Photo Credit: Flicker/Creative Commons
Over the past 20 years or so, Christian fiction has evolved. No longer do we dance around delicate issues or insinuate difficulties; Today, we broach sensitive topics with truth, finesse, and grace.
Christian authors recognize that in a world of heartache and suffering, our readers long to identify with others who have walked the same road or with those who share similar stories.
In my post How Far Should Couples Go in Christian Fiction? I talked about intimacy within Christian fiction, specifically romance.
I think when writing Christian fiction, it’s important that we reveal Christ through our characters in imaginative ways. “Showing” how Sally and Sam deal with dilemmas in a fallen world is not only realistic, but necessary.
Who wants to read about Bible-thumping Christians who rarely experience adversity, temptation, or turmoil? (You won’t see my hand raised.) Those folks are boring, dull, and living a lie.
As Christians, we must grasp the enormity of sin and the impact it has, not only on us, but on our sphere of influence, as well. To paint the characters in our novels as “picture perfect” believers who don’t have a care in the world is an injustice to our readers.
When I create characters for my stories, I like to reveal Christ through them little by little. As they mature in their walk with Him, so does their faith. And like in “real life,” it’s a process.
Just because I write homespun fiction doesn’t mean there won’t be heartache or trials in my books. (Remember when little Opie accidentally shot the mama bird with his new sling shot? He learned what happened when he disobeyed his Pa and had to suffer the consequences. Opie’s Pa still loved him, but it was a life-lesson he wouldn’t soon forget.) Mayberry was a hotbed of hard-headedness sometimes, and yet, the characters there still endeared themselves to us. There was a distinct charm about the gaggle of imperfect folks who lived there because we were (are) so much like them.
Though times have changed, people haven’t so much. We still press on in the same, ol’ sin-fallen world that Opie, Andy, and the Mayberry gang did, but with a bit of a difference: faith today isn’t a given. Not everyone goes to church on Sunday or lives life according to God’s dictates.
There’s a film that’s settled upon our rose-colored glasses. We call it many names, but the one that sticks is “truth.”
If we write Christian fiction, we needn’t fear truth. We should embrace it.
Through Christ we’ve been made alive.
And this message is revealed through our characters: Jesus loves you.
******
Do you prefer a bold salvation message in Christian fiction or subtle examples of Christ in action?
Does it depend on the situation?
Photo Credit: Creative Commons
*November’s blog winner will be announced on Monday. Leave a comment and/or subscribe to this blog for a chance to win a $10 TJ Maxx gift card! Click here for a re-cap of rules and info.
Happy Friday and Blessings Always,
Comments 5
You know, I think it does depend on the situation, but more often than not, I prefer the subtle. In life we do sometimes have those big, bold, crazy-awesome faith moments. But more often than not, a person’s faith walk is lived out in the every day stuff…
So yeah, in my fiction, I tend to prefer the subtle approach, but that’s not to say that I’d turn my nose up at a book where there is a big conversion scene. 🙂
Author
Melissa, one of my favorite conversion examples is in the movie Fireproof. It wasn’t an in-our-face, fire and brimstone kind of thing, but more of a slow progression of the Holy Spirit moving. When Caleb Holt finally submits to Christ, we want to stand up and cheer; we get how big that moment is. And then, we see the change in his life.
I like subtlety, too. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t proudly and loudly proclaim the salvation message. I think we’re prompted to move in accordance to how we’re called.
Looking forward to your book!
I also think it depends on the situation. The above-mentioned movies were done very well in dealing with the subject and getting the point across.
Author
Patti: Agreed. I believe we have to be in tune to how God leads us and then follow His call.
Loree: Fireproof is indeed one of my favorites and one of the best (current) examples I can think of. Also, there’s an old Rock Hudson-Jane Wyman movie, Magnificent Obsession, which is a tremendous example, too, of Christ’s message lived out.
Excellent post, Cindy! I agree…It depends on the situation. Great example of subtle spirit movement with Fireproof…love that movie.