Thursday, March 5, 2009

Writing for Influence

Every day there are new ways of communication being developed in which influence can be transferred and information received. Despite these ever expanding ways of communicating, writing still serves as a foundational and effective method for exchanging ideas to many people. It was the invention of the printing press that spread the ideas of young Martin Luther and shaped the future of Christianity. It was the transferring of letters written by Paul and writing from the early apostles that help propagate and strengthen the faith of early first and second century Christians. As I look at my own life and ideas that I have about the faith and how it translates in our lives, I want to explore doing more writing. I speak to a couple hundred people each week through sermons and maybe more through people who watch on the Internet, but I'm writing a curriculum for Lifeway that will be read by potentially several thousand. There is a major opportunity for influence through writing that I've previously never fully understood or opened my eyes to. I feel God wanting me to begin writing some of the things I'm learning. The exchange of information and ideas is essential for growth, change, and innovation. It is one form of influence I have not explored much before, but I'm rethinking that.

Question: how much of the information you received is via materials you have read? I know we receive a lot of information via television and Internet, but when comparing information you receive through face-to-face interaction or learning versus reading, which do you find yourself engaging with more?

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