FaithfulReader.com - Francine Rivers

Francine Rivers

BIO

Francine Rivers began her literary career at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and journalism. From 1976 to 1985, she had a successful writing career in the general market, and her books were highly acclaimed by readers and reviewers. Although raised in a religious home, Francine did not truly encounter Christ until later in life, when she was already a wife, a mother of three, and an established romance novelist.

Shortly after becoming a born-again Christian in 1986, Francine wrote REDEEMING LOVE as her statement of faith. First published by Bantam Books and then rereleased by Multnomah Publishers in the mid- 1990s, this retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea set during the time of the California Gold Rush is now considered by many to be a classic work of Christian fiction. REDEEMING LOVE continues to be one of the Christian Booksellers Association’s top-selling titles, and it has held a spot on the Christian best-seller list for nearly a decade.

Since REDEEMING LOVE, Francine has published numerous novels with Christian themes --- all best sellers --- and she has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her Christian novels have been awarded or nominated for numerous honors including the RITA award, the Christy award, the ECPA Gold Medallion, and the Holt Medallion in Honor of Outstanding Literary Talent. In 1997, after winning her third RITA award for inspirational fiction, Francine was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. Francine’s novels have been translated into over twenty different languages, and she enjoys best-seller status in many foreign countries including Germany, the Netherlands, and South Africa.

Francine and her husband, Rick, live in Northern California and enjoy the time spent with their three grown children and every opportunity to spoil their grandchildren. Francine uses her writing to draw closer to the Lord, and she desires that through her work she might worship and praise Jesus for all He has done and is doing in her life.

INTERVIEW

May 2004

FaithfulReader.com's contributing writer Bethanne Kelly Patrick interviewed Francine Rivers, author of the "Sons of Encouragement" series. In their conversation Rivers expresses the importance of a supportive Church system, reading different versions of Scripture, and maintaining one's own faith through the Bible and a connection with God. Rivers also explains how much of her writing has come from her own personal experiences and discusses the challenges of re-telling Biblical stories.

FaithfulReader.com: Tell us about how the idea for this new series "Sons of Encouragement" --- of which The Priest is the francine book --- came to be. Please also share your overall concept for these books and where you hope they will lead readers.

Francine Rivers: While writing AND THE SHOFAR BLEW, I saw the tremendous importance of a strong, godly support group behind a pastor. Usually, the man in the pulpit is the one who receives the attention and accolades, but is also bombarded by temptations of all sorts. Leaders need strong men of faith to encourage, challenge, and correct them when necessary. I wanted to study the men who stood firmly beside great leaders in the Bible and see the roles the subordinates played in fulfilling God's plan, shaping history, and impacting the lives of the men with whom they stood.

FaithfulReader.com: You've said that your books often come from something you're dealing with in your own life. Did these?

Francine Rivers: Yes. I've been hearing far too many horror stories about churches falling apart because of sin in leadership. I spent an entire year exploring the question "What is a church?" And also, "How do we build a church?" Too many today think a church is the physical building rather the Body of Christ. They think numbers and programs mean success. Some leaders focus on building an edifice that will be a monument to God and the building becomes a monument to man instead. The truth is Psalm 127:1 - Unless God builds the house, it will not stand. The men in the "sons of encouragement" series stood with great men of God. The Lord placed these men in subordinate positions, but used them mightily. We need godly, uncompromising men to stand firm in faith and be willing to rise up and say, "Please rethink the direction you're taking us. What does God say about this project or issue? Measure your plans in the light of His Word and stop going with your own ideas." And people sitting in the pews often make the mistake of worshipping their pastor (and his method of teaching) rather than the Lord.

FaithfulReader.com: You've written from a male perspective before. Was there anything in that choice that you found particularly challenging in creating the voices of two elderly men such as Aaron and Moses?

Francine Rivers: It is always challenging to attempt to write from a male perspective. My imagination only goes so far! I've read psychology books and I've always been an observer. It was difficult to get into the minds of these men, and I'm never sure that I've accomplished it. One day I hope to meet them in Heaven, and I hope they will say, "Nice try," and not, "You completely missed the point!" I admire them so much. I become very attached to them as I study their lives, and I tend to grieve when the story comes to an end. I sensed that Aaron wanted so much to be the perfect priest, and knew he would never be the one to fulfill that role. My heart ached for him. God is loving and merciful, and He sees our hearts. I envisioned the Lord showing Aaron the way home.

FaithfulReader.com: You've said that your characters are often composites of people you know. Was this the case here, too? Or did you approach these characters differently?

Francine Rivers: Fictional characters are composites in some ways, but I always approach real people differently. Aaron is a real person, and it was absolutely necessary to rely on Scripture. Not a lot is said about him, but there is a large body of Scripture about the times in which he lived. I tried to walk in his sandals. He was the oldest son, but a middle child between two very extraordinary people - Miriam and Moses. He saw his brother taken into the palace and raised among royalty while he had to live as a slave in the mud pits making bricks. Lots of emotions would come into play. What is extraordinary is these two brothers worked together, stood together, made mistakes together, and worshipped God together. Look at the brothers who came before them. Ishmael and Isaac. Esau and Jacob. Joseph and his brothers. Aaron and Moses were a team. They loved one another despite their faults and failures. And when God speaks of them, He says they both brought the people out of Egypt. God's hand was upon them both though He spoke through one.

FaithfulReader.com: Talk about writing from an historical perspective, which you've done before. While your primary plot details come from Scripture, what did you find most difficult about researching this particular period of the Bible? What was most interesting?

Francine Rivers: I think the challenge in writing historical fiction is having trust-worthy resources. There are many books about what the people were like, the customs, etc. And I've read a number of them. But, frankly, there is only one source I trust - the Bible. I tend to rely only on Scripture for the story - even to the details about the way people lived. I've been studying the Old Testament the rivers few years and there is so much detail in it. When God says, "Do not�", you can bet the people were doing those things. Every law was for a purpose, and we know that everyone fails in keeping it perfectly. I used other sources to learn about the Egyptians and the gods they worshipped, but it gave me a deeper understanding of the plagues God sent upon Egypt. The Lord was showing mankind that HE IS GOD and there is no other.

FaithfulReader.com: What version of the Bible did you use while writing this story? Was it different from the version you normally read (e.g., when you do your daily reading/devotions)? Did you find interesting differences in the story of Aaron? How did these affect your book, if at all?

Francine Rivers: I normally read the New American Standard version of the Bible. While working on these novellas, I am using the Chronological Bible. I have several versions and like to use them all. Using different versions makes me think more deeply. I can become so familiar with one version that things slip past me. (When I was writing The rivers Sin Eater, I read nothing but the King James so that I would have a cadence to the writing.) When I read a scripture from a different version, it gives me added insights. Also, Scripture speaks to us in new ways throughout our lives. I read through the Bible every year, and it's always fresh and new. God meets us right where we are and brings things to light for that particular day. I love that! Reading the One Year Chronological Bible helps me to make a timeline of these men's lives. What was the sequence of events? Sometimes that can be a little unclear. Every time I read a story over, I see something new in it or another application. Which means that I will continue learning more about Aaron in the years to come and will wish I could add or change The Priest! That's why it's so important to me that readers go back into scripture when they finish reading these novellas. There is so much more there for them, and God will speak to each person individually with lessons and applications.

FaithfulReader.com: Considering the previous question: how do you approach Scripture as a writer who wishes to use its story in a creative way to expand upon its truths. How do you read for your work?

Francine Rivers: Frankly, I approach Biblical fiction with trepidation! I want to get the story right, and yet, I know that there will be details and whole segments of these men's lives that I will miss because those times and thoughts are not recorded. I don't like to use commentaries because I need to depend on the Holy Spirit for the lessons God is trying to teach me. I emphasize that a novella is fiction. I am writing the story as I see it and sharing what I've learned from what I've read in Scripture. But that is not all there is. For the past seven years, I've been taking Bible Study Fellowship classes. One of the things I love about this course is the discussion groups. We all study the same Scriptures and answer the same questions, and we come up with personal applications and insights. I find that exciting! It confirms that the Scripture is God's breath, the LIVING Word, and He is teaching us individually. When I approach Scripture, I open the Bible knowing that I am going to have an amazing opportunity to hear what God has to say to me. And the prayer is -- Lord, open my mind that I may see the lessons you have for me today.

FaithfulReader.com: Some of the action in THE PRIEST is far from what modern readers might think of as "Christian," although of course they are Biblically accurate. How would you ask readers to approach and think about scenes of slaughter and sacrifice?

Francine Rivers: Oh, have I struggled with this! Wondering why God wanted ALL those in Canaan destroyed, men, women, children, even the animals. God will not compromise with sin or sinners. He is not like people then or people today who think they can re-write Scripture and remake the "rules." The Word of God is life. It is perfect. It makes Jesus known to us. All Scripture points to Him. From the beginning, faith has been what God desires. Faith also means obedience to what the Lord says. Faith brings relationship with Him. I think God offered opportunities to all those people in Canaan when they were hearing the stories about what He was doing for His people in the wilderness. Rahab certainly heard those stories and believed, and look what He did to deliver her! He brought the walls of Jericho down, but kept her safe in one section. The question should be why didn't the Canaanites flock to the desert to meet God - to taste the manna, to stand beneath the shade of His cloud or in the warmth of that pillar of fire. Wouldn't you want to witness those miracles? People are the same today as they were then. They think they can do as they please without paying the consequences. God is the final word. He has told us what has been, what is, and what will be. We must listen!

FaithfulReader.com: As you engaged with this material, what lessons did you personally learn? How did you learn them?

Francine Rivers: I learned how easily we slip up, and how merciful God is. He doesn't compromise, but He shows compassion. He warns us what will happen if we stray, and then He afflicts us when we do - with love so that we learn to follow. We stray, we pay, and He guides us back with His loving hand. Sometimes, I despair and wonder if I will ever "get it right." I know I won't. I rejoice in knowing Jesus did and in Him I can live and breathe. I can also be thankful for the affliction that comes because it marks me as a child of God.
God disciplines us because He loves us. If we respond and welcome that discipline, we experience the blessings of belonging to Him even in the midst of pain.

FaithfulReader.com: On your website, you say: "I would like to see Christian fiction speak to the hard and real issues that are tearing at people's lives. We need writers who are willing to ask the difficult questions and go through the soul-searching and agonizing that so many people experience before they come to Christ. I would like to see Christian publishers be more willing to seek such writers and to take the risk of presenting such stories to a readership that sometimes wants things to be simpler than they are in real life. We need to reach the unsaved, but we also need to expose and root out the sin in our own Christian ranks." These are hard words. Discuss how this book/this series addresses your wishes.

Francine Rivers: I think I'm far more concerned with sin in the Body of Christ than sin outside it because believers have no excuse. We are called to examine ourselves, but spend most of our time examining the world. When we walk with God, we reflect His glory. People notice the difference. It isn't enough to speak the Gospel, we have to live it. The most important work we have to do in this world is believe what God says and live accordingly. And that's the hardest work we will ever do.

FaithfulReader.com: When you're working on a book like this, what is your writing day like?

Francine Rivers: I am a creature of habit. My husband awakens me every morning between 5 - 6 a.m. (except on Saturday and Sunday) and we have a quiet time together. (He's already read his Bible.) He reads to me from a book we've both agreed upon. Right now, we're reading a devotional written by Billy Graham. We pray together. He heads off to work, and I get ready for my day. Scripture comes francine. For the past year, I've been studying the history of Israel and the minor prophets. This summer, I will be reading through Kings and Chronicles again. After my personal quiet time with the Lord, I start to write. I want what shapes me and my writing to be Scripture. So it's important that the Word of God is fresh in my mind. It's also exciting to see what God wants me to learn that day and how He's going to work it into the story. My goal is to write a few pages each day - five days a week. Writing is the tool God uses to draw me closer to Him.

FaithfulReader.com: Which (other) Biblical stories that you have not written about yet are most misunderstood/would most benefit from this kind of re-telling?

Francine Rivers: I'm still working on this series. Questions always come up. Which prophet should I write about? Amos? Zechariah? So many choices, and each has a message for today. Which man was the encourager to the Apostle Paul? Barnabus springs to mind because his name means "encourager," but what about Silas who traveled with Paul and also Peter and knew Timothy and acted as scribe? What do we know about him? What might have been his thoughts, experiences? I'm thinking about these things constantly.

FaithfulReader.com: Your books, you say, are meant to whet readers' appetites for the Word of God. If they do, and if a reader needs more support, what do you recommend?

Francine Rivers: We should study the Bible on our own and trust the Holy Spirit to instruct us, but we should also be involved in the fellowship of believers. I have learned a great deal in Bible Study Fellowship. It is open to everyone and the Bible is the only textbook. As a participant, you read the Scriptures and answer questions on your own, then discuss your answers in a group, and finally, you hear a lecture based upon the Scriptures. I am always enriched by what others have learned and share. I think it's important to be involved in a group study so that you hear and see how God is working in other lives. It expands our thinking, raises new questions, makes us consider other viewpoints, always with the Word of God as the foundation. The quest is to find God's perspective in any given situation and align ourselves with Him.

FaithfulReader.com: After these books, what comes next for you? Do you ever take time off completely from writing?

Francine Rivers: I have several questions rolling around in my mind right now, but which one will come to the forefront and be the question for the next project, I don't know yet. I'm struggling in several areas of my life right now. God will tap me on the shoulder and say, "You need work on this." And that's where I'll go. It's usually the least comfortable spot, the most painful struggle. Sometimes I hesitate, but He hounds me. I've learned the end result of study and writing with God in charge brings me relief and comfort, and peace.

I usually take a few weeks between projects to "clear the pallet." Sometimes that rest period will take different forms - from gardening and reading to frenetic "vacations." I am taking a year off from speaking. It was a difficult decision, but I realized I was having difficulty focusing on what I believe God has called me to do: write. I would come home exhausted and unable to concentrate. Also, I haven't been able to be as involved in my home church as I would like to be. I need the accountability of my local church family. There is no real accountability when you speak one day and are gone the next. Right now, God wants me to write stories. That may not always be what God calls me to do. I need to be open to whatever His will is for me.

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