I don't want to be HERE, either...

This is a long one, so brace yourself.

I suppose this is a bit of a continuation of my last blog. I said I wanted to keep morals and spiritual insight in my writing, but there also needs to be a healthy balance.

For the sake of being kind, I will leave names out, but I just finished reading a book that I have already read. I read it years ago--I was probably still in high school (I know, that wasn't THAT long ago, but still... at least 5 years). I don't remember feeling or thinking what I did just last night and today when I read that book.

Let me first give you some background. This book is "Inspirational Fiction." In other words, it's the kind of book that pastor's wives read in their women's Christian book clubs. The kinds of books that honestly, make it difficult for an honestly good Christian writer (one that is not afraid to challenge a few minds) to be taken seriously. It's the kind of writing that doesn't do much in the way of challenging someone who is already a Christian, and would not at all be appealing to an unbeliever.

Now, there is nothing wrong with Christian book clubs led by pastor's wives, or writers supplying (and making their living from) Christian books that are so over-ridden with Christianese and "if you'll just give your heart to God then everything will be fine and you'll all of a sudden be happy forever" speeches from the heroines of the book (because it's always the tender-hearted girl who leads the stern, rough man to Christ...).

I just want a little more reality. I want to see that Christians can struggle with more than just bitterness, and that it affects them in all aspects of their life. I want to see a man leading a girl to Christ--and keep that girl the heroine! Show them what it's like for a non-believer to be on the other side of the fence! We've seen enough of the Christian's struggle to witness to the people they love, but what about their side of the story?

As I was reading last night, I was thinking about this, and I considered changing one of my books. Yes, I considered changing the whole plot of a book that I recently finished (I finished it over Thanksgiving break), all because I am fearful of it falling into the category of "cheesy Christian romance with nothing more than a bunch of Christianese and the girl changing the guys' heart". I wanted to switch it--make the guy the Christian and show her struggles to decide whether or not she should start to follow Christ. In fact, that's what I had originally intended for that story (before I went haywire and wrote for four days straight and finally completed it). But I looked at the other plot changes I had made, and I saw that they couldn't work--I can't have it both ways; it wouldn't have made sense. Then came the thought of "guy who's lost his faith is reminded of it when an unbelieving girl starts to question it." But I wasn't sure if that's the dynamic I wanted. I wasn't sure if that's what their story really was.

But throughout all these decisions to be made and complicated plots to figure out, I have to remember my purpose. My purpose is to draw people in and bring them to Christ. And if they already know Him, then I need to challenge them. Our church, Ethos, has a haiku as our mission statement. Don't laugh, I'm serious. But one of the stanzas says,

"Challenge Each Other
Vulnerably Authentic
Christ is Relevant"


Challenge Each Other.

I should not be afraid to challenge others. I should not be afraid to challenge the church. Didn't Christ, Martin Luther, and (dare I say it?) even Chuck Smith do the same? I should not be afraid to challenge hypocrisy, false religion, immorality, self-righteousness and the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit. Yet, I must proceed thus in love. I must let brotherly love continue, and as much as is possible, I need to strive to live peaceably with all men.

Vulnerably Authentic.

I need to be realistic. I need to be open to criticism, leaving me vulnerable. Not everyone will appreciate my style of realism, and many more will not see the underlying allegories and symbolism. Yet, I must pursue it in the hopes that at least some will see. If I touch one person with my writing, I have done my job--even if that one person is me. I can't put on any pretense or false humility; I must be out-right with my beliefs, ready for the opposition, but I cannot be so blatantly arrogant in my beliefs as to look down my nose at those who do not share my beliefs. I cannot shove my beliefs in their face without at least trying to see where they're coming from. Jesus told of His kingdom with parables; how can we presume to discuss theology and "Christian" things without at least considering this way of explaining it? Sometimes we need a story to understand God's power. Sometimes we need to see the flip side of the coin--the not-so-pretty side of things before we can appreciate God's forgiveness. We need to remember that we have ALL sinned and fallen short of God's glory; yet there is hope. While we continue in our own sins of lust, hatred and hypocrisy, others are being truthful--they are being authentic and vulnerable, sinful as they may be. We must remember that we are in just as much need of God's grace and mercy as any other Joe Schmo off the street. We can't pretend to be anything more than the filthy, diseased heathens that we are.

Christ is Relevant.

Above all, I must keep Christ at the center. Even when using an allegory; even when His name is not mentioned, His character and His love for us must be apparent. He has sacrificed so much to be with us, and that is the best love story of all. It needs only to be told in a way that unchurched people are able to understand. Take, for instance, C.S. Lewis' classic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. When asked about the allegory, he said that he did not wish it to be a parallel or a picture of Christ's sacrifice, but he intended it to be a picture of, if, indeed, there was a place called Narnia, what would a great King like Aslan do in such a situation? He is quoted as saying, "It all began with images; a faun carrying an umbrella, a queen on a sledge, a magnificent lion. At first there wasn't anything Christian about them; that element pushed itself in of its own accord." Since he allowed God to have control of his writing, he was able to easily implement something that he held so dear to his heart (his relationship with Christ) into his writing without even trying. He didn't have to look up any scriptures or double check his theology; he needn't research and make sure that his allegories matched up. He didn't need to because the Great Author was writing for him. He allowed God to lead him where H/his heart desired (in that when we put our trust and our hope in God, His desires become our desires). His intention was not to make religion more accessible to children, but it did. His intention was to make a nice story to read to his grandchildren, and it served that purpose as well.

So what's my point with all this ranting? I really don't know. I just hope I sparked a few questions in your minds and maybe gave you pause for a least a split second to consider what "good Christian writing" really is.

Let's all hope I don't end up here.

My favorite author and mentor, Robin Hardy, has quite the sense of humor. I was looking over her site and found this. After having a good laugh at the parodies, the thought came to me: What if one of those books were mine?



No, this isn't a sermon on why we shouldn't make fun of people online... though I'm sure that's an important topic that should probably be addressed.



Ok, back to my point.



It has occurred to me on more than one occasion that while I may one day "hit it big" in the literary scene, it may not be what I now hope for. What if I do end up being picked up by a publishing company who wants to turn me into the next Jackie Collins or Nora Roberts? Not that I would mind their salary, but there is something to be said about dignity and quality.



Now, I have never read a book by either of them, but the fact that they are at the grocery check out line tells me that they must be those cheesy romance novels with a lot of sex scenes and not much else.



Anyone who has read my stuff knows that I try to stay away from the hot-n-heavy romance, though I do include a love story of some kind in all of my books (so far). Which then makes me wonder if I'll just be called the watered-down version of Danielle Steele.



There's nothing wrong with being a household name, or being paid well for writing. But churning out dozens upon dozens of books relating stories not of growth, maturity, spiritual insight and a moral compass, but of lust, one-night-stands and extramarital affairs....? That's enough to make me gag.



If I ever turn out to be such a writer, please... someone shoot me. I'll forgive you.