Merging who God created you to be with who God called you serve,
through the content God wants you to create

 

MotherGoose Opens & Introduces Topic Briefly

XN STORY:

I remember when I first started as a pastor, straight out of seminary, I had no idea what I was doing. And that’s not an exaggeration, I really didn’t. Seminary basically only taught me how to study the Bible and do pastoral counselling – the rest of it, like how to baptize people, how to serve communion, what Board meetings are for, why Roberts rules exist, what a constitution is… basically anything to do with leading a church, was somehow skipped. Which was partly my fault too. They encourage you right from the get-go to find a mentor-Pastor to follow around, but I kept picking the wrong ones. Literally. I remember asking a “cool pastor” I knew named Pastor Mike to be my mentor, only for it to turn out that Pastor Mike wasn’t that cool and he got fired a couple months later. So, I went asked the next “cool pastor”, Pastor Stew – who was fired the next month.

I bounced around to church after church, ministry after ministry, big, little, city, suburb, multi-ethnic, church plant, and everything else while I was in school for all those years, trying to learn as much as I could but never really knowing what I was supposed to be doing. It wasn’t until the second semester of my final year of my Masters Degree that I finally relented and said, “God, I’m sick of trying to figure this out .You called me to do this, but I don’t know why. So, I’m just going to say yes to whatever I’m asked to do next, so put someone in my way.”

A day later I got a call from the Academic Vice President of the school who asked me to preach at a small church and meet with him regularly. I had never considered that preaching was something I could or should do. Being on stage is terrifying. I want to be in the sound booth, the band, the sunday school, doing the computer stuff, anywhere except on stage. But, I told God I’d say yes, and that was when things started to come into focus and I was called to be a preacher for 16 years.

But, as I said, when I started in my first church, I was clueless. So, I coped by trying to pattern myself after other preachers I was listening to. I’d listen to sermons and read books so I could be more like David Jeremiah, Charles Stanley, Rick Warren, and especially Mark Driscoll… anyone except myself because Pastor Al didn’t know what he was doing, those guys did.

Then it happened again. Turned out Pastor Mark wasn’t a very cool guy either, blew up his church, and disappeared. It was at that point that I really started to ask myself the question, “What sort of pastor am I supposed to be? Why did God call me and not someone else? What do I bring to the table that God wants me to use?” and instead of trying to learn how to be someone else, I started trying to be a better version of myself as a pastor.

And while that definitely helped, there was always a side of me that didn’t quite fit. After a few years I’d figured out all the church admin and leadership stuff, but deep down I still wanted to be behind the scenes, in the sound booth, doing computer stuff, making videos, websites, blogs, podcasts… nerdy digital stuff. And while I did try to merge the two – the traditional, conservative Baptist preacher and multimedia tech nerd – they never really clicked. So, that part of me stayed at home, never really embraced by the churches I served.

When God called me to be a full-time content creator, you’d think I would have jumped for joy since I could finally merge it all together, right? But no, I made the same mistake again, except this time, I put the preacher / church leader version of me away on the shelf and tried to be a streamer like everyone else. Yes, I had a lot of experiences and education and stuff that would help me with the conversations I would have and community I’d build, but my goal was to be pretty much the same every other Christian Twitch streamer when they start. Use gaming as a bridge to build a community for the lost and lonely online.

Then, about 3 months in, as my viewership grew, more and more Christian Content Creators were showing up and saying the same thing, “I didn’t know there were other Christians on Twitch!”, “I’m super passionate but have no idea what I’m doing and no one to help me.”, “I asked for help from my church, but they didn’t understand and even told me to quit, but I know this is what God wants me to do so I left the church… and now I feel so alone in my faith.”

That broke my heart and stirred something inside of me. And that’s when I felt God say, “That’s it. That’s what I want you to do. That is where you can use everything I’ve given you, all the weird stuff, the difficult story, the pastor part, the nerd part, the counsellor part, the hurt part, the preacher part, the funny part, the messed up parts, the techy part, the parts I’m still working on… I want you to use it all to serve them.”

That journey: From I don’t know who I am or what I’m supposed to do – to feeling a sense of calling, but not exactly sure to what – to I think I’ve figured out what I’m called to do, but I don’t have the confidence to do it so I copy others – to copying others doesn’t feel right so what am I actually supposed to be doing? – to discovering the people that God has called me to serve with my whole self… is a journey that many, if not all people, that are going to be used by God, take. 

MotherGoose story: thought she had to fit the mold → burnout → discovered “Just Chatting” + gifting (turn strangers into friends) → streaming in line with gifting.”

We’re going to take this from two angles. First, discovering who you are as an individual serving in the digital space – and then, who you are in relation to others. You’re not meant to do this alone, but you need to know who you are and what you’re supposed to do before you can connect with others.

Let’s start with your individual journey first and talk about what kind of content creators God uses to change the world:

A Content Creator that God Can Use to Change the World…

Calling yourself a “Content Creator” doesn’t really clarify anything, right? When you start this journey, you essentially have a clean slate. Like hitting “New File” in Word, you’re starting with a blank document, an empty page, OBS without any scenes. You can do whatever you want. It’s great, but also super intimidating.

Creators come from all over the world, with different cultures, skills, interests, gifts, and stories. Musicians, gamers, bloggers, podcasters, making funny videos, documentaries, digital art, comics, writing AO3 stories, creating manga, teaching skills… it’s all content creation done by content creators.

But, there are certain things that the most successful, most productive, most passionate, most fulfilled creators have in common. So here are five attributes of the kind of content creators that God uses to change the world:

… Perceives a Need

The first thing they have in common is that they “Perceive a Need”.

As we discussed in our stories, our audience and direction didn’t really crystalize until we started to see and feel that something was wrong with the world. There was something out there that grinds our gears and needs to change.

The need you perceive will often come from something you were personally affected by. For me, it was the realization that way too many Christian Content Creators were left twisting in the wind, disconnected from the church, untrained, unsupported, and un-pastored. That lit a fire in me.

In my life and ministry, I experienced a lot of self-doubt, lack of good mentorship, feeling lost within something I felt called to do, and I’ve experienced a lot of church hurt in my time – so when I saw others experiencing the same sorts of things, it made me want to do something. I don’t want people to go through that if they don’t have to – especially if I can help!

So, the first thing I want you to ask yourself is what problem do you see out there that you absolutely believe needs changing.

MOTHER GOOSE SHARES HER FEELS HERE

 

… Possesses a Gift

Second, every creator that God uses to change the world… Possesses a Gift.

Every creator has something they do that feels natural, meaningful, and they’re kinda good at, and other people agree. They’re not chasing it to be popular and it’s not because of a trend or to please the algorithm, it’s something that God has uniquely wired you to do well and you want to keep improving at. It’s something that you wish you could do for longer, use to help others, that others have affirmed you in, and that you’ve seen some success with. Doing it isn’t a chore, but something you look forward to.

These gifts, whether they’re spiritual talents, natural skills, or acquired expertise, become the cornerstone of your influence. The audience comes to watch you because you do whatever it is because you do it better or differently than most. For some, the gift might be that they are great at games — or great at a certain game. For others, it could be artistic expression, or even a good sense of humor. Some are great at holding people’s attention. Some have strategic minds that seem to know how to use or even break a system to get the most benefit out of it. Some are problem solvers while others are good at improv. Whatever form the gift takes, it empowers you to elevate your work above the ordinary, making your content stand out.

MOTHER GOOSE SHARES HER GIFTS HERE

 

… Parades a Passion

The third thing that content creators that God uses to change the world have, is an obvious passion for something.

Your passion is what sets you apart from everyone else. You don’t need to be charming, charismatic, funny, a great speaker, or even super talented at the thing you’re good at, for your content to resonate with people – you just have to care deeply about what you’re doing. And you know this instinctually.

Consider your favourite teacher growing up, or someone who had a deep influence on you. What was at the core of that influence? It was that they cared deeply about what they were saying. It mattered that you understood and applied whatever it was – fractions, grammar, some kind of life lesson – when it was communicated to you, there was a weight to it. Why? It wasn’t how polished their presentation was – it was because of their conviction. They could be odd, stumble over their words, or even not a very nice person – but because it mattered to them, it drew you in like a magnet and mattered to you.

Your passion is what breathes life and meaning into what you do. It’s what makes your gameplay commentary interesting, makes your content binge-able, it makes anything you do, feel alive. When that’s where the content comes from, people want to be part of it – because you’re doing it.

It’s not fake hype or too much energy drink in your system – it comes from somewhere deeper. This passion will often come from your story, your scars, your faith, and what makes you feel joy, all mixed together. Sometimes, it flows when you feel someone’s burden and want to help. Or something connects to a deep conviction about something that is core to your beliefs. It could come from knowing something that you think will improve people’s lives and they need to know.

It doesn’t always have to be super heavy either. Maybe you strongly believe that you need to make people laugh because you know what it’s like to feel lonely and excluded. It could be that you love talking about awesome things in the world because you are exhausted by all the cynicism you see and want people to feel awe and wonder. Maybe you game because the storytelling, teamwork, creativity, perseverance is so important to life. Maybe you take a ton of time to work on a single project because you believe excellence is a form of hospitality and worship.

Passion is not random enthusiasm; it’s what energizes you and reveals your heart to others.

MOTHER GOOSE SHARES HER PASSION HERE

 

…Persuades a People

Ok, so at this point you have identified a problem you feel called to do something about, the gift that energizes you to keep trying even when it’s hard, and a deep, passionate conviction about something that, when you talk about it, your eyes light up and you can go on for hours.

What happens when you figure that out? People start to be attracted to you. They see conviction, purpose, passion, excitement, and excellence – and they want to be part of it. You “persuade a people”.

I remember, about 4-5 months into streaming when things were taking off, I knew I needed help. So, I sent out a request to the people following me with a long list of things I needed help with. Within 24 hours, I had my Stream Dream Team. A group of 9 people who wanted to volunteer to help the XtianNinja channel thrive. Why? Because they knew that what I was doing was bigger than myself, that I was committed to it, that I was working hard to be good at it, and felt my excitement when I talked about why I was doing it – and that made them want to be part of it.

If you create or serve because of your own ego, people will see through it and leave. The hallmark of content creators that God uses to change the world are people who think what they do needs to be done to glorify God and make the world a better place – and attracts others who believe the same thing.

World-changing content creators don’t just “stream” or “post creative stuff”; they’re community leaders who inspire others to rally behind a common goal. They work with purpose, have meetings with purpose, write and draw with purpose, go live with a purpose. When they create, it’s for something larger than themselves. And that attracts like-minded people, other creators, passionate supporters, generous donors, and a community of followers who want to be part of their journey.

MOTHER GOOSE SHARES WHO SHE DISCOVERED SHE RESONATED (VIBED, GATHERED) WITH HERE

 

… Pursue a Purpose

The last attribute of a content creator God can use to change the world is that they “…pursue a purpose”. Great creators don’t merely make good content. Instead, they operate with a sense of divine assignment that urges them forward, keeps them going when they’re tired, when it’s not working properly, when the algorithm ignores them, when people come against them, when chat is empty, when their friends and family don’t really get it, when people say it’s a waste of time, when trolls show up to make them miserable, when a collaboration falls apart, when they feel like the content they worked so hard on actually sucks, when they feel discouraged and want to quit… they keep going. Why? Because it’s why God put them on earth.

They create because it’s something they care about. They believe God is using it. They figure out a way to do it no matter the limitation. And they believe with all their heart that it isn’t something they can do – it is a moral imperative – it’s absolutely something they must do.

For me, turning on a stream without a sense that this is where God wants me right now, and what He wants me to be doing, is absolutely critical. Content creation is hard. Community development is hard. And if you don’t believe this is exactly what God wants you to do, and that He will get you through it, you won’t make it.

MOTHER GOOSE SHARES HER PURPOSE HERE, HER LESSONS LEARNED (BE OBEDIENT, DO JOYFUL THINGS, TURN OFF VIEWER COUNT, EMBRACE WHO GOD MADE YOU TO BE)

 

Part 2: Your Relationship with Others

Now that we’ve talked about your individual makeup, it’s time to look at how you connect with others. Because here’s the truth—none of us were designed to do this alone. In every good RPG or adventure game, you can technically go solo, but you’ll hit a wall fast. You can’t heal yourself, tank every hit, and deal all the damage at once. You need a party.

It’s the same in content creation. God made us different on purpose—each of us with unique strengths, gaps, and roles. Like, I’m playing an RPG right now and have learned that I can’t just have my favourite four rangers and a rogue out there because they look cool. When I do that, they die. In D&D, or really any team-based game, your progress depends on having a balanced party. When every role shows up—the party can achieve their goals.

It could be that after the last exercise you came to the realization that the problem you see, the gifts you have, the stuff you’re passionate about… isn’t actually content creation. That’s ok! Being on camera isn’t the only way to serve the digital community.

 I’ve actually met a lot of people who felt a call to serve online and just assumed the only way was to be a streamer, but actually really disliked doing it. They didn’t want to be on camera, play the games, share their art, or be the face of something – their passions are different and they wanted to serve the online community without creating content.

So, to help you out, what we’re going to do is give you a quick introduction to five different roles. Then, you can pick up an inventory to work on, and once you know your role you can grab that badge and stick it onto your nametag. Then, it’s up to you guys to find each other and party up.

Bard — Creative Talent

The first party role, we can get out of the way quickly because it’s the most obvious. Bard, the creative talent. This is usually what we think of when we think “content creator”. It’s the person on camera, with the microphone, writing the script, telling stories, making the emotional connection with the audience and community. They are the voice, the tone, the vibe, and usually drive the community culture.

A Bard’s greatest strength is their authentic personality that communicates in creative ways that people connect with. Their party may come up with great ideas, but they’re the ones that translate those ideas into engaging moments through their voice, teaching, humour, art, music, or stream. They make emotional connections through shared experiences. They make people feel safe, special, and entertained, and want to respond to the mission the party is working towards.

It’s a big role to fill and requires a special person to do it right. That’s why not everyone can be the Bard.

 

Wizard — Technical Expert

The next, most obvious role that people often associate with digital missions are the Wizards.

They are the technical experts that turn creative ideas into reality. In the RPG, these are the ones who can summon things no one else can, create enchantments that charm minds and influence emotions, and transmute objects from one thing to another. They gain power through intense study of scrolls and tomes that no one else wants to read, and is somehow able to blend magic and technology.

For you, all you did was install some firmware, update a driver, and reboot the computer – to everyone else it looked like you waved your wand over the case and performed magic. You know how to create OBS transitions, tune the audio and video with filters and lighting, create chat bots and interactive elements, and automate software to make everything a little easier. You’re the one who knows what metadata is, why backups are important, can create the Minecraft server, and knows how Discord actually works.

The rest of the party struggles with this stuff.

A lot of Wizards think they are Bards because they use the same tools. But they’re not the same. A Wizard is happy to be behind the scenes tinkering with stuff so it works properly. And the Bard is fine with letting some things fall apart as long as they can connect with their audience.

They need each other.

Cleric — Community Developer

The next role is the Cleric. These are the ones who create spiritually and emotionally healthy spaces. They shape the culture by making sure there are community rules, that people feel heard and safe. A Cleric trains the moderators, wants to run small groups and keep the prayer channel going, enjoys writing devotionals and encouragement notes, and is often the one who pumps the breaks on a great idea because they want to make sure no one feels uncared for during the change. They are often the ones who give the bad news, and mediate disagreements.

They’re often not technically inclined and lean on the Wizard for help. They are often pastors, but not always formally trained ones. They’re the community manager, prayer warrior, chaplain, counsellor, and community event planner. They don’t need to be on camera – and often shy away from it because they like working in text, small groups, and one-on-one.

The Bard loves gathering people. They want the discord to have a zillion people in it all having a good time. The Cleric takes the people who have been gathered and makes sure they feel cared for as individuals. When you get a Bard and Cleric together (with a good Wizard, of course), they make a powerful team.

 

️Fighter — Leadership & Organization

The next party role is the Fighter. They are the leader. They set the direction and make sure there’s a plan in place so people feel that the community is stable and predictable. They turn the mission into a plan by setting goals, priorities, meetings, and communication lanes. They make sure the whole party stays focused and organized.

The Bard wants to try creative things that will excite everyone and bring in more people. The Wizard wants to buy all the tech and software in the world because it’s all super important and totally not because they want to play with it. The Cleric wants everyone to get along and meet together all the time. The Fighter is the one who makes sure that the Bard has what they need, that the creative thing actually fits the mission, and that the community is ready for the influx – or the potential disaster. They keep the Wizard’s budget in check and make sure there’s good reasons for the new things. And they make hard calls when the Cleric’s heart can’t do it.

They hold the line so the others can be free to do what they do best.

 

Ranger — Growth & Partnerships

The final role that, if handled by the right person, will make a huge difference in accomplishing the party’s mission – and we need more of these – The Ranger.

They’re the pathfinders and scouts. They ensure that the good work the party is doing gets discovered. Scouts venture beyond the safety of the community so they can explore uncharted territory to find new opportunities, new allies, and bring resources back to the camp so the party can keep going.

While the others focus inward, making sure the community is growing, thriving, and cared for – the Ranger is up a tree keeping their eyes on the next part of the adventure. While they’re there, they see opportunities and potential dangers. They navigate the difficult worlds of social media, finding collaborations, cold calling, and networking. They keep a pile of success stories, write exciting newsletters, and track the metrics, not out of vanity, but because the numbers tell them what’s really connecting with people.

They are storytellers, talking about their party and community around whatever fireside they find themselves at because they truly believe that what they are doing is important, that God is in it, and that others should be involved. They are integral in turning the mission into a movement.

CLOSER 
Ok, so that’s the five different roles. Make sure to grab an inventory to work on, and once you know your role, grab that badge and stick it onto your nametag. Then, I want you to find each other and party up.