Platform building is the consistent work of offering relationships to email subscribers and social media followers, first by attracting them, then by serving them with our authentic selves through the content we create and provide

The 31-Day Platform Challenge is in full swing, and the private Facebook group is abuzz with a wide range of posts on topics related to platform building. One topic has stood out in both the group discussions and my emails from Challenge participants: self-promotion. The concern I’ve seen stated repeatedly is this: I’m not comfortable promoting myself.

My response? I’m not comfortable promoting myself, either.

When we equate platform building with self-promotion, Christians face a quandary. How can promoting ourselves be part of fulfilling what we believe is God’s call to write for publication, when Jesus clearly called us to a life of humility?

As I’ve pondered this perceived dilemma, I’ve come to three conclusions, each taken from the life of Jesus as portrayed in Scripture. I offer them to you as tips to consider when you’re doing the work of platform building.

Attract

We can turn to the Gospels for evidence of Jesus attracting and then sharing his message with large crowds of people. How did Jesus attract those crowds? We can assume it was via word of mouth—others shared news of his events with those they knew. We also know that Jesus commissioned a team to spread the Good News he offered (Matthew 28:18–20).

Although the technology we use to attract our audiences is different today than when Jesus walked the earth, the underlying principle is the same: we connect with people and let them know we have a message to share. By the way, book marketers still tout word-of-mouth marketing as the gold standard.

Promote

Throughout the Gospel accounts of his life, Jesus promoted his message of salvation repeatedly (see John 3:16 as one example). In Jesus’s case, the promotion of his message included pointing at himself as the way to life with the Father (John 14:6).

When we work in the same way Jesus did—spending time in solitude, focused on the Father, listening for and following His direction—we write words that glorify God. We are right to promote that message because we are pointing people to Jesus.

Serve

Jesus served others by sharing the message the Father had given him. In addition to sharing his message, Jesus demonstrated love in countless ways by serving those in his presence. He healed the sick; he protected the woman caught in adultery; he washed his disciples’ feet.

We too serve those we encounter, our readers, when we share written words that reflect the love of Jesus. We will also have opportunities to demonstrate love in countless ways by serving our readers—those we encounter online and in person.

How do we promote ourselves while fulfilling what we believe is a call from God to write for publication? We don’t. Instead, we get out of the way and let the Spirit shine. Getting out of the way is not the same as hiding away. We boldly stand front and center, with a heart of love and service, and share the messages—both nonfiction and fiction—we believe God’s gifted us to write.

The Spirit of God, who resides within us, works through us via the words we write—books, emails, social media posts. The same is true when we show up in person. The Spirit carries the message of love, grace, and salvation to those in need, whether or not we mention the name of Jesus.