I wish I could say it was some epic drama...but, to be truthful, it all started with an idea that never came to pass and a questioning writer.
Back in the spring of 2020, I had the idea to create a website - like a blog and forum - for teenagers who felt called to the mission field. As great an idea as that is, I ended up building a personal author website and forgetting all about the missionary site.
Until a friend of mine posed a question on our writers’ forum. She wanted to know more about how she could weave Christian themes into her fantasy stories.
Suffice it to say, I’d just been thinking about that earlier that day, and I ended up posting a very long rant to my friend (bless her). It went a little something like this.
It honestly breaks my heart to hear Christian writers think/feel like they can’t include God in their books (particularly fantasies) for fear of being preachy or unable to reach the secular market. But I want to remind y’all that we have been called to preach the Gospel to all nations (including the book nations) and that Christ has equipped us with all we need to write stories that glorify and edify Him – so don’t ever think you can’t do it.
On top of that, our focus doesn’t need to be on reaching x-amount of people, selling x-amount of books, or being lauded as the #1 most touching and inspirational story – that’s not what matters. What we need to focus on is putting our story in God’s hands and trusting Him to place it into the hands of the readers who need to read it and hear the message you’ve woven in. We can’t possibly be responsible for finding the perfect reader who fits our message just so and forcing them to read the book – so we leave it to God. Have you ever stumbled across a Facebook post or a blog article that just spoke to you – and right when you needed it? That was God – not the writer. God put that message on their heart at just the right time, and He led you to their words just when you needed them.
My point is that you don’t have to stress over it or plot it down to the last detail – let God guide your story, your message, and your book into what and where it needs to be. As for impacting people…it’s not a pipe dream. At all. You won’t know until you’re in Heaven how many souls were touched by your writing – because they will be, I can promise you that. God is working through us to impact others – nonbelievers and fellow Christians alike – and as long as we submit to His will, IT WILL HAPPEN. That’s His desire and plan for all of us, and God’s will is always implemented and fulfilled.
Personally, I’ve found that something just as amazing as prompting a reader to get saved or learn more about God is when Christian readers are touched by my writing. Honestly, I don’t think I write for nonbelievers – although I know God can use me to reach them. I just think that the messages in most of my books are meant for believers – and I have heard from Christians who have read my books and told me that my writing inspired them to live for God, seek His will, and strive to do more for Him. And, y’all, that…that is saving souls. Because that person I inspired will go on to write books that are placed in the hands of unbelieving readers who will be prompted by the Holy Spirit to know Christ. It’s like a chain reaction.
When I first started, I planned to write Christian fiction, of course, but there wasn’t much of an end goal in mind until I was probably halfway through with Held Captive. Just…the words, the themes, the messages that God entwined into that story inspired me to press on and really tailor my writing for reaching and inspiring my readers. My grandfather later told me after reading it that were he not already saved, he would have gotten down on his knees and accepted Jesus because of the heavy saturation of the Holy Spirit in my book. I knew then that I could and I would touch someone in some way.
So now my writing is actually very preachy. With pirates, who are often morally grey with extreme sin struggles, I’m able to write messages of true faith, redemption, salvation, the importance of Christ’s sacrifice, grace and mercy, and more. I feel like my chosen subject (or God-inspired subject; I wouldn’t say I’d ever really chosen it myself) opens up a lot of doors that other stories and subjects wouldn’t. I also try and focus on revealing God’s power and the power of the Holy Spirit through us to my Christian readers.
I feel like a lot of Christians have overhyped preachiness (feel free to disagree). We assume that by mentioning God, having our characters pray, featuring speech about God, and including conversion scenes, we have automatically turned off all secular readers forever and that most Christian readers will be bored. Maybe that’s true in part, but I believe that diluted Christianity is the same as no Christianity, that we are called to be bold and unashamed in our writing – no matter how the world feels about it. If that turns off readers, that’s their prerogative. But God will reward us for our faithfulness to His call and will use our willing spirits in mighty ways. Preachy novels will be read – by non-Christians who will experience God in an awe-inspiring way and by Christians who will feel encouraged and equipped for life’s trials. How will anyone come to know the Lord if Christianity is diluted to church once a week and prayers over meals? There is no conviction or power in that – only complacent religion. We must break free from the chains of conformity and begin to take back media and entertainment – literature especially – for God. We can’t let secular fiction and today’s culture trample the good news of Jesus Christ, now can we?
Why some books seem preachy is because they’re all over the place – each chapter presents a new problem, and each problem calls for a sermon – you know? If you can focus on just one issue, one point, and slowly resolve it with new revelation as the story goes on, then you’ll avoid being preachy. All you really need is one strong, punch-in-the-gut moment (a sermon, conversion scene, just a really powerful quote) to make an impact.
But don’t rely on that one moment to allow you to skimp the rest of the time, you know? Stay your course, keep your eyes on the prize. Catchphrases aside…keep your objective in mind and your content aligned to that objective. Just because you have one good quote doesn’t mean the rest of the book can be limp and diluted.
Writing is a calling. Books are a mission field. Being an author is like being a preacher (if not better in some ways, since preachers aren’t as mobile as books…beside the point). Words are a weapon and a medicine given to us by God, to use for His purposes. We have the power to break down strongholds of darkness and chains of sin with our words, and the power to heal broken hearts and pour life into others.
Don’t ever feel discouraged or less-than or like you’re not doing anything for God by being a writer. If you’re willing…if you’re trusting in Him and committing everything you do to Him (like the verse, do it for the Lord, not for men)…then HE WILL USE YOU. There’s no way around it, no doubt about it. Your writing is destined to become a tool for the Kingdom of God. I’m believing it for you, and I’m declaring it for all of y’all. We have a mission field that most people don’t – books. Books have so much power, so much reach, and we have the ability to access the potential of stories and use them for good.
Like I said. Rant.
But it triggered something in my mind (even if it didn’t trigger anything in my friend’s), especially the part about “book nations.” So, days later, I’m designing a blog called Book Nations for what I call mission writers (feel free to suggest a cooler name), and now...here we are!
There is one other thing (person, really) who the Holy Spirit worked through to prompt me to create this blog...my friend Issabelle. (Yes, shout-out to Izzy! You da best, sis!) She sent me an email a couple months ago saying that I’d inspired her to write Christian fiction. (Of course, she said it way more sweetly than that.)
Y’all, my mind was blown. I’d never really thought that my books would be used like that - to cause a chain reaction of Christian fiction - but God stepped in and showed me that witnessing to unbelievers isn’t the only way you can save souls and expand the Kingdom.
And my hope - my prayer - is that He’ll use me in the same way, to show you that writing, be it of books or on your blog or social media, is just as powerful as any other tool to further the Kingdom of God and bring glory and honor to Him.
Remember, everything we do should be done for the glory of God and nothing else. There is no greater purpose, no higher destiny, no feat more fulfilling. Only Him. Ever Him.
With love and blessings always,
Grace
Romans 1:16