Five Tips for Writing about Scripture with Personality

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

I just couldn’t get it right. The first draft of my first book needed help. The introduction sounded so factual, like the beginning of a dictionary or commentary. I had used those in Bible college, and while they helped me to understand Scripture, the ones I read needed some “oomph.” That’s the technical term for “schmooze.” They needed some personality.

So I sat back in my chair and thought about how to introduce one of the greatest men of all time leaving his ministry to his son in the faith. How would you describe someone as great as the apostle Paul who was passing the baton of his ministry to Timothy? 

Passing a baton. Running. 

Older and younger. 

A veteran runner passing the baton to his protégé. 

And then I had my intro. I created a scene in which a veteran runner rounds the last curve, stretches out his weathered arm, and passes the baton to the man he had trained. The spiritual son he was proud of. 

When we write about Scripture, it should be anything but boring. No punching the snooze button in our brains. Our writing needs oomph. Punch, zip, and wow. Personality.

We can write about Scripture with personality when we’re passionate about how God’s Word is relevant to life today. That these words penned thousands of years ago still give meaning to our present-day lives and solve problems, heal wounds, give hope, renew strength, restore joy, and paint a picture of who God is and what life with Him can be like. 

5 Tips to Infuse Personality into Your Scripture-Based Writing

Whether you write devotions, Christian living, or Bible studies, use these five principles to infuse “oomph” into your writing. 

1. Pick a topic you’re passionate about, and write what you know.

If I have no emotional connection to what I’m writing about, it will show. And if I have very limited understanding about a topic or passage, that will be evident too. 

So pick a topic from Scripture that you love. For me, it’s courage and victory. What’s your go-to topic? Then share what Scripture says about that topic. Give a unique insight or perspective about it. Share what you’ve learned through your studying and living. How have you seen the principle you’re sharing, played out in daily life? How has God been there for you and helped you with this particular challenge or hurdle? Share from the heart. 

2. Craft a main idea that grips both the mind and the heart.

A piece of writing will steer clear of “cold” and “austere” when it has an intriguing main idea. What does your target audience need in their season of life? What challenges are they facing, and how does Scripture help? 

With our minds, we say, “I need to know how to handle this challenge.” With our hearts, we say, “I want to overcome this challenge.” So craft a main idea that shows your readers how to handle a particular challenge and why they should be motivated to practice what you’re saying. With our minds, we learn how to think about difficulties. We gain a new perspective. With our hearts, we learn why victory matters. We gain more “want-to.” 

3. Think “conversational,” not “book report.”

It can be tempting to list everything we know about a topic, like God’s grace. But our readers don’t need a book report or term paper on grace. They need someone who will sit down with them in a coffee shop and talk about God’s grace for salvation and His grace for everyday life. 

We may not be able to meet our readers at a Starbucks (but wouldn’t that be fun?), but we can conversationally share what God’s grace is and how amazing and sufficient it is for every situation in life. 

4. Immerse yourself in the Bible passage.

It’s getting colder outside—time to snuggle in a favorite blanket. Snuggle deep into God’s Word, and let its warmth sink into your heart. What does Scripture say about your topic, and how will it help your readers? 

Immerse yourself in a Bible passage by meditating on it with God. Look for what’s repeated—that’s what God is emphasizing. Look up definitions and cross-references. Dive into a few trusted commentaries. See the word pictures that God has included. Form statements of application that you can draw from when you write. Know the passage from the inside out so the Holy Spirit can draw upon what you’ve studied and guide you as you write. 

5. Pray through your application. 

This may be one of my favorites. Once I know what a passage of Scripture means and how it’s relevant to life today, I love to pray through it, thanking God for who He is and asking Him to work the principles I’ve learned into my life. 

Don’t hesitate to write down your prayers. I’ve asked God a time or two if it was okay to take part of a prayer and use it in a book. (I don’t think He minds.) The fervor we use in prayer can be the same kind of fervor we use to write with, and our prayers may give us writing points we would never have thought of otherwise. 

Which one of these tips do you like the most? Is there one you want to try more? Tell us in the comments below, and join the conversation! 

TWEETABLE

Five Tips for Writing about Scripture with Personality from @KatyKauffman28 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Katy Kauffman is an award-winning author, an editor of REFRESH BIBLE STUDY MAGAZINE, and a co-founder of LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE STUDIES. She loves connecting with writers and working alongside them in compilations, such as Feed Your Soul with the Word of God, Collection 1 which is a 2020 Selah Awards finalist.

In addition to online magazines, Katy’s writing can be found at CBN.COM, thoughts-about-God.com, and three blogs on writing. She loves to spend time with family and friends, talk about art and crafts in her group MY ARTSY TRIBE, and tend the garden in the morning sun. She makes her home in a cozy suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. Connect with her at her blog, WINNING THE VICTORY, and on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.