Christian fiction and murder mysteries? Really?

On the surface the two don’t seem to go together. After all, how can a book where murders, mayhem, and bad guys abound promote Christian values? Can a writer of suspense novels make a difference in a life? Surely not, you say. It might be good entertainment but that’s where it ends. Not so, I say.

Jesus used stories to teach a point—He called them parables. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly message! Don’t you just love that definition? I do! Because that means I write parables–how cool is that?

People love stories. Stories can touch our hearts, stir our imagination, and teach us. Stories allow us to see the truth without the actual experience. Stories give us the opportunity to learn, change, and grow without all the growing pains. Didn’t GONE WITH THE WIND teach us that being selfish and self-centered can ruin our life? Didn’t THE FIRM teach us that if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is?

As a writer of Christian fiction, I have two goals with every story I write.

The first and most important goal of any novelist should be to create an entertaining story that readers will love. Writers aren’t there to pontificate their own point of view, to preach, teach or nag. A novelist’s job is to entertain. It’s as simple as that!

The second goal is more subtle but just as important as the first. It is to further God’s Kingdom in some way. In other words an earthly story with a heavenly message!

How this happens varies from book to book depending on the specific story. It may be as simple as portraying Christian characters in a positive light in a world where so much of popular culture denigrates Christianity. Other  times my Christian characters increase their own failth because of the circumstances in the book. Other times I show characters living out their faith in the face of difficult situations. And since I write suspense and mysteries, my characters face a lot of those.

Christian fiction has undergone a revolution.

It’s not your mother’s Christian fiction!

Christian fiction has grown up over the past decade. No longer is it sweet simple stories, but rather Christian fiction has become an umbrella term for many different genres. There’s a book out there for almost any taste you have–romance, suspense, mystery, horror, supernatural, science-fiction, or fantasy.  You name it, and there’s probably a Christian writer out there writing it. If not, you might be the one to write the next big thing!

Not sure how to find the type of books you love to read? ACFW’s Fiction Finder is a great place to start and it’s FREE! Visit  http://www.fictionfinder.com/

No matter what you love to read, you should give Christian fiction a chance.

If stories were good enough for Jesus, then they’re good enough for me!