In his new book Inside-Out Worship (Regal Books), Matt Redman observes, “We human beings are made in such a way that our ears can hear around 2,300,000 different tones, and our eyes distinguish between 8 million color differences. God has designed us to recognize and value His astounding creativity. More than that, He has formed us to be creative ourselves. As worshippers of the Creator God, and as those made in His image, one of the best ways we express what’s going on inside is through outward displays of creativity…
“One of the reasons we encounter a lack of creativity in the Church is that we have not created the right environment for it. Creative expression thrives under certain conditions and dies under others. In an environment of harsh criticism and no room for experimentation or risk-taking, the creative flow will soon perish. Yet, too often in the Church, we live under these conditions and all too quickly clamp down on any new forms of expression. Of course, creative types must learn to submit to authority and to love the people of God in such a way that they will always seek to bring in new expressions humbly and pastorally. But we must leave space to experiment…”