True Professions
I knew I'd have to come out of the closet some day. I guess now is as good a time as any. Some of you will be shocked, others will not care and many will not have a clue why I'm even writing this post. But I think it's important you understand why I write from the perspective I do, and why B L A N K has a different tone than most blogs, Christian or otherwise. Understand, not everyone who writes articles for B L A N K shares my view. That's good. Uniformity is boring, and it plagues design, especially "Christian" design. Nonetheless, you ought to know where I'm coming from. So, without further adue, here's my design theses nailed to the door of my heart:
1. I am a Christian. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Fill in the blank with all the answers you feel are necessary to define what that is doctrinally, experientially, or whatever. Both good and bad. I probably fit most of them anyway.
2. I design and get paid for it. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Fill in the blank with the answers you feel qualify someone to be a designer, both high and low. I've no formal design training, so if that is a criteria on your list, you can scratch what I said about being a designer.
3. As a Christian and a designer, each have a profound influence on the other. One is who I am, the other is what I do. Who I am as a Christian infiltrates all I do in design. What I do in design gives me a greater understanding of who I am as a Christian.
4. "Christian" or ministry related design as we know and practice it today is irrelevant. And that's why you won't see me writing much about it . Not because there aren't lots of examples of good design being employed by churches, Christian organizations, ministries, etc. It's because design done in the Christian church/organization/ministry realm today is like fresh green leaves on a massive tree limb. There's nothing the matter with those leaves, but the limb itself has been pruned from the tree and is lying on the ground. No matter how wonderfully those leaves do their job, they are not going to help the tree grow at all. The limb they are on is separated from the life of the tree and is dead. The leaves may look alive, but they are irrelevant. And that is the state of what we see today in Christian and church design circles. But hold on. The tree's still there and growing. That brings me to...
5. Something is coming in design that will change everything for everyone that calls themselves a designer. A design that is actually connected to the tree is emerging full of life and light, so much so that all unconnected design will be seen as dead and dark. That design will profoundly touch the heart, and it won't come through limbs of churches, organizations, ministries, conferences or schools. It will come though people--childlike designers willing to touch the unseen.
And that's what I'm looking for. That's what I'm pursuing. That's what I want to write about and experience at every level of my professional and personal existence.
1. I am a Christian. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Fill in the blank with all the answers you feel are necessary to define what that is doctrinally, experientially, or whatever. Both good and bad. I probably fit most of them anyway.
2. I design and get paid for it. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Fill in the blank with the answers you feel qualify someone to be a designer, both high and low. I've no formal design training, so if that is a criteria on your list, you can scratch what I said about being a designer.
3. As a Christian and a designer, each have a profound influence on the other. One is who I am, the other is what I do. Who I am as a Christian infiltrates all I do in design. What I do in design gives me a greater understanding of who I am as a Christian.
4. "Christian" or ministry related design as we know and practice it today is irrelevant. And that's why you won't see me writing much about it . Not because there aren't lots of examples of good design being employed by churches, Christian organizations, ministries, etc. It's because design done in the Christian church/organization/ministry realm today is like fresh green leaves on a massive tree limb. There's nothing the matter with those leaves, but the limb itself has been pruned from the tree and is lying on the ground. No matter how wonderfully those leaves do their job, they are not going to help the tree grow at all. The limb they are on is separated from the life of the tree and is dead. The leaves may look alive, but they are irrelevant. And that is the state of what we see today in Christian and church design circles. But hold on. The tree's still there and growing. That brings me to...
5. Something is coming in design that will change everything for everyone that calls themselves a designer. A design that is actually connected to the tree is emerging full of life and light, so much so that all unconnected design will be seen as dead and dark. That design will profoundly touch the heart, and it won't come through limbs of churches, organizations, ministries, conferences or schools. It will come though people--childlike designers willing to touch the unseen.
And that's what I'm looking for. That's what I'm pursuing. That's what I want to write about and experience at every level of my professional and personal existence.
posted by fivemcclungs at 4:17 PM
5 Comments:
Interesting. I'm may disagree with some of what you're thinking, but still it's important to know where you're coming from.
Could it be said that you believe people are disenchanted with churches and parachurch organizations on the whole and so the influence of Christ is going to come through individual people that are still connected to Christ?
Maybe that the universal "Church" or body of Christ as individuals will become more influential than "churches"?
I could be off, but I'm just trying to see your point.
Do you think you could be a little more specific on point 5 or is that something you kinda see off in the distance?
Thanks for being transparent Frank.
Dailey
Interesting thoughts here, and ones I share in a bit of a different way. I'm very much not Christian, but I do have strong leanings towards Buddhist and yogic philosophies, and I tend to wear my beliefs on my sleeve in every aspect of my business. Thus far, it's done two things: 1) it's allowed me to remain true to my values no matter what, and b) it's allowed me to attract clients who, while they may not share those values, have a high appreciation for them - and it allows me to prequalify and avoid those who don't.
Dailey, thanks for trying to see what I'm seeing. I guess I'll need to delve a little into the current state of visible Christianity so I can explain how design relates to it. Maybe too then #5 will come into focus. Here we go.
First, the church isn't the Church. In other words 99.9% of what everyone identifies as the Christian church small "c"--denominations, buildings, programs, events, music, Bibles, missions, institutions, etc.--is not the church. Those things are like a dead carcass that encases something living…people. People are the true Church (big "C"). And the Church really is just another term for the Body of Christ. You know that. But here's where it get's weird and wacky and wonderful. Jesus has come, is coming now and will yet come and reveal Himself in His Body. I know, strange. See, the first time Jesus came the Jews were looking for a king to save them. They missed him. Guess what? That's what Christians are looking for in his return--a king to save them. Throw out those felt board images of Jesus coming back on a white horse riding in the clouds to yank out Christians and leave others behind. I had to. I even had to toss the concept that I was going to get some house in heaven (suburbs maybe?). Nope, a call is going out as I type. Jesus is looking for a people He can inhabit and be in union with. Those folks (a remnant) are going to destroy the works of Satan forever (think war, evil, injustice, poverty, whatever) and even death itself. The good news is everyone will benefit. So, your thought about influence coming through individuals connected to Christ is right on track. Only those folks won't just be connected to Him, they will be one with Him…a visible new creation, a first fruits.
Ok, now how does this relate to this post and design?
Well, almost all design that is thought of as "Christian" is merely religious. Think of the coolest mission's poster or neatest Christian ad campaign or maybe a culturally relevant Gen-xyz designed bible that "speaks" to youth in a cool way. Well intentioned, but it only supports something that has no life (that dead carcass). And trust me, the most mind blowing design isn't going to resurrect that church carcass. It's meant to be dead forever. But that's what we keep trying to do in applying our design "powers" to resuscitate (substitute the word grow or market or expand if you like) the church.
Now on to point #5. I want to say that in this area, I only have a faint glimpse of what is to come. I'm not real sure, but I think we'll design something and it will touch many people hearts at a level where they clearly see that those united with Jesus are "clothed," and they are "naked." I don't know how that will work itself out.
Ok. If you've managed to hang with me this long, you're either avoiding a pressing project, having creative block or are mildly amused. Thanks for bearing with me.
And Dani, I appreciate your sharing. Your always welcome here. I've found the same in my approach.
Unfortunately I left churches when it became evident to me that their ego issues became more important than living a spiritual life, so I hardly call myself a Christian in any way other than a deep personal affection for Christ and His message. (He hears from me often enough and I do what I can to listen.) Call it "flying below the radar" but it's always been in my art and design.
There was a time when it was refreshing to see a few designers bold enough to profess their faith without the sanctimonious smugness or bland "white bread" cliche salvation talk... I like the optimism of your blog. It's an island of sanity in a sea of idiotic anti-religious stuff out there. Keep writing....
Anonymous, thanks for the encouragement.
A friend who is a designer asked me a question about this post that I thought was interesting. He said that it was a bit too vague and asked, "So you just see it and it is so?"
I guess I see it (not with physical eyes) and believe it because it *is* so. When you have a concept for a design or work of art or music in your head, to you who can see it, it is real. Then comes the working it out and making it visible. Some of Sagmeister’s works are glimpses of what is coming, only it will be at a whole different level. We’ll no longer be singing to the deaf in design, they will actually “hear” us loud and clear and be drawn to the Life in that design. Don’t know if that makes any more sense.
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