Christian writers have every reason to be confused about what they’re supposed to be doing in today’s world. Should they write for an audience that accepts their faith, or should they try to venture out into the broader world of popular entertainment?

Over the years, Christians (especially evangelical Protestants) have tended to be message-centered. The sermon has been our primary medium, and we’ve had an uneasy relationship with ventures that involved entertainment rather than doctrine. We’ve tended to view storytelling as a secular vocation and not necessarily a good business for Christians.

That’s unfortunate, because storytelling satisfies a deep human need that is not always accessible to doctrine alone. Author Nancy Pearcey has pointed out that ideas penetrate our minds most deeply when communicated through the imaginative language of image, story, and symbol.

Read the article “Popular Christian Storyteller: Novels Aren’t Sermons, and Shouldn’t Be” on worldmag.com.