In Charles Colson's How Now Shall We Live, he quotes C.S. Lewis, reformed atheist, when he says "We can make people attend the Christian point of view for half an hour or so, but the moment they have gone away from our lecture or laid down the article, they are plunged back into a world where the opposite position is taken for granted. What we want is not more little books about Christianity, but more little books by Christians on other subjects-with their Christianity latent."
I agree with Mr. Lewis except on two points. We do need more books written by Christian authors on a variety of life-applicable subjects, but I don't believe Christianity needs to be latent, rather it needs to be obvious. We can't try to seperate our daily lives from our belief system. If that is the case, we might as well keep our Christianity in the box for Sunday and only refer to it on the first day of the week. What we are in dire need of is strong Christians that know how to walk the walk without being in your face, and can demonstrate how to do it in a Christ-like manner.
We also don't need little books-give us oversized, 1,000+ page volumes written by Christians on how to acheive this. I am one who loves a big book. No more 150 pagers for me. The bigger, and thicker, the better. Especially if the author knows what he is talking about and is showing, not telling his audience how to do what he knows best.
Christian publishing has taken a back seat to secular long enough. It's time that those that are called to write sit in front of the computer, call on God for inspiration, and start beating away at the keys. We can all learn from each other, and God has given each of us a unique point of view and an individual walk through life. It's time Christian authors flood the book market and give the Christian reader something to get excited about. It's time we stop trying to court a cross over audience. If we live our lives in a manner that makes others curious without being preachy, they will automatically be drawn through their curiosity. That is the only way Christian authors and publishers should try to draw from secular audiences.
I speak not just from an editors point of view, or the reviewers or even the readers perspective. Take it from one fellow Christian to another-enough of this latent Christianity. It's time to be bold, radical and inspirational. We don't have to be preachy to get the job done. My mantra is and always will be, if you claim to be a Christian author or publisher, make that word stand for something. And let's show secular publishers they don't own the best in the business-we've got something to offer, too!!
