Opportunity: Write Mission Fiction 3

It is nice to be home from vacation and back on the blog (Actually, I’m still on the road, just finishing the biannual meeting of the Send Institute’s Missiologists’ Council. And since my flight has already experienced several delays, and O’Hare provides free wi-fi, you get this post tonight.).

Story is powerful. This is part of the reason why so many people love the sagas of Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and The Avengers. Millions have been drawn into the Harry Potter novels and the works of C. S. Lewis (Challenge: During the next 12 months, count the number of Lewis references you find from Christian authors and in sermons. You will be surprised.).

Story draws us in to a different way of viewing reality. Story makes surprising revelations about our world. . . and ourselves. Story teaches.

Missions literature is diverse. A simple search reveals books on theology, history, methods, strategy, case studies, cultural studies, and biographies, just to name a few areas.

One category lacking from the list is that of mission fiction. Yes, you read that correctly. Fiction.

There have been a handful of Christian writers who have used the power of fiction to communicate biblical truths and world view (e.g., Bunyan, Lewis).

But, what about the use of story to teach good missiology?

What about the use of story to demonstrate how to think about cultural engagement and healthy contextualization?

What about the use of story to help us understand the process and progress of evangelism that leads to disciples made, that leads to churches identified, that leads to elders appointed?

Missiologists and missionaries have led the way in understanding the importance of orality and Bible storying when it comes to gospel proclamation and discipleship training. So why not missiological fiction for readers in their cultural contexts?

The good news is a few (very few) missiologists have ventured into such strange literary territory.

The first work of mission fiction I encountered was written by missionary-professor, George Patterson. His book, Come, Let us Disciple the Nations, was written and produced as an interactive, electronic novel (published in the 1990s!). Then in 2015, he published the novel, Come Quickly Dawn, as a way to train church planters. I had the honor of writing an endorsement for this book, but few people know of this cutting-edge resource.

Mark Snowden, who served as a missionary for many years and is an expert in orality methodology, published Canmar Passing in 2015. This Sci-Fi novel tells a tale of Jupiter’s moons, humanoids, and an intergalactic message of hope. Wild and crazy stuff! But pioneers (especially the astronautical ones) are often labeled as wild and crazy.

David Parks, director of the Global Center at Beeson Divinity School where he teaches missions, just finished the novel, Arman’s Freedom. The last time I checked, he was in the revision stage. I had the privilege of receiving a rough draft from David. Some great stuff here. The story is about a young Iranian who lived in Malaysia. He keeps having a recurring nightmare reminding him of his sins. Throughout the book, he is befriended by Christians. However, his cousin gets involved in a plot to bomb the Petronas Towers. And he soon finds himself on a journey that forces him to deal with his present reality and his past in Iran.

I am hoping David publishes this work in the near future. While it is fiction, it is based on his experience with Iranians when he lived in Malaysia. Stay in touch with him to receive updates on his progress. Click on his name above to get to his email address.

Jeff Christopherson, missiologist, strategist, church planter, author, informed me today that he is writing a work of fiction along the lines of training and developing readers through story. Again, stay in touch with him on details and updates regarding his work.  

I am certain there are other mission fiction authors out there. Tell me about them. I want to know. Who has written works designed to train through story? These men and women are the pioneers in a literary method with immense potential to influence story-loving generations of Christ-followers.

What about you? Do you have a novel in you? Novella? Short-story? Be an innovator in an area that is still too young to be called a literary field.

Write your story. Equip others. Change the world.