Given that it’s the beginning of a new year—a time when we typically evaluate where we’ve been and where we’re going—I thought I would stir the pot.

Here are seven questions that might subversively stretch your preconceptions and wobble your paradigms. I encourage you to prayerfully contemplate a few of them, and maybe discuss some with fellow artists of faith. It’s my hope that these questions might help you gain clarity on your journey of faith as an artist.

1. If you are (or could be) a vocal artist, which would you prefer: Having an excellent voice that everyone likes, or having a unique voice that some people love and some people hate?

2. If you are (or could be) a visual artist, which would you prefer: Having one of your paintings hang in a prestigious gallery, or being able to study under a prestigious artist?

3.What is…