Messengers: The Power of Words

At TheGoodNewsCast.com, we believe words are powerful and reveal God's presence and purpose. When spoken truthfully, they don’t just communicate—they elevate!

In every age, a voice seeks to be heard and is unseen. The Apostle Paul, limited by geography and time, understood this deeply. Though his feet touched many cities, he knew his presence wouldn't always be there. So he wrote. His letters, born from revelation rather than experience, were more than words—they explained the mysteries of Christ. Through ink and parchment, Paul entrusted the mystery of Christ not to the moment, but to the ages. What he did not proclaim in person, he wrote with words that would cross centuries, cultures, and kingdoms.

Today, in a world captivated by fame and branding, the impact of words seems too good to be the truth. Authors are expected to be the personalities their readers expect and are often measured by personal worth. Yet even now, a quieter revolution stirs. From the veiled identity of Liadan Ní Chuinn to the essential invisibility of ghostwriters and the deliberate anonymity of whistleblowers like Miles Taylor, a pattern unfolds: the truth often emerges from those who hear the message.

These voices—past and present—remind us that power has no name tag. The credibility of a message is not dependent upon the messenger when the message is all that matters. Whether it's the sacred mysteries penned by Paul or the bold revelations of unknown writers today, the enduring impact they have lies not in who speaks, but in what is said.

In a world obsessed with the stage, perhaps it is in the valley where the message leaves its deepest mark.

• Writing That Reaches: When the Message Matters

• The Word Came First: When the Truth Matters More

• Behind the Veil: Where God Speaks

• The Laborer in Zion and the Word

Writing That Reaches: When the Message Matters

Some words are meant to be heard long after the speaker is gone. When the Apostle Paul chose to write in Koine Greek—the everyday language of the marketplace rather than the lofty tones of philosophers—it was no accident. Led by the Holy Spirit, Paul didn’t aim to shine but rather to be understood. His letters, penned in the common dialect of the eastern Mediterranean, were crafted so that both Jew and Gentile, scholar and servant, could grasp the mystery of Christ's message.

Though Paul’s feet could only go so far, his words traveled farther. Carried across cities and centuries, his letters were read aloud in gatherings, copied by hand, and preserved with reverence. In them was a message too vital to stay bound to one person or one nation: salvation was for all. His anonymity in the New Testament—where Christ takes center stage—was about the word reaching hearts that are receptive to the message.

Centuries later, another writer makes a similar choice. When Liadan Ní Chuinn released Every One Still Here, her debut short story collection stirred the literary world—not just for its depth, but for her refusal to be the focus of the message (Cosslett). Writing under a fictitious name and shunning interviews and photos, Ní Chuinn’s humility speaks volumes. She lets the words work. It is a demonstration of faith in the word.

In an era where writers are frequently anticipated to market both their stories and themselves, Ní Chuinn's approach might appear unconventional, yet it is profoundly humble. Like Paul, she trusts that words carry power and can reach where the writer cannot. The truth shines a light on the message more often than it does on the messenger.

In both Paul's letters and modern writing, a faceless pattern emerges: the most enduring words are often those that come from behind the veil. When the messenger steps back, and the words reach the Holy of Holies.

The Word Came First: When the Truth Matters More

Before the messenger, there was the word. The Apostle Paul points readers not to his sermons, but to his writings:

“In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.” Ephesians 3:4

It’s a striking shift. He doesn’t anchor understanding in his presence or personality, but in the word—a message. Like the opening line of John’s Gospel—“In the beginning was the Word”—Paul affirms that it transcends the messenger.

Jesus himself upheld this principle. He declared blessings not upon those who stood near him, but on those who heard and delivered his words (Matthew 7:24). The Roman centurion understood this deeply.

“Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” Matthew 8:8

His faith wasn't in Jesus but in the power of his words.

This necessary detachment between messenger and message resonates today in the unseen corners of modern authorship. Liadan Ní Chuinn, the elusive writer behind Every One Still Here, chose obscurity, shunning all interviews and appearances. It disrupts the literary world's obsession with personal image, shifting focus back to the writing itself—an act of humility and trust in the power of the message.

Yet while Ní Chuinn’s invisibility is chosen, countless ghostwriters are hidden without consent. These are the fingers behind the voices—the pens that influence memoirs, speeches, and bestsellers, often without acknowledgment. They bring emotional depth, skill, and life to works bearing someone else's name.

Now, the Society of Authors in the UK is challenging this silence. Their call is simple: recognize the hands behind the words, because it is fair (Society of Authors). In a world that professes to cherish what is fair, it is right to appreciate and value those who uphold this principle. Whether in the early church or the modern book world, the thread remains: when the word comes first, "before Abraham," it carries a power all its own. And sometimes, the most faithful act is simply to write… and let the word do the rest.

Behind the Veil: Where God Speaks

Some messages are too important to wait for a stage, face, or name.

The Apostle Paul understood this. Though he preached with passion, it was through his writing that he revealed the greatest mysteries of God—truths hidden for generations. His letters were not simply instructional; they were revelatory. Prophetic. They carried the mystery of Christ across borders and centuries, inviting Jew and Gentile alike to behold a gospel not confined by geography, personality, or reputation.

Paul was often absent in body, but Jesus was present in truth. And that was enough to keep him writing. His legacy reminds us that the word of God is powerful.

“In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:4)

Paul places the suffering of the world on the word, not on humanity. Like the centurion who said, “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed,” suffering ends—and Christ is revealed.

This pattern of faceless messengers carries into our modern day in surprising ways.

In 2018, a stunning anonymous writing appeared in The New York Times titled, “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration.”  Its author, later revealed as Miles Taylor, followed it with a book titled A Warning—also released under anonymity (Taylor). But this was about his protection. It was about delivering a message during a time when it would have cost him everything.

Taylor's writings revealed a divided administration, but the main focus was his message: what mattered wasn’t who, but what needed to be heard. Whether in Holy Scriptures or politics, there is power in the message. Sometimes it will accompany a face. Oftentimes, it simply requires space, unburdened by pride, credibility, or identity.

From Paul’s letters to Taylor’s warning, we are reminded that the truth often comes from behind the veil. And when it does, may we deliver it—with a faith that in the beginning was the Word and that Word is and will always be sufficient to satisfy every need.

The Laborer in Zion and the Word

Whether by choice, by contract, or by necessity, hidden authors remain a powerful tool in our world today. It calls us to ask: Do we care more about the message or who said it? Can we be blessed by the work itself even when the creator is recognized?

A verse from the Book of Mormon offers profound insight into this conversation:

“But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money, they shall perish.” 2 Nephi 26:31

This scripture emphasizes the integrity of work, focusing not on the material it brings but on its power to sustain life. Whether it’s Ní Chuinn’s message or the protective cloak worn by ghostwriters and whistleblowers, all of these cases share a core principle: truth can exist and make a lasting impact—through God’s word alone.

In a world where fame is currency, hidden authors remind us that sometimes the voice of God is coming from the ones we rarely see face-to-face. Faith, whether spoken or written, carries power, a power that is beyond humanity's capacity to contain it. It causes us all to ask, "Who is Jesus that even the winds and seas listen to him?"

So let us all echo the centurion’s faith: “Just say the word,” and like the early churches who read Paul’s letters, the world shall see whether or not it is God, Commander of heavenly armies, who opens the windows of heaven and pours out a blessing that no one can contain.

Works Cited

Cosslett, Rhiannon Lucy. “A New Irish Writer Is Getting Rave Reviews—but Nobody Knows Who They Are.” The Guardian, 20 July 2025.

Society of Authors. “Call to Acknowledge All Writers Behind Celebrity Books.” Society of Authors, 9 Dec. 2024, societyofauthors.org/2024/12/09/call-to-acknowledge-all-writers-behind-celebrity-books/.

Taylor, Miles. A Warning. Twelve, 2019. (Originally published anonymously; Taylor later revealed authorship.) “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration.” The New York Times, 5 Sept. 2018 (published anonymously).