Dr. Jeremiah Johnston hosts special guests, Dr. Jerry B Jenkins and Dr. Craig Evans, author and contributor of Dead Sea Rising: A Novel, a fictional story with a backdrop of accurate archaeology.
After becoming a Christian at an early age, Jerry felt a calling for Christian ministry. Initially he thought he would pursue a traditional role such as a pastor, but instead he has used his writing to tell the story of the Gospel in nontraditional ways. Dead Sea Rising is Jerry’s 195th book and his titles have been on the New York Times bestselling list more than 20 times.
“I can exercise my gift and see results that evangelists and pastors see.”
Although he has been broadly successful, Jerry notes that his measure of accomplishment is different than it is for most authors.
“It’s not about good reviews, sales and royalty checks. To me, success is obedience. I obey by fulfilling that call. People listen to stories; they might or might not listen to a lecture or read an academic book, but they’ll read a story. I always teach writers that an article or a book should be more than just about something – it should have a purpose – and the purpose is to see the truth.”
Jerry says his work with Craig Evans on the recent story was especially meaningful because Craig was able to provide solid, historical information and contextual guidance for the adventure story. Craig emphasizes,
“Real archeology is exciting too. You don’t have to distort it. It involves all kinds of crazy things. You can tell exciting, fictional stories and yet still be accurate.”
Dr. Jerry B. Jenkins is a renowned Christian novelist, celebrated for books including the series. As a New York Times bestselling author, he also helps aspiring writers become successful.
Dr. Craig Evans is the John Bisagno Distinguished Professor of Christian Origins at Houston Baptist University. As a New Testament scholar, he has been called upon to contribute in many media and academic projects.
Dead Sea Rising - Jerry B. Jenkins and Craig Evans
