Tag: Ministering through writing

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The Ministry of Writing

You Already Have a Writing Team

Like me you are probably trying to build a support team for your writing — a reading group, a critique group, editors, an agent, an IT person who will come to the rescue in the middle of the night for free, publishers, publicists, etc. But you already have a writing team. A team that is easily forgotten.

The other day I contacted a guy to hire to help me do communications for a ministry I am involved in. I emailed him that I was looking for a Felicity from the CW’s Arrow and a Cisco from CW’s Flash. Like you, possibly, he didn’t have a clue what I was talking about, but lucky his wife watched the two television shows. Arrow is a television show based off the DC Comics character Green Arrow. Green Arrow is a crime fighting vigilante who wears a green hood and uses a bow. Flash is a television show based off the DC Comics character Flash who after being hit by lightning gains supernatural speed which he uses to do good in his city.

The two shows have caught my attention. For one, I was a comic book nerd back in the day, but secondly, it has given an interesting take about other people in the lives of these superheroes. Both characters have a team that helps them. Green Arrow has Diggle who helps with intelligence and crime fighting, and he has Felicity who is a computer guru. The Flash has Joe who is a detective, Caitlyn who is a scientific genius, and Cisco who is a technology guru. In every episode it is evident that the superheroes can’t accomplish their missions alone.

The shows go beyond the immediate “official” team and shows how the hero’s mission affects so many others lives. There are those who know the hero’s true identity and struggle to carry that burden. Then there are the family members and love ones who do not know the identity, but still feel the effects of the hero’s double life.

Now maybe it is self-serving to attempt to connect my writing to a superhero, but I need all the encouragement I can get. No seriously, our writing ministries are important. Like the Arrow and the Flash we are trying to change the world, and we aren’t doing it alone. [bctt tweet=”You can’t accomplish your writing mission alone — it takes a team.”]

If you have written for any period of time then you have a good team that works hard to let you “save the world.” I imagine you have a team like me. I have my wife who has for years given up her husband’s one day off and her only day to have a break from being mom to allow me to write. She has agreed to invest money into editing, critiques, contests, and writers conferences all the while knowing my promise that we would eventually make it back was a lie. Then there are my daughters who sacrifice their Daddy time and play without him even though he is just a closed door and headphones away. Then there is my congregation that has not received their pastor’s full attention so that he could write. There are my parents who know they are in trouble when they get older because their writer son is going to be busy spending 2,000 hours on a manuscript that will never see daylight and not be able to help them, and he sure is not going to have any money. They are a team player willing to offer my family a place to live if turns to that. Then my poor in-laws who know I can’t provide what their daughter deserves because I spend too much time watching stupid YouTube videos and reading “Where are the WWE Stars Now?” — uh, I mean writing. Then there are my fishing and hunting buddies who have to go alone because I’m hanging out in my office drawing ligers.

Again if you have written for any period of time you too have a team like me. Remember them. You can’t do it alone, but you already have a writing team.

 

 

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The Ministry of Writing

Fiction Writers are Teachers Too

Labeled for reuse. Image can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/cybrarian77/6284181389

Christian nonfiction writers receive all the credit for being the biblical and spiritual teachers. If we want to learn the truth then we are told to pick up one of those boring nonfiction books written by a preacher, but that is not fair because fiction writers are teachers, too. Actually learning is accelerated far more through narrative than simple prose therefore we learn more from fiction writers than we even realize.

Education experts and our own experience tell us that we learn best through watching examples than hearing a lecture. As famous author Henry David Thoreau once said, “If you would convince a man that he does wrong, do right. But do not care to convince him. Men will believe what they see. Let them see.”

Your stories in your fictional writings teach. They teach far more than a sermon or “how-to” book does. Therefore, you must understand you aren’t just a story teller — you are a teacher.

Your writings teach a lot of practices, doctrines, and values — but most of all you teach worldview.

You don’t just teach worldview you create worldviews. You create whole worlds and then you teach how that world should be viewed and understood.

So how do I know this? Because I am trying to instill a Christian biblical worldview in my children, but that worldview is constantly being challenged through the fiction books, movies, televisions, and clichés that fill their lives.

We guard the shows and books that my children see and hear. We find stories that convey solid values and don’t introduce “bad” things. But even in those good stories a different world view is presented. Even in the good stuff my kiddos see people who are good people, but do not walk with the Lord. The self-sufficiency of man is championed. In many of those stories, the world just appeared and was not created by an almighty God. The characters live their life and do not worship God. In the stories the characters chase their own dreams and don’t let the Holy Spirit guide them. Nature may be worshiped. The list could go on. Here are some of the worldview challenges that has come up:

 

[bctt tweet=”“Daddy, Calliou doesn’t pray before he goes to bed.””]

“Daddy, do you think Daniel the Tiger knows Jesus? He doesn’t go to church.”

“Daddy, do you know that at that princess castle with the tea cups you can ride that all of our dreams will come true. Can we go?”

“Daddy, do you know that the ponies (My Little Pony) can make rainbows, too?” (Meaning in addition to God).

“Daddy is Jesus like Superman?”

“Daddy on Dinosaur Train I heard that dinosaurs were here millions of years ago.” (Did I mention I am young earth proponent?)

 

I could go all day. None of these are terrible. There are all good shows, but they portray a worldview of life without God or a reality where something is a god.

Not only do they portray things, they shape worldviews.

So what kind of worldviews are you creating?

Please be creative and tell amazing stories, but how about still portraying the biblical worldview and values you hold dear.

Refer to the one, transcendent Creator. Refer to an afterlife. Have your hero still reliant on the Creator. Have your character carry out spiritual disciplines. Again know that you are shaping your reader’s worldview.

Author Brian Godawa wrote, “Every story is informed by a worldview.” I would add that every story shapes our worldview.

[bctt tweet=”Since fiction writers are teachers too, teach a biblical compatible worldview.”]

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Storyworld

Christian Fantasy and Science Fiction: Alternate Realities

Christian Fantasy
Where is God?

Last month we looked at writing fictitious, sentient creatures within our own universe. In summary, God has a plan for them, but that plan may or may not be similar to the one he has for us. But what if your fictitious world, whether a Christian fantasy novel or a sci-fi one, is governed by completely different fundamental principles?

No, I’m looking at something more fundamental than physics – God.

What if a different God rules your world …

First of all, this doesn’t make you a heretic. It could certainly present some challenges, but if done well, Christians are willing to suspend their disbelief. Plus, non-Christians may be willing to read about worshippers of a fictitious deity even if they’ve been wounded by God’s representatives in this world.

This is especially true of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series. If you didn’t know (surprisingly, some don’t), Aslan represents our God in Lewis’s fantasy world. However, there is no Bible in the land of Narnia, and the talking animals interact with their creator is differently than us. Most of what we discussed last month still holds true –God had a purpose for his sentient animals, and they never fell from grace so a pathway to redemption wasn’t necessary. Evil does enter the world, but in a different manner and is thus dealt with according to the rules of that world.

Some allegorical books like Hannah Hunard’s Hinds Feet on High Places or John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress use different names to represent our God, but the difference is in name only – in all other respects, God is very recognizable. Generally speaking, if God is in your book under a penname, this is safe and comfortable for the Christian fantasy and sci-fi audience. And just like historical Christian fiction or any other Christian fiction, the key is representing Him correctly.

What if no God exists in your world …

Can you create a godless reality and still honor God with it?

Yes and no.

Stories communicate ideas, and even a story without religious overtones can share virtues and theological notions. R.A. Salvatore’s Icewind Dale trilogy has a character named Drizzt who overcomes prejudice against his dark elven heritage. This noble figure even risks his life to protect those who would like to see him dead. Sound like Jesus? I’m not saying Salvatore is a Christian (I don’t know either way), but if a Christian wrote a similar novel expressing righteousness, he should be proud, even if a god figure isn’t explicit.

[bctt tweet=”Even a story without religious overtones can share virtues and theological notions #storyworld #fantasy” via=”no”]

Similarly, everyone familiar with Timothy Zahn’s Star Wars trilogy (Heir to the Empire etc.) knows of Mara Jade and her conversion experience. This resonates with Christians and non-Christians alike, but only followers of Jesus understand why.

Of course, the most well-known example of Christian fantasy is J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Even though the God we know is not present, there are countless metaphors for Christianity contained in the series, and entire books have been written to unpack them. But fans enjoy the series as a fantastic romp in a richly detailed world whether or not they recognize some of Tolkien’s deeper truths.

However, there is a caveat. Since ethics without divine authority are only a matter of opinion, a truly godless reality has no ultimate source of morality. And a world without any morality will be a very, very dark one. I immensely enjoyed reading George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire and I highly recommend it to any budding fantasy writers, Christian or not (I promise it isn’t as graphic as HBO’s Game of Thrones). But I wouldn’t want to live south of the Wall, or even visit. Martin excels at portraying the complete and utter depravity of mankind, but without any source of hope, his world’s inhabitants face a bleak existence. A Christian writer should be careful not to delve too far into the dark without any guiding light.

[bctt tweet=”A Christian writer should be careful not to delve too far into the dark without any guiding light #amwriting #redemption” via=”no”]

In summary, if you are a Christian fantasy or science fiction writer, your novel will have allusions to your faith, because it is a part of who you are. This can take the form of an alternately-named version of our own God or by delivering biblical concepts and ideas in the form of righteous characters.

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

Writers Conferences: The Main Thing

I’ve been to many writers conferences and even serve on the planning committee of one event, and I always tell conference “newbies” about the main thing.

Most first-time conference attendees think the main thing is their work. Their manuscript. Their baby. I thought that, too. I was wrong.

Ten years ago I came to my first conference, Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, very “green.” I had my manuscript, my baby, in a big blue binder, and I expected to meet an editor, sign a contract at dinner, and return the next year with a shiny published book with my name on it and a gig as the keynote speaker.

Why not dream big?

One of the first people I met at the conference “Meet-and-Greet” was an editor with a MAJOR Christian publishing house. We chatted easily and found ourselves “bumping into each other” all weekend. We even got together at the hotel, and he met my family. At the end of the conference, he miraculously agreed to take my manuscript home!

My dream was coming true! An editor from a MAJOR house was willing to look at my work! Keynote, here I come!

A few months later, he got laid off from the MAJOR publishing house.

So much for my big dream.

However, through the years, a deep friendship developed as we exchanged emails, Facebook messages, and phone calls. We have shared the highs and lows of life, watched each other’s children grow up, commiserated over writing rejections, celebrated publications, and more.

Today, ten years after that first meeting at KCWC, this friend traveled many miles out of his way (over mountainous roads—I live in the middle of nowhere) to visit me. We had a great day touring the area, sharing a meal, and catching up after too many years. We even prayed for each other before he left.

He never published my book . . . but he became one of my dearest friends.

Relationship. That, my friends, is the main thing you’ll take away from a writers conference.

Categories
The Ministry of Writing

Writers are Bad to the Bone

Photo by Pierre Lognoul permitted for reuse.

If you have flown then I imagine you know the feeling. You sit down in your assigned seat and the seat next to you is empty. You then look forward at the stream of passengers working their way to you. Immediately you access their size and hygiene, then you look deep into their eyes. Somehow five to seven rows before yours their eyes will give them away. In my case I see their eyes saying “oh no I have to sit by him.”

A few weeks ago I was in that situation, I saw one of the biggest men I have ever seen and hoped he was not assigned seat 17B. His eyes told me he was.

So next to me sits this mountain of a man. Tall, bowed up, covered in tattoos. Tattoos that said this guy was bad to the bone.

He easily engaged in conversation, as a pastor I can’t let my seat neighbor sit in silence. The conversation immediately went to where he was headed. He was going to a dangerous part of the Middle East to drill for oil. When I suggested that sounded dangerous, he told me about his last job in the jungle where armed guards protected him around the clock. He said it was common to hear of a national being slaughtered by a bush knife. Then to top the machete murders he shared about his time in the Special Forces.

It was somewhere in his second Iraq tour when I began to panic. Knowing he would soon ask where I was headed. In light of his manly stories I dreaded saying I was headed to a writer’s conference. I knew my story would conjure up the intense dangers of paper cuts so I thought about making up something more exciting.

He did ask, and even as I sheepishly told him where I was headed — I knew he couldn’t hang in my world. Because writers are “B-B-B-B-Bad”.

My kids will have a bumper sticker that says, [bctt tweet=”“My Dad can beat up your Dad, because my Dad is an author.””]

Writing is hard work.

When I began working on my first book, I took a week’s vacation. I planned to finish my book in six days 5:30 am until Starbucks closed. At 9:41 pm on the fourth day while finally beginning chapter two, I said to myself, “Writing is ridiculous.” So I Googled “encouragement for authors”, and I found an article that spoke truth into me. In a different phrase not suitable for a column entitled The Ministry of Writing, it said, “Authors are bad to the bone.” It continued, “Regardless if a book gets published if someone finishes a book they are one of the Baddest (Butt) people in the world.”

I smiled and got back to work.

That was two years ago. Those two chapters would get revised over thirty times. Then they were thrown in the thrash when agents encouraged me to go in another direction, which I gladly did because [bctt tweet=”I am a writer and I am BAD TO THE BONE.”]

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The Ministry of Writing

Writing is Residual Ministry: It Lives On

photo by John Scalzi and made available for reuse.

I went to a meeting just to be nice to my friend, but I heard a phrase I have not forgotten.

In college, a friend started in Amway and thought that his fellow ministry students might actually have the money to join him. So as a broke, newly married college student, I listened to his spiel until he said, “RESIDUAL INCOME.” I have not experienced it, but the idea sounds amazing — to continue earning income long after the work has been done.

He told us we could pay the fee, set-up the website, and have a few conversations then — BOOM sit back and rake in the dough. Yeah, I know it’s not that simple, but you get the picture. You could expend effort once and continue getting paid, even when you’re off the clock or sleeping.

I don’t remember what he said after “residual income”, but I loved the idea.

I believe it’s not only a great business idea, but also a great concept for ministry. What if we could work hard once and then for days, months, years, decades, and even centuries there would be residual ministry? Even while we are sleeping our work could continue ministering to someone, and [bctt tweet=”even when our body is in the grave we could keep sharing the Gospel.”]

If there is such a ministry shouldn’t we invest our lives into it?

There is a residual ministry.

And you are doing it — it is writing.

You might struggle as I do. I know I am called to write, but I have a hard time hiding myself away in my Starbucks writing cave because there is “real” ministry that needs to take place. How can I hide away from the world when there are folks in this very coffee house that need to hear the Gospel?

How can I type away when there are hurting individuals that I could visit?

Ministry is about people therefore I need to be with people, but out of all I might do no ministry will keep ministering longer than my writing.

Moses had a successful ministry. He lead a couple million people out of slavery, established a nation, judged over daily affairs, taught the Law, and even organized the religious practices of Israel. But out of all he did, it’s his writings that have ministered the most.

The same could be said of Paul. He lead many people to the Lord, planted many churches, established doctrine, taught, but it is his writing that has continued to minister.

For Moses and for Paul their writing was residual ministry. The same is true for us.

Your writing ministry will live on. It will keep ministering even after you’re gone.

[bctt tweet=”If there is such a ministry shouldn’t we invest our lives into it? #writing #write” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”Your writing ministry will live on. #author #amwriting”]