(Faith + Design) x Passion = Joy
This year marks seventeen years for me in the design industry. During those years I have been self employed, employed, semi-employed and back to self employed. I have also been a Christian for 12 years. I've been asked,“How can I combine my faith with my passion for design?” The answer is simple really—realizing that a person still needs to eat. And the answer is to make design work for you. That is to say, design is the tool that God has gifted you with in order to earn an living. At the same time, design is a gift to bless others with either visual art for appreciation, communication tools for a better than average fee, or possibly some design donated for a Christian or good-will cause.
There is much opportunity to make a difference in someone's life in the designs we as designers create. I recall a business card I designed for a youth rehabilitation center. On one side were seven correct choices and on the other there were seven wrong choices. The organization that I designed these for called me several months after the cards had been in use to tell me a story. A youth had been given the card at a school assembly and held onto it for some time. The youth apparently was planning to commit suicide and on the evening of the planned suicide the card surfaced. It had a 1-800 number to call if you needed help. She called and the representative was able to talk to her and eventually counsel her from following through with her intentions. She later went to the rehab center and received counsel.
There are some people that simply cannot let go and let God. In the industry, it is easy to get wrapped up into the limelight—even as a Christian—with the perks that come with being at an agency and the fame that one gains in the ‘circles’ but there is no greater joy than to design for Kingdom purposes. In 1999 I started a firm called Ministrybeehive Christian Communications. It started out of a need for churches, ministries and Christian organizations to project themselves in excellence. I got real tired real fast of people saying, “Well, it's good enough...” and would ask them, “Who are you doing this for?! The King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Or for man? If for man then you're right, it's good enough, BUT if for our Lord then nothing but excellence unto our King!” Since '99 it has resonated with many ministries the globe over as I have designed for Kingdom purposes for some ministry or church on every continent less Antarctica.
It wasn't hard to get Ministrybeehive started, but since August of 2002, I have been solo from my home office, and that was a huge step of faith. This has allowed me to do many things I have desired to do over the years. For example, my wife and I devote Tuesdays to fulltime ministry/studies. I can schedule my time to accommodate events at Church. I became a Licensed Minister in December of 2003. I could go on, but I can tell you this for sure—God has proven Himself time and time again by abundantly meeting our needs for ourselves as well as for others. We're firm believers that the definition of wealth is "having enough to meet your own needs and that of one other." God didn't call us into the industry so we could be 9-5'rs—granted it's more like 7-11'rs. We do need to work to eat but at the same time, by combining your passion for the Lord with your passion to create, you can reach lives through effective communications.
I recall a poster design I did that played a role in just over half of Oklahoma State University's football team coming to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour! A simple poster design to you and I as designers—but it played a role in getting the team to show up at the event where they accepted Christ—what an awesome privilege to play a small but important role in their lives. I often think of those I will meet in Heaven that I have not met in the physical on earth but through my design, God's gift to me in me. Through this I will meet hundreds if not thousands of souls that I was able to play a small part in—and to God be the glory for each one!!
I want to encourage you to consider what you can do to make a difference using your God given gift of design, to make a difference in your community, your schools, your political systems, your state and country and the world. The world is indeed much smaller that we think—especially when it comes to design. I know there are some that would argue that point with me but before you do, have you designed a church logo for a Japanese underground church? Have you designed a t-shirt design that was ordered by a person in Artic Bay? Or have you had your newsletter design distributed in the South Pacific? Of course, since the internet became what it was in 1999, I would have not been able to launch as I did and especially since going solo. The internet has been the biggest door of opportunity for designers of all caliber to enter into the world of creativity at a distance.
I've much to share and would welcome questions of any type regarding design or of my past experiences.
David Gagne is the founder and Creative director of SOHO Creative and Ministybeehive Christian Communications. He and his wife, Isabelle, live in Ontario, Canada.
There is much opportunity to make a difference in someone's life in the designs we as designers create. I recall a business card I designed for a youth rehabilitation center. On one side were seven correct choices and on the other there were seven wrong choices. The organization that I designed these for called me several months after the cards had been in use to tell me a story. A youth had been given the card at a school assembly and held onto it for some time. The youth apparently was planning to commit suicide and on the evening of the planned suicide the card surfaced. It had a 1-800 number to call if you needed help. She called and the representative was able to talk to her and eventually counsel her from following through with her intentions. She later went to the rehab center and received counsel.
There are some people that simply cannot let go and let God. In the industry, it is easy to get wrapped up into the limelight—even as a Christian—with the perks that come with being at an agency and the fame that one gains in the ‘circles’ but there is no greater joy than to design for Kingdom purposes. In 1999 I started a firm called Ministrybeehive Christian Communications. It started out of a need for churches, ministries and Christian organizations to project themselves in excellence. I got real tired real fast of people saying, “Well, it's good enough...” and would ask them, “Who are you doing this for?! The King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Or for man? If for man then you're right, it's good enough, BUT if for our Lord then nothing but excellence unto our King!” Since '99 it has resonated with many ministries the globe over as I have designed for Kingdom purposes for some ministry or church on every continent less Antarctica.
It wasn't hard to get Ministrybeehive started, but since August of 2002, I have been solo from my home office, and that was a huge step of faith. This has allowed me to do many things I have desired to do over the years. For example, my wife and I devote Tuesdays to fulltime ministry/studies. I can schedule my time to accommodate events at Church. I became a Licensed Minister in December of 2003. I could go on, but I can tell you this for sure—God has proven Himself time and time again by abundantly meeting our needs for ourselves as well as for others. We're firm believers that the definition of wealth is "having enough to meet your own needs and that of one other." God didn't call us into the industry so we could be 9-5'rs—granted it's more like 7-11'rs. We do need to work to eat but at the same time, by combining your passion for the Lord with your passion to create, you can reach lives through effective communications.
I recall a poster design I did that played a role in just over half of Oklahoma State University's football team coming to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour! A simple poster design to you and I as designers—but it played a role in getting the team to show up at the event where they accepted Christ—what an awesome privilege to play a small but important role in their lives. I often think of those I will meet in Heaven that I have not met in the physical on earth but through my design, God's gift to me in me. Through this I will meet hundreds if not thousands of souls that I was able to play a small part in—and to God be the glory for each one!!
I want to encourage you to consider what you can do to make a difference using your God given gift of design, to make a difference in your community, your schools, your political systems, your state and country and the world. The world is indeed much smaller that we think—especially when it comes to design. I know there are some that would argue that point with me but before you do, have you designed a church logo for a Japanese underground church? Have you designed a t-shirt design that was ordered by a person in Artic Bay? Or have you had your newsletter design distributed in the South Pacific? Of course, since the internet became what it was in 1999, I would have not been able to launch as I did and especially since going solo. The internet has been the biggest door of opportunity for designers of all caliber to enter into the world of creativity at a distance.
I've much to share and would welcome questions of any type regarding design or of my past experiences.
David Gagne is the founder and Creative director of SOHO Creative and Ministybeehive Christian Communications. He and his wife, Isabelle, live in Ontario, Canada.
posted by fivemcclungs at 5:57 AM
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