If you’d asked me 30 years ago what I saw myself doing after retiring from my law career, my answer probably would not have been, “Writing Christian fiction novels.” The things I wrote most in my career were legal briefs that would bore most non-attorneys. Yet, here I am with two Christian legal thrillers on the market.
I first felt God leading me to write fiction novels when I saw the Constitutional right to freedom of religion threatened, especially for conservative Christians. More and more legal cases where Christian business owners and nonprofits were forced to operate contrary to their sincerely held religious beliefs.
Both my son and my daughter are in ministry, and I truly believe there may come a day when they face legal penalties for teaching or preaching the truth of the Bible. However, I also felt many Christians were asleep to the encroaching battle for our right to practice our beliefs.
I began to think about what resources there are for Christians to alert them to the coming crisis. There are several well-written legal treatises available, but how many individuals sit around reading legal treatises? Almost none! I believed there needed to be a more accessible way to inform my brothers and sisters in Christ about the threat to their freedoms and how we can stand against it.
At the same time, I realized that Jesus often taught in parables. While I am not at all comparing myself to Jesus, I figured if that teaching form was His go-to, perhaps a fictional story would be a good vehicle for sharing the truth!
Thus, the story of Pastor Preston Curtis was born. My first novel, “A Pastor’s Pit” was released in 2020, and I followed that up with a sequel titled “The Kids’ Pit” which was released on July 18, 2023. While the first novel follows Pastor Curtis through legal battles he faces for preaching God’s Word, the second novel follows his daughter Sarah as she struggles with the consequences of her father’s actions.
“The Kids’ Pit” examines a number of pressing issues of our day, including abortion, parental rights, adoption, and more, but at the heart of the story is forgiveness – both God’s forgiveness of us and our need to forgive others.
While I hope my novels are entertaining and enjoyable, more importantly, I pray they are meaningful. I pray that individuals who read the books are awakened to the very real reality that our freedoms are slipping away and that we need to be there to support, love and guide our children. There will be a day when Christians face legal penalties for standing for biblical truth. Are you ready? Will you remain steadfast in your convictions, even when facing fines, jail time, or worse? Will you be there to assist a struggling teenager?
It’s time for the Church to wake up and get ready. If my novels can play even a small part in readying God’s people for the coming days, and as encouragers for our kids, then I believe my career as a fiction novelist is a success.
Both “A Pastor’s Pit” and “The Kids’ Pit” are available now on Amazon.
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