March 25, 2013 Leave a Comment

The Making of The Colonists

httpv://youtu.be/XO3NCMowwUU

This is the fourth in a series of videos in which I take a look back at the making of my 9-volume novel series, An American Family Portrait, on the 20th Anniversary of the publishing of the first book in the series, The Puritans.

PREVIOUS VIDEOS

  1. Why I Write Christian Historical Fiction
  2. The Incredible Power of Historical Fiction
  3. The Making of The Puritans

PREVIOUS AUDIOS

  1. Sports on Sundays: Keeping the Sabbath in the days of The Puritans
  2. My 13-year Odyssey to Getting Published
  3. John Winthrop – The Forgotten Founding Father

SHOW NOTES

  • As a Christian people, we are one generation away from godlessness.
  • I created the Morgan family Bible tradition to include the telling of a family’s spiritual heritage and a commissioning of the next generation.
  • The American colonies were prospering, but they were also becoming increasingly secular.
  • The story of The Colonists is a story of three siblings who, having lost the spiritual leadership of their father, must discover their own faith.
  • It was in the outlying districts and aboard pirate ships (of all places) where democracy first took root.
  • The first great national movement to unite the contentious colonies was a spiritual movement – The Great Awakening revival.

In the video I mention four novels I co-authored with Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ. Each of the novels is set during a time of great spiritual revival in America. You can learn more about this exciting series here: The Great Awakening Series.

 CLICK HERE to start reading An American Family Portrait in minutes!

Upcoming Episodes:

AUDIO: Jack tells how he wrote love poetry for a 15-year-old girl character

AUDIO: Jack relates a modern day news story about a 300-year-old stolen Bible

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March 21, 2013 Leave a Comment

John Winthrop – The Forgotten Founding Father

heroes in history

 An American Family Portrait

Audio Podcast

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Show Notes

In this series of podcast episodes, I take a look at the Inspirational History of real-life persons and events who lived during the time in which my featured novel was historically set. Today’s hero: John Winthrop, Puritan leader.

  • What makes John Winthrop a hero? A hero makes sacrifices for a great cause.
  • Born in wealth, John Winthrop sacrificed to finance an expedition of 11 ships to the New World.
  • With his wife pregnant at the time of sailing, John Winthrop made personal sacrifices to lead the Puritans to the New World.
  • When the colonists were ready to turn back to England, with a speech Winthrop inspired them to build a “city upon a hill” that all men could look up to for inspiration.
  • The government and court documents of those early settlers is replete with references to Scripture, indicating their belief that they were beginning a new nation based on faith in God.

 CLICK HERE to start reading An American Family Portrait in minutes!

Jack’s Next Post
THE COLONISTS: Book 2 in the American Family Portrait series

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March 18, 2013 Leave a Comment

My 13-year Odyssey To Getting Published

Making of Christian Historical Fiction

 An American Family Portrait

Audio Podcast

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Show Notes

In this series of podcast episodes, I take a look BEHIND THE PAGES at the making of the Christian historical fiction classic, An American Family Portrait series. Today’s topic: Why it took me 13 looooonnnnnnggggggg years to get my first book contract.

  • Three key moments in my life converged to make me a writer of Christian historical fiction:
    • Changing my B.A. major from Bible studies to history
    • Having a writers seed planted in my mind while in seminary
    • Realizing the power of stories while speaking and preaching
  • After meeting Dr. Sherwood Wirt, founding editor of Billy Graham’s Decision magazine, I began attending writers critique groups and conferences.
  • The door to Christian fiction opened with the successes of Janette Oake, Frank Peretti, and Brock and Bodie Thoene.
  • At Mt. Hermon Writers Conference an editor from Victor Books told me they were looking for someone to write an American history series.
  • After submitting a proposal, I was offered a four book contract; after I submitted the first manuscript, the contract was extended to seven books and I began writing full time.

 CLICK HERE to start reading An American Family Portrait in minutes!

Jack’s Next Post
INSPIRATIONAL HISTORY: John Winthrop, Puritan hero

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March 14, 2013 2 Comments

Sports on Sundays

Heroes in history

An American Family Portrait

Audio Podcast

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Show Notes

In this series of podcast episodes, I take a look at the Way We Were as Christians in the past. In this episode, keeping the Sabbath in the days of the Puritans.

  • With all the Sunday distractions today, you’d think this was a modern struggle. Not so. 
  • In the 4th Century, Chrysostom complained about worshipers running off the chariot races at the hippodrome.
  • In the days of the Puritans, King James’s Book of Sports required all Englishmen to play sports on Sundays.

 CLICK HERE to start reading An American Family Portrait in minutes!

Jack’s Next Post
BEHIND THE PAGES: Why It Took 13 Years to Get Published!

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March 11, 2013 Leave a Comment

The Making of The Puritans

httpv://youtu.be/bZ0_BcroHJg

This is the third in a series of videos in which I take a look back at the making of my 9-volume novel series, An American Family Portrait, on the 20th Anniversary of the publishing of the first book in the series, The Puritans.

SHOW NOTES

  • Misconceptions about the Puritans abound. American journalist, H.L. Menken, described Puritanism as, “The haunting fear that someone, somewhere may be happy.”
  • My publishers wanted to start the series with the Revolutionary War. I argued that to do so would ignore nearly 150 years of American history in which the Bible shaped the character of our nation.
  • So, who were the Puritans? The answer to that question changed Drew Morgan’s life.
  • We first encounter Drew at Windsor Castle, getting into mischief with suits of armor. But it was on this day he met Bishop William Laud.
  • Describing the Puritans as a troublesome, seditious people, Bishop Laud sends Drew on missions of espionage to infiltrate Puritan villages. They communicate in a code that uses the Bible as a decipher key.
  • At Edenford, Drew discovers the true nature of the Puritans and finds them to be a people who
    • love their families
    • love the Bible
    • love preaching
    • love their worship services
    • believe in freedom of religion
    • believe in freedom of the press
  • The legacy of these early founding fathers of America is one of faith and courage. It is also the legacy of the American Family Portrait series as Drew’s Bible is handed down from generation to generation, each time accompanied by the telling of his story.
  • I conclude the video with the picture of a young boy holding a copy of The Puritans. He’s a student at a Christian academy in New Zealand, the next generation learning the legacy of the godly Puritans.

CLICK HERE to start reading An American Family Portrait in minutes!

 JACK’S NEXT VIDEO:

American Family Portrait Series Book 2: The Colonists

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