Final Revival Novel by Bright, Cavanaugh Another Compelling Story
by Randall Murphree
August 31, 2006
(AgapePress) - - The late Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, longed for two things -- to see people come to faith in Christ and to see America experience revival. In his last years he came to recognize the value of fiction to convey the truths of the faith to which he had committed his life and ministry. In his last six months, he collaborated with veteran historical novelist Jack Cavanaugh, a former pastor, to produce "The Great Awakenings" series, four novels set in four periods of great revival in America.
"Jack," Bright once said to Cavanaugh, "if I knew what fiction could do to communicate God's Word, I would have started writing fiction early in my ministry."
Subsequently, the two men brainstormed through four story lines that would become Proof, Fire, Storm and Fury. The four titles were not released in chronological sequence, and each one stands alone as a complete story. Each one depends on fictional characters to move the story forward, but each also incorporates some historical Christian leaders from the respective periods.
Read Randall Murphree's reviews on Proof and Fire and on Storm
Fury, the fourth and final title, is to be released September 5, 2006, by Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster. It is set in 1825-26. Sixteen-year-old Daniel Cooper is the main character.
Daniel had been orphaned when his parents drowned and he is in the care of an uncle who doesn't ever quite understand what it means to rear a teenager. Daniel is the sole witness to a gruesome murder and he is devastated when his uncle doesn't believe his account of the event.
With one of his uncle's friends implicated in the murder, Daniel is backed into a corner. He responds by disappearing from home and running to upstate New York. He knows early on that he is being pursued.
While on the run, Daniel encounters the powerful preaching of Charles Finney, a well-known historical revivalist of the period. Daniel finally stops running, determined to face his adversaries. It is quite a gripping tale, fast-paced and entertaining all the way. And Daniel is at once a boy and a mature young man, a lad with a great sense of humor and a man of great courage. Though in many ways a typical teenager, he is an appealing protagonist.
"Novels are uniquely suited to spread the Gospel message," said Cavanaugh in an exclusive interview. "People who would never step foot in a church to hear me preach will read my novels." He had already been thinking of writing novels set during times of revival when he discovered Bright was wanting to find a novelist to collaborate on the very same thing.
"When Dr. Bright and I met, it became apparent that God had brought us together in answer to both our prayers," Cavanaugh said. "For two days we prayed side by side on our knees and talked about history and story plot ideas, all the while knowing that unless God intervened in dramatic fashion, Dr. Bright would not live long enough to see the release of the first book."
Yet, they forged a quick, deep friendship and found a clear focus on their goal, so that Bright was able to approve all of the story outlines.
During his long tenure at the helm of Campus Crusade, Bill Bright wrote more than 100 books and booklets about the truth of the Gospel. His titles now have more than 2.5 billion copies in print. It is no small irony that his last work on the printed page was fiction as a vehicle to convey that same truth.
Fury is a worthy crowning touch to this entertaining, challenging and moving Great Awakenings series. It is a fitting legacy for Dr. Bill Bright and gives hope of great things still to come from Jack Cavanaugh.
Randall Murphree, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is editor of AFA Journal, a monthly publication of the American Family Association.
