Celebration Over Exploitation: Achievement Guide Pt. 4 - Ep 19

01/28/21 • 34 min

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What’s covered in this episode:
Instead of the individualism and isolation facilitated and encouraged by screens and controllers, we practice the presence of others IRL with a special effort to share space with those who are not part of our daily work. We pursue diversity across class, gender, and ethnicity in our friendships, partnerships, and mentoring relationships.

There is a stereotype of the “starving artist” who is driven to create but often struggles to earn a living doing so. However, Neil Sauvageau points out that, "Starving artists don’t mind starving as long as they get the joy from creating.”
Mark Söderwall refers to artists as “creatives” and addresses the issue of value and exploitation. He points out that many artists get taken advantage of because they do not know or realize the monetary value of their creations. This is because most artists find their value in simply doing what they love or creating something that other people will love.
When we look at the Bible, there aren’t artists specifically mentioned by name, so what is the role of art in the Kingdom?
While reflecting on purpose and gifts, Neil says, “Whatever you are built with, do it well. If that’s art...guess what? Do it well!”
Not many artists are proud to show off their work...why is that? Vulnerability. It’s easier to hide than to receive feedback or criticism.
How can we feed artists moving forward? What’s missing or needs to change? The team discusses different ideas of ways to help artists grow and find their identity in Christ instead of what they produce.

Resources mentioned:

Email us ideas, questions, or suggestions at [email protected]

There is a stereotype of the “starving artist” who is driven to create but often struggles to earn a living doing so. However, Neil Sauvageau points out that, "Starving artists don’t mind starving as long as they get the joy from creating.”
Mark Söderwall refers to artists as “creatives” and addresses the issue of value and exploitation. He points out that many artists get taken advantage of because they do not know or realize the monetary value of their creations. This is because most artists find their value in simply doing what they love or creating something that other people will love.
When we look at the Bible, there aren’t artists specifically mentioned by name, so what is the role of art in the Kingdom?
While reflecting on purpose and gifts, Neil says, “Whatever you are built with, do it well. If that’s art...guess what? Do it well!”
Not many artists are proud to show off their work...why is that? Vulnerability. It’s easier to hide than to receive feedback or criticism.
How can we feed artists moving forward? What’s missing or needs to change? The team discusses different ideas of ways to help artists grow and find their identity in Christ instead of what they produce.

Resources mentioned:

Email us ideas, questions, or suggestions at [email protected]

Previous Episode

Pace Over Pressure: Achievement Guide Pt. 3 - Ep 18

What’s covered in this episode:

In part three of the series, Brandon, Mark, Neil, and Chris reflect on “An Achievement Guide For Redemptive Game Developers” and its list of seven sins and the virtues that counteract them. This episode covers “pace over pressure”.
- “Resist and reject the culture of crunch on principle. Instead of endless, unquestioned productivity, we practice the rhythm of work and rest and regular filtering for value over volume.We dig into our need to grow in all the dimensions of our being human, heart soul mind and strength. And we commit to take one full day every week for rest from our daily work and make sabbath possible for everyone within our sphere of authority.”
“In every industry these days, the crunch is a cultural mindset.” Mark says. If you’re not working, there’s an underlying feeling that it’s time wasted.
There’s this concept that if you aren’t working toward something, then you aren’t valued, which is actually not what God says. We’re loved and valued by God by just being.
Work can be its own form of escapism; real life is too hard. We avoid rest to avoid thinking and feeling what needs to be thought and felt.
Learning to rest isn’t always easy. “Even though I was physically still, there was still a mindset that needed to be quieted. And it’s taken practice...” Mark explains that he had to go to the Father asking for his spirit to be calmed.
Sabbath is one of the ten commandments, and rest is intrinsically important to our beings.
“Rest” from work can just as much mean “play”. Use your rest time to do the life-giving things you can’t do on a work day. That might be quiet time, or it might be going for a hike.
Neil reminds us that rest time isn’t purely to recover, it’s to enjoy the fruits of your labor. God didn’t need to rest after his six days of creation, but he took the seventh day to enjoy what he had made. You need that moment.

Resources mentioned:

Email us ideas, questions, or suggestions at [email protected]

Next Episode

God's Reality Over Virtual Reality: Achievement Guide Pt. 5 - Ep 20

Welcome to the Soma SoulWorks Podcast! This podcast serves to help people, particularly those who may label themselves as "creatives," to seek wholeness and calling so they are ready to embrace the mission God has for them. Consider this podcast a rogue harmony of professional development and self-care, hosted by Chris Skaggs.
What’s covered in this episode:
This Achievement Guide series suggests a set of practices and ideals meant to shield our hearts and minds from the most common pitfalls we encounter. At its best, it is an expression of community, taken up in the belief that none of get through this world alone. We need help from one another to live the lives God meant for us. It is also embraced in humility, recognizing that we are all prone to specific lures and spiritual threats that require us to take extra care with our practices.
Instead of constantly escaping to virtual worlds and communities we recognize that the real world is the first and finest sandbox ever made. Entering, experiencing, and embracing the natural world grounds us, feeds our souls, and reminds us of the manifest wisdom of the creator of creation. We regularly unplug from all electronic devices and seek to soak in the ‘second scripture’ of the glorious planet God called good. This episode covers God’s reality over virtual reality:

Real world versus the digital world
- The truth about reality is that God created a certain set of rules that we have no power to change
- In virtual reality, you can make your own rules! And even if you break them, there are usually no real-world consequences
- Reality = the value of the journey; virtual reality = the value of the destination
- Most virtual reality is created by someone else’s perception of their own reality and experiences
What motivates you to use virtual reality? Do you use it as an escape from reality or do you enjoy the experience of the non-reality?
God made this world for us to experience, what is our willingness to enter into the world that He made?
Nature can so instantly create a positive impact on your life, so why are we so easily distracted from it?

Resources mentioned:

Email us ideas, questions, or suggestions at [email protected]