If you’re a writer, speaker, or ministry leader, perhaps these five words have squelched your desire to share the message burning within. In today’s digital world, speakers and writers are expected to grow their own following—or platform of influence—before gaining access to a microphone or book contract.
But as a Christian, is there a way to gather followers and still follow Jesus? Is it possible to both build up your stats and take up your cross? How can you reconcile promoting yourself when you’re called to humble yourself, or elevating your name when you’re commissioned to elevate Christ’s?
In Influence, you’re invited to a platform-building coaching session with the carpenter from Nazareth. As you set aside fears, examine hidden motives, and gain decision-making clarity, you’ll emerge with new confidence and awareness—ready to step out and shine the light of Jesus from the platform God has strategically placed beneath your feet.
Affiliate links have been used in this post. Thank you in advance for your support!
Kate Motaung
Kate Motaung is the author of A Place to Land: A Story of Longing and Belonging, A Start-Up Guide for Online Christian Writers, and Letters to Grief. She is the host of Five Minute Friday, an online community that encourages and equips Christian writers.
Kate and her South African husband currently live in West Michigan with their three children.
Read more of Kate’s work on her websites, www.katemotaung.com and www.fiveminutefriday.com, or connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Shannon Popkin
Shannon Popkin loves to blend her gifts for storytelling and humor with her passion for God’s Word. Shannon is the author of Control Girl, and speaks for Christian women’s retreats and events. She is a blogging contributor at Revive Our Hearts.
Shannon has been married to her husband, Ken, for 22 years and together they live the fast-paced life of parenting two college-aged kids and one high-schooler in Michigan.
Connect with Shannon Popkin by visiting www.shannonpopkin.com, or following her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Get your FREE printable Bible memory verses and worksheets to accompany the book:
Kate and Shannon have written a much-needed resource for authors who want to steward their God-given message with prayer, impact, and purpose.
What I love most about Influence is that it offers a sigh of relief along with a balanced approach on how to address this tension with grace and confidence.
Today’s author faces pressure like never before to plug, push, and promote her own work. This is difficult for most writers, who’d rather craft books than sell them, and even more so for the Christian called to self-forgetfulness over self-promotion. How can we play our part in the contemporary publishing world without losing our soul?
In Influence, Kate Motaung and Shannon Popkin place platform building where it belongs—in the context of character and calling. Recounting their own failures, successes, and lessons alongside biblical insights, they help us navigate fear, comparison, and other perils while encouraging us to humbly share our gifts. This is a timely, helpful book reminding us that platforms are best built for the service of God and others.
Influence is a book I didn’t know I needed until I read it. Kate and Shannon give permission to use our gifts for God’s glory and then show us how to focus on making a name for Jesus instead of making a name for ourselves. The authors exposed my pride, fear, and selfish motives, but through their wise mentoring and refreshing honesty, I’m emboldened to step into my calling as a woman of influence.