It’s K. Leah and I’d like to introduce you to my friend and new author, Tawni Suchy! I invited her to Inspy Romance today as my guest, and I love the encouraging message she shares from her heart. She released her first book this past fall–a romantic suspense–so make sure to check it out!
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Christian Romance should be Christian. It feels odd that it’s something I need to say. But it has become more of a “thing” as our culture has descended into a more worldly place. Christian authors are afraid to alienate non-believers by having strong faith themes in their books. They want to excuse the lack of faith in the name of inclusion. But that’s not how Jesus works. That’s not what Christianity is. That is not The Gospel.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’” John 15: 18-25
Jesus wasn’t inclusive. Yes, He reached out to the “biggest sinners” of their time, but He never once said, “It’s okay to keep sinning.”
He didn’t tell the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1-12) “It’s okay that you committed adultery, you can keep doing that.” When they brought her to Him and stated their accusations, at first, He was silent. We don’t know for how long, all we know is that he stooped down and began writing in the sand. (I don’t know about you, but I’d LOVE to know what He wrote!) After some time had passed, He stood and said, “He who is without sin cast the first stone.” (verse 7), then He was silent again, stooped back down, and wrote in the dust once more.
Scripture tells us that one by one the men dropped their stones and walked away. Once they were all gone, Jesus stood up and asked the woman, “Did none of them condemn you?” and she answered, “No one, sir.” His response, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”
So did Jesus say what she did was okay? No! Quite the opposite. He said “Go and sin no more.” He called her to a life of redemption. A life of forgiveness. A life of a changed heart. Just like He calls His children to the same life. When we know Him truly, we can’t help but have a changed heart. We can’t help but grow nearer to Him, to be more like Him.
In my very strong opinion, that’s what Christian authors writing Christian romance should be doing: calling their readers to a changed life. Showing their readers the struggles of life. Characters who grapple with their faith, question the sovereignty of God, struggle with various sins, etc. Then, they need to show God’s redemption, the power of Jesus’s blood on the cross and characters who are changed and transformed over the course of their story. Because just like real life, those characters shouldn’t have a choice but to be transformed. There should be an obvious growth and heart-change in the character’s lives. Jesus should shine brighter through every page. The trials become less menacing as His goodness outweighs their struggles. Readers shouldn’t only see romance, they should see hope.
It’s sad when I come across social media posts where Christian influencers/creators demean Christian fiction, specifically romance. I’ve seen countless posts where they state that Christian romance is no different than secular romance. In many cases, that’s true. Which is unfortunate, because it gives true Christian romance a bad name. I know there are many Christian romance authors who write stories packed full of faith and God’s love. But those same social media creators and those they influence don’t want to step into Christian romance because they are afraid it will be the same worldly stories that don’t feed their spirit. Which is what a good Christian fiction/romance book should do: feed the reader’s spirit. It should make the reader ask the hard questions, want to dive into the Word of God and ask God Himself. It should make them want to be in prayer, spend time with Jesus, and find the answers to those hard questions in Him and His Word.
When Christian authors are too afraid of what the readers or what the world is going to think, they are doing a disservice to their calling. They aren’t being obedient to God’s call for us to preach the gospel. Christian authors should be writing for an audience of One: Jesus. Many may come at me and say, “We need to write to market and give the people what they want.” And as an author myself, I can sympathize with that. There have been times when I’ve grappled with that exact scenario myself, the Holy Spirit reminded me: when we are obedient to God, He blesses us. So I don’t doubt for a second that when authors are obedient to God in their manuscripts through their character development, struggles, faith-growth, etc. that God will bless that book. He will bring the readers He wants to read it. That book will end up in the hands that need it most. Maybe it won’t be a New York Times bestseller. Maybe it won’t sell a million copies. But if it glorifies God, if it points others to Him, that’s what matters most.
Christian authors need to push hard against the pull of darkness. They have the Spirit of God in their hearts. Writing is a form of sharing bits of their hearts, and if the Spirit is in them, the Spirit should be scripted into each letter of their books. Christian authors writing Christian fiction need to stand tall, boldly proclaiming Christ in their books.
In a world that darkness claims more each day as it tries to stifle the Light of Christ, Christian authors need to shine brighter.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
K. Leah is a hopeless romantic and adores a good Hallmark movie. Growing up in the South, she likes her tea sweet and coffee strong. Family and faith are what matter most and she wears many hats, including being a wife, mom, and graphic designer. Other than being creative with designs or stories, she likes to spend her free time escaping reality into the pages of a sweet love story.
I am standing up and applauding this wonderful article. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, K. and Tawni! Well said, Tawni. I would offer two steps in the process for deeper consideration, though.
Consider that the calling to write Christian fiction is also to be an excellent writer. Yes, God will use what He calls you to produce. However, I think it is fair to say that He calls us to bring Him our best and that includes seeking His help and exercising our God-given ability to make that best the most it can be. Shoddy workmanship will diminish your credibility. Your readers will say, “She may be all fired up about God but not enough to write a decent story. Meh.”
My second thought is much more subjective. I think it bears stating but please hear my plea as a reader and author longing for the authentic gospel to be seen in Christian fiction, not as some ivory tower critic or an armchair sports enthusiast. I would challenge you, in your role as a Christian author, to portray in your writing only those transformations that are explicit in scripture (obviously) and only those which you can testify to personally (that’s the tricky part). It needn’t be your life that has been changed but it should be a change that you have witnessed first hand. I can tell you first hand about God changing my heart as a 9 year old boy. I can also tell you about how my faith in God’s love has changed and deepened as he has born me through financial, emotional and spiritual struggles now more than 50 years later. I cannot tell you about what it is like to have God free me from alcohol or drug addiction. I have never experienced those.
Maybe it is best presented as a writing challenge. Can you write a good, solid, engaging Christian romance novel using only the experiences that you have had in your own walk with God or seen demonstrated in someone you know well?
All the rest, as we used to say in my computer language classes, is just syntatic sugar.
I think, if you make a point of reading the books of the women who also blog at InspyRomance, you’ll find this is something we all believe and strive to do in our work.
Are there books labeled with “Christian” categories or publishers out there that don’t have the gospel and Christian life authentically incorporated? Sure. But, particularly among indie authors (and again here at Inspy) it’s more likely to be there than not.
I think it’s important also to look at how a more subtle — but still there and scripturally sound – presentation can be effective in the life of readers. Many nonbelievers will not pick up a book that is going to smash them over the head with Christianity. But they may read something recommended by a friend that shows believers living for Jesus in every day life.
There is room — and a reason — for both.
I’m of the mind that if it’s got “Christian Romance” in the genre, it should have Jesus in its pages. We should be bold in sharing the Gospel. As a Christian author, even when I’m writing something for the general market, Jesus ends up in there because He’s in me.
And, there’s a place for other genres where the Gospel might not be spelled out, but shown through the characters and plot. I think of these books as leading readers to the path, pointing the way to Jesus. There’s a place on the shelf for both.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. I believe both of your points could be answered by Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”
Being a Christian author does not equal writing a mediocre story or saying that grammar and overall structure isn’t important. I believe the complete opposite. As a Christian author myself, I pour out everything I can into my stories, praying through the entire process, to ensure I am following God’s will for the story. Have I messed up in the past and strayed from His will? Unfortunately, yes. Will I mess up again? I’d be surprised if I didn’t. But that’s why we have safeguards in place such as critique partners, beta readers, etc. People who hold us accountable to do our best work for God’s glory.
So if we are writing about overcoming an addiction we’ve never had, does that mean we just write it as we want and wish it could be? No. I believe research needs done and learning from those who have personally experienced it. We’re putting all we can into developing and writing the story for God’s glory, which should equal giving our best and our all.
Hi Elizabeth,
I believe we are on the same page. When you write a specifically Christian story it should be Christ focused. I know many Christian romance authors (both from this website and outside of this website) who write truly Christ-centered Christian romance books. and I adore them and applaud them!
Where this idea for the blog post came from was seeing Christian influencers on social media who are unwilling to read Christian romance because they don’t see Christ in the story. There are so-called Christian romance books that are just a secular romance with faith things sprinkled in here and there.
Like I said, I know there are tons of Christian romance (and other fiction) authors who have Jesus scripted into the pages of their books and are a bright light for Jesus. Especially indie authors, because they have full creative control (why I chose indie) to pour as much Jesus into their manuscripts as they choose.
And I agree with you too that we shouldn’t be beating our readers over the head with a Bible! Those are the stories even seasoned Christians stay away from. I believe we should approach each story with prayer and study to ensure we are writing the books God wants us to write. Sometimes they are super heavily faith focused, sometimes it is more subtle–but still there. There is absolutely room for both and I am in no way making an argument against that. But no matter what level of faith is in a Christian book, it should be there and be clear. That’s the heart of my point.
Hi Christa,
I absolutely loved that you said, “As a Christian author, even when I’m writing something for the general market, Jesus ends up in there because He’s in me.” Which is exactly what I’ve said countless times.
And I agree that there is a place for other genres where the Gospel is there but not in detail. Stories where it’s a Christian writing general market romance from a Christian worldview is 100% important, and I am in no way making any argument against them. My point with this post was to say that when writing “Christian Romance” Christ needs to be central and clear. Romance for the general market from a Christian worldview is an entirely different post all together ;) but there is certainly a place for them!
Thank you, Milla!
I agree with you! I’ve read books by most of the Inspy Romance authors (and a lot more CF authors, too!!) and I gravitate more to books that have these themes. I’ve read some books with watered down Christianity, and I’ve read some sweet/clean that have no faith element, and find them sadly lacking. I keep thinking to myself, if they’d just had the faith, if they’d done this, believed this, and I go back to my CF. There are MANY indie CF authors (and a few traditionally published) that have NOT watered anything down! Sadly, though, some have, and I’ve gotten to where I don’t read those books as much, and don’t seek them out, since I’ve authors who don’t water down.
I love what it says! true if you want to be inclusive and not bother anyone write clean romance! or even regular secular romance (after all there are some strong themes that don’t fit the usual classification of clean isn’t always for sexual content). However as a reader I will say that as my faith grows I find the lack of presence of God and Jesus in the story quite noticeable without them no redemption arc is complete and I don’t know exactly what the characters have “faith” in.
It also makes me sad that Christian fiction is degraded “because it is not realistic” or romance because it does not include sex or is not “up to date” I get the feeling that these authors seek to please the world or they themselves have not realized that they feel too much affinity with the world and its cruelty and values, It is true that the attraction to darkness is strong and that for many Christian authors or publishers it can be discouraging that their romance books are never among the romance best sellers on Amazon and cannot compete with it or that young girls are turned away from the dark. Christian romance but…it’s obvious Jesus was never popular even in life, following him is not popular and people are too afraid of “preaching” to the point that any book that teaches you something or where the characters have to make amends or talk about the bible is considered a preacher.
I agree that not every Christian book should have a conversion or redemption arc, I mean if the characters are Christians then they already accepted Christ, but I do agree that a Christian book should at least mention God and Jesus without fear, Christians do in our daily conversations after all, we think of them. If the book is simply limited to showing people who act well and go to Church from time to time, that is more than Christian fiction… it is clean romance.
I also don’t see a problem with the author relating characters who abandon traumas or problems that they have never had as long as they investigate well and speak or interview people with said testimonies.
Maybe even use them as advanced or beta readers.
This. I have lamented time and time again if I heard God wrong to write for Him. It’s so hard when I’m intentional in writing a true Christian journey through the romance genre and watch the bedroom genre get the attention and love. Or it looks that way.
Thank you both for this post. It reminded me to stay the course. Even if one reader advances in their Kingdom walk, it’s worth everything.
Yes, i am the same way. The endings are much for satisfying when there is a faith aspect that gets fulfilled or you see the character’s growth. And there are certainly authors (both trad and indie) who refuse to water it down and those are the authors/books i prefer supporting!
Hi Tawni,
You wrote in response to Elizabeth’s comment:
“Where this idea for the blog post came from was seeing Christian influencers on social media who are unwilling to read Christian romance because they don’t see Christ in the story. There are so-called Christian romance books that are just a secular romance with faith things sprinkled in here and there.
Like I said, I know there are tons of Christian romance (and other fiction) authors who have Jesus scripted into the pages of their books and are a bright light for Jesus. Especially indie authors, because they have full creative control (why I chose indie) to pour as much Jesus into their manuscripts as they choose.”
I love your passion for this topic that is close to the heart of many authors and readers who want Jesus featuring in the CCR books they read.
You have no control over what Christian influencers say, or don’t say, regarding Christian romance books. But, you can choose to make a difference by using your author platform to promote and recommend the Christian romance books that are Christ-centred with quality writing and great stories.
My question: Who are the authors and books that deliver on what you want to see in contemporary Christian romance?
Exactly. When writing Christian romance it is crucial to NOT care about what the world wants/says but instead follow God’s Word in what they write.
And for your second point, I also agree. It is so important to have sensitivity readers when dealing with those topics.
What a great post – it really captures why I choose to read Christian fiction and how much I value writers who write these works. I will definitely look for your book as I enjoy romantic suspense and I admire your values for writing.
I have to say when I first read this I had to re-read it. But from the responses and your replies I understand more what you are saying. One of the reasons is I have been if groups (as a reader which is what I am) where and author says she is writing what God wanted them to and saying God will bless it. They then often are Spending the money on a vanity press and then complain and blame readers for the book not selling and people not getting the book. In saying this the book is normally a hot mess and not publishing quality.
But then I see your replies, and this isn’t what you are saying. My next thought was I agree authors writing Christian Fiction should be writing to edify God. I have read books (and DNF them) where there is swearing and using God’s name in vain and then been told its ok because the character is a non-christian. I could understand that argument if the Chrisitan chracter challenged it and explained why it offended them. The same with having addictive issues like someone who is addicted to alcohol, gambling, substances but the Christian characters are ignoring it or even encouraging it or just oblivious to it. These things can make a good story if they are used to show how someone meeting Christ can change. (I say this from having a mother who before becoming a Christian was a compulsive gambler but when she first went to church she felt a peace and kept going and completely changed her life and stopped gambling, The same with an elder of our church, he was addicted to drugs and alcohol and came to church to make trouble but was so convicted he too totally turned his life around. it wasn’t easy but it does happen and people could see the change in both their lives)
I struggle with the comments that if its a non Christian its ok to have them swearing, bed hoping, etc in a Christian book cos thats what they do. I still always remember the verse about not causing a brother to stumble. It was explained to us early if going to a hotel to have a meal isn’t an issue for me as I don’t drink and am only going to get food thats ok but if my friend who was a former drinker was to come and it could tempt them to want to drink then I should refrain from going. I know its simplistic but we need to be careful and I know I have actually warned a friend not to read a certain book cos I know it may trigger them.
Fabulous article, K. Leah.
Hi Julie,
It can be discouraging when we see sales skyrocket for those worldly genres while the Christian market kinda sits still or barely moves. But God is good and sovereign and like you said, if even one person is impacted through your books that’s more important than becoming a best seller!
Excellent post!!
Amen. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
nice post
Hi Narelle,
That’s a great question and a great point. I actually do use my author platforms to promote other Christian Romance authors. I share the books I love and what I loved about them and share their posts in my stories or where I can (depending on the platform). Some authors I admire and keep strong Biblical themes and faith elements are K. Leah, Mandi Blake, Tara Grace Ericson, Dulcie Dameron, Emily Conrad, (all indie), Francine Rivers is another author I admire from all of the books I’ve read of hers, specifically “Redeeming Love.” I’m sure there are others, but those are just the ones off the top of my head.
Hi Ruthie,
Thank you so much!
You said, “One of the reasons is I have been if groups (as a reader which is what I am) where and author says she is writing what God wanted them to and saying God will bless it. They then often are Spending the money on a vanity press and then complain and blame readers for the book not selling and people not getting the book. In saying this the book is normally a hot mess and not publishing quality.”
I wrote this article coming from the standpoint of publishing quality work with a manuscript that’s been polished and edited to the best of the author’s ability. Because when God calls us to do something, it doesn’t mean we get to just shrug it off and say, “Oh, God will have this done for me.” We still need to put in the work. When God called Noah to build the ark, Noah didn’t just shrug and say, “Oh well someone will build it for me” he got the wood and got to work and did it the best he could, otherwise it’d fail. And I believe the same goes for publishing.
And I agree that Christian books should never gloss over those issues. If the character is a non-Christian and is partaking in those activities–it should be done tactfully and they should have a change of heart and actions over the course of the book. Or it should be done in the past and only referenced, there is no need to go into detail with those things. For example, in my book my male main character was a previous “bed hopper” and gets comes to know Christ before the beginning of the story, his past is referenced and his regret is seen but there is no detail–because it’s not necessary. Yet we see his growth through the book and know how far gone he was before he came to know Jesus.
Thank you for your comments and for taking the time to understand what I was trying to say. I would never push quality to the back burner in a book. For me and many of my author friends, quality is confirmed before we hit publish.
Another author I want to mention is Latisha Sexton who is publishing her debut novel “In the Midst of the Storm” on January 24! I finished it last week and it is packed full of faith
I love this post, and I wholeheartedly agree with you. It’s the main reason why I love supporting/following authors like you and all the other ladies that write on this blog. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Tawni. I can see you have a passion for Christ centred books and for good quality. As I said I did get confused the first time, but it was from reading replies I fully understood what you are saying. Readers can tell when an author is writing a CF book as a passion to share their faith even if it’s only subtle (and I do know sometimes being subtle can have as much impact) and those who write CF but are not doing out of a faith in God. I have even heard of authors writing CF who are non Christians cos they thought it was an easier market. But it really does show in the books.
Thanks for replying and understanding what I was trying to say. (When I am tired i miss spelling errors which I was yesterday morning hence needing to read twice). (PS I do like light suspense and cosy mystery and if you add a cat its a huge plus)
I had to take some time to process this very deep, insightful post. Admittedly, I don’t look at a lot of social media “influencing,” but the trend I see in CCR that concerns me is of watering down of the faith aspects, leading down the slippery slope of seeking to appeal to the masses.
A couple of years ago, I read a highly anticipated new release by one of the most celebrated CCR authors (most of you would recognize the name if I included it), published by one of the “big” houses. I was shocked how the main character was portrayed and the behavior she engaged in. I kept waiting for her to acknowledge that her actions were inappropriate for a believer, seek forgiveness, and to experience redemption and growth, but this did not happen. As disappointing were the dozens and dozens of reader reviews gushing over how wonderful the book was, like sheep. Only one reader expressed the doubts I had. I’ve never read another book from this author, who continues to collect accolades and awards.
My personal quest in writing CCR is to craft characters who are real and authentic, thirst to find and follow God’s plan for their lives, seek forgiveness when they stray, and cling to Him to restore their faith walk. I approach romantic relationships through the lens of Scripture, and celebrate the institution of marriage as created by God: one man, one woman. I will never apologize for this.
Tawni, you are young and I believe you will impact the Christian Romance arena in an amazing way. Bless you for your strong stance!