The Call to Create

Just as God brought order out of chaos during creation, He commanded this man and this woman, made in His image, to pursue and maintain order as they established their family, who eventually would populate the earth and create culture. We were never called to merely focus on ourselves in a pietistic ghetto.

So it is today. As we are fruitful, we must tend to our families and society at large, just as Adam and Eve were to tend to their garden. Abraham Kuyper, one-time prime minister of the Netherlands and founder of The Free University in Amsterdam, brought great clarity to the meaning of this mandate: Though we may have been involved in other valuable pursuits such as mercy ministry and missions, we may have neglected journalism, the arts, and business—and the impact their transformation might bring.

C. S. Lewis And The Call To Create

What does it look like to transform culture? One answer lies in the story of God redeeming His people when they left Egypt. In Exodus 31 we read: So, when pastors, theologians, and churchgoers read this passage, we may simply miss it—like we gloss over genealogies, lists of cities, and other information for which we see no direct link to our daily life. Though this is not a commonly preached passage, it was pivotal for the Israelites.

You are called to create

God gave Moses the Ten Commandments Exodus 20 , but something else happened on that holy mountain. We find this amazing passage where God specifically calls an artist to do the work of building artifacts for the tabernacle. In fact, a third of Exodus is spent describing the artwork. When the Israelites heard that God wanted them to build a tabernacle, imagine their shock. Why build anything akin to a temple? They had been rescued from slavery, oppression, and the task of building temples for kings and idols.

Their memory was still fresh with the blasphemy that could take place in temples. Even this act tells of His character as One who redeems—art, artists, temples, and entire cultures, as well as individuals and a whole people group called the Israelites. In Exodus we learn that God would redeem everything they knew of culture.

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He did not look at the misguided and misdirected worship of the Egyptians and conclude that it was too corrupt to redeem. God rejoiced over the opportunity to show that He redeems all things Colossians 1 , including pagan temples and pagan hearts. He changed the rules and the focus, so they could see how they were designed to be worshipers of the God who made them in His image. As God redeemed the Israelites, reshaping the culture they were commanded to tend, artists continued to play a critical role.

In battles to come, the ark of the covenant, made by Bezalel and his helper, would be the primary visual reminder of the glory and power of God. All the artwork—representations of angels, animals, plants, and structural components—were made to help Israelites remember that their God is the One who created everything.

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He is the One we worship; the beauty we see throughout creation is a reminder of Him. Not once does God diminish the role of art in worship, nor the value of the artist to reshape their culture. God loves to redeem, and He loves to use the arts. God is not calling us to abandon the arts but to become His hands and feet as He redeems the very center of our culture.

In fact, as we consider this dynamic we may recall other characters in the Bible who were called to be salt and light in the heart of pagan environments. This should not sound like a new concept, but to many Christians today, it does. The Church has fallen asleep in the area of engaging culture. For too long the Church has seen Hollywood as a modern-day Nineveh, and hoped for its destruction.

However, God is the great Redeemer, and we are reminded not to be like the prophet Jonah who was angry when the Ninevites repented. And we must stop minimizing the influence and power of art and entertainment.

Pelsue holds a B. A in Philosophy from Westmont College and an M. A teaching elder in the PCA, Pelsue has been ministering to artists for more than 15 years. Through this work, Jordan authored Called to Create: A Biblical Invitation to Create, Innovate, and Risk , which became an instant national bestseller upon release in November He is a sixth-generation native of Tampa, Florida where he lives with his wife, Kara, and their two daughters, Ellison and Kate. The Raynors are members of The Church at Odessa.

Creativity is the natural, supernatural byproduct of a Spirit-filled life. Creating a purpose-driven business or a non-profit can be one of the significant ways to live out the gospel and serve others around you. This book will inspire and challenge you to action and change. Called to Create is a book that will warm your soul and light a fire in your heart. His words will inspire you to look at your creative work - whatever it may be - as an act of worship and a reflection of God himself.

Called to Create gives validation to the creative work you do and challenges you to continue that creative work as a service to the world around you. You will be motivated to go create something beautiful and live out the calling on your heart. I wish I could give this book 10 stars on Amazon! It's as if Jordan read my journal, mail, social media feeds, and my mind as he addressed my fears and answered questions I hadn't even thought to ask yet.

Called to Create is saturated with Scripture and solid theology that at times made me wonder if I was reading a pastor or entrepreneur. I cannot express how much I loved the book. Entrepreneurship provides a blank canvas for Christians to put their belief into action, and in Called to Create, Jordan gives us a strong theology and a great imagination for what this might look like in the world. This is a key reading for both the aspiring entrepreneur and the active founder alike.

This book will put words to questions you have had in your spirit, but perhaps didn't know to ask. It will encourage you with real accounts from other visionaries and creators that will put tears in your eyes. It will affirm why you do what you do, but it will also give you permission to rest. A worthwhile read for everyone called to create by the greatest Creator of all.

Mark Batterson

I have had the privilege of starting several businesses, both secular and faith based, but never writing about my experiences. I would hope that had I done so, my book would have been the one that Jordan Raynor has written. He has captured the essence of being entrepreneurial and, better yet, being an entrepreneur following the call of God. At my age and stage of life I look back with fulfillment and gratitude that when God calls, He also equips.

May thousands of new entrepreneurs read this book and follows God's call to create for the glory of the Great Creator. Called to Create is a great book! It's not meant to be a devotional, but don't be surprised if you find yourself having little devotional times while reading it. The passages of Scripture, theological quotes, and straight up Biblical truths that are contained in Called to Create are convicting, encouraging, and inspiring. This book is a pick me up and an encouraging "go get 'em" to anyone who is working, whether from home or an office, whether for yourself or a corporation.

Millions of Jesus followers live in suspended animation, missing their true destiny in Christ and vocation. Called to Create is a tomahawk missile on course to set these captives free and invite them into a wild adventure of honoring God in the marketplace, reimagining calling, purpose and vocation while embracing whole life discipleship. It is a bold work that will inevitably change lives…perhaps yours! In his book, Called to Create, Jordan Raynor articulates for us a process that not only models God as the first entrepreneur, but encourages us in specific ways to use our unique gifts and talents to honor Him.

Our Father loves us so much He gave us Jesus; a very gifted craftsman Himself. Our response is to co-create with Him by participating in what He is doing on the earth, to love others, and bless them through our entrepreneurial expression.

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This book gives weight to our calling as creators, and it impels us to get involved in making the world a better places. What and how we create matters, today and into eternity. God has called us all and in Called to Create, Jordan debunks this bad theology and offers Christian creators an inspiring, biblically-based invitation to embrace creativity as a means of serving God and others. Be encouraged to see how your gifts and talents fit into building creative ventures with a massive impact.

I would highly recommend this book! Now a national bestseller You are called to create Learn how to embrace entrepreneurship and creativity as a means of glorifying God, loving others, and making disciples of Jesus Christ.