August 13, 2013

What is a Christian Writer? by T. L. Wiens

I have no problem identifying myself as a writer. I completed nanowrimo three times over in one year. I’m not claiming to be a good writer—just a prolific one and for that reason alone, I have no doubts about the writer side of the equation.

Christian is a much more daunting identification. in Acts 11:26, we are told the word Christian is first used in Antioch. For years, I’ve thought about it as simply a follower of Christ or a believer but this name says much more.

Galatians come from Galatia, Ephesians come from Ephesus. I haven’t gone back to the Greek on this one but in English, it’s hard to miss the form of the word Christian. Just as Galatia was the hometown of Galatians, the early Christians appeared to those around them as coming from Christ. What about the early followers of Christ inspired those around them to see them as having Christ as a homeland? Kind of goes against the Oliver Wendall Jones saying, “Some people are too heavenly minded to be any earthly good.”

I love Jesus—no doubt about that but do the people around me see me as a Christian? Or am I just a church attendee and in the world’s eyes that makes me a Christian? It’s a struggle that I think I’ll continue to fight, doing my best to live a life worthy of being considered a Christian because of my love for Jesus. I think my writing will reflect my heart, just like the overflow from my mouth. And maybe I will earn the title of Christian writer.




4 comments:

  1. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I really enjoyed reading your comments.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I suppose that brings us to the distinction between 'Christian Writer' and 'Writer who is Christian'. Not everyone who is a Christian is writing 'Christian'. Example, besides my romantic suspense novels (which all have a definitely Christian message) I write stage plays. these plays are not Christian in message, but are comedies meant for any stage.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know The Word Guild mantra well. I don't like it. I believe Christ should come first no matter what. I know many writers who write for a mainstream audience but they are Christian writers and it shows in their work. Even those who write instruction manuals--it shows. We farm--we're Christian farmers, not farmers who are Christian. IT just feels like I'm giving myself permission to leave Christ out of my work.

    ReplyDelete
  4. T.L., I love your concept of Christian as being someone from the land of Christ, or from heaven. Perhaps we even have an "accent" in our speech and actions, that make it obvious where we were born!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to join in the conversation. Our writers appreciate receiving your feedback on posts you have found helpful or meaningful in some way.