“Google, Define ‘Christian Author’ For Me.”

There are two sides to defining a Christian Author, two very different ways of looking at what your writing is doing for God’s kingdom.

There’s been this long-term discussion in my head going ‘Define yourself as an author through Christ.’ This should be easy. There shouldn’t be any questions at the end.

But there are.

There are two easily-defined boxes we put authors who are Christians into.

Box A: The writers who don’t preach, or use deep, Christian themes but get their Christianity across either by dedicating to book to Christ, or adding at least a few mentions of Biblical truth into their writing. These writers write for both Christian and secular readers.

Box B: The writers who preach through their words and simply must write for Christ, forever and always. These writers will write explicitly Christian themes for Christian readers. Often, they publish through Christian publishing houses as well, which Nox A authors can do too.

Both boxes hold writers who grow God’s kingdom through their words, because when you read something that was written with Christ…you know. You just know. You don’t have to write completely Christian books to get the Truthful message across.

But it’s the way they do that that makes it special.

I like to consider myself part of Box A.

I don’t want to preach to my reader. I don't want people to turn away for fear that I will preach to them. I want readers to let go of the heavy, burdening world outside when they come read my books. They should feel free and happy when they read what I give them. But I do want to remind them that they’re never alone. I want to remind them that there is a Christ, there is a God. And that’s all. Sometimes, it’s best to just leave it as a reminder. Not everything has to be completely, entirely Christian ALL. THE. TIME.

I was going to publish through a Christian publishing house, yes. But I didn’t write entirely for Christians.

So, am I a Christian Author? Yes, I am a young, Canadian girl who’s given her life to Christ and wants to share her journey with the world through her writing.

If you’re a Christian who writes for secular and Christian readers, it’s not a bad thing. Actually, it’s the complete opposite. It’s a beautiful thing, because God gave you the passion to write what you have to write, and that’s something to be thankful for.

The same goes for writers who write explicitly Christian books.

I dunno, maybe one day a Box A writer will choose to become Box B writer.

I don’t know if you have, but I’ve heard a little bit about this popular Christian author, whose name is Francine Rivers. She says that her writing must be for Christians, people who want to have that very clear Biblical message. She can’t write for Jesus like Box A writers can, it just isn’t who she is.

And that doesn’t make her any less of the world’s ‘Christian Author.’

We’re all important, we’re all part of God’s plan, which is something we must remember. The world doesn’t define us. Google doesn’t define us. We are made in the image of God, made to being Him glory.

And however a writer does that is amazing.

I like writing articles like this, that remind you that it’s all opinion. Not everything had a definition.

If I was going to ask Google what is would say about defining Christian authors it would say—hold on. *goes a quickly searches up ‘Define Christian Author’.* *grins timidly* — That a Christian Author is someone who communicates the importance of God from a worldview standpoint. Aka, everything I just said wasn’t a waste of your time.

Hold on, didn’t I just tell you that Google doesn’t define us? Yes, yes I did.

Because whether you are a Box A writer or a Box B writer, you are a child in God’s eyes, and you are special because of it.

You can choose what to write, how you write it. But long as you have Jesus by your side while you’re writing, writing with you, you’re my definition of a Christian Author.

Stay Faithful,

-Claudia