Christians may get a bit uncomfortable about taking about bad art. We don't want to christianize the problem. Bad art is bad art and that's all there is to it. But I want to take the risk and offer some theological reflection. Creativity and art are byproducts of men and women being created in the image of God. We have the power to create in a way that no other creature does. For sure, we don't have the power to create ex nihlio, but like God who created the world without becoming less of himself, we can "create culture" analogously.

Many believers struggle to balance their art and their faith. Some think that to be a truly successful poet, painter, musician or producer, their work must be held separate from their faith. Others may believe unless their song, design, book or film is not littered with overt spirituality, it cannot glorify God. Either way, their art suffers. Is there a third way—a place for Christian artists to embrace all of their callings without sacrificing their creative integrity or their heart for the Kingdom?

It's not easy for evangelicals to talk about art. We polarize into camps: one denies art's value, and the other exaggerates its virtues. We make our own consciences normative, engaging in a sort of theological McCarthyism, judging other Christians guilty by association with art we don't approve. Or we dismiss legitimate questions about artists who presume the role of cultural priests, imposing values antithetical to the gospel. Scotty Smith, Mike Cosper, and Greg Thornbury discuss these difficulties in a wide-ranging roundtable conversation.

We evangelicals tend to want our art to be pristine, easy on the eye, as with Thomas Kinkade paintings. Our music and films often reflect this desire. We envision Christian worship as an escape from reality, where life is hard, filled with sickness, death, and lament. Yet good art, especially the Bible, knows better. Greg Thornbury, dean of the school of theology and missions at Union University, suggests reading a Flannery O'Connor short story to see how art can awaken you to creation's groaning. Even better, take a look at the tortured beauty of the cross.

A Merry Christmas to one and all. It is time again for another roundup of images from our Flickr group. This group features design and photography from many Christians artist around the world.

If you are searching for a beautiful Christmas Flyer template for your church, here are a few you should check out! These templates are Premium, High Quality, Contemporary and designed by professional graphic designers.

A complete guide to making your inner genius your greatest on-the-job asset.

Word is a personal project where I create designs and write ups for each book of the Bible. Like most personal projects, there is a story behind it.

Paper craft is at a tipping point. In recent months, we’ve covered artists who transform the commonest material into everything from outlandish 18th-century wigs to painstaking replicas of Walkmen and Game Boys. And even Bravo’s Work of Art: America’s Next Great Artist features a paper sculptor among its contestants. Now, we bring you Jennifer Collier, a British artist who recycles paper into 3-D objects by sewing sheets of it like fabric.

It is time again for another roundup of images from our Flickr group. This group features design and photography from many Christians artist around the world.