I was a pastor for almost 20 years.  A big part of my job was to take the sacred Word and inspire people to do good things.  To do this, I did a lot of writing (over 500 sermons,  300 e-devotions, 200 newsletter articles, countless pastoral letters). Then I left pastoral ministry. Why? For many reasons, some of which I’m still sorting out. Essentially, God had another ministry in mind.

For the past decade I have served an author with A Way with Words publishing, an outreach of Delight in Disorder Ministries. People ask me, “Do you write exclusively about faith and God?”  My answer is “Yes and no.”  Yes, because I believe all good writing carries with it sacred a sacred duty to “speak the truth in love.” Since we are created in the image of God and creation reflects God’s good order, when we write faithfully about any subject, we reflect God.

This does not mean I restrict what I write to organized religion, pastoral ministry, or even what the Bible alone has to say.  As of this writing, I have posted political commentaries, social satire, spiritual reflections, poetry, essays, fiction, memoir, interviews, book, music reviews, even cartoons and memes.

Finally, a brief word about some of the more “profane” writing you’ll find here.  I was once asked by another blogger to describe my sense of humor and the first words that came to mind were “Ironic Iconoclasm”.  I believe that most people — from professing atheists to conservative Christians — actually worship many false gods (sacred cows) and, when I detect this, I count it my duty to make fun of them (often using strong language).  I see my mission similar to George Orwell, who wrote –

When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, “I am going to produce a work of art.” I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.

 

Note: One primary mission of Delight in Disorder is to build a bridge between the faith community and world of mental healthcare. My aim is to share stories that illustrate what God is doing in our midst and where the kingdom of God can be found as we wrestle with demons of distraction and demands. Currently, I am featuring a series of first-person reflections on how faith and mental illness impacts the lives of those with mental illness, loved ones, caregivers, spouses, practitioners, therapists, and the like. If you are interested in submitting a selection for consideration, send a 750-1,000 word narrative, headshot, and brief bio, to: tony@delightindisorder.org

This is a critical time in my life and in the work of our ministry. Please pray for my health and that God would continue to share Christ’s healing touch in such a healing word. If you would like to receive regular prayer updates, e-mail me at tonyrobertsdelight@gmail.com