“I wish you still did creative work…”

Someone said this to me recently, and I was honestly caught off guard.

Because…we never stopped.

That comment revealed something important: we hadn’t clearly communicated what we still do.

Let me take you behind the scenes a bit. For a long time, Keenly functioned as a creative agency doing things like branding, websites, design, and video. That work has always been a passion for us. But over time, we noticed a pattern that made us pause:

Ministries were reaching out for creative services, hoping it would fix deeper issues. Misalignment. Internal conflict. Fuzzy strategy. Things that a logo or website can’t solve.

So we made a pivot.

Instead of starting with creative, we now try to begin with clarity, through consultation, coaching, assessments and strategy. Then, once we’ve uncovered the real story and aligned the team, we create communication tools that reflect that deeper truth.

Creative is still very much part of what we do, it just comes after the foundation is laid.

So why did someone think we’d stopped doing creative work?

Because we weren’t clear enough in how we communicated that shift.

It was a great reminder.

We talk a lot about messaging clarity, and yet here we were, needing our own advice.

Here’s what I took away from that conversation:

1. Get feedback on your message. Don’t assume clarity. Ask people: Does this make sense to you?
2. Listen and learn. Feedback is a gift. Proverbs reminds us that wise leaders seek counsel—and it’s not always comfortable.
3. Find a guide. Sometimes you need an outside voice to help you untangle and clarify your message.

We believe that ministry messaging doesn’t have to be confusing. With the right clarity and creativity, your story can connect and inspire.