Welcome to the latest edition of Plumb News. This week, we’re stepping into stories where belief is tested by the unseen. Exorcism films have long blurred the line between horror and holiness — not because they glorify darkness, but because they acknowledge it.

After a recent conversation Ian had with The Conjuring co-writer Chad Hayes (more on that below), we found ourselves reflecting on how filmmakers can approach stories of spiritual warfare with conviction and care. When done well, these films don’t treat evil as entertainment. They treat it as truth — something to confront, not consume.

At their best, these films remind us that evil isn’t the headline. It’s the backdrop for courage, conviction, and redemption. The question isn’t whether darkness exists, but whether we’ll stand firm when it does.

Grounded in faith rather than folklore, this modern classic shows that belief can be the bravest act in the face of darkness. Writers Chad and Carey Hayes root Ed and Lorraine Warren’s story in conviction, portraying discernment and deliverance as courage under pressure rather than spectacle. After the second film, the brothers lost creative control, but their foundation of sincerity still anchors what made the original endure.

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A satire with sincerity, this comedy follows “America’s Youth Pastor” as he wakes up to the absurdity of modern megachurch culture and tries to find his way back to simple faith. What begins as lighthearted humor turns into conviction, reminding us that entertainment isn’t the enemy — distraction is. Funny, heartfelt, and refreshingly honest, it’s a story about rediscovering truth beneath the spotlight.

WHERE TO WATCH →

When twin brothers Chad and Carey Hayes began developing what would become The Conjuring, they didn’t just see a haunted house story — they saw a marriage on a mission.

After Ian met Chad at the Faith in Entertainment Guild, it’s clear the brothers approached the Warrens’ lives with deep respect, recognizing that Ed and Lorraine believed God had called them to confront darkness together and help families caught in spiritual warfare. Their goal was never fear for fear’s sake, but to explore what faith looks like when tested by the unknown.

That conviction shaped every creative choice. The Hayes brothers avoided profanity and exploitation, choosing reverence over shock and substance over spectacle.

Although not Catholic themselves, they enlisted faith advisors to ensure the Warrens’ beliefs were portrayed with care, balance, and authenticity. That decision honored the spiritual dimension that defined their work, and the quiet strength that carried them through their doubts.

Their only regret? Not securing the rights to the Warrens’ whole story.

Later sequels drifted from that Biblical foundation, trading Scripture for spectacle. Yet the original still stands apart — a reminder that when conviction anchors craft, even the darkest stories can reveal light and remind audiences that good ultimately prevails over evil.

The results are in! 100% of you voted Facing what we can’t explain in last week’s poll: In horror stories, what scares you more?

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” — James 4:7 (ESV)

When we talk about resisting darkness, it’s easy to picture a struggle — a clash of wills, a showdown between good and evil. But James reminds us that resistance doesn’t start with strength. It begins with surrender.

In stories about exorcism and spiritual warfare, power only matters when it’s rightly placed. The authority to confront evil never comes from the person speaking. It comes from the One who speaks through them — the true source behind every victory. That’s what separates imitation from faith, spectacle from substance.

Submission isn’t a passive act. It’s spiritual alignment. It’s what makes resistance possible in the first place. The devil doesn’t flee from noise or effort. He flees from his Creator.

So this week, if you feel surrounded by confusion or fear, start where power truly begins: in faith. Align first, then the strength to resist will follow.

Until next time,

THE PLUMB NEWS TEAM