Are you feeling called to content creation but struggling to understand why? Do you wonder what purpose God has for you in the digital space? Here are ten practical steps to help you align your content with God’s calling. I’ve also included some example answers from my own exploration of this exercise.

1. Burdens

What needs within your community or the broader world tug most at your heart? Are there issues in the content creation world—like loneliness, lack of positive influences, or a need for faith-based content—that ignite your passion? Consider what makes you cry or what injustices or needs cause you to become passionate.

Example: I am deeply burdened by the isolation, hurt, and disenfranchisement experienced by people, especially within the gaming and digital communities—particularly for those hurt by the church, struggling with mental health, spiritual doubts, or societal acceptance. My content offers spaces for people to encounter God’s love and healing, while TACO serves Christian Content Creators who struggle similarly and are building supportive communities.

2. Hallmarks

What major hallmarks have shaped your life journey? Think about significant influences such as books, mentors, people, events, and accomplishments that have guided you so far. Reflect on how you can use these experiences to inform and inspire your content, ensuring it reflects the lessons and values you’ve gained.

Example: Key hallmarks in my life include my early years in a Christian home, my transformative experience at Bible college, and my journey through traditional pastoral ministry. The pain and lessons learned from church abuse, struggles with mental health, and my transition to digital ministry have profoundly shaped who I am today. Becoming a full-time digital missionary and founding TACO are significant milestones that allow me to bring my skills and experiences together in a holistic way.

3. Themes

What recurring themes or topics keep coming up in your offline or online conversations, sermons, videos, streams, podcasts, or discussions? Are there subjects you find yourself returning to regularly?

Example: Recurring themes in my content often revolve around integrating Christian faith with mental health struggles, building resilience through suffering, finding hope and purpose in the midst of deep struggles, and the importance of a small, passionately supportive community where one can be fully authentic and vulnerable.

4. Tools and Resources

What specific resources do you have at your disposal that you can use to fulfill your content creation mission? Consider your skills, digital tools, community, and networks. List these resources and think about how you can best utilize them to create impactful content that aligns with your God-given purpose. These might include your tech setup, speaking, gaming, or editing skills, spiritual gifts, financial resources, or a supportive online community.

Example: My tools and resources include my theological knowledge, pastoral experience, and communication skills. My platforms—such as Twitch, YouTube, and Discord—are essential for reaching my audience. TACO provides a network of like-minded Christian content creators who support and collaborate with me. My ability to connect with people on a deep, personal level, coupled with my technical skills in streaming, writing, video editing, and graphic design, are powerful resources that enable me to fulfill my mission.

5. Style

What is your unique style of content creation? Consider your personality, spiritual gifts, and the unique ways you influence others through your content. Embrace your unique style, whether it’s your way of storytelling, the way you engage with your audience, or the creative techniques you use. Let your individuality shine in a way that glorifies God and resonates with your audience.

Example: My style blends vulnerability, authenticity, and deep empathy. I create content that is both engaging and thought-provoking, often using storytelling, humor, and relatable analogies to convey complex spiritual truths. I have a perfectionist streak that drives me to create excellent content and a thirst for knowledge to keep improving. I encourage people to share their experiences and insights while guiding conversations toward meaningful reflections on faith and life. My leadership style is servant-hearted, collaborative, and cautious.

6. Dreams

What are some of your aspirations or visions for your life and content creation journey? Consider what you’d love to achieve before you die and how these dreams might reflect a God-given vision for your content and platform.

Example: My dreams include expanding TACO to become a global movement that empowers and equips Christian content creators to reach their unique communities. I aspire to see my content not only grow in reach but also in depth, impacting lives by helping others find hope, healing, and purpose. Long-term, I envision creating a legacy of pastoral and digital ministry that continues to influence and support future generations of Christian content creators.

7. Mission

Now, begin to write out your content creation purpose statement, answering the question: Why do you exist? Why did God place these desires, skills, and calling on your life? Write out the central mission for your content in one to three sentences. This mission statement will serve as your guiding star, helping you stay focused on creating content that fulfills God’s purpose for you.

Example: My mission is to reach and support the lost, lonely, and disenfranchised within digital communities by creating excellent, authentic, faith-driven content that shares God’s love, encourages mental and spiritual well-being, and fosters a supportive, Christ-centered community.

8. Vision

Based on your mission statement, describe in detail what you see as the ultimate results of your life and content creation journey. Visualize the impact you hope your content will have. Whether it’s building a supportive community, leading others to Christ, or creating content that inspires positive change, write down your vision for the future. Imagine looking back at your contributions from the end of your career. Start each vision statement with the words: “I see…”

Examples:

• I see a world where those who feel isolated or hurt find healing and belonging through authentic, vulnerable, and compassionate online communities that I helped build.
• I see TACO growing into a vast network that empowers Christian creators to impact their corners of the digital world, creating content and communities that resonate with eternal significance.
• I see a generation of Christian content creators rising up with confidence, using their unique gifts and passions to spread the gospel in ways that are relevant, engaging, and impactful for today’s digital audience.
• I see my content continuing to grow in depth and influence, becoming an evergreen source of fun, hope, encouragement, and spiritual growth for those who feel lost, lonely, or disenfranchised.
• I see myself bridging the gap between physical and digital ministry, pioneering traditional ministries, and helping congregations reach new audiences in the digital space.
• I see my pastoral and digital ministry having a legacy that continues to impact lives long after I’m gone, bringing joy, truth, faith, hope, and love to people around the world.

9. Core Values

List the core values that guide your life and content creation. These should be the principles that drive your decisions and keep you aligned with your purpose. Identify no more than six simple, descriptive words that encapsulate your deepest values. These might include integrity, creativity, faithfulness, community, or encouragement. These values will guide your content and ensure it remains true to your mission.

Examples:

• Authenticity: Being real and vulnerable in my content, reflecting true feelings, struggles, and faith.
• Compassion: Reaching out to those who are hurting and offering them kindness and God’s love.
• Community: Building supportive, meaningful, Christ-centered spaces where people can belong.
• Creativity: Using innovative and engaging methods to share the gospel.
• Excellence: Striving to create content that reflects the highest standards of quality and creativity.
• Joyfulness: Creating an environment where people feel comfortable being themselves and understand that not everything in life needs to be taken seriously.

10. Goals and Objectives

Finally, list the specific areas of your life (spiritual, family, professional, social, interests, content) that are important to your purpose. Set clear goals that will help you turn your purpose statement into actionable steps.

Examples:

• Lifetime Goals: Establish TACO as a leading global network for Christian content creators, and create a lasting impact through my digital ministry that influences future generations.
• Five-Year Goals: Expand TACO’s reach and resources, connect with more traditional ministries, create more comprehensive training programs, and grow my audience across all platforms.
• One-Year Goals: Publish more content on YouTube to become a partner, and develop new resources for Christian content creators.
• 90-Day Goals: Start a new session of TACO Training, commit time to writing and releasing Game-to-Life videos, and speak about digital missions at least one traditional ministry event or conference.
• Next Steps: Plan my content calendar, outline new projects, and reach out for potential collaborations.