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Know About Creating: Is the Bible Funny?

Interview With Mitch Hudson

Writer and director Mitch Hudson joins the Know Why Podcast to talk about The Promised Land—a brand new comedy series based on the Bible. Unlike any faith-based entertainment you’ve seen before, The Promised Land tells the story of Moses in the style of shows like The Office and Parks & Recreation. In this episode, Mitch, who’s also an assistant director on the hit series The Chosen, discusses how renewing his faith renewed his creativity, and shares how adapting biblical stories for TV has inspired a deeper understanding of God, people, and life. He also shares advice for young adults interested in pursuing a career in film. Don’t sleep on this episode! 

Creating Honestly

While raised in a Christian home, Mitch told Know Why it wasn’t until adulthood that he decided to make faith a serious part of his life. After rededicating his life to God, Mitch said creative ideas started flowing. While he used to hesitate to tell faith-based stories, Mitch now believes it makes sense for him to create faith-based art because it’s “honest.”

“Creativity generally comes from a very honest place,” he told Know Why. “The fullness of my personality needs to express itself creatively, and that is not full unless it’s also including my faith.”

Telling Bible Stories on TV

Working on faith-based TV shows like The Chosen and now The Promised Land has helped Mitch gain a new understanding of many stories and people in the Bible, often motivating him to explore Scripture for himself even more, he told Know Why.

“It reminds you that the Bible is full of stories about people,” he said. “And God continues to use people. As we see these stories, it’s like, alright, if he used all these characters and they made all these mistakes, I bet he can also use us too.”

Is Exodus Funny?

The Promised Land is based on the story of Moses and the events of the biblical book of Exodus. Mitch said when writing episodes for The Promised Land, he found humor in details, such as character’s reactions, or imagining how they might feel about a situation.

“The Bible is full of stories about people.”

Mitch Hudson

“A lot of the stories that are in the Bible aren’t funny,” he told Know Why. “I’m not trying to make serious stories funny. When we get to serious stories in the Bible, we’re going to treat them seriously in the story of Moses. But there are some of the details … that when I dig into them a little bit deeper and think them through, that’s where I find some of the humor.”

Advice

Mitch recommends film school for anyone interested in a career in the film industry—if possible. “A lot of the connections I have that I made in film school with other students helped me stay in the loop on other projects that were happening,” he said.

But if film school isn’t an option, Mitch suggests finding ways to get on a film set to get any experience possible. Most states have a film office, he said. You can contact that office to find information about working or interning on sets. “There’s no bad learning, especially when you don’t have connections right at the beginning,” he said. He also advised taking any job on set, no matter what role you want to work in the future, because the experience will help you build community.

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Know About Creating: Does AI Threaten the Process of Making?

Interview With Jared Boggess

Does AI threaten the creative process? Jared Boggess, illustrator, Art Director for Christianity Today’s print magazine, and Creative Director of Fish Coin Press, joins Know Why Podcast to discuss why the process of making something matters. While humans are made in the image of God and are therefore creative, Jared explains, our process of making has been different from God’s since the beginning of time. Listen to know why you should enjoy the process of creating art.

Enjoyment in Work

Jared says the fact that we were made in God’s image means we were created to make things. But our process of making things is different than God’s. While God spoke the universe into existence, humans have always had to work to bring new things into being.

According to the Bible, humans were meant to work even before sin entered the world, Jared told Know Why. “Work itself is not bad. Labor is not bad. What came with the fall was our experience of it.”

“You might be in the wrong line of work if you never find yourself enjoying putting in the work.”

Jared Boggess

AI could subvert that process, Jared argues, allowing us to mimic instantaneous creation rather than putting in the work of making.

Jared believes that people should enjoy the process of their work, not just the result of it. “You might be in the wrong line of work if you never find yourself enjoying putting in the work,” he told Know Why.

Potential Tools

Jared thinks there may be helpful uses for AI technology, but insists that when it comes to art, AI is not simply another medium. He also warns that those who use AI to generate creative content should ensure that they do so ethically, since artificial intelligence has stolen content from other creators in the past.

However, he also doesn’t think it diminishes the need for new artists in the world.

“AI certainly does not remove our need to create,” Jared said, adding that as AI grows in popularity, human-made art may become even more valuable.

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Listen to another perspective on AI and art here.

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Know About Creating: What’s the Power of a Story?

Interview with Ross Boone (Part 2)

Ross Boone (artist name Raw Spoon) is back! In Part 2 of his interview with Know Why Podcast, Ross shares his formula for finding your mission in life. He also talks with Liberty about the power of stories, even dark ones (both true and fictional), to reveal the heart of God and point people to the light. Listen till the end to hear Ross turn the tables and interview Liberty for a few moments about her life’s story and mission. 

Find Your Mission

In Part 2, Liberty notes that Ross has used seemingly divergent skill sets (mechanical engineering and artwork) to create his Creature Habits App. Ross believes people can find their mission in life by identifying their skills and passions and using painful parts of their life story to help others. For a more detailed description of Ross’s formula, listen to the first few minutes of the episode or click on the “Find Your Mission” link below.

“If we want to speak to the deepest parts of our humanity, we’re going to have to go to the deepest parts of our pain.”

Ross Boone

The Power of Story

True stories have the power to impact us deeply—but so do fictional stories. Ross believes Christians should be honest about the condition of the world in our storytelling. “Christian art doesn’t have to be rated G,” he told Know Why. “If we want to speak to the deepest parts of our humanity, we’re going to have to go to the deepest parts of our pain.” Is there a line for Christian artists and consumers when it comes to content that is “safe” or “clean?” Listen for Ross’s thoughts on navigating this issue.

Liberty’s Story

At the end of the episode, Ross asks Liberty questions to help identify her mission, leading Liberty to share part of her personal journey with faith and doubt.

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Know About Creating: How Can Artists Use AI and Other Digital Tools Wisely?

Interview With Ross Boone (Part 1)

Ross Boone (artist name Raw Spoon) is an author, illustrator, mechanical engineer, and theologian. He’s also had his share of doubts about faith and the Bible. Using those struggles as his creative engine, today Ross encourages others through artwork and stories. In Part 1 of his interview with Know Why Podcast, Ross shares how he uses digital tools including AI to create art that enhances biblical understanding. He also discusses how his app Creature Habits aims to reorient our distractions toward positive purposes. Listen and check out more of Ross’s creative resources below.

Doubt, Faith, and People

Ross told Know Why that he used to struggle with guilt over doubts and questions he had regarding Christian faith. He turned to creativity to process those doubts and questions, and now helps others wading through the same questions through his art.

Overtime, Ross realized that doubt is an important part of one’s journey with faith. “If you weren’t ever left in longing or left with questions, you wouldn’t have to dig deeper,” he said. He’s found that seeming dissonances within Scripture actually point to the complexity and nuance of humanity—much like art.


“If you weren’t ever left in longing or left with questions, you wouldn’t have to dig deeper.”

Ross boone

He believes Christian art needs to do a better job of portraying this reality. “Art has alerted me to the fact that we are complex, because I recognize when stories and portrayals of humans are done poorly.”

AI and Art

Ross believes that digital tools, including AI, have the power to bring depth and complexity to our understanding of biblical principles. He uses AI to generate art that accompanies Bible passages available in his app, Creature Habits. He hopes the art will help users visualize and understand biblical morals in fresh ways.

He notes that AI isn’t replacing the creative process for him as an artist. Rather, AI is a tool he is using for the benefit of the viewer in a specific context.

“Every new, modern technology is a tool for us to do what we want to do better,” he told Know Why. “We just have to be careful we don’t become a slave to these tools.”

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Listen to another perspective on AI and art here.

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Know About Creating: Why Should Christians Value Art?

Interview With John Hendrix

Bestselling author and illustrator John Hendrix joins the Know Why Podcast to talk about the intersection of art and faith. A critically acclaimed artist and lifelong Christian, John shares why beauty has inherent value, argues why Christians should support artists, and explains why pursuing art as a profession matters in today’s world. A professor of art at Washington University in St. Louis, John offers advice and encouragement to aspiring artists. We also discuss some of John’s published (and forthcoming) graphic novels, so don’t miss this episode!

Art and Faith

John told Know Why he has been a Christian and an artist for as long as he can remember. As a child, he was often artistically inspired by the beauty in his home church. He sees art and creation as intrinsic expressions of his belief system.

“You cannot decouple creativity from expression of Christian faith,” he said, noting that “everyone is a creator,” even if they don’t consider themselves artists.


“We are made in the image of a Maker, and that is why we love making stuff.”

John Hendrix

John also shared how throughout his life, he’s wrestled with seasons of doubt regarding Christianity. “I think if you do not have doubts in your faith, you’re probably not really wrestling with it,” he told Know Why. “The doubts are a sign that it means something to you.”

The Value of Beauty

Christians can sometimes have a complicated relationship with the arts, and Johns sees a few reasons for this. For instance, Christians are often focused on practical ways to advance the gospel, and focusing on art can feel like an “indulgence.”

John understands the concern, but thinks the focus on practicality is misguided. “The sunset is not doing a particular work in spreading the gospel, unless you believe that beauty is fundamentally connected to some of God’s intrinsic values, which—news flash—it is,” he said. “So supporting the arts, in some ways, means succumbing to a mystery.”

He believes that churches should welcome artists and even implement programs to support them.

Encouragement for Aspiring Artists

The decision to pursue art professionally can result in both judgment and concern regarding everything from finances to the legitimacy of the pursuit. John encourages young artists, insisting that devoting one’s life to art is not selfish, but sacrificial—and meaningful for the world.

“Artists do not have the same earning power in general as Wall Street brokers, and that’s ok,” he said. “The goal of life on this planet is not to maximize your earning potential.” He says following one’s calling and living rightly are what matter most.


“The calling into the arts is a very broad one and it is totally worthy of your life.” 

John Hendrix

Regarding illustration specifically, John says that “there is no better time to be an illustrator than right now.” There are so many devices and books that need illustration today, he continues, and illustration brings “clarity.”

“What does God value in the world?” John asked. “He values clarity. Clarity is a value. And it’s a value that is very difficult to do and to bring to the world.”

Listen to the entire conversation for more insight, encouragement, and information about John’s forthcoming graphic novel, The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.

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Know About Creating: Why Do We Make Art and How Does it Make Us?

Conversation With Meghan Kitchen and Stephen R. Miller

Meghan Kitchen and Stephen R. Miller continue the conversation on art, why we love it, why we do it, and how it impacts people. Part 2 kicks off with a discussion of how different kinds of art highlights truth, and whether Christian artists must be “explicit” in their message in order to point people to the gospel. Then Stephen, Meghan, and Liberty talk about why making art is important even when art doesn’t make money—and why we should all carve out time for creative endeavors. Listen to Part 1 here.

Stories

Last week, Stephen argued that even dark art can point people to Jesus. Continuing that conversation, Liberty talks about The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy, a novella that impacted her faith through its themes of death and futility. Stephen argues that stories impact us deeply by connecting us with God, truth, and humanity.


“We’re telling stories, and I think within us all is a desire to somehow replicate … the unnamable.”

Stephen R. Miller

“We’re telling stories, and I think within us all is a desire to somehow replicate … the unnamable,” he said. “To put down whether it’s oil on canvas or ink on paper or performance with a music instrument or a human being acting on stage, to give this form, but it starts with a story.”

With or Without Money?

Liberty asked Meghan and Stephen if they would make a living off their art if they could (everyone agreed they would), and why they still pursue their art even if it doesn’t make money. Everyone agreed that creating art is important even if it doesn’t earn a living.

“The further I get from the assumption that I ‘ought’ to be making money at this, the better,” Stephen told Know Why. Letting go of that assumption allows him to focus on what really matters about his passion, acting: “It connects me to my fellow human beings and it is the way God has given me to reflect him among his creation.”

Are you making time for your creative endeavors?

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Know About Creating: Why We Love Art

Conversation With Meghan Kitchen and Stephen R. Millar (Part 1)

For the first episode of Know Why’s new series, “Know About Creating,” Liberty is joined in-studio by audio engineer Meghan Kitchen and producer Stephen R. Miller, both of Point of View Radio Talk Show. But for this conversation, Liberty, Meghan, and Stephen are artists. They discuss what they love about their favorite art mediums, why they feel the drive to create stories, music, and performances, and how faith impacts their interactions with art. Enjoy Part 1 of this fun conversation and look for Part 2 next week! 

Art is Life

For people who consider themselves creatives, creating isn’t an option. That’s how Meghan, Stephen, and Liberty feel about their favorite forms of creative work. All three agree that art helps to connect them with other people.

“I love it [acting] because it gives me a chance to open people’s eyes, it gives me a chance to make people laugh or cry and to think deeply about humanity and about how they relate to others, and how others relate to them,” Stephen said.

“Art is to be shared,” Meghan added.

Faith and Art

What does it mean to do art as Christians? Meghan, Stephen, and Liberty share their various feelings on the combination of art and faith, acknowledging that sometimes Christians feel the need to box themselves or other artists in to explicitly and exclusively referencing God in their works.

Stephen argues that even in “dark” stories where the Gospel isn’t explicitly mentioned, people can be pointed to truth.

Listen to the episode for more about how art of various forms points to God, and check back next week for Part 2!

More Resources

  • What Happens in a Dream? Fictional Podcast by Meghan Kitchen
  • Request a free copy of the booklet “A Biblical View on Imagination” by Stephen Miller here, or read an expanded digital edition here.
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Why Should I Advocate for Religious Freedom?

Interview With Nathan Shackelford

What if we fostered a culture of curiosity about others’ religious beliefs, rather than judgment? In the last episode of Know Why’s series on political engagement, Liberty interviews Nathan Shackelford of First Liberty Institute. Nathan shares stories of religious discrimination happening today in the United States—from synagogues being rejected by cities, to pastors being criminally charged for offering shelter to the homeless, and more. Listen to learn how you can help defend religious freedom for all.

Everyone Should Care

Nathan Shackelford is the Manager of F3, a new initiative from legal firm First Liberty Institute. F3 equips young adults to stand up for religious freedom rights. He told Know Why that religious freedom is something everyone should care about, regardless of their political stance. “You should want the ability to express your faith without fear of government reprisal, no matter which side you’re on,” he said.

While many members of Gen Z in the U.S. support certain subtle expressions of religion, a majority do not support bolder expressions of faith, such as preaching in public or holding faith-based, counter-cultural opinions. But Nathan argues you can’t have one kind of expression of faith without the other.

“If you’re a person of faith, you shouldn’t have to turn off half of yourself when you’re in public,” he told Know Why.

Free to Express Your Faith

That’s what many of First Liberty’s legal cases center on—protecting Americans’ right to freely express their religious beliefs in public without fear of retribution from government or employers. Several of First Liberty’s U.S. Supreme Court wins have secured precedents that expand rights for people of all faiths, Nathan told Know Why.


“Every person of faith has to have the right to express their faith equally.”

Nathan shackelford

“Every person of faith has to have the right to express their faith equally,” he said. “If the First Amendment only applies to Christians but doesn’t apply to every other group, then the law is being selective in what it’s covering.” 

Fostering Openness

Nathan believes the impulse to want people of faith to hide their beliefs comes from a loss of openness and friendly debate in American culture. He thinks diverse expressions of faith should invite curiosity and conversation, rather than make people uncomfortable.

While some may doubt that religious discrimination is truly a problem in the United States, First Liberty Institute’s case list proves otherwise. Nathan summarizes a few ongoing and recent cases, including one involving a pastor who is being targeted by his city government for attempting to house the homeless. Another example involves a synagogue told by city officials that their kind were not wanted.

Defending religious freedom in America also has an impact on religious minorities around the world who are more harshly persecuted, Nathan explained. Many religious non-profits who offer global aid to the persecuted are based in the U.S. (and religious believers are most likely to give to charity). If religious organizations and individuals are not able to operate freely, people around the world suffer.

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To learn more about your religious freedom rights and how you can become involved in defending others’ religious freedom, explore the links below.

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Am I Placing Wholesomeness Above Holiness? Know About Political Engagement

Interview With Dr. James Spencer

In this episode, Dr. James Spencer, president of the D. L. Moody Center challenges Christians to reframe the way they interact with politics. As Dr. Spencer and Liberty discuss topics like cultural Christianity and Christian nationalism, Dr. Spencer argues that Christians’ political involvement should stem from a place of discipleship, not a desire for comfort. 

Wholesome vs. Holy

Dr. Spencer’s recent book, Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness, argues political action is often an effective means for loving God and loving our neighbor—the two greatest commandments in the Bible. But our motivation can be misplaced. For instance, as Christians, our motivation for getting involved in politics shouldn’t be “saving the culture” or restoring a cultural Christianity for our own comfort.

“Christians tend to settle for wholesomeness when only holiness will do,” Dr. Spencer said.

Won’t activism that is inspired by Christian principles have a positive effect on the culture? Dr. Spencer says that’s not guaranteed in Scripture.

“Our task is to be faithful regardless, and to allow God to do through us what we can’t see,” he told Know Why. That doesn’t mean our faithfulness won’t bear fruit—but it may not be in ways (or on timelines) we can see. “As we’re faithful, he’ll use that faithfulness across the generations.”

Christian Nation(alism)?

Many people use the term “Christian nation” to refer to America, due to strong Christian and theistic elements of its founding and history. But Dr. Spencer says we shouldn’t call America a Christian nation, since “Christian” has a precise definition that doesn’t apply to earthly governments.

“There’s a big distinction to be made between being inspired by the Bible and believing that the Bible is an inspired authority,” he said.

While he believes “Christian nationalism” is a “pejorative” often used to demean Christian political activists, he does believe that actual Christian nationalism is wrong. “I think that merging the church and the state is a fundamental theological error. The two simply do not go together,” he said.

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How Can I Keep Faith Above Partisanship? Know About Political Engagement

Interview With Chris Butler

Many people abandon faith values upon entering the political sphere. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Chris Butler, Executive Leader at the AND Campaign and Lead Pastor at Chicago Embassy Church Network, joined Know Why to discuss how Christians can engage in politics without making their party their identity. Listen to hear Chris’s practical tips for faithful, strategic political engagement—including a test to see whether you’ve been “brainwashed” by your party.

From Church to Politics

“So many people walk into politics out of the church,” Chris told Know Why. That’s why the AND Campaign was founded. “Pretty soon people who come out of the church into politics don’t look very much like the church. They just look like the politics,” he added.

“Step by step, working together, we really can make a real difference in the tone and tenor of our politics.”

Chris Butler

It’s possible to engage in politics and even participate in a particular party. Chris said the key is being partisan at the level of your participation, not your identity.

“It is so important for believers to find their indentity in Christ, not in a political party or an ideological affiliation,” he said.

Prepare for the Moment

To help Christians keep their identity in Christ this election year, the AND Campaign launched the Civic Revival Initiative. The initiative offers resources and action items for those who want to engage faithfully and effectively in politics in 2024. One of the exercises the initiative encourages includes listing 10 things your own political “side” is getting wrong.

“If you can’t do that, it’s not because your side is perfect,” Chris told Know Why. “It’s probably because you’ve gone a little bit too deep into it and begun to be a little bit brainwashed.”

Other aspects of the Civic Revival Initiative help Christians prepare their hearts for the political friction and disagreements sure to happen during an election year. It is possible to maintain civility and retain relationships with people who think differently than you, but “we don’t perform well in the moment when we haven’t prepared for the moment,” Chris said.

Ultimately, he encourages young adults to get involved where they can, using their vote “strategically” but also engaging beyond the voting booth.

“Step by step, working together, we really can make a real difference in the tone and tenor of our politics,” Chris said.

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