“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of the scripture, to preaching and to teaching…Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you save both yourself and your hearers.” I Timothy 4:13, 15-16
It was at the Breathe Christian Writers’ Conference that Kathleen Kerr stood up and spoke about the awesome and massive responsibility Christian writers have to their audience and to their Lord. For many readers, the only experience they will ever have with God is through the pages of a book, and often that book is not the Bible.
There is a plethora of books out there, and not many of them actually try pointing their readers to God or even to a higher purpose in life. Most books don’t even elude to these topics (Some one tried to tell me that Harry Potter is actually an allegory on the story of Jesus. Sorry, I’m having trouble swallowing that one. I also read a commentary claiming Clockwork Orange too was a type of Christ story. It hurts when you try stifling a laugh and coffee shoots out your nose).
I had heard Stephenie Meyer, who wrote the Twilight series, is a devout Mormon. I have to question how a story of a teenager with the hots for a vampire helps promote that religion. I also read Orson Scott Card was Mormon. Hmm. I’ve read the Ender series. Mr. Card broaches such topics as genocide, genetic enhancement, war, religion and ethics. Well played, Mr. Card. Your stories promote self reflection and touch on ethical challenges.
“Watch your life and doctrine closely,” Paul warned his friend Timothy. As a writer, what doctrine are you preaching to your reading congregation? Ms. Kerr gave some advice to us wanna-be writers during the conference.
“Look sin in the eye and call it what it is.” She advised. That’s a message we see so little of today. Our culture is riddled with sin being presented as the status quo, no big deal, and often something to aspire to. Too often, even in our churches, sin is downplayed, consequences are rarely mentioned and repentance is treated as a option. We say our hallelujahs at church, then go home, watch a Simpsons rerun, read another chapter of Fifty Shades of Grey and act like nothing’s wrong.
But as Christians, our calling is to rise above culture and look sin in the eye. As writers, God warns us to not glorify evil , but to expose it for what it is: an abomination to God and a spiritual death sentence.
Fellow Christians, writers and non-writers alike: we are leading this future generation by our words and our example. The children are watching. We are their Bible. What doctrine will you be teaching them?