Fire: What’s missing in Christian fiction?
I smell the peanuts, where’s the elephant?
As I encourage all of us to bring reality into our books, I find a couple of major truths missing. Like that poor family with that major problem which never gets repaired or resolved, we too have an elephant in the dining room. Someone makes sure the beast is fed, cleaned, and all poop removed. But everyone continues to refuse to acknowledge the truth. The elephant doesn’t belong in the dining room, it needs to be helped out the door into the world where it can grow and thrive.
The core of the Gospel is missing
You know that’s true. The good news is that He’s called us into relationship and filled us with the power of His life within the core of our being. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What He gave to the Twelve, He also gave to the 120, and He still gives to all of us today.
He calls us into relationship because He loves us and desires intimacy. He wants to talk with us. He has great things for each of us to do — and the characters in our books. We’re not to preach or be religious. Our job is to show the heathen the reality of our intimate relationship with the Creator and what He gives us.
What better place than specuative fiction is there to show how a person relates to an almighty God? God leads and guides me moment by moment, hour by hour, all day, every day. How can I not share that wonderful privilege with my readers?
God speaks to me, and my characters, with knowledge, wisdom, guidance, encouragement, and patience. He provides power to heal, deliver, cleanse, bind, rebuke, and cast out. How can I leave my characters alone and powerless when all they have to do is trust in the One who is able?
Of course there are trials and tribulations. Yes, the path is narrow and few find it. But the world doesn’t need more despair, it needs hope and the good news.
The reason we love fantasy and science fiction is the hope they present. Good wins and evil is defeated. What we wish could happen actually takes place. The righteous king is enthroned. The woman is cherished. The man does great things. God’s plan is shown in its glorious wonder.
Get to it and bring the wonder to your readers!
That’s our call and the Great Commission.
I love this article. As a reader you perfectly described what I’m looking for in Christian Fiction. I’m always looking for those authors whose characters have an intimate relationships with the Lord.
Wonderful! That’s the vision of this site: to locate, share, and encourage the authors who are called to write books for the Kingdom. There’s so much pressure to pull back from the world.