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Shasta’s Meeting with Aslan in ‘The Horse and His Boy’ Helped Me Embrace God’s Sovereignty
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123. Which Fantastical Novels Won Big at the 2022 Realm Awards?
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When Legends Rise, Daphne Self
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100 Cupboards
“With thoughtful narrative voice and emotional honesty, N. D. Wilson’s 100 Cupboards (2007) opens doors to worlds of mystery and adventure.”
—Lorehaven on Aug 5, 2022

Blood Secrets
“Blood Secrets charts a satisfying conclusion to the Skyworld duology, with dashing prose that draws readers into this world of steam and mystery.”
—Lorehaven on Jul 22, 2022

Jabberwock’s Curse
“In Jabberwock’s Curse, R.V. Bowman blends different elements from Lewis Carroll’s classic into a quick-paced coming-of age story whose three heroes must learn who they were created to be.”
—Lorehaven on Jul 8, 2022

The Governess of Greenmere
“Obscure Arthurian and Celtic references blend with biblical imagery and high heroism in this brief yet old-souled story.”
—Lorehaven on Jul 1, 2022

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123. Which Fantastical Novels Won Big at the 2022 Realm Awards?
Fantastical Truth, Aug 2, 2022

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Yes, Speculative Faith Is Closed, At Least For Now
E. Stephen Burnett, Dec 30

Last Stands, Custer, General Gordon, and Being a Christian Warrior
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How Christian Must Christian Fiction Be?
Rebecca LuElla Miller, May 24

Gender In Fiction: The Implication Of Failure
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Making a Story Visual UPDATE: Behind the Scenes of the Animal Eye Comic
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What Does “Woke” Culture Have To Do With Christian Fiction?
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Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
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The Power Of Christian Fiction

Kingdom Series and The Knights of Arrethtrae series author Chuck Black: The spectrum of Christian fiction literature is broad. Does it have the power to change lives? How responsible is the author for his work’s influence? How far is too far?
Chuck Black on Nov 23, 2012
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The spectrum of Christian fiction literature is broad. Does it have the power to change lives? How responsible is the author for his work’s influence? How far is too far? Today’s fiction author is much more than a story teller, and the power of the pen has never been more available than it is today in a world obsessed with fiction.

Traveling throughout the country from coast to coast promoting books and speaking at conferences has allowed me access to a veritable plethora of Christian perspectives on fictional literature. “I don’t read fiction…it has no bearing on real life”, and “I only read the Bible; it’s the only book that counts” would characterize at least a couple of  those perspectives. Others embrace Twilight, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and every other fictional work you can imagine.

I’m sure I haven’t heard it all, but I’ve heard a lot. It motivated me to investigate the answer to some very important questions. Just how worthwhile is Christian fiction? Does it influence people in a way that is lasting and real? Does it motivate one to the ultimate goal of honoring, serving, discovering, and pleasing God?

These are serious questions that deserve serious answers because I’ve spent a lot of my time and energy writing fiction. I faced these questions and the dilemma they brought to my mind at the beginning of my writing career. I needed objective, biblical answers. I reasoned that if Christian fiction had no place in God’s heart, then it shouldn’t have a place in mine. I decided I would walk away from my fiction writing if that’s where God was leading. For answers, I turned to the only book that whispered God’s absolute truth in my heart, the Bible. I was hesitant but committed to finding the answers, and I approached His Word with a willing heart to hear and follow His reply.

The Lord led me to Samuel where the prophet Nathan employed a fictional story of a rich man with many flocks and a poor man with one lamb. At the conclusion of the story, David was convicted, broken, and repentant before God for his grievous sin. Nathan’s clever use of fiction subtly prepared David’s heart for the crushing blow of truth.

An effective fictional story tends to impact most people that way. It is as though the picture of truth has quietly occupied the room of their heart and suddenly the curtains are thrown back to allow the brilliance of enlightenment to be revealed in an instant. Can a fictional story change lives? I discovered that the answer is a resounding yes, for it brought a powerful king to his knees in submission to truth!

Discovering such dramatic answers to my first questions surprised me so much so that the next question that followed was even more penetrating. How responsible will God hold me for the influence I have over my readers? I realized that I was not just an author exploring my own creativity for the mere joy it brings me, but rather I was and am a teacher. God’s Word has some serious things to say about teachers … serious enough to make me tremble. An author is a teacher that often has more influence than one standing in front of a classroom. Why more influence? Because authors have the ability to reach into the mind of a reader and touch their souls. We manipulate emotions, question paradigms, and attach our characters to the reader’s heart all in the quiet of a bedroom or a favorite reading nook with no one else to distract our student from the lesson. It’s a lot of influence and a lot of power, and the greater the influence the greater the responsibility. God’s Word says, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” That’s what makes me tremble and has forced me to evaluate one more question.

I think perhaps my final question to release me into the world of writing fiction is one that all believers that have picked up the pen have pondered. Where is the line drawn for what is acceptable as a Christian fiction writer … how far is too far? This was the toughest one to answer because the Bible is silent on many things.

Chuck Black

Chuck Black

Every author must answer this for himself or herself. For me, I started with where the Bible wasn’t silent and let those boundaries be my boundaries, boundaries that I would not compromise on — my absolutes. In between those boundaries there is a universe of creativity and imagination waiting to be explored.

My next series drives right up to the boundaries and stops. It is edgy, definitely speculative, but every word falling within what the Lord has given me as biblical boundaries so that the stories will honor and serve only Him.

Through The Kingdom Series and The Knights of Arrethtrae series, I have discovered an insatiable thirst in the hearts of Christians everywhere for stories of hope, courage, redemption, faith, and love. Stories that inspire one to valiance. It is a precious and frightening responsibility to pen words that will teach another of such things. And if the keyboard were not my pen, you would see the quiver in my lines of ink because fiction is powerful. It changes people, and people lead families and rule countries. In the end, I want most to please God and am aching to hear those precious words when I’ve finally breathed my last and let my pen fall from my grip, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

Chuck Black
Chuck Black, a former F-16 fighter pilot and tactical communications engineer, is the best-selling, award-winning author of The Kingdom Series and The Knights of Arrethtrae series. He has received praise from parents across the country for his unique approach to telling biblical truths. His passion in life is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and to love his wife, Andrea, and their six children. He lives with his family in North Dakota.
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  1. Kessie says:
    November 23, 2012 at 5:45 pm

    Great article! During Thanksgiving, we talked about the ripple effect one person has on the people around them. Your actions influence another person’s thoughts and actions. I imagine the ripples go out even further with books, because you may never meet those people who are reading your work, and you may never know about your influence on their life and how it affected them. Not until Heaven, anyway.
     
    I’ve seen your books mentioned all kinds of places, Chuck, and I mean to pick them up and give them a try. When my son’s old enough to read on his own, I’ll bet he’ll enjoy them a lot. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Rebecca LuElla Miller says:
    November 26, 2012 at 3:01 pm

    Excellent article, Chuck. I love the fact that you remind us of God’s use of stories in Scripture. I don’t think it was on accident that Jesus answered many of the questions posed to Him by telling a story.

    Like you, I’m convinced of the rightness and the power of stories if we will step up and make use of them.

    Looking forward to hearing more about your next series.

    Becky

    Reply
  3. lovedandamazed says:
    November 30, 2012 at 11:55 pm

    Great post! I agree that fiction does have the power to change lives. That’s one reason I love being a reviewer: I get to help promote good stories and encourage the authors who write them.

    Reply

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Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.