Should Christians Celebrate Earth Day?

Should Christians Celebrate Earth Day?

All around the world individuals, governments, conservation groups, school children, and groups will be celebrating Earth Day on April 22. The question is: Should Christians participate in these celebrations given that Earth Day is largely secular?

Is this the most important thing for me to focus on as a Christian? No, not at all. There are so many more important parts of the Christian life, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that this aspect of life is also worth of our thoughts and efforts.

So, should Christians celebrate Earth Day? It is my opinion that since Earth Day is a secular holiday that fails to honor God as the creator of ALL things, we should avoid joining in celebrations or commemorations that call attention to earth independent of honoring God who created it all. Also, Christians do not need one day out of 365 to honor God by enjoying His creation. We can honor God EACH day by being good stewards of God’s gift, and by enjoying that gift each and every day; all while thanking God for it.

Let’s look at what the Bible says about the earth. In Genesis 1:1 it says: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth; And in 1:31 it says: And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.

God not only created the earth, He created all life. Man was placed on the earth, by God, to be its caretaker. That’s what it says in Genesis 2:15: Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

But God also instructed the man to enjoy what He had created. Let’s read what Genesis 1:28-30 says: And God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to everything that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so.

How are we to interact with the earth? We are to respect it, in the same way Adam was told to cultivate it. Christians are stewards who are answerable to God. We need to exercise reasonable conservation and avoid litter and pollution. The land and our environment are both a gift from God.

Part of interaction with the earth is to also enjoy it! That’s right, enjoy it! Plant gardens, surf, climb mountains, sky dive or parachute (if you dare), ski, swim, or just enjoy a pleasant evening on the deck watching the fireflies. The earth was given to God’s people to enjoy. I like the way John Piper talks about “Desiring God” in his book by the same title. He wrote, “The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.” With the right heart attitude, which is giving glory to God, we should enjoy God’s gracious gift of the earth.

Psalm 118:24 says: This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

In response to the cultural revolution of the 1960s and 70s, religious Americans began choosing sides. The Right claimed God, the Left claimed green, and then many Christians found themselves estranged from the environmental movement. Soon, environmental policy went to the courts and was inherited by politicians, leaving conservative Christians on the margins. Just as theologically conservative Christians mostly sat out of the civil rights revolution, thay have also sat out of the environmental revolution.

Christians continue to sit on the sidelines while millions die annually from preventable, water-related diseases. Most are children. We serve the One who created everything, called it “good” and asked humans to care for and protect it.

Caring for creation isn’t primarily a political, social or economic issue; it is a moral issue the people of God have been called to address. If we desire to remain true to God’s Word, Christians need to rediscover the scriptural basis for Creation Care, and propose solutions most Christians are comfortable with.

It’s time for Christians to reconcile ourselves with environmental issues. To abandon these issues, I believe, shirks our God-given responsibility to care for His planet.

So what should a Christian’s perspective on Stewardship of the Environment be?

Why should a Christian care about the environment? Here are some of the main reasons:

1.     The earth is the Lord’s and everything, the world and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1).

Although we have graciously been given this earth to live in and have dominion over, it is not ours. It is God’s. When I live and act in a way that shows disregard to that which God has created, I am not honoring Him.

Many think of tossing bulging bags of trash into landfills that dot the countryside and mountains, and we use products that seep toxic chemical waste into rivers, lakes and oceans.

2.     Dominion should not equal destruction.

      Remember what Genesis 1:28 said: “Be fruitful and increase in number. Fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Increase. Fill. Subdue. Rule.

We have been entrusted with a high sacred calling to rule over the earth and all that is in it. What a responsibility!

Sadly we have taken this mandate and used it as justification to do, well, whatever we want. In order to satisfy the appetite of our society to have more and have it cheaper and faster, we greedily use up precious natural resources, fill the air, water and soil with dangerous toxic chemicals, raise animals in cruel and harmful ways, consume and then toss our “stuff” into landfills where it will possibly sit for hundreds of years.

The word “dominion” means to exercise control. I firmly believe that this earth and its resources have been given to us to have authority over and to use for the benefit of the human race. But rather than taking this as permission to do as we like, we ought to view this authority as a privilege.

The longer I study nature, nutrition, the human body, gardening and how things grow, the more in awe I am of our indescribably kind and intelligent Creator. In my own life, understanding and appreciating His creation more since moving back to the Midwest, has created a much deeper love and respect for God. I increasingly long to be more mindful of all He has given me to steward, and this earth is one of those things.

3.     We should have a multi-generational vision.

Not one of us knows when the Lord will return. It could hopefully be in the next few years. It could be fifty years from now. I long for Christ to return. Yet should He tarry, what will be left for the future generations? I want my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren to have an earth that is still inhabitable, as long as God wills it to be so; meaning, until He allows what it says in the book of Revelation will happen in the end of time. This requires us to think beyond ourselves. To consider what will remain past our lifetimes. What legacy will we leave for our children and the generations to follow?

I celebrate Earth Day every day, not just because I am some hippie who wants to save the dolphins, the trees, the rivers, the icecaps, the rainforests and the topsoil. But not just for the sake of saving them, and not just for the sake of humanity. I want to save them because they are an expression of our glorious and an important part of His loving provision for His people.

If I am to eat, drink and do all that I do to the glory of God, as it says in First Corinthians 10:31, then it follows that my lifestyle and actions should also have the goal of bringing glory to God in the ways that they impact His creation.

Living greenly and caring for the environment are good, moral things to do. It is irresponsible to pretend that this world doesn’t matter.

But it is also sinful to believe that my efforts, or the efforts of collective humanity, are the answer to the creation’s ills. If, as Paul writes, “the creation groans for redemption, part of our work as disciples is to see our efforts as part of that groaning, that yearning, for Christ’s return. The work of discipleship is to ask God’s Spirit to continually transform us, and to help us hope and work for the coming of God’s kingdom. Can picking up trash be a dual act of repentance and hope?

The fate of this planet is NOT the most important issue facing mankind. Ultimately, this decaying system will be replaced with a New Heavens and Earth anyway. Rather the most important issue facing mankind is: Will the individual choose to acknowledge his Creator and be reconciled to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ?

For Christians, the most important concern is that of sharing with others the Good News about the Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ, who came to earth to redeem His creation from the curse of sin.

We need to beware of the tendency to worship and serve created things, as can happen with some “Earth Day” activities. Instead, we should give glory and honor to the Creator and return to the authority of His Word.

The Way of the Blossoms

I made my hiding place

                                                a large cardboard box

                                                at the back of the garage.

                                      There I lived my secret life.

                                      Days were longer then,

                                               so were the years that I dreamed

                                               of being a thousand different places,

                                               other than Wichita.

                                      It rained,

                                               hailed, and

                                               snowed

                                               year after year.

                                      And all too often my creative thoughts,

                                               dreams and imagination

                                               followed the way of the blossoms

                                               in the bedroom window box.

Lonely Socks

They start off paired up, but some take off and end up in a clothes hamper, while their mates descend to a lower life under cover or under the bed. From then on, there is a risk of becoming a lonely sock.

Therefore, I have decided to start a lonely socks club. You can check out other lonely socks on our website, www.pair-up.com, to see who you might match with. There are many lonely socks wondering where their mate is.

Fortunately, a few mates have returned after they’ve gone through some treatment trying to get the stains and dirt out of them. But many never do return and wind up just being someone’s sock monkey, dust rag, or bean bag. Although they are being used, the more fortunate ones, who never return to their mates, may wind up being used to store holiday decorations, or precious trinkets in a drawer.

Unfortunately there have been several suicides in Sockittume, one of the most recent being the one at the Come Clean Laundromat last night. The owner of the Laundromat found him in a washing machine and told the police that the sock had said he wanted to wash up after being used as a hand puppet for days and then left for the dog to play with. “He was very smelly,” said the owner.

Investigators found a note the sock had left. It read, “This may knock your socks off, but by the time you read this I’ll be gone. I was happy just being a regular sock and never wanted to be a celebrity. My twin didn’t even recognize me after the makeover. Socks belong on feet, not on hands.”

The coroner reported there were large doses of bleach found in the washer and realized someone had put a sock in it, which most likely tore the sock apart.

Perhaps those few holed socks who have had their pictures posted on the website for some time and have agreed to allow themselves to be made into puppets, because they feel they may have lost their socks appeal, may now want to reconsider in view of this story.

The writer of this story would like to give his sympathies to the family who lost the sock. I am also accepting donations of socks for the family, preferably size 9 1/2 and made by Nike.

My Writing Style

My writing style

Good fiction must be rooted in reality. Therefore, much of what the novel, Called-Out Warriors, is based on has either happened or is plausible. It is a story based loosely on and inspired by the author’s real-life events and adventures. Names have been changed and a few things have been altered in order to make the story more compelling.

 So, should this be called fiction or nonfiction? If this “wordologist” could coin a new genre, I might call it “Interstitial,” meaning “in between.” Such as that part of the skin’s anatomy that secretes sweat. In attempting to combine fiction and nonfiction I often find myself, “sweating it out.”  However there is already a word some use for this type of writing—‘Faction’.

I have worked at making sure the facts were correct, be it the life I or others have lived, including the nuances of war, politics or religious and spiritual encounters.

One of my reasons for wanting to recapture certain events, whether in fiction or nonfiction, and encourage you to do the same is because we can learn lessons from events in our past we never took the time to. If we lose them, they will never be able to do what they were intended to do—give us needed moments of reflection and possibly joy.

There have been moments in my life that have been responsible for setting it in various directions. It is these moments I have chosen to remember in Called-Out Warriors.

Bottom line: even though the story line is formatted as fiction, in this author’s mind it's all entirely plausible.

The book will be made available soon as an E-Book.

Warriors are coming to lead-are you one of them?

Warriors are coming to Lead - Are you one of them? A prophectic message by Allen Stark Anyone who has willingly enlisted to fight against the enemy will tell you there is a difference between being a soldier and a warrior. There are many professional soldiers who take their jobs very seriously and are very good at what they do, but when you meet a warrior, you recognize the difference right away. Some of the church leadership is about to be transferred from the hands of professional soldiers, to the hands of true warriors, which the soldiers of the cross will all soon become. Warriors respond to the sound of the battle cry. They do not run from it. Warriors thrive on conflict and danger. Warriors are not discouraged by the oppositions and the troubles they face, but rather come alive when faced with them. This is the makeup of the emerging generation of Christians. Those who think the emerging generation of Christians is soft will be shocked by the warrior nation that is soon to be revealed. God is a warrior. He uses the title "Lord of Hosts" ten times more than all of his other titles. In fact, in the Old Testament alone, the word “Hosts” is associated with God's work or His name 290 times: 17 times in Psalms, 62 times in Isaiah, 77 times in Jeremiah, 53 times in Zephaniah, 24 times in Malachi, and 57 times between 16 other Old Testament books. God is a martial God. Those who are going to reveal him in these end times, are going to begin taking on the discipline of a warrior, because the emerging generation is being prepared to serve in the greatest time of trouble the world has ever known. Even so they will face these troubles with faith and confidence. They will earn the title, 'Overcomers', because they will never give way to opposition, troubles, or battles, but will fight to win like Joshua, who fought until the victory was won. These emerging warrior Christians will have the same resolve because they will know who they are, who has sent them, and the power of the kingdom they represent. Like King David's mighty men, who placed their faith and trust in the Lord of Hosts, their exploits will be known abroad and strike fear into the hearts of the King's enemies. As this warrior generation emerges, it will impact and bring transformation to the body of Christ. It will be so profound that churches will start being thought of more as military bases than congregations. Serious training and the sending out of spiritual forces for unprecedented strategic maneuvers will be the order of the day. It is time for war! As we are told in Ecclesiastes 3:8, there is "a time for war and a time for peace." When I and others were trained as medics and soldiers during the Vietnam war, it was a time for war. Then there was a time when we realized the war should come to an end, and it became a time for peace. I can still remember walking arm-in-arm down Pennsylvania Ave in Washington, D.C. singing, “Give peace a chance.” It is very important that we understand when it is a time for war and a time for peace. This is a time for war. It is no accident that one of the greatest worshipers in the Bible, King David, was also one of the greatest warriors. True worship and warfare go together. How can one be a true worshiper of God and not be provoked by the evil of our time to stand for the truth, and by standing for truth against the evil one, set the captives free? The warriors who are about to arise will be provoked to action by every evil stronghold that holds men in bondage, and they will begin to bring them down with their divinely powerful weapons. As this radical change comes upon the church, and every true Christian becomes a fearless warrior for the truth of the gospel, the basis of the great character change that will come will begin with them living by the greatest code of the greatest warriors the world has ever known: to die daily, to not live for themselves, but for the King, and do all things for the sake of his gospel. As the Lord said in Luke 9:23-24, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." This is the code of a true disciple, who is a true warrior. The world is about to witness what true disciples are like—the true salt and light of the world. When we are already dead to this world, there is nothing the world can do to us, and we will fear nothing on this earth. Those who live without fear are the most free and powerful people on earth. There is nothing that strikes more fear into the camp of the enemy than such a people walking the earth again. They are already among us and will now begin to emerge. It is a generation unlike any that has walked the earth before. The Lord has really saved his best for last. There can be no victory without a battle. There has been a religious mentality spreading over much of the church, that Christians should not experience a time of troubles, and if they do they are not walking in faith. This is contrary to the Scriptures. Both Jesus and the apostles spoke about the trials and tribulations that Christians are called to go through. There is a purpose for the trials, and there is victory that comes from facing them with faith and steadfastness. It was said of the ministry of the apostle Paul, that he went about "strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God'" (Acts 14:22). The generation that has embraced the pseudo faith teachings, the wishful thinking theology, as I call it, which promotes a refusal to even acknowledge problems and troubles, has become possibly the weakest generation of Christians in history. The meltdown of morality, integrity and basic spiritual courage in much of Christianity, resembles something like a drug induced stupor more than biblical faith—a stupor that keeps most Christians sitting in their pews instead of going out to face the enemy. However, this is beginning to change, and the change is going to continue until the transformation is complete. There is a new breed of Christians that is emerging who are more militant than the world has seen since the first century. They are warriors/ fighters who will live the resolve not to surrender a single acre of ground to the enemies of the cross. The emerging generation is about to change forever the impression that Christians are wimps, fearful and cowering before the intimidating forces (atheists, renegade leaders, judges, groups, etc.) of this world. Because of the present impression of the nature of Christians, the first wave of warriors will create shock waves of both fear and wonder in the present powers that be. This will begin to awaken the rest of Christianity to its true nature and destiny, just as Gideon's breakthrough caused the rest of Israel to arise and take the spoil. Soldiers know that a weapon, which jams at the wrong time, can mean death to themselves and many others, so they spend much time cleaning and caring for their weapons. The apostle Paul wrote about the divinely powerful weapons that we have been given. Few Christians understand these and fewer still have learned to use them. That is about to change. We are going to begin taking the same kind of daily care for what we have been entrusted with, and be the finest, most trustworthy soldiers. We must understand that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal weapons. They are divinely powerful and uncompromising weapons—spiritual weapons of love and truth. Warriors love truth. Truth spoken under God's anointing is the most powerful force on the earth. Like a good soldier, we should be continually cleaning and caring for the precious truth we have been entrusted with. We must become skilled marksmen, marksmen who can hit their targets right in the heart every time, and without hesitation. Our weapons must never jam. Nations will soon bow the knee to the irresistible power of the truth that is about to be proclaimed by this warrior army of God. They will confront the greatest darkness of our time, and they will push it back. In all things, they will stand resolved and without compromise, so that all evil will retreat before them. This warrior army will not be like the world's armies, which kill, destroy, and plunder, but it will instead heal, restore, and set free those who are conquered by it. They will not come to take, but to give. The earth has never before seen such an army as the one, which will soon be released upon the earth. The call right now is going forth all over the earth to all those who would be part of it. This army will strike fear into all who are not a part of it, including many sleeping or deluded Christians. The world has never seen anything like this before. The spirit of Elijah, which was upon John the Baptist to prepare the way for the Lord the first time, is coming upon tens of thousands to prepare for the second coming. Just as all of Judea came out to see John, whole nations will come to hear and be baptized in the Holy Spirit by those who are about to be revealed. Are you ready to become a warrior in God's Army? He promises to be with us in all we do. Won't you take hold of his hand and let him lead you into the Kingdom Age? Breaking the Bread of Heaven for those who hunger for the Master's Presence!	Welcome to MWM To all those who have just joined us, we extend a very warm welcome to you and know that you will be truly blessed by this message. We pray you will experience a fresh encounter from the Master and above all else that you will reach your full potential in God and know that you are loved beyond all measure. A prophetic message by Allen Stark MWM has been honored over the years to have known Allen Stark. When he shared this word with us we sensed it was a word in season for the Church of today. Enjoy and rise to the call... "Warriors are coming to lead Are you one of them?" FACEBOOK We are now on our second Facebook page Click the 'LIKE' FB logo at the bottom of our website to receive the latest communications and inspirational thoughts on a weekly basis. Latest revelation served... "The Secret of the Swaddling Clothes!" In today’s society when a child is born, normally the first things we’re told are, “Their weight is …, their length is…, the color of their eyes and so on… And yet, when, God informs us of the birth of His Son, He says, “Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes…” Of all the information God could have provided, He takes time to inform us that Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes. Could it be that God is trying to show us something, and if so, what could it be? A life changing insight! Read more online! Written as a step by step journey, you will learn how to dress in the armour and to know how effective the armour is. A must for any Christian. MASKquerade the true story of Danny Wallace is now available at Maurice Wylie Media A true story that will inspire anyone to believe that God can make one whole no matter how abusive life was. With wisdom and understanding Danny ministries light to the dark areas that is within many of us. Visit the Resources page now for these & other items from MWM. Every donation is used to further the Gospel message throughout the world. From the pulpit to the pew requests are coming in from all over the world for more studies and courses to be made available. See below how you can be part of this global vision of providing a furnished table of spiritual understanding to those who are hungry. Help us serve - Become a partner! Donations can also be made by 'Donate' link above or using our postal address below. Maurice Wylie Ministries PO Box 14 Ballymena Northern Ireland BT43 6JN To help us quickly respond to any of your enquires please see email listings below Is God calling you to stand with us in this mighty harvest of souls hungering for more of Him? More details of how you can help send name, address and enquiry to icare@mauricewylie.com If you are in need of someone standing with you in prayer, click the link below PRAYER Many times we can hear other voices other than God's voice being clear within us. If you have any concerns with understanding God's way please click the link below COUNSEL For general enquires or inviting Maurice or any of the team! Please go to the following link and complete giving as much detail as possible. CONTACT
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"What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs."  Matthew 10:27          

A very good author and friend, Daniel Parkins, in California has reviewed my Christian novel and posted it on his website. The following is his review.

Allen Stark’s Walkout

From the first moments of engaging the book Walkout, written by Allen Stark, I couldn’t help but be drawn into the eerily familiar atmosphere from which much of this book was written. I too had experienced my own “walkout” of sorts, from a triumphantly wonderful pastor falling from sin to people disheartened by the political make up and fear of man that seems to be so prevalent in church today. Some could say I’ve lived parts of it, and from that vantage point, I couldn’t help but look in the mirror and see my own reflection in this book. I once heard it stated that a good book will not merely entertain, but force you to engage yourself and ask questions that illicit change. “Walkout” does exactly that.

Stark is a good writer. It seems odd to say this, but in a day and age when even the script seems to be spoon fed to us, Stark writes allegorically with ease and as you work through the story, you catch a glimpse of a man who knows the literary scope to which he is attempting to write in. Honestly, I liked it.

To be truthful, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it. Knowing he and I experienced the same heart ache from a church split and torrential fall of a man extremely gifted by God only to listen to the lies of the flesh, I didn’t know how he would go about describing the events to be real but also protect those involved. And though the story had much more involved then what we experienced, nonetheless he writes with conviction and hope; hope for change and for the power of Christ to do the impossible in lives.

Here is a pivotal paragraph within the book that I found specifically great; one in which the church leaders of today, as well as the elders and those involved in making decisions, need to hear:

“He said…” Again she paused, causing Rob, Floyd, and Sheryl to believe that Patrick had confessed to the charges. Instead, when she continued, she surprised them all. “He felt that, because of similar situations in the past involving others, the church elders, congregation, and community would not stand behind him. He felt it would only be a matter of time until his credibility and reputation would be destroyed. He wasn’t willing to go through what Dillon Montgomery and Hershel Davis had to.”

One of Stark’s characters early on commits suicide and though the reasons are not clear right away, the wife is confronted by the police to confront the allegations against her now deceased husband on molestations charges. Though the charges themselves seem at first warranted, a deeper introspection really shows the helplessness of the individual church member opposed to the “face” that church often tries to show to the public. Rather than supporting an innocent man, the church time and again is afraid of taking stands with their parishioners, and compromises in weakness rather than standing for the gospel and for the people.

Walkout is not a story that is depressing, however, and throughout the course of it Stark gives a hope in the belief of Jesus Christ, and always points towards the Father as the author of it all. There are real issues he brings to light, and offers wonderful insight as well:

Job says, ‘But he knows where I am going. And when he has tested me like gold in a fire, he will pronounce me innocent.’” George waited for a response.

“Then you don’t think God is angry with me?”

“Saul, when God has tested me, I have felt abandoned. There was a time when Paulina and I were separated for a while, trying to work out some marriage problems, and I felt so estranged from her. I had the same feeling, but even stronger, when God was testing me.”

“How did all of that testing affect your thinking?”

“Instead of answering your question, Saul, let me ask you a question. Since the testing began, have you continued to love, trust, and seek God? And have you continued believing that God is real, no matter what you have been feeling?”

Saul searched his heart before answering and then shared, “I feel like an abandoned child, needing someone to pick me up and hold me.” Saul sniffed and then cleared his throat before saying, “I don’t ever remember praying as hard as I have these last four days.”

“God has not left you abandoned on some doorstep, Saul. He sees your struggle and hears every word of your prayers, and I believe it is because you and others have prayed through this time of testing. I would hate to think how long your testing could take if you were not praying.”

Here are encouraging words from a man who has experienced his own heartache from people, but given an even stronger resolve to love God more passionately. I encourage you to pick up a copy of Stark’s Walkout; it not only glorifies the Lord and constantly points to him, but is a great book that makes you answer searching questions in your own life.

“Bravo, Allen! Parkins has recognized your talent and your passionate Christianity and presented them both convincingly to the reader. This review is a keeper, and surely it must offer you encouragement for writing more books of the same nature. Have at it!”—Mary Turner (retired English teacher, author, and member of the Southwest Iowa Writers Guild)

A reworking of Why I Wrote "Walkout"

Why did I write “Walkout”?

            A great deal of what I have shared in the book resulted from watching, listening to, and interacting with those in several Christian communities over the period of years since rededicating my life to the Lord in 1985. I have seen how things work and don’t work depending on their focus, and how people walkout of situations rather than helping to make things better.

            The motivation, in many cases, for writing a book is either for financial rewards or for ego satisfaction. However, my close associations with the Christian authors in our local writers guild have helped to give me an eternal focus instead of a worldly one. There are times when a person feels so strongly about a situation that he or she is compelled to bring the subject to the audience needing to read it.

            I wanted to make it obvious to those reading this book that there have been several religious leaders who have fallen from grace and how many of those in their congregations walked out on them, never to return. My intention for writing the story was not to dwell on the fall, but on the restoration process. I wanted to show how God used those who listened to His voice, especially after the fall, to tell the love story of grace, mercy, redeeming love and passion for His children. I wanted to show how God can work on hearts and minds to bring about change. I also believed it would help those who are struggling with becoming critical and keeping their focus on the cross.           

            I firmly believe that God’s kingdom does not consist of words, but of power. In order for His church, His people, to go forward with the gospel to the ends of the earth, we must have His power. If we want this power in our daily lives, then we must focus on the cross daily. God’s power in us will be great only if we embrace the cross of Jesus Christ. With my writing as a tool, I want to motivate born-again Christians to not move forward alone, but to join hearts together, as did the characters who walked out of the author’s story, and continue the journey God has planned and wants written.

I have written Walkout not as a template and format to follow, but more to present ideas and concepts to think about and hopefully to provide more hope to a hurting world.

            In writing the story, and making sure all fact had been turned into fiction, I began to realize that it was not my story, but the story of those whom it is based on, which for the most part is nonfiction. I wanted to write the truth, as I knew, or understood it, so the book is based on fact. However, the fiction characters retell the story of the nonfiction characters with elements of my creativity and imagination in order to make what I felt needed to be stronger points at times.

            One of the most important elements I wanted to cover in the story was to try and get readers, especially the younger generation, to understand what “religion” should be about—helping, serving, and getting out of one’s comfort zone.

            I also wanted my writing of the story to bring not only me joy, but joy to others by seeing how, in dealing with spiritual matters God’s way, things work out better. My wife and I have been shown that God reveals who He is by how He works things out. I wanted to share, through my writing, how He wants us to step out in faith so that we can see Him as a miracle-working God and not be surprised by anything He does.

            During the past twenty-five plus years, I have been aware of many who have lost trust and faith as a result of turmoil within the body of Christ and walked out. So a great part of my motivation for wanting to tell this story is to have an opportunity to encourage others to have their trust placed solidly in God, not man. I wanted to make it clear that you must also have a merciful and forgiving heart during the time of turmoil and testing, lest you become critical and fall in sin yourself. I wanted to remind us that God has shown us mercy, and mercy needs to triumph over a judgmental heart. I wanted to encourage us that, as the stars continue to fall, we need to remember to keep our focus on God. We need to let the love He has for us control our thoughts and actions.

            The bottom line as to why I wrote the story is the fact that love and forgiveness is our most important legacy. It’s not what you do, but how much love you put in to it that matters. I hope readers of Walkout will see God’s love through my efforts to convert fact to fiction as part of my love for writing.

Walkout…why a work of fiction?

I had the outline for this book written for a long time, but it just sat there. People who I told about the plot encouraged me to finish it. I am glad they did.

Having written it gave me the opportunity to say something about the faith struggles of someone struggling to keep their eyes on the cross and as they navigate their way through life in general, the spiritual world and more.

Writing in the genre of fiction also allowed me to weave in my long-term interest and research about some evangelicals' struggles with prejudices, along with a plot about the forces of good and evil which I believe will keep readers absorbed in the book from start to finish.

The cover design for my new book

This is the cover design for my new book, Walkout.

The book will be available for distribution within the next few weeks.

What is Walkout about?  

       Author Allen Stark has created a unique plot to show how God uses those who listen

to His voice to tell the love story of grace, mercy, redeeming love, and passion for His children. It shows how God works on hearts and minds to bring about change.

The reader learns about the author, Saul Keener, who has received the E-Book Publishing Association's Christian Writer of the Year award, but also shows his weak faith in God. He believes his creativity is his own doing. His theme is intended to show hypocrisy and bigotry within the church. But when Saul begins to shift from fiction to nonfiction, something unimaginable happens as he becomes one of the major characters in his own story.

Those who are being called to walk in clear, uncompromising discernment and have watched the stars of religion fall, struggling with becoming critical and keeping their focus on the cross will find Walkout thought-provoking.

Walkout offers not only literary entertainment but encouragement to its readers as well.

            "I will lead the blind by ways they have not known; along unfamiliar paths I will guide them. I will turn their darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them" (Isaiah 42:16-17).

Walkout is a story of how God uses those who listen to His voice to tell the love story of grace, mercy, redeeming love, and passion for His children.

Those who are being called to walk in clear, uncompromising discernment and have watched the stars of religion fall, struggling with becoming critical and keeping their focus on the cross will find the story thought-provoking.

Walkout contains an original plot, offering not only literary entertainment but encouragement to its readers as well. It offers some interesting views of how God relates to His people. It will not only encourage those who already know Him, but also engage those who have not yet recognized His work in their lives.

I believe that what I have shared in the story has the power to convict, draw tears and create hope for a brighter future within the Church. Using a plot woven with characters to whom anyone can relate, I have created a book that will not only entertain you but truly makes you stop and think about your own heart and motives.

It's in the works

My publisher, Tate Publishing, is in the process of designing a book cover for my novel, "Walkout." Hopefully it will be ready for release before Christmas. I'll keep you posted.

Be Patient with your Publisher...I know, I know

"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed." Habakkuk 2: 3

Perseverance & Waiting for Direction

"If you are too lazy to plow, don't expect a harvest." Proverbs 20: 4

"All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:2-3