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Hey there Reader!

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This week newsletter features ideas thinking about outsiders, caring for culture, and initiating ideas:

• 13 Years of Daily Creativity. Mike Brennan is onto something here: "And that’s the beauty of doing something every day, it doesn’t stay static. It grows as you grow...Over the years, I’ve discovered that consistency doesn’t kill creativity, it multiplies it." This is a driving force behind this article. If you'd like some prompts to get started, check out the bottom of his post.
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• "Mobile Gate" By Shilpa Gupta. This piece of contemporary art got me thinking. Coming from 14 years living on the border, there is something to this artwork. According to Gupta, the work explores “the absurdity of man-made divisions.” It made me think about the invisible borders were put up in life: relationships, churches, friends, protecting our feelings.
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• The Role of Hospitality in Reaching. I couldn't help but wonder as I read this article what place art-making had in this conversation. Nicholas Mcdonald lays out a compelling case for hospitality in reaching others. I love the Tim Keller article he references about the role of the front porch in communities.
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• Be Known As The Problem Solver. OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder has some insights worth mulling over here on writing hits songs. Though you may not be a songwriter, I think his principle is important: what if we, as artists, were not the ones known as fighting against the grain of out churches and communities, but always having solid ideas for making things better?
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• More Local Ways for Praise: Arts for Mission & Ministry w/ David Ige. David is a quality guy. He and I took a few classes together in Dallas International's World Arts program. If missions and worship and arts is in your blood, you'll want to check out his insights on praising God with local arts.
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• Being Co-Creators With Christ. Makoto Fujimura answers questions on the matter. Why might the phrase "culture care" be a more helpful framework than "culture war" or "cultural engagement?" If you are an artist looking for some creative pep talking, Mako's your guy!

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- Matt

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