Why I Love to Write
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I remember when I first realized that I loved to write.
I was in high school, and I had a newfound fascination with the Bible—especially Biblical prophecy—and it dawned on me that I had, somehow, unexpectedly, developed a love for writing.
Growing up with a passion for sports, my first desire was to be a sports broadcaster—that is, if I did not make it as a professional athlete. But, come to think of it, even back then, every once in a while I would dream of writing a sports column.
But as plans for life became more realistic and my love for Scripture became more intense, the place of writing came into much clearer focus in my life. I even thought of majoring in journalism in college.
I did not end up pursuing that path—although my life would circle completely around back to it several years later. Through an array of circumstances, I was in the place of looking for a job and found one in the news business. I ended up staying there for 14 years, working as a small-town news reporter and editor. Along with giving me the chance to do lots of writing, that time proved to be tremendously educational in my life. I learned so much about writing and editing, technology and photography, business and government, and life in general.
And the Lord used that experience to lead me through other doors which would not have been open to me apart from it. Because of my background in writing, editing and reporting, I have had numerous opportunities to do all kinds of things in ministry that I would never have been asked to do otherwise. I also think that this background added a new dimension to my ministry—allowing me to see things from another perspective, and just sharpening my skills in general.
One thing I couldn’t do much of when I was working at the newspaper, however, was to write about things just because they were of interest to me. Instead, I had to learn to be curious about the things that came across my desk that other people found interesting. I came to enjoy that as well, and profited from the experience. Yet, at the end of the day, I would dream and long for the day when I could write exclusively about the things I wanted to write about—as probably every real writer does.
This weekly column is sort of the last vestige that reminds me of my old news career. But I enjoy this so much more because I do get to write about the things that I love. If you read it regularly you know that some of my articles are lighter and personal—like this one. Some of them are devotional in quality. Then I will write whole doctrinal series. Others are based on interviews. I also love to write about holidays and church history.
Writing is powerful. Think about it—the greatest sermon, even if it is recorded and distributed widely, bears a fleeting quality. The words, to truly be captured, have to be written down. When something is written, there is a permanence to it.
Sometimes I will take a sermon, or a sermon series, and encapsulate it into an article—providing all the Scripture references and attempting to state all my points as clearly and concisely as possible. This gives the message enduring usefulness. No one can misunderstand at least that which I have stated clearly. I can always point people to the written version for clarity, even when I am preaching on the subject.
The most essential part of writing is to have something important to say. Writing is extremely difficult when you are required to produce something and don’t really know where to begin. For good or for bad, that never seems to be much of an issue for me! But writing also brings with it a great deal of responsibility, especially in our online world. Once something is sent, it is difficult, if not impossible, to recall. Therefore, I had better be careful about what I write, and certain it is trustworthy and true (see James 3:1).
There is a real satisfaction that comes from writing something that you believe truly hits the mark in the way you intended. Ecclesiastes 12:11 states: “The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.”
One thing I love about my position with The Friends of Israel is the opportunity to minister in many different contexts and reach out to people through many different means. Going back to my childhood dreams, I’ve come full circle. I have the privilege of writing about things that I love. And, yes, I even have the opportunity to be on the radio sometimes.
God has truly blessed me with “the desires of [my] heart” (Ps. 37:4) in these ways. And He has also equipped me for the opportunity to utilize media and technology effectively—which will become even more crucial within ministry in the days ahead.
May He always help me to drive the nails in straight and flush!
NKJV - Source
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Paul Scharf 2023 bio
Paul J. Scharf (M.A., M.Div., Faith Baptist Theological Seminary) is a church ministries representative for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, based in Columbus, WI, and serving in the Midwest. For more information on his ministry, visit sermonaudio.com/pscharf or foi.org/scharf, or email pscharf@foi.org.
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I could relate to a lot of this.
My own relationship with writing is kind of love-hate. I always love having written. But I often don’t love writing. About 95% of the time it’s hard work for me. The other five percent just flows easily from start to finish and is just a pleasure.
Ideas are easy. Execution, not so much. You wouldn’t believe how many unfinished posts I have tucked away waiting for another try!
But as hard as writing often is, I get to a point where not writing is even harder, so some of it gets done.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
I cannot commend Paul's comment about having something important to say, and for that reason, it's key to spend a lot of time reading before one presumes to write for others. Lots of reasons for that, starting with the fact that as one reads good books (and not just from one's own "tribe"), one learns not only facts and points of reference, but also what Strunk & White would call The Elements of Style.
And when you read a fair amount, what you'll find is that all kinds of things out there become interesting and worth writing about. To draw a picture, you're going to notice when the bricks in the pavement don't line up, and you're going to start to ask why, and then you've got something interesting to write about.
In my life, my great uncle fed this habit in me through the portions of his library that I inherited after he died too young. He was trained as a teacher--a degree similar to an associate's degree today--and became a fairly eminent journalist through reading and observation. Here are his observations about the integration of Ole Miss, for example. Not a believer, but nonetheless a great example for someone who learns to notice when things don't line up right.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
Bert, I assume you meant “Cannot commend [enough]” above? Or am I the one misreading?
Dave Barnhart
That would be correct and a typo on my part, Dave. :^)
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
I read Eccl. 9-12 this morning, and this passage again caught my eye:
Ecclesiastes 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
Wise preachers teach people knowledge through writing what is upright, even words of truth. It seems that those who minister the Word of God in preaching and teaching should also be writing about what God has given to them from His Word.
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