Tough question.
I could say one of the writers of the Bible, like Moses or David or Paul or John. But I won’t, because I figure we’ll have time in eternity to debate what Moses really thought about Pharaoh, or what John really saw in that cave in Patmos and would he describe it differently if he knew about modern technology.
I could say any one of many of my favourite Christian authors, alive with us or alive with Jesus. But again, I figure there will be time in eternity to discuss books with booklovers (because surely all authors are also booklovers?).
I could say Arthur Randsome or Enid Blyton or Anne Digby or one of many favourite authors from my childhood.
Or I could say any of the wonderful authors I’ve met at the conferences I’ve attended in New Zealand and Australia (although I actually have had the opportunity to share a meal with many of them).
So how do I choose? Who would I like to invite to dinner?
I’d like to invite the not-yet-published author who doesn’t know if their story is good enough. If their writing is good enough. If they are good enough.
I’d like to encourage them that while we should all pursue excellence in our writing, its not about being good enough. As Christian writers, it’s about about being obedient to God’s call on our writing life. It’s about writing and publishing what he’s called us to. And it’s about being part of a community of writers—Christian or not—to learn from and share with, to receive encouragement from and to encourage.
