An email devotional is a ideal for keeping touch with church members and providing spiritual insight for their benefit. Using email to send a devotional is also quite easy using Constant Contact.
Topic: How to write a devotional article that can be emailed regularly to church members.
Time Required: However long it takes you to read this article
Goals:
- To understand some basic suggestions for writing a devotional article.
- To have a pattern you can follow in writing a devotional email article.
Regularity
How often will you send out the devotional email? The more often you write, the more time it will take, so this factor should be part of your consideration. Devotional emails should be regular or systematic. Weekly is best.
Length
The rule of thumb on length is to keep it short! Email devotionals are not sermons. A one to three paragraph length is just right.
Content
Devotionals should contain spiritual encouragement, knowledge, or inspiration. People face challenges on a daily basis—-challenges from their flesh, the world, and the devil. They need hope. Romans 15:4 tells us that “whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” For this reason, weekly email devotionals should be built on God’s Word. Using the Bible is far more effective and enduring that another person’s thoughts on life. Your content should focus upon Scripture.
Daily devotionals should be easy to read, using an easy writing style and an attractive layout. An unsightly devotional may never get read. Sharefaith provides attractive artwork that can enhance your email devotionals. Included are email headers, footers, and other artwork designed for email and Constant Contact.
Start with Scripture
Since devotional emails should be short and taken from the Bible, developing a devotional is simple. For your subject, find a verse or a Scripture passage that God has used in your life. Or find a verse that deals with a specific challenge or current event. The most effective devotional material comes from Bible passages that God is working into your life.
Bring It into Life
After finding a Scripture passage, think of an illustration, life situation or a brief story that ties into the theme of the passage. Use as your starting point something short that grabs the reader’s attention, and show them how the Bible applies to daily life.
Open It up
Following a vivid first few lines, explain the passage by opening its meaning with a brief explanation. You don’t need to be a highly-trained theologian to craft an effective devotional email. Your explanation can contain three or four important points that the passage teaches. Simple, brief, and understandable.
Apply It to Life
The most significant portion of your devotional email should indicate specific ways that the reader can follow the teaching of the Bible in their daily life. Be specific. From the daily challenges of a homemaker to the high-pressure schedule of an executive, every person needs the endurance, encouragement, and hope from the Bible.
Writing a powerful devotional will take practice and care. Keep in mind that your purpose in writing an email devotional is not to promote your church or impress your readers. Your purpose in writing an email devotional is to edify other believers and encourage them in their love for Jesus (Romans 15:14).