Pastor Writer: Conversations on Reading, Writing, and the Christian Life

Matt Smethurst is an author, church elder, and editor at the Gospel Coalition. He joins me to talk about his role in editing and his Bible Study on 1 & 2 Thessalonians.

Drew Dyck is an acquisitions editor for Moody Publishers, a senior editor for Christianity Today Pastors, and the author of Generation Ex-Christian and Yawning at Tigers. He joins me to talk writing and publishing.

Writing is hard. But it's hard for more reasons than the grammar and vocabulary. Revising requires a certain amount of self-awareness and great writers learn to keep themselves off the page.

Doug Newton spent 40 years as a pastor and ministry leader. He knew writing was a part of his call and this year published a three-part book series entitled Fresh Eyes. We discuss his process and organizational techniques. 

Mike Loomis is the author of Your Brand is Calling: Build a Personal Brand to Reflect and Connect. He is a strategic partner to bestselling authors, non-profits, and publishers, helping them develop compelling and authentic brands.

Rachelle Gardner joins me to discuss the traditional publishing process. From finding an agent to the proposal process, Rachelle walks us through the process and landscape of the Christian publishing industry.

Pastor, author, and coach, Alan Baker joins me to discuss books. From pastoral resources to reading for the spiritual life, your Amazon wish-list is about to get a lot longer.

I'll be answering the questions as Thien Doan, host of The Prolific Christian Writer podcast, talks with me about lessons learned and my latest project, Discontented: How Your Heart's Desires Betray You.

Mary DeMuth is one of the best known Christian writers coaching and teaching other writers. She has written over 30 books and mentors hundreds of writers through her site, Book Launch Mentor. Our discussion moves from learning to trust your voice to surrounding yourself with good advice.

Getting published can be an obsession. There is so much to learn, so much to do, so much advice to take. In this episode, I share how I have struggled and come to terms with my own obsession with getting published.

Dick has been a missionary, a pastor, a coach and a writer, but one theme permeates his entire life—friendship. Dick lives it and teaches it. We were created for relationships. We lead by it, write by it and live by it.

Dr. Qualls joins me to talk about communication trends in the church. We discuss why pastors should consider how they communicate and how it relates to writing. Without consideration, we run the risk of blindly participating in a form of communication more shaped by consumerism than the gospel.

Blake Atwood joins me to talk editing and why every writer needs an editor. We spend time discussing the stages of editing and tips you can use to be more objective in editing your own writing. You'll enjoy Blake's honesty and willingness to serve writers with his own blog, podcast, conferences, and advice. 

Michelle Derusha joins me to talk about memoir and the challenge of telling your own story. We discuss how an author decides what to include and what gets cut, we talk about writing as a form of prayer, and we discuss the challenges of focusing your attention on the discipline of writing. You’ll appreciate Michelle’s honesty and vulnerability—hallmarks of good memoir.

Mick Silva is a freelance editor and writing coach who has spent nearly 20 years in the Christian publishing industry. He has worked for Focus on the Family Books and WaterBrook & Multnomah, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Why do we find it so hard to get started writing? Why do we prefer to read about writing more than actually doing it? How can wanting to be a writer get in the way of writing? I explore my own struggle to get started and why it matters.