I'll be the first to admit that is a little niche for us to speak to writers. Most subscribers

to this podcast are not writers. I know that. But because of Pastor John's prolific writing

ministry, we get a lot of great questions from writers and really from all types of Christian

creatives. Writing is near and dear to us, both Pastor John. so much so. If you have Ask Pastor John book handy,

you've likely seen that little section that pulled together on writing, grammar, and poetry

on pages 411 to 416. We don't revisit these themes often, but we do today with this question

from an aspiring author, an anonymous girl.

Hello, Pastor John, I'm 17. I just recently discovered this podcast and quickly became a

huge fan. I have already listened to all of your episodes on hobbies and entertainment,

but I would like to ask something of a little more specific nature. I absolutely love

literature and writing, but I like to write things that

have twists and turns and that are sometimes a little creepy. Is it okay for Christians to write or

read or watch? Things like thrillers and murder mysteries, which have some violent or scary

elements in them, as long as those elements are not sadistic, sexual, or gratuitous.

Or does this simply violate passages like Philippians 4-8?

Sometimes I feel like dark elements serve an important purpose and fiction because they open the door for great moral and biblical solutions.

But I'm not sure.

I would love your opinion on this matter.

Thank you.

So let me put on my lit major hat for a few minutes. I don't usually do this, but I have good

memories. Yeah. A lit major who has spent 55 years almost entirely immersed in the Word of God,

the Bible, which is a form from one vantage point

...