What does it say about the loss of play in our culture that it takes an automobile company to bring it back?

At first glance, “play” seems like a waste of time (and probably is by most of today’s performance metrics).  However, without unstructured daydreaming, doodling for fun, or letting our thoughts wander from time to time, we stifle our creativity. Places like the New Children’s Museum of San Diego thrive on the participatory, open-ended nature of their exhibits.  The NCM creates space to allow kids (of all ages) to let their imaginations thrive; kids supply their own CGI and special effects.

Play is a significant part of building our collective imagination, cultivating spontaneous learning and bringing people together.  What is true for kids is also true for adults:  Immersion and interaction capture our imagination in ways that a lecture never could.  I would love to cultivate a sense of holy whimsy, wonder and joy in our church community, during our Sunday gatherings and beyond.