1. James A. Koogler says:

    One major takeaway I had from this episode is the danger of Compromise for “Art’s Sake” or “Evangelism’s sake.”

    I’ve been writing seriously for about six years now, and I know this has been a temptation for me time and time again, especially when it comes to the heavily politicized issues.

    I think it’s easy for novelists (especially those of us who are yet to be published) to say: “well, I’ll stay away from the polarizing issues in my first few books to get my name out there. You know, for Evangelism’s sake. Then, when I gain some popularity, I’ll express my true views, because then people will be more open to them.”
    It’s an easy thing to tell yourself, and I’ve done it more times than I can count. Yet, I find that God presses me on this, not just in my conscience, but in my writing. My characters have a tendency to put me in a corner with their philosophizing and conversations, giving me no choice but to address these polarizing issues.

    I don’t believe that every story must be “heavy-handed” or unnecessarily address hot topics, as one’s beliefs can be acknowledged for clout as easily as they can be denied for it.
    But my point is, as Christians, and particularly Christian Artist’s, any time we choose to compromise our convictions or God’s Word for the sake of Evangelism, Platform, or even “Art” itself, we are stepping onto a slippery slope that can lead us away from God into spiritual cowardice and maybe even heresy.

    Awesome Episode Guys!

What say you?