Creativity and the work of God…

By Rev. Dr. Michael Glidden

In April of 2025, Rhonda and I set out on a three-day journey to Disney World in Florida. We left the rain, snow, and ice to encounter a couple of weeks of hot sun along with an immersive educational experience at the Disney Institute. It was here for 3 ½ days that we learned leadership the “Disney Way.” 

We got an insiders look at the creative mind that Walt had in the beginnings of Disney along with his approach to creativity and entertainment. In a few days, we both graduated. We got Disney ears, tassels, diplomas and class photos with Mickey. 

We ate, fellowshipped, learned and traveled the parks.  Our mentors pointed out areas of creativity such as the “tree of life” on Pandora or seeing the tracks of R2-D2 in the gravely road. We noticed the creativity around us at the parks as well as being able to spot leadership when we saw it.

On our journey home, I told Rhonda that Disney was the master mind of creativity but there was another place that can feed the imagination. The Holy Bible! The Bible is a well of inspiration transforming as the Spirit weaves through the verses, grammar, syntax, Greek and Hebrew. It was my preaching professor at Gordon-Conwell, Haddon Robinson who said that the Bible is the only book that can change our lives. He also would tell us that the primary way that God changes a person’s heart is through the faithful proclamation of His Holy Word.

Our Congregational faith tells us that God is a triune God in fellowship as three in one. The Father who creates out of nothing is in union with His Son who has redeemed us and in union with the Holy Spirit who breathes life into our lives.

The Old Testament has the concept of “ruah,” the divine activity and wind of God. This wind cannot be held. The power of the Spirit blew on Pentecost and raised dry bones in the book of Ezekiel. God’s Spirit is free. The Spirit brings life, energy, joy, and creativity in the mundane and darkest places. We see that in the Old Testament with the Hebrew people under the power of the pharaohs or under exile in Babylon. The Spirit of God even brought life to the tomb when the disciples and women were in fear.

The work of creativity is a God event reframing the ordinary and profane into new works. Recently Rhonda and I were walking through the village of South Portland in the Knightville neighborhood. We saw a rusty old bed frame laying on the lawn near an apartment building. The bed frame weathered years of snow, ice, heat, and leaves. The grass of summer grows up through the empty frame daring any lawnmower to dare cut it. God is alive and real near that bed-frame as people walk by. We saw God at work.

A few days later, we were walking in Camden Maine and we passed a brick wall by the library. Libraries are a fountain of knowledge and creativity. It was the pilgrims who blessed us with libraries and schools in early New England life. As we walked, I saw a single Pom Pom Dr. Seuss flower standing tall by the wall. It grew high as if to touch the sky. I thought I could see many homes on the flower or many mansions. If only I was a pixie I might be able to see. But my pixie eyes are only a vehicle that the Spirit will use. For what do you see as you walk day by day? Are you open to what is there?

In the year 2002, I graduated from Gordon Conwell with a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Skills for the 21st century.  I learned the cutting edge resources of the day with leadership, pastoral care, and homiletics. As we move closer to the middle of this century, I am convinced that new wine skins are on the way. And as I learned from watching CS Lewis fantasy movies, that God does not do the same thing twice. I think ministry for a new era will require a new paradigm of freshness and creativity.