We join author Josh Buck in conversation and discover what has shaped his journey as a writer. From his beginnings to his current day-to-day, he reflects on conversation as an agent for change and how mediums like writing are central to the realization of justice in our world.

As he reminisces on his childhood, we are transported to an ordinary time of riding in trucks and watching his father shoe horses. The work itself was arduous and transactional, but his father's warm spirit disarmed any stranger with ease. His genuine curiosity turned words from mere exchanges into affirmations, celebrations, and assurances of enduring significance. Conversation had opened a door to something far greater and dynamic. It was an unexpected inspiration for Josh.

“I didn't learn until later in life that [talking to unfamiliar people] is not that normal. Usually, people interact with strangers when you're at the gas station or you're dropping off mail or you need to buy something. It's very transactional. What I learned early on is that every opportunity with somebody has the ability to create a conversation and a connection no matter how small or temporary it is.”

The art and power of conversation is a throughline that Josh has carried into his life. And it served as a spark for his beginnings as a writer and the ideas behind his new book, Everyday Activism. After taking a poetry class at 16, he saw how writing could stir up conversation. His interest was ignited. The inspiration of his upbringing brought him to a key decision—Fully immersing himself in the medium of writing.

When asked about his relationship to this decision and the idea of being “called” to this medium, Josh replies:

“Something that's been a huge inspiration for me is the biblical concept of Jubilee—[a concept] that God brought into the world to create social and spiritual change. In Luke 4, Jesus describes this as the calling that we have all been brought into, and we've all been called to bring this jubilee and spread this jubilee. So for me, I'm asking the question, how can I use creative mediums to promote this jubilee in the world?

I've always felt the pull simply to be faithful to the creative mandate that is in Genesis 1—to pursue creative endeavors to make the world a better place. That's what we see in Genesis. That's what it means to be made in the image of God. That's what it means for God to tell people to go forth. This can be done within our day 10,000 different ways in all of the interactions, with all of the conversations, with all of the decisions, and in all of the moments we have.”

To immerse himself in writing day in and day out was its own challenge. New learnings came as he delved deeper into his own process. “The beautiful thing about developing my creative process was the discovery. I didn't have a process. I only knew that I was gonna be fully immersed and that I was gonna write late at night. That's all I knew. I must be willing to make mistakes. I must be willing to succeed. I ended up getting advice from four or five different people who have written books before; I asked them: what is your process? How do you do this? When do you write? How do you write?

After learning from others I just closed my eyes and began walking in a direction. So to start you don't exactly know the path or what you're gonna run into or how easy or hard it will be.”

For Josh, faith is at the forefront of the creative process; placing trust in God in the face of uncertainty. The promise of positive change—the movement towards something better and more just—drives him ahead, following where the Spirit leads.

Indeed, faith and the pursuit of change are both crucial components of the creative process, deeply connected to the rich history of humanity. When asked to expand upon how he sees the story of faith connected to writing and creative practices, Josh reflects:

“All humans are spiritual creatures, and spiritual things are physical as well. Heaven and earth are connected, spirit and body, body and soul. They're intertwined. It's two sides of a coin or a needle pulling thread, connecting these things in a way that is mysterious and beautiful.

Writing is rooted in the principle method [of creation] that God has always used since the beginning of time—Language. Language is one of the most fundamental spiritual expressions of what it means to be human. We all have purposes and longings, sadness and rage, joy and love, and fears and despair. Putting it into stone, paper, or other visual means is a creative act. This is what it means to be made in the image of God.”

These fundamental qualities we all share as humans drive Josh’s passion behind Everyday Activism. Made the image of God, we are all positioned and invited to realize a world made more beautiful together. Jubilee.

“God mobilizes ordinary people and everyday people for the work of justice in the world.” — Everyday Activism

And how can this be carried out?

“First, we can find tangibles by looking at the life of Jesus—a movement from the bottom up, comprised of everyday folk, and built on the foundation of Jubilee (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus’ practices—love, empowerment, nonviolence, gathering, and more—are spread all throughout the Gospels. Everyday Activism connects these practices to how we can make social change where we are located in our everyday lives.

Secondly, we can use creative means to open our world to change. The work of God and the concept of Jubilee came through a story. Whether it be poetry, music, painting, writing, or any other form of creative expression, creatives play a central role in the work of justice in the world.”

We join author Josh Buck in conversation and discover what has shaped his journey as a writer. From his beginnings to his current day-to-day, he reflects on conversation as an agent for change and how mediums like writing are central to the realization of justice in our world.

As he reminisces on his childhood, we are transported to an ordinary time of riding in trucks and watching his father shoe horses. The work itself was arduous and transactional, but his father's warm spirit disarmed any stranger with ease. His genuine curiosity turned words from mere exchanges into affirmations, celebrations, and assurances of enduring significance. Conversation had opened a door to something far greater and dynamic. It was an unexpected inspiration for Josh.

“I didn't learn until later in life that [talking to unfamiliar people] is not that normal. Usually, people interact with strangers when you're at the gas station or you're dropping off mail or you need to buy something. It's very transactional. What I learned early on is that every opportunity with somebody has the ability to create a conversation and a connection no matter how small or temporary it is.”

The art and power of conversation is a throughline that Josh has carried into his life. And it served as a spark for his beginnings as a writer and the ideas behind his new book, Everyday Activism. After taking a poetry class at 16, he saw how writing could stir up conversation. His interest was ignited. The inspiration of his upbringing brought him to a key decision—Fully immersing himself in the medium of writing.

When asked about his relationship to this decision and the idea of being “called” to this medium, Josh replies:

“Something that's been a huge inspiration for me is the biblical concept of Jubilee—[a concept] that God brought into the world to create social and spiritual change. In Luke 4, Jesus describes this as the calling that we have all been brought into, and we've all been called to bring this jubilee and spread this jubilee. So for me, I'm asking the question, how can I use creative mediums to promote this jubilee in the world?

I've always felt the pull simply to be faithful to the creative mandate that is in Genesis 1—to pursue creative endeavors to make the world a better place. That's what we see in Genesis. That's what it means to be made in the image of God. That's what it means for God to tell people to go forth. This can be done within our day 10,000 different ways in all of the interactions, with all of the conversations, with all of the decisions, and in all of the moments we have.”

To immerse himself in writing day in and day out was its own challenge. New learnings came as he delved deeper into his own process. “The beautiful thing about developing my creative process was the discovery. I didn't have a process. I only knew that I was gonna be fully immersed and that I was gonna write late at night. That's all I knew. I must be willing to make mistakes. I must be willing to succeed. I ended up getting advice from four or five different people who have written books before; I asked them: what is your process? How do you do this? When do you write? How do you write?

After learning from others I just closed my eyes and began walking in a direction. So to start you don't exactly know the path or what you're gonna run into or how easy or hard it will be.”

For Josh, faith is at the forefront of the creative process; placing trust in God in the face of uncertainty. The promise of positive change—the movement towards something better and more just—drives him ahead, following where the Spirit leads.

Indeed, faith and the pursuit of change are both crucial components of the creative process, deeply connected to the rich history of humanity. When asked to expand upon how he sees the story of faith connected to writing and creative practices, Josh reflects:

“All humans are spiritual creatures, and spiritual things are physical as well. Heaven and earth are connected, spirit and body, body and soul. They're intertwined. It's two sides of a coin or a needle pulling thread, connecting these things in a way that is mysterious and beautiful.

Writing is rooted in the principle method [of creation] that God has always used since the beginning of time—Language. Language is one of the most fundamental spiritual expressions of what it means to be human. We all have purposes and longings, sadness and rage, joy and love, and fears and despair. Putting it into stone, paper, or other visual means is a creative act. This is what it means to be made in the image of God.”

These fundamental qualities we all share as humans drive Josh’s passion behind Everyday Activism. Made the image of God, we are all positioned and invited to realize a world made more beautiful together. Jubilee.

“God mobilizes ordinary people and everyday people for the work of justice in the world.” — Everyday Activism

And how can this be carried out?

“First, we can find tangibles by looking at the life of Jesus—a movement from the bottom up, comprised of everyday folk, and built on the foundation of Jubilee (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus’ practices—love, empowerment, nonviolence, gathering, and more—are spread all throughout the Gospels. Everyday Activism connects these practices to how we can make social change where we are located in our everyday lives.

Secondly, we can use creative means to open our world to change. The work of God and the concept of Jubilee came through a story. Whether it be poetry, music, painting, writing, or any other form of creative expression, creatives play a central role in the work of justice in the world.”