Fiction is Evangelistic

by Dr. Dwight David Croy

My first impulse to write was to provide books to boys 13-17 with a male perspective after teaching in a Juvenile Department of Safety and Justice program. Their limitless anger, broken families, lack of fathers, mentors, and narrow view of success catapulted me to write. Each writer has a springboard to write. Our central motivation must be rooted in our prayerful relationship with God, not rooted in temporal horizons.

I John 5:13 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”  As fiction writers we write to a broad audience, but this verse encourages born again blood bought writers who have an assembly of witnesses to delight and relish the fact we have eternal life. “These things,” (in the early context of I John 5) are the truth about the testimony and life of Jesus Christ. Sometimes we take for granted writing as a Christian that we have eternal life motivating us. An eternal relationship with a transcendent God – Yahweh (God in the flesh) awaits all who believe in the name of the Son of God. In all aspects of our writing our desire is that all who read will catch a glimpse of our eternal God in a personal way. Just as in personal relationships, writers are representative of different dynamics and views. No matter your style, we all bring to the fore is a representation of the eternal and the message that God wants a relationship with us. 

A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd. – Max Lucado

2 Peter 1:21 “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”  The same Holy Spirit that moved men and women of God to write, is the same Holy Spirit that allows us to write. We do not aspire to write scripture, but in our time and place we desire to move people lost in our dark world closer to our personal God. I have read many a Christian author who represents the eternal. Because someone wrote to show the way to Jesus Christ, many books have led people to an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ. I can think of no other greater outcome of our writing than it being an instrument to bring more people to Christ. There is no way to measure writing investment. A theological researcher nerd who writes a reference book, one who writes a gospel tract, and one who writes a “how to” book all have influence in bringing people to Jesus Christ. John wrote to Christians, we write to Christians, but in fiction there is perhaps a greater opportunity to write to the unsaved so that they may know about the Savior.  

Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” A word about prompting, the Holy Spirit who has sealed us in Christ moves within us and our personhood causes different convictions, drive, and growth to write what we write. Writing is a prayerful and worshipful response to the way God is leading us. 

Dear LORD, please magnify the writing ministry of all Christian fiction writers to follow your prompting and introduce your good news in fresh and exciting ways. Encourage each one and establish them in the promises of your word. May they know that their ambassadorship (II Corinthians 5:20) is essential in this foreign land. In Jesus name, amen.

Dr. Dwight David Croy, US Army Chaplain Retired, DMIN George Fox Evangelical Seminary in Spiritual Leadership and Formation, MDIV Denver Seminary with an emphasis in hristian Education, BRE Multnomah University is a Pastor, Teacher, an Author of “God’s Focus on the Fatherless;” “God’s Gracious Killer;” and “God’s Illuminating Blindness;” contributes to the body of Christ by writing, teaching, and speaking to promote Jesus Christ our one and only Savior. Learn more about Dr. Croy and his works on his website.