habakkuk 2:14 (ESV) For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

Therefore, it only makes sense that all Christians, who are creative to some degree as we are the image of the Greatest Creator, are to participate in this purpose.

We all must work together, using our own gifts, in order to make God known and show Him as magnificent, wonderful, glorious, and good!

3 Ways Christian Creatives Do Not Glorify God

In order to create intentionally for God, we must first acknowledge how we fail to do that. This will help us to better focus on what truly matters.

I have categorized common mistakes into 3 main categories: mistakes as it relates to God, to self, and to others.

Most of these come from my personal experience as a singer-songwriter, music producer, and content creator. Feel free to take these principles and ponder on how they might apply to you.

Mistake #1: Failing To Acknowledge God

We need to state the obvious. The first way that we do not glorify God, is when we don’t acknowledge Him!

Here are some examples of how that looks like:

1. Sacrificing time with God and neglecting private worship

2. Starting a project without praying about it first

3. Exaggerating or denying the truth or compromising your integrity

4. Having no boundaries for rest, and not entrusting the work to God

5. Doing things out of love for money, rather than for God

From the conception of the idea, to the process, all the way to the output, our work must be drenched in prayer and communion with God.

That way, we are not wasting our time doing something that God didn’t tell us to do.

And above all, make sure that your creativity is not getting in the way of your personal worship and walk with God.

Mistake #2: Inflating Your Ego

Another huge mistake Christian creatives should avoid is using their gifts to inflate their ego.

Here are some examples:

1. Being a perfectionist and overthinking every detail, coming from a desire to control your image

2. Elevating yourself and thinking you’re better than others

3. Obsessing over numbers and analytics (likes, followers, subscribers, revenue, email lists, etc.)

We must be especially careful about this, since the world teaches us to idolize, even worship, talented people.

Even in the digital age, where “kingdoms” are being built on online, it’s so easy to think that numbers reflect our worth, but they do not!

Mistake #3: Failing to Love Others

Finally, one huge mistake we can make as Christian creatives is failing to love others (the second greatest commandment).

Here are some ways we might do that:

1. Causing others to stumble with what we create or model

2. Being stingy with collaborations and not letting others serve you

3. Not giving credit where it is due

4. Neglecting time with loved ones, friends, and people God entrusted to you

5. Keeping all your work to yourself and never sharing them

Creatives tend to be very consumed with what they are working on.

A lot of times, if you’re like me, your family might even say you have your own world.

But as Christians, we must be responsible with our time.

Yes, it usually takes a long time to work on creative things, but that does not give us license to neglect the people that God entrusted to us.

Jesus said that the greatest commandments are loving Him and loving others (Mark 12:30-31).

Making art is not part of these top 2 commands, therefore it can wait if your family or a hurting friend needs you right now.

Confess Your Sins

If you are guilty in any of these, please take a moment to pause and confess them to God. He is faithful and just to forgive. (1 John 1:9)

Whether or not you are only beginning in your creative journey, or far past the start, remember that God is not concerned about how much you accomplish.

Rather, He is concerned about your heart, as you prepare to enter the Kingdom.

So for as long as you are still alive, there is still hope for you.

If this feels heavy for you, please take heart! The fact that you see your sin is wonderful evidence that the Lord has you, and is working in you.

Believe that Jesus who is in you is the Author and Perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Pray to Him earnestly to guide you into wisdom on how to truly glorify Him with the gifts that He has given you.

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