Writing and Calling

Called to a Writing Ministry?
So I admit, LeeAnn's previous post was so insightful and challenging I was hesitant to write until I felt compelled (called?). Of course, there was that oh so compelling deadline that came and went. I guess I'll pick up on her closing comments and underlying premise of being called to a writing ministry (which may segue way into general thoughts about calling, but I'll try to keep it rooted in writing!).

The Wrong Person
I freely admit that I am probably the wrong person to address this as I am fairly certain that my inclination to authoring a worthy publication is most akin to the compulsion adolescents (perhaps girls mostly?) feel to compose poetry: prolific ideas without much true or lasting content. Then again, the inclination seems so universal, "I should write a book" is almost an idiomatic expression. Still, not everyone who utters these words is called to a writing ministry.

My Presupposition
In the interest of full disclosure, I admit to the premise that we, as human beings, are innately hard-wired with a desire to create by virtue of being in the image of the Creator. As such, we all feel drawn to a creative outlet of some sort and I would even posit that we are all called to be artists. How does one differentiate between a created impulse and a "calling" in a traditional sense? By analogy, we all sing in church but we're not all soloists. Writing is a form of creative expression which we all can engage in on some level, but how do I know if what I'm writing is more than just for me or the limited audience with whom I might share it?

Calling Necessitates Training
For me, a calling necessitates training. If God is calling me in a certain area, I believe He also wants me to pursue the skills which would fit that calling. That's why I look no further than kdc who I believe is a called writer specifically because he makes time to attend writing conferences and seeks out training in that field. I am suspicious of anyone who claims to be called into a field and does not pursue study or attempt to hone his/her skills in that craft. I can argue this more cogently from scriptural example, but I'll just jump to one guy people like to throw up as the antithesis of this claim: Moses. Yes, Moses by his own admission felt inadequate to the calling God placed on him, but to say God threw him into the situation without human training to equip him for the task is a vast misread of the text. How many years did Moses spend in Pharoah's court learning to be a leader of a great nation (albeit the wrong nation)? How many years did Moses spend as an apprentice shepherd before gaining the knowledge requisite for leading a people through the wilderness? There's more, but suffice it to say that God does not call people to something in which they either have not or will not receive education.

The Flip Side
Just as assuredly, I think it is true that training/education will not be a fit substitute for calling. I take myself as the example. I have the technical ability to write. I can put sentences together (perhaps not craftily!). I like wordplay. I could discipline myself to pump out X number of pages about Y every day. However, and this is a biggie, I do not feel called by God to write at this time. Therefore, anything I turned out by my human skill would ipso facto be K-rap.

How Do You Know If You're Called?
I guess I just really don't think you have to worry about it. I believe God makes His calling abundantly clear. You can do it kicking and screaming and running away, but you'll know it's God.

Published Pentecostal
If you do feel called to write, one good way to throw yourself into it is by writing articles for magazines. You can read one such article by a friend of mine (who is truly called to write) in Radiant magazine.