Andy SochorWhile I was in high school, I made the decision that when I grew up I wanted to be a gospel preacher. So at that point, I began writing religious articles. I did not care for writing in school, and was never a gifted writer, so I needed to start practicing and improving my skills. I saw writing as an inherent part of the work of a preacher, as this would provide another avenue through which to spread the gospel message. So since I decided I was going to preach, I decided I also needed to write.
Nearly fifteen years later, it appears to me that preachers in general do not do as much writing as I thought they would. Dedicating time regularly to writing seems to be the exception rather than the rule. Maybe this has always been the case and my youthful naivete led me to wrongly assume that writing was common for preachers. Perhaps more preachers are writing than the relative few of which I am aware. Or it could be that writing by gospel preachers has decreased in the last decade or so. Regardless of which one is closest to reality, I want to deal with some reasons why writing is a valuable endeavor for preachers and should not be quickly dismissed.
Andy uses the New Testament to establish three advantages of writing:
- Words can sometimes be better expressed through writing (2 Cor 10:9-11)
- Writings can be spread around more easily (Col 4:16)
- Writings are a lasting resource (2 Pet 1:12-15)
…and three downsides of writing.
- Writing takes time and effort (Eccl 12:9-12)
- Writing opens you up to greater scrutiny (2 Tim 4:14-15)
- Writing gives you a more permanent record (1 Tim 4:16)