One of the most troubling inconsistencies within some churches is when a pastor tells a member of the congregation that they should not create a product to glorify God.
Yet later that same pastor writes and publishes their own book claiming it is for God’s glory.
If writing about God’s truth is wrong for one believer, why is it acceptable for another simply because they stand behind a pulpit?
The New Testament teaches that every believer has been given gifts by God to serve the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”
It does not teach that only ordained ministers or those with theological qualifications have permission to communicate biblical truth. Throughout Scripture, ordinary believers testified about what God had done in their lives, shared the gospel, and encouraged one another without requiring official recognition from a religious institution.
When a pastor discourages someone else from writing while pursuing their own publishing career, it raises an important question: Is the objection really about protecting biblical truth, or about protecting authority and influence?
A Double Standard
Imagine a congregant says:
“I want to write a book explaining what I have learned from Scripture so that others might know Christ.”
If the response is:
“You shouldn’t do that.”
but the same pastor later announces:
“I’m pleased to release my latest book, available now in Christian bookshops.”
there is an obvious inconsistency.
The principle has changed depending upon who is doing the writing.
This creates a two-tier system within the church:
- The congregation are expected to listen.
- The leadership are expected to publish.
Such an approach can unintentionally communicate that God’s work belongs primarily to recognised leaders rather than to the whole body of Christ.
Does God Only Speak Through Qualified People?
The Bible gives no indication that only professionally trained leaders can communicate biblical truth.
Some of the most influential servants of God were ordinary people whom society overlooked.
The gospel spread across the Roman Empire through countless unnamed believers who shared Christ with neighbours, families and communities.
God has always used ordinary people.
Therefore, if a Christian faithfully teaches Scripture, handles God’s Word carefully and points people to Christ rather than themselves, there is no biblical reason why they could not write a book.
Glorifying God Should Not Be Reserved for Church Leaders
Every Christian is called to glorify God.
Paul writes:
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
That principle surely includes writing.
If writing a book can glorify God when a pastor does it, then writing a book can glorify God when an ordinary Christian does it.
The deciding factor is not the person’s title but whether what they write is faithful to Scripture and whether their motivation is to honour Christ rather than themselves.
The Real Danger
The greater danger is not that ordinary Christians write books.
The greater danger is creating an atmosphere where spiritual authority becomes concentrated in a small group of recognised leaders who believe they are entitled alone to interpret, publish and teach God’s Word publicly because of their stature and qualifications.
When this happens, members can begin to feel that their gifts are less valuable, their insights are less welcome and their service is somehow secondary because they lack a title or qualification.
The New Testament paints a very different picture. The church is described as one body with many members, each gifted differently but all called to contribute to God’s work.
A Call for Consistency
Church leaders should encourage believers to use their gifts responsibly, including writing, teaching and sharing biblical truth where appropriate. Likewise, Christians who write should do so with humility, careful study and a willingness to be corrected by Scripture.
The issue should never be who is writing.
The issue should always be what is being written and whether it faithfully reflects the teaching of God’s Word.
If pastors are free to write books to glorify God, then they should be careful not to deny other believers that same opportunity without clear biblical reasons. Otherwise, they risk creating a standard for others that they are unwilling to apply to themselves—a contradiction that can undermine both their credibility and the principle of fairness within the church.