Lesson 6: Written Communication

By the end of this lesson, the student should:

(1) Recognize the importance of writing in scripture.

(2) Learn lessons from Jeremiah about writing.

(3) Understand the importance of writing for Christian leaders.

(4) Learn practical suggestions for better writing.

(5) Write something short, practical, and encouraging for the benefit of fellow believers.

A few years ago, Samuel read a book by Dr. Danny McCain and decided to follow some of Dr. McCain’s recommendations. He was surprised to see that his church was rapidly affected by the changes he made. He decided to come to Jos to visit Dr. McCain and get a copy of every book he had written. Later, Samuel made more trips to Jos to buy books to sell to his fellow pastors. Other leaders have also shared ideas from Dr. McCain’s books with thousands of people under their supervision. This is an example of the fact that your writings can preach to people you have never met. This is the blessing of communication through writing.

When God communicated with human beings, he often chose written communication. Writing is mentioned nearly 500 times in scripture. The first reference to writing is the record of God’s judgment on the people of Amalek.

And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven” (Exodus 17:13-14).

The last reference to writing is God’s promise of a great future for his people.

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:5).

► Read these verses that show the scriptural importance of writing: Isaiah 30:8, Jeremiah 36:1-2, and Acts 15:19-20.

Here are some of the things that God instructed his servants to write down:

• The law that was to govern Israel (Exodus 34:27, Deuteronomy 17:18, Deuteronomy 27:3)

• God’s words on the doorposts and gates of homes (Deuteronomy 6:9, Deuteronomy 11:20)

• Songs (Deuteronomy 31:19)

• Words for God’s people (Isaiah 8:1)

• A book of prophecies (Jeremiah 30:2, Jeremiah 36:2, 28)

• A description of the Temple (Ezekiel 43:11)

• Revelations from God (Habakkuk 2:2)

• Messages to churches (Revelation 1:11, 19; Revelation 2:1, 8, 12, 18; Revelation 3:1, 7, 14)

In addition, the Holy Spirit inspired the biblical writers to write the scriptures. The Holy Spirit superintended the writers of scripture, so their ideas were the Word of God, and they were protected from error (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21).

God knows everything. He knows the best way to communicate and preserve truth. That is why God inspired men to write down the truths that God wanted to communicate with us. God’s own example is a demonstration of the importance of writing. If writing is important to God, writing should be important to us as well.

Jeremiah 36 tells an interesting story from the last days before the fall of Jerusalem. Judah had deteriorated to the point that the nation would soon go into captivity. Jeremiah had been prophesying for several years about the coming judgment, but his messages were rejected. On one occasion, while he was in hiding, the Lord told Jeremiah to dictate to Baruch the messages that the Lord had given to him. Baruch wrote the words, then Jeremiah told him to go to the Temple and read these messages to the people.

While Baruch was reading, Micaiah heard him. He told the government leaders about what he had heard. The leaders invited Baruch to come and read what Jeremiah had written. As Baruch read to them, they became afraid and decided that the king needed to hear this message.

The scroll was taken to the king and read to him by Jehudi. It was a cool day with a fire for warmth. As Jehudi read the scroll, the king would cut off the portion that had just been read and throw it into the fire. Some officials begged the king not to destroy this scroll, but he showed no repentance because of the message.

After the king had destroyed this book, the Lord spoke to Jeremiah to get another scroll and write down everything that he had written before. No one likes to do the same job twice, but Jeremiah obeyed.

Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them (Jeremiah 36:32).

Jeremiah Demonstrates the Importance of Writing

Our writings can go places we cannot go.

At the time Jeremiah received God’s instruction to write, he was in hiding. Jeremiah said to Baruch:

I am banned from going to the house of the LORD, so you are to go, and on a day of fasting in the hearing of all the people in the LORD’s house you shall read the words of the LORD from the scroll that you have written at my dictation. You shall read them also in the hearing of all the men of Judah who come out of their cities (Jeremiah 36:5-6).

Although Jeremiah could not go to the Temple, his communications could preach in written form.

The author of this course enjoys preaching. It is his favorite responsibility. However, he has become increasingly aware that his writings will have greater impact than his spoken sermons. Long after he is gone, his books will continue preaching. His books can go places that he will never go. One day he received a Spanish translation of one of his books. It was translated in Bolivia, a country he had not yet visited. That is the beauty of writing. Our writings can go places we will never go.

Our writings can speak in a way that we cannot speak.

Jeremiah had been a faithful prophet. He had preached and prophesied many times. However, he saw an opportunity to communicate in a new and different way. Note his words:

It may be that their plea for mercy will come before the LORD, and that every one will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people (Jeremiah 36:7).

The reading did have the desired effect. Listen to the results of Jeremiah’s words:

When Micaiah the son of Gemariah, son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the LORD from the scroll, he went down to the king’s house, into the secretary’s chamber, and all the officials were sitting there: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the officials.

And Micaiah told them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the scroll in the hearing of the people.

Then all the officials sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, son of Shelemiah, son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, “Take in your hand the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people, and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them.

And they said to him, “Sit down and read it.” So Baruch read it to them. When they heard all the words, they turned one to another in fear. And they said to Baruch, “We must report all these words to the king” (Jeremiah 36:11-16).

Jeremiah was not unknown to Micaiah and the other officials. Most likely, all of them had heard Jeremiah speak. However, when they heard his writings, they responded in a different way than they responded to his spoken communication.

Written communication communicates in a different way than spoken communication. Some people will respond better to spoken communication. Other people will respond better to written communication. Written communication will reach a different group of people and impact them in a different way than spoken communication.

Our writings will speak after we are gone.

One of the most important ways we can preserve our ministry is to write. Jeremiah has been dead for about 2,500 years, but thousands of people across the world read his writing this morning. John Calvin is still preaching more than 450 years after his death. John Wesley is still preaching more than 200 years after his death.

Remember, “to whom much was given, of him much will be required” (Luke 12:48). If God blesses you with the ability to write, you must preserve the lessons that God has given you. Long after you are gone, your ministry will continue. Even if your primary ministry is preaching, ask God if you can serve his kingdom through writing.

Jeremiah Demonstrates Perseverance in Times of Discouragement

Writing is hard work. You think, you write, you rewrite, and you finally get the message exactly like you want it. One of the most discouraging things that can happen to a writer is to lose something he has written. The electricity will go off before you have properly saved a document on your computer, or something will destroy the pages you have written. It is very discouraging trying to rewrite what you have lost.[1]

This happened to Jeremiah. He had worked to record the messages that the Lord had given to him, and then the messages were lost. This must have been extremely discouraging. However, the Lord spoke to him and told him to write those things all over again.

Many of us would have been tempted to complain. Many of us would have asked God: “Why did you not protect what I have written?” However, Jeremiah did not bother himself with those questions. He simply went back to work.

Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them (Jeremiah 36:32, emphasis added).

The end result was better than the former. Jeremiah was able to add more to the document than he had put in it the first time. Nothing was lost but something was added. God in his sovereignty allowed Jeremiah’s work to be temporarily lost. However, in the process of rewriting, a better document came out of it. The point is that we should not allow ourselves to become discouraged. In all our communication, written or oral, we should trust God’s ultimate purposes. He is in control, and we can trust him.

There are many reasons why we should write. Here are a few reasons that writing is important for Christian leaders.

(1) What you write will improve your thinking more than what you read.

The more your brain is engaged, the more you will think original and creative thoughts. Reading stimulates thinking, but writing requires more concentration. Writing often produces more original thinking than reading does. It is very easy for your mind to wander while you are reading; it is much more difficult for your mind to wander when you are writing. The more you write, the more you will think; the more you think, the more original thoughts (new thoughts) you will have.

(2) What you write will be expressed more clearly than what you say.

When a person is speaking without looking at text, his communication is immediate and direct. There is little opportunity to correct any miscommunication. However, when a person has the opportunity to write in advance, he can state his meaning very clearly.

Time has a great way of helping our communications to mature and improve. When a person writes out a sermon, he will speak more precisely because he has had time to think through what he wants to say. The more you write, the more clearly and precisely you will be able to communicate.

(3) What you write will be understood more easily than what you say.

When a person hears a sermon or a speech, he has only one chance to understand. If someone whispers to him or distracts him, he will miss some of the communication. However, whenever we are reading, we can always go back to where we were reading. In addition, when we have the document in front of us, we have the opportunity to read slowly and think about what we read. This makes it possible to gain more from reading than if we heard a message.

(4) What you write will be remembered longer than what you say.

A sermon or speech will soon be forgotten by nearly everyone present. Perhaps you will remember one or two things that the preacher says on Sunday morning. However, if the preacher writes down his sermon and publishes it in a book, the sermon will still be preaching long after the preacher is dead.

(1) Write as much as possible.

The best way to ensure that you will become a successful writer is to get plenty of practice. Write everything you can possibly write. A good place to start is writing notes and observations while you are having your quiet time in the morning. This will give you a quiet and personal way to practice writing. You can write things that no one else will ever see.

In daily life, writing can serve as a means of getting relief from problems and pressures. Some pastors encourage people who are having problems to write. Writing can serve as an emotional release.

All of us need to express our feelings. If we keep our questions and problems bottled up inside, they will eventually cause us trouble. Sometimes we do not feel comfortable sharing our thoughts with others. Sometimes, it is helpful to write our problems in a journal. Write about the problem; write about possible alternatives; write about your feelings; write about your questions and blessings. People who try this recommendation often find great benefit.

After being encouraged to write, a lady produced literally dozens of pages of thoughts, meditations, poetry, and prayers about what God was teaching her. She was going through a deep crisis in her life. In addition to helping her articulate these issues, these writings became a useful tool for helping other people who were going through similar things.

Preachers should write out their sermons. If you are a Sunday school teacher, write your Sunday school lessons. Write out the things you are going to say when you dedicate a baby. Write out the eulogies when you conduct a funeral. Write out the presentations you are going to make to committees. Be a person who writes everything down.

Writing is hard work. It is easy to become discouraged. Writers get tired of writing and lose concentration. They find it difficult to think of anything to write. The way to overcome this discouragement is to keep writing. There are times when you will need to take a break from writing. At times, you need to do something else for a while. However, to be successful as a writer, keep writing as consistently as possible.

(2) Write as simply as possible.

The purpose of writing is to communicate, not to impress people with your vocabulary. People’s attention is getting shorter due to television and videos. Therefore, good writers will focus on simple writing rather than complicated writing.

• Use common words rather than bigger academic words.

• Use short sentences rather than longer complicated sentences.

• Use many paragraphs rather than just one long paragraph.

• Write short books rather than longer books.

It is often helpful for writers to break up their documents with lots of headings and sub-headings. This is easy to do if you are writing from an outline. This kind of reading will help readers understand your writings.

Be personal in your writing. If you are describing something that you have seen or done, describe it as you would tell it to a family member, using “I,” “me,” and other first-person pronouns. Write as personally as you can.

(3) Edit your writing.

It is not enough to write down your thoughts. You must edit them to improve what you have written. It is best to wait a little while after you have written something, and then come back to edit it. When you have just created a document, your mind tends to think about what you have just written. You will read what you think you have written rather than what you have actually written. If you wait a day or two, you will tend to read the document more objectively. For example, if you write a sermon on Tuesday, edit the sermon on Thursday.

When you reread your writing, look for misspellings, improper capitalizations, grammatical mistakes, and similar things. You also want to see if your arguments are developed logically and carefully. You want to see if the illustrations that you used still seem appropriate after a few days. You want to make sure the conclusion is appropriate.

(4) Have other people edit your writing.

A pastor may not be able to get someone to read every sermon he writes. However, any document that will be published must be submitted to others for careful editing. Some people will read through the document to proofread it. They will catch typing and grammar errors.

It is even more important to have an editor consider whether your arguments flow naturally and whether your illustrations are appropriate. Editing is hard work, and it is painful. When a good editor goes through your document and tears it apart, it can make you feel bad. However, editing is essential to good writing.

(5) Be realistic about your writing.

Do not expect that the first book you write will be accepted by the first publisher who sees it. Every successful writer has to persevere. Even great writers have things that were never published. You should not become discouraged if your book is not received with a lot of enthusiasm. Keep at the job. If God has called you to write, someone will eventually recognize your talent and give you a chance.

Many people view writing as a means of making money. However, young writers should recognize that very few people make money from writing. You should write because of the love of writing and the opportunity for expanding your ministry. Making money should not be your primary motivation for writing.

Every pastor and church leader should write more. Pastors need to write their sermons. Teachers need to write Bible studies. Christian leaders need to write articles for magazines. Someone needs to write tracts for evangelism. Many of us need to be writing books.

What does it take to make a good writer? It takes some basic ability. It takes hard work. It takes a willingness to learn. You will never be a good writer unless you are willing to allow your work to be edited by someone who is going to make you feel bad. It takes time. Writing is hard work, but writing is very important for the kingdom of God.

► Do you have the ability to write? Consider giving time each week to writing. Share your writing with a few Christian friends. If what you write ministers to these friends, God may use your gift as a writer to minister to a wider audience.

(1) At the beginning of the next lesson, you will take a test based on this lesson. Study the test questions carefully in preparation.

(2) Practice a simple one-page writing assignment. Choose a topic of practical Christian life from the list below and write to fellow believers. Your writing should encourage, motivate, or give a biblical perspective on your topic. Your writing should be based on scriptural truths and your reflections on scripture but should not be a sermon. You should include practical ideas or life examples. After you have carefully edited your writing, share it with several fellow believers. Choose one of the following topics:

• Facing discouragement

• The importance of daily prayer

• Keeping a spirit of praise

• Hearing God’s voice in your life

(1) List three of the many things that God instructed his servants to write.

(2) List three ways in which Jeremiah demonstrates the importance of writing.

(3) List three of the four reasons writing is important for Christian leaders.

(4) List three of the five suggestions for better writing.