A Guide to Creative Conversations
Have you ever had a conversation which changed your life?
What is a Creative Conversation?
Have you ever had a conversation which changed your life? One of those moments where you glimpsed a different way of seeing the world?
In which you connected with someone else or a group of people at a profound level, even if just briefly, and where something new, even unexpected, came out of the connectedness between those people on that day in that place and at that time?
This is a creative conversation.
We designed this guide to help you reflect on and be a part of more creative conversations.
A Guide to Creative Conversations was developed and written by Anna Ruddick (Urban Life), Cathy Ross (Leader of the Oxford centre for CMS Pioneer Mission Training) and Mike Pears (Director of the International Baptist Theological Study Centre).
What’s in A Guide to Creative Conversations?
The guide contains five chapters which consider how to help enable and, conversely, what might hinder creative conversation:
- the physical environment
- shaping stories
- personhood
- the people involved
- conversations online
Each chapter contains:
- a short-but-deep introduction
- big questions (like “How do we handle power in our physical spaces?”)
- a guide for personal reflection
- a discussion guide for groups
- practical challenges to try out in your day to day life and mission
- suggestions for further reading and resources
Who is it for?
- Churches and community groups who want to learn to engage more deeply with their neighbours
- Those who are involved in building relationships between people of different cultures, faith groups and ethnic backgrounds
- Ministry students who are based in placements and ministry settings
- Research students who want to draw on innovative conversational methods
A Guide to Creative Conversations is a free resource – download it here.
