The imagination has been an interest of mine for about ten years. Ten years ago, I providentially came upon a definition for the imagination: “The imagination is a faculty for the ideal conception of reality.” What dawned on me then was that my imagination was a God-given faculty for perceiving unseen reality. God gave me eyes to perceive visual reality. God gave me the sensation of touch to perceive tactile reality. He gave me my ears to perceive aural reality. He gave me my tongue to perceive taste and my nose to perceive smells. I believe God gave the imagination, not so much to create unrealities, or to live fantasies, but to engage and inhabit unseen reality. As Francis Schaffer is oft quoted, this unseen reality is “real reality” though much of it is not directly accessible to our five senses. God gave us imaginations so that we can live meaningfully and engage in the unseen realties of His creation.

My goal for this paper is threefold: first, breathe life back into our concept of the imagination by moving towards a better understanding of this God-given faculty; second, show the imagination’s indispensable role in faith and discipleship; lastly, consider how these insights influence ministry.