You can usually hear it in their speech.  

Dreamers sound so different from the norm but I’m out to create a dreaming culture for the staff at City Community Church.  Dreamers think up new ways to communicate, effective processes to solve problems and they push the boundaries…just what I like and just what this culture desperately needs when it comes to church environments.

 

I noticed lately that my imagination has been suffering.  Yeah, not life-threatening like a terminal illness…or is it?

 If you’re in an environment that doesn’t promote creativity and imagination you’re gonna have to be extra proactive at stimulating those original qualities given to you by your Maker.  I look around and most people are just flate bored.   If you’re truly “made in His image,” then part of that image would be the capacity to imagine far past the normal borders of everyday living.  The world and especially religious institutions are gonna attempt to suck any creativity right outta your head and heart.  Don’t let ‘em.

Three quick imagination starters:

1.  Read things other than management or vocational books.  I realized part of my problem was I had so many books around that were all about managing present reality and dealing with people issues.  NOT ONE OF THOSE encouraged me to dream and create nor did it stimulate my imagination.  I’m cautious about what I feed on (you are what you read) so I stepped over to the classics section of the library for inspiration.  Sounds funny to grab a classic but these books have normally stood the test of time.  I grabbed Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe and Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment .  They’ve been great at re-kindling my imagination.

2.  One of the other things our family enjoys, especially in the car, is radio theater.  When you’re forced to watch scenes on DVD or movie your subject to someone else’s visual interpretation.  Part of your brain just gives up cause Hollywood has done the work for you.  One of the great radio theater books that we’ve discovered is Focus on the Famiy’s   Chronicles of Narnia.  (You can listen to a clip here) It’s about $30 on their site for 19 Cd’s, the whole series, and it’s amazing.  Our family has loved, it’s great for long trips and it’s definitely stimulating my ability to dream again.  

3. Get around dreamers.  There’s a big difference between lazy loafers and genuine dreamers in the Kingdom of God.  Loafers wait passively…dreamers act passionately.  If you’re not keeping company with at least one or two dreamers chances are you’re not living the dream God has for your life…getabsorbed…n