Recently, a reader of my articles emailed a response to one. This is the question asked in the email.

How do you know what to say in your letters, and that it even needs to be said?

I really like this question and I'd like to answer it for my readers. I have a number of reasons for doing so.

First off, some people have told me that they would like to write but don't know how. Well friends, the simplest thing I can tell you to is just write. That's all I did. I sat down one day at my computer and began to just write and before too long, found out I'd developed a talent for it.

A lot of people might get the idea that I write what God tells me to write. Absolutely not. In fact, if that was the case, you could record my writings as Scripture and pass them around to all the churches. (Now passing around to all the churches would be nice, but my writings are not Scripture.)

This doesn't mean that God plays no part in my writing. I believe that many of my topics are ones that God has given me a heart for, and a mind to see in things that most other people don't really look into. I try not to get into these non-essential issues. I've heard the Calvinism/Arminianism debate long enough. Frankly, it sickens me and I just think that God and time is a mystery we'll never figure out this side of eternity. Plus, there are Christians on both sides. I would prefer to discuss more important stuff like the Trinity.

Also, I think that those discussions usually mean nothing to the average layperson. I would like to point out to people that their faith has an effect on every part of their lives. I recall growing up and seeing my faith and my life as separate. There was no relevance aside from personal morality. I wonder how many other young people might inwardly feel the same way.

I do pray about what I write, and I spend much time pondering it.When I write, I don't go through rough drafts or anything like that. I like to get my thoughts out clearly the first time. I'm not one who really requires perfection in my writing. All that matters is to get the point out.

When looking for a topic, I look at the world around me. I always try to observe what people say and catch the hidden implications. When I'm at the grocery store running a register and someone says "I need a carton of cigarettes," it reminds me that we've confused needs and wants for instance.

I also look at pop culture and see what the musicians and movie writers and TV shows are saying. I think our culture is crying out for truth. Many of my friends know that the superhero epic is particularly fascinating to me, as I see that most of the people out there are crying out for a hero.

As for my writing style itself, I've spent much time reading the works of leading Christian authors and listening to several messages on CD and cassette. From these, I learn not only the thoughts of these leaders, but I also try to figure out how their minds work. I have, for instance, copied my debate style after Ravi Zacharias. On the other hand, part of it has been modeled after Lex Luthor from Smallville in dealing with opposition.

When I finish, I want people to think that that artilce has made a difference. I want them to consider the issue that was raised and never look at it the same way again. I also want them to think for themselves though. I could be wrong on some things after all. Theology is a difficult subject and I doubt I'm the only one that's got all the right answers on Earth.

One of the best signs for a teacher is when his students reach his level. I have a friend right now who I'm training in apologetics. At the beginning, I wouldn't have dared let him take on a Jehovah's Witness or an atheist by himself. Now, he's been with me so long that he's learned to deal with them and can take them on by himself. That is a great joy, but it gets even better when that same person starts training others, as I've seen happen.

Often times, we think that one person can't make a difference but maybe they can. Hopefully, in my own small way, just sitting here at this computer, I'm making a difference. Maybe in the future, I will cross into Heaven and realize then that maybe one of my writings was influential in someway, be it directly or indirectly, in leading a soul to Christ. Nothing compares to that.

Hope this answers the question for the one who asked and anyone else out there who was wondering.

Now go make a difference!