I mentioned my intention earlier this year to write an occasional article on the subject of technology and preaching. You may put this article in that category, though the tie-in is tangential at best. I would like to spend a moment explaining why I believe it is important for preachers to write, as a means of teaching and personal growth.
I recently came across a memoir written by Warren E. Berkley, where he described his views of writing. The quote comes as Warren describes his 40 years of work as a gospel preacher:
“Writing has been one of the primary disciplines of my work. I probably developed this interest in college. I had a great English and writing teacher (Kathleen Skeen) who patiently stressed the fundamentals and insisted that you cannot learn to write without writing. Writing requires thinking, ordering thoughts, focusing on how to communicate, evaluating, editing and being certain you have used the right words in the right combination. If you never publish anything, write! If you want to advance yourself as a public speaker or teacher, write! If you want an outlet for your emotions, rant – I mean write (writing has great therapeutic value). Do not lock into the glamour or celebration of seeing your name in a byline. Concentrate on the work itself, not just the celebrated result. Writing for the Preceptor (a weekly column, editing special issues and tracts) became a huge contribution to my thinking, my study methods and all the final aspects of my work. Last year, editing a book about preaching and now nearing our 18th year of Expository Files, I do not regret the many hours I’ve spent laboring over manuscripts. I want to do more of this and plan to. Clear thinking and clear writing live along side each other.”
(Warren Berkley, Forty Years So Far, November 2010)
There is so much that is good in this quote:
- Writing is a discipline. Warren’s use of the term in this context most probably refers to (as Webster states), “orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior.” It is something that he does consistently as an integral part of his work as an evangelist. However, it is not mere coincidence that the term is used. Writing takes discipline, (control); and disciplines, (training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character), the man who practices the craft.
- Writing requires many skills central to the work of preaching. Those mentioned – an ability to communicate; evaluate; edit; choose effective and appropriate words – all are honed by writing. Hence, Warren is right to encourage men to write, even if it is only for personal growth.
- Writing is not to be done for glory. While I admit that as a young man I desired to see my name in a byline, I quickly found out that the act of writing is in no way glamorous. To be effective as a preacher, a writer should park the ego permanently. Writing is hard work. A preacher who uses the pen for the purpose of rebuke (2 Timothy 4:2) is more likely to garner criticism than praise.
- “Clear thinking and clear writing live along side each other.” This quote is proof of concept. It is as cogent and concise an explanation of the benefit of writing that I have read. It is true in both directions. A clear thinker will be a clear (and thus effective) writer. A man who works diligently to write clearly will improve his mental acuity and communication skills. The more you write, the better your preaching will be. If you don’t believe it, go read some of Warren’s writings. He, with Jon Quinn, have been editing the Expository Files monthly for 18 years. A link to Expository Files can be found in the right column of this page (toward the bottom). Or, find an old copy of the Plain Talk bulletin edited by Robert Turner. No better example of clear writing, and clear thinking, can be found.
If you decide to write, pursue the discipline seriously. Craft each article or book with precision. Be sure that the words you choose accurately represent what you mean to say. Use proper grammar and spelling. Get help if you are challenged in this area. And, most importantly, be absolutely sure that what you write is true to God’s word. Never publish material for consumption that represents shoddy scholarship or speculation. Remember the admonition of James, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (3:1). Approach your audience as if they are as the noble Bereans, and will search “the Scriptures daily to find out whether” your words agree with God’s (cf. Acts 17:11).
The Tangential Tie-In
Technology allows preachers today to share their writings with many. Where local bulletins were once consumed only by the few in the local congregation, they now can be shared with many on the internet. Computers have made it possible for a preacher to quickly and economically prepare an attractive and useful bulletin, with little effort outside of the writing itself. On demand publishing, and the proliferation of eReaders, audio and video podcasts all allow an outlet for the written word. When these tools are utilized, the preacher’s scholarship is available in a permanent form. It is certainly hard work. But the benefits for both the reader and the writer are worthy of the effort required.
To quote brother Berkley again, “If you want to advance yourself as a public speaker or teacher, write!”
