How Christian Creatives Can Overcome Fear and Find Purpose with Faith: Insights from Joshua Luke Smith & Cephas Azariah

The Way UK

Introduction to Faith and Creativity [0:00]

The podcast hosts open the session from Wildfires Festival, introducing guests Cephas Azariah and Joshua Luke Smith to discuss the intersection of faith and creativity.

• The goal is to explore:
  • Why we create.
  • How God is involved in our creative process.
  • What it means to live as a Christian creative today. [0:06]
• An opening spoken word piece by Cephas raises questions for creatives: [0:22]
  • The purpose of creation.
  • Fear of adding to the noise.
  • Pressure of perfection.
  • Whether to release unpolished work.
  • How to get ideas from concept to reality.
• The piece suggests that to break creative barriers, one must listen. [1:34]
• A visual interlude of nature and abstract scenes accompanies instrumental music, encouraging listening. [1:44]

Cephas Azariah's Creative Journey and Insights [3:33]

Cephas Azariah, the composer of the opening music, shares his personal history with creativity and faith.

• Early Creative Experiences [4:29]
  • As a child, he loved drawing cars, finding it liberating compared to schoolwork. [4:29]
  • Piano lessons were initially a chore, leading him to hide from his teacher. [4:54]
  • Growing up in a Christian home, faith was an inherent part of his environment, and his creativity was explored within and outside the church framework. [5:37]
• Overcoming Fear in Sharing Music [7:18]
  • He took up street photography as a hobby, proud of his work despite low engagement on social media. [6:46]
  • It took him until age 29 to release his first piece of music due to fear of it not being "good enough." [7:22]
  • The pursuit of perfection led to a cycle of hating his own work. [8:00]
• The Importance of Creativity for Christians [8:40]
  • Making is innate in all humans because we are created in the image of God, the ultimate Creator. [8:40]
  • Creativity is broadly defined, encompassing: [9:04]
    • Traditional arts like songs, pictures, and videos.
    • Structured activities like school schedules or financial spreadsheets.
    • Actions that improve neighborhoods, schools, or society as a whole. [10:01]
  • We are commissioned to make something, realizing our gifts with God's help. [9:46]
• Addressing Perfectionism and Fear [10:47]
  • Like trees in nature, no two creative works are identical; there's no need to conform to a template or cookie-cutter perfection. [10:59]
  • Fear of comparison or creating something that already exists is a primary barrier to making. [11:35]
  • Cephas admits masking his fear as "waiting" to avoid potential negative reception. [12:52]
  • Strategies for overcoming fear include: [13:46]
    • Reducing time spent consuming content on social media to focus on creating.
    • Adding structure to the creative process, bringing order to potential chaos, much like God brought order to the earth. [14:24]
    • Surrounding oneself with people who genuinely appreciate one's work, including mentors, but not those who offer uncritical praise. [17:37]

Joshua Luke Smith's Poetic Path and Vocational Calling [22:10]

Joshua Luke Smith shares his journey into poetry and his perspective on vocational creativity.

• Inspiration and Early Challenges [22:53]
  • Grew up immersed in his father's music, listening to storytellers like Tracy Chapman, Genesis, Tom Petty, Cat Stevens, and Simon & Garfunkel. [23:04]
  • At 13, he discovered hip-hop (Fugees, Eminem), which ignited his desire to write bars and tell stories. [23:32]
  • His first performance at a school talent show was a "bomb," as he forgot his lyrics. [24:42]
  • This failure, surprisingly, solidified his resolve to continue and improve. [24:50]
• Honesty and Faith in Creativity [25:02]
  • He never explicitly set out to be a "Christian poet," but rather an "honest storyteller." [25:07]
  • His deep love for Jesus naturally integrates into his narratives and music, without being forced or strategically placed. [25:26]
• Navigating the Creative Industry: Vocation vs. Job [28:36]
  • He experienced a shift in thinking about creative work: the distinction between a "creative job" (paid work) and a "creative vocation" (one's calling). [29:07]
  • Acknowledges that many historical artists were supported by "patrons" who valued their work, not necessarily its marketability. [29:30]
  • He realized he could be his own "patron," working other jobs to fund his true calling as a poet. [30:00]
  • Emphasizes that there isn't always room for everyone to earn a living from their art, but the vocational calling remains. [31:10]
  • Living with a vocational creative heart fosters excellence. [31:35]
  • He cites Exodus 31, where God filled Bezalel with the Spirit for craftsmanship, highlighting that divine validation doesn't depend on a paycheck. [31:57]

    

  • Prioritizing one's calling can make one seem "strange" to peers but leads to deep satisfaction and authentic expression. [33:33]
• Faith's Impact on Creativity [34:09]
  • Drawing from C.S. Lewis, Joshua states that faith illuminates everything in his life, allowing him to see and articulate pain, joy, and prayers in his creative work. [34:34]
  • It's important to remember that creation doesn't always require joy; it can also stem from sadness and other emotions. [35:25]

Concluding Thoughts and Guided Stillness [35:54]

The hosts reiterate the session's purpose and lead the audience into a reflective exercise.

• The aim of the session was to stir a desire within individuals to create with God, inspiring them to pursue their artistic passions freely. [36:33]
• God delights in our creative exploration and our inclusion of Him in the process, recognizing the innate desire to create within all of us. [37:08]
• Guided Stillness: The 4'33" Practice [37:30]
  • Joshua introduces John Cage's experimental musical piece "4'33"," where a pianist performs 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence. [38:05]
  • Cage's inspiration came from an anechoic chamber where he heard the sounds of his own body, illustrating that true silence reveals what is already present. [38:13]
  • Applying this to faith, spending silent time before God allows one to hear the "murmurs of our hearts," our thoughts, and God's voice (Psalm 139: "Search me and know me, God"). [39:05]
  • The audience is guided through a 4-minute, 33-second moment of silence, encouraged to close their eyes and listen to their surroundings and inner thoughts, embracing any fears or joys. [39:34]

    

• The session concludes with a prayer for authentic expression, encouragement, and empowerment by the Holy Spirit in creative endeavors, whether in happiness or sorrow. [44:56]