Writing for an Audience of One

Called to please God, not algorithms.

As a christian writer, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers. you know, the analytics of how well a post is doing. In a perfect world, we use those numbers to determine what type of posts do well and which types of posts to write more of. But that way of writing misses the point time and time again. Why? Because, as christian writers, i believe we are called to write for an audiance of one.

God is our audience before and above anyone else. I believe that our writing should represent Him and his word well and we should aim to please Him with our writing before we aim to please anyone else.

I believe that God inspires what we write through the Holy Spirit and He uses our willingness to write to touch the lives of those who read our words to ultimately bring glory to God. That is why it’s so important to focus on God and his word and what he wants to share in and through us instead of writing purely based on numbers.

Why should we write for God as our audience of one?

Because we are called to work unto God, not for men. Colossians 3:23 says: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. This verse in context is talking about how slaves should work unto the Lord with all their heart for the sake of honoring God, not human masters. But i believe that this verse could be applied here as well. As writers, we are not slaves to our readers, I would certainly hope not. But, if we rely more on writing to appease our readers, it’s almost as if we are. We could easily become entrapped with the numbers and performance of it all that we appeal more to our readers than we do our God.

Matthew 6:33 says: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When we write based on numbers and what will bring us the most readers and engagement instead of putting God and His way for our writing first, we’re not seeking God first. We’re seeking ourselves and our own selfish desires first. I whole heartedly believe that if we’re meant to have a following, God will bring about the readers but only when we are submitted and obedient to Him first.

Here are some other verses to review when thinking about writing for God.

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” - Galatians 1:10

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” - Matthew 6:24