Introduction
     1.   First stage of creative act is identifying a situation, deciding to act
     2.   Second stage is investigating, gaining knowledge or collecting information about
     subject.
     3.   Third stage is pondering
               a.   Present the situation to God, wait for his response.
               b.   Contemplate what you know about the situation, available resources (including
          God).
               c.   Record any spontaneous ideas, continue pondering.

Stage 4:  Evaluate
     1.   Definition
               a.   Judge all possible solutions, considering others' opinions.
               b.   Select the "best" one for current situation.
     2.   Judging the solutions.
               a.   If you believe God has spoken to you, why should you evaluate what he said?
                         i.   Remember:  ideas also come from your subconscious and from Satan.
                         ii.  God welcomes evaluation
                                   (1)  Isa 1:18  "Come now, let us reason together."
                                   (2)  God is usually represented by light, not by darkness; light
                    reveals, exposes, demands the truth.
                                   (3)  God's ideas are so superior to anyone else's, he has no fear of
                    being evaluated.
                         iii. There may be a difference between what you heard and what you thought
               it meant (interpretation) or how you thought you should apply it
               (implementation).
               b.   1 Cor 2:15  "The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself
          is not subject to any man's judgment."
                         i.   "Judge" means to examine, investigate, question in order to determine
               true value.
                         ii.  Your judgment should not be purely intellectual.
                                   (1)  You are a spiritual being; your spirit reveals truth to your mind.
                                   (2)  Proper judgment will reveal which idea you should use; mind &
                    spirit working together.
     3.   Decision-making strategies
               a.   After you have identified, investigated, pondered & received ideas, need to
          evaluate each idea.  How?
               b.   Simple evaluation method:  T Chart.
                         i.   Write idea at top of paper, draw vertical line in middle of paper.
                         ii.  Label two sides of page:
                                   (1)  advantages/disadvantages
                                   (2)  yes/no
                                   (3)  positives/negatives
                         iii. Under "advantages/yes/positives," list as many reasons as possible why
               you should use the idea.
                         iv.  Under "disadvantages/no/negatives," list as many reasons as possible
               why you should not use it.
                         v.   Repeat process for each idea.
               c.   The purpose of such methods is to stretch you beyond your normal thinking.
                         i.   They open you up to possibilities you might not consider by making
               decisions as you normally do.
               d.   Class Exercise:  Church needs to do desk-top publishing (bulletins, flyers,
          mailers, class materials, brochures, etc).  Church has very old computer
          system; slow, limited, inadequate for desk-top publishing.
                         i.   Identify:  Church needs to publish materials, cannot do it with
               equipment on-hand.
                         ii.  Investigate, Research:  What facts do we need?
                         iii. Ponder
                         iv.  Evaluate
                                   (1)  Ideas suggested by class:  send work to professional printer, have
                    church volunteers do the work on their home computers, church
                    buys new or used equipment, joint venture with other churches
                    with similar needs, have another church do work for us.
                                   (2)  Make T Chart for each idea, list as many advantages &
                    disadvantages for each.  Compilation:
                                             (a)  cited short-term & long-term costs, need for training,
                         need to maintain equipment, allowing our people to grow
                         with new responsibilities, difficulty of setting quality
                         standards on our people's work, ability to do work
                         anytime on our own system, our people sensitive to our
                         needs and desires in layout, overworking our volunteers
                         (like a second job), our system available for other needs
                         (record-keeping, accounting, etc)
                                   (3)  Which solution seems best?
     4.   Submitting to others' evaluation.
               a.   When your idea is fairly complete, take it to a person who    has proven ability
          in the area which you are exploring and present it for their recommendation.
               b.   If they have any suggestions, do everything you can to revise your plan for
          fulfilling your vision, incorporating their suggestions.
               c.   Pr 11:14  "For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory
          sure."
               d.   Pr 15:22  "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."
               e.   Be sure to pick a person with proven ability.
               f.   If your idea involves several areas of expertise, present it to people with
          abilities in those areas.
               g.   Who would you talk to about our ideas about publishing?
     5.   If you wish to change your normal results, you need to be suspicious of your normal
     habits of thinking.
               a.   You should always be aware of the mental and social forces that tend to make
          your decisions traditional.
               b.   Be willing to consider new methods, especially those that help you stretch.

Class Exercise (alternate)
     1.   Last week:  pondered a situation you have experienced.
               a.   Received new insight or new perspective.
               b.   Received ideas about how to approach your situation.
     2.   Today:  evaluate your ideas.

Class Exercise (alternate)
     1.   Identify:  Pastor of church unable to minister effectively to every family, too many
     people.
     2.   Investigate/research:  What facts do we need to consider alternatives?
     3.   Ponder
     4.   Evaluate

Next Week:  Fifth Stage of Innovative Thinking, Creative Problem-solving