Top 12 Best Christian Novels

I'm making this page about the best Christian novels because there are a lot of Christian novels out there and it may be hard to tell which ones would make really good reading, or good gifts to give for Christmas or Easter, unless someone recommends some.. I will list here my own favorite Christian novels, including the three I wrote, which is another reason (who am I kidding) that I'm making this page--to promote my own Christian novels (although I have said that I prefer to call them evangelistic novels, they can also be called Christian novels as Christians can certainly enjoy reading them.). But I also list others by famous and not-so-famous authors. I list them here according to sub-genre, as there are several genres of Christian fiction.

A popular genre of Christian novels has been Biblical novels, or books of Biblical fiction, that is historical fiction set in Biblical times. Books of Biblical fiction are called Biblical novels, but are also classified as historical novels set in Bible times. For more, check out this hub.

This is a novel about a Roman Soldier who was involved in the crucifixion of Jesus. It is a well written and intriguing story of the effect of the death of Christ on one of the Roman soldiers, but has one fault: it gives magical power to the robe Jesus wore. This goes against the clear teaching of the Bible. So, I don't recommend it, but if you really want to read it, you can find it online.

The epic fictional story of an Israelite named Judah Ben Hur and his encounters with Jesus the Christ.

It's a powerful blending of stories of seekers who might have lived in the time of the Christ, told with a unique writing style, which combines poetry, straight dialogue and 1st person stream-of-consciousness narrative with the 3rd person narration.
Unlike the first one above, It poses NO extra-Biblical miracles, but simply point to truth.

Like Part III of my Biblical novel above, this novel deals with the early Church, but unlike my novel, and like the first two listed above, this one does pose extra-Biblical miracles, mainly attributing miraculous power to the chalice (the cup from the last supper). One of the main characters in this novel is Simon Magus, otherwise known as Simon the Magician.

Non-Biblical Christian Historical Novels--by that, I don't mean novels that are contrary to the Bible. What I mean is novels that are NOT set in Bible times, but are set in other eras of history. My newest novel is a prime example as it covers the years 1860 to 1909. There are quite a few other ones that fall into this category, and, unfortunately, I only have room to list one.

It's a historical fiction novel, detailing the lives of H.W.Longfellow, his son, Charles, and Mark Twain. What do the lives of these three historical figures have in common? The answer is that both of their lives contained terrible tragedies from which they eventually found real hope and spiritual meaning-at least in this novel. This book is about one little sermon and one, even littler poem, and how, fictionally, they may have influenced and given hope to, not only the author of the poem, Henry W. Longfellow, but also his son, Charles, and Mark Twain, whom Charles meets. Though suffering tragic losses, these all eventually find hope and spiritual fulfilment.

View the old west from a Christian perspective. Janette Oke is today's leading author of inspirational fiction. The faith of these women characters as they struggle against the background of the wild west, can touch the heart of any reader. Her books have now been made into movies for television and I have seen most of them and thoroughly enjoyed them. They give an accurate picture of the old west while conveying the Christian message and values.

Science fiction and fantasy is a genre which stretches the imagination of the reader as it takes him or her out of the realm of the real into a world where all is possible. To find this type of writing with a Christian view or message is truly refreshing. To some, it may even seem like a contradiction at first--If the world the reader is reading about is known to be unreal, how can he be expected to believe the truth the author is trying to present? Yet, I find it does work. The unreality breaks down barriers and makes the reader more receptive to truth. I offer the following examples, including my own sci-fi novel, which I list last.

It's truly a Sci-fi (specifically time-travel) novel with a purpose!!
What do these historical eras have in common: 1) the California gold rush, 2) early colonial America, 3) the Renaissance, 4) the Reformation, 5) the time of Camelot and 6) the Roman era? They all contain valuable lessons which point to ultimate truth.
What do a group of future scientists from all over the world have in common? A desire for truth, hope for a bright future and a belief in a Divine being of some sort.
Put all the above elements together and you have an explosive formula for a great sci-fi/fantasy adventure novel, which also serves as a great tool for presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ.

C.S.Lewis, aside from being an outspoken spokesman for Christianity is a really great fiction writer and he wrote a really great Christian sci-fi trilogy. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all three books as a teenager. He makes you actually believe that there could be life on other planets.

The two works listed above are classed as Sci-fi (science fiction) . The one listed below is fantasy. The difference is that Sci-fi at least has some basis In scientific fact, while fantasy is based on pure imagination, often picturing a completely made-up world. The one below purposes to be based on theological fact, but that is open to debate.

Mackenzie Allen Philip's youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later, in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he goes. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant THE SHACK wrestles with the timeless question: Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain? The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him.

(Novels of the rapture and beyond)

A separate genre of Christian fiction would be end time fiction or end time novels. These are novels about what will take place in the future, primarily, novels of the rapture and beyond.

If you have a chance to get your hands on a copy of this gem of a book, I highly recommend you do so. I believe this book was written in 1918, and it is very interesting to read a story of the rapture that was written so long ago. Set in London, the language is writing style is definitely from that time period, and little tidbits about horse-drawn cabs, lighting lanterns when they enter a house, etc. really add to the feel and charm of this book. One reviewer says: "Reading this book was an incredible experience for me. As a new Christian, I learned many things about the second coming of Christ. It could happen in the twinkling of an eye. Not only did the book give me new information, it is also a beautiful story of love. I am sorry to see it is no longer in print. Everyone should have the opportunity to read ;In The Twinkling of an Eye'".

This popular fiction series also looks at the rapture from the viewpoint of those left behind. The series goes beyond the rapture to cover all post-rapture events prophesied in the Bible. Set 1 consists of the first five books in the series. From the synopsis of the first book: "An airborne Boeing 747 is headed to London when, without any warning, passengers mysteriously disappear from their seats. Terror and chaos slowly spread not only through the plane but also worldwide as unusual events continue to unfold. For those who have been left behind, the apocalypse has just begun." And it goes on from there.

There are some Christian novels that can only be classed as thrillers since they take what we know from the Bible to be real and create scary situations. One author who does this is Frank Peretti. His two novels "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness" are prime examples.[From Amazon:] "The two #1-selling novels that have captivated millions... now...together in one volume.This Present Darkness takes place in the typical small town of Ashton where nothing much ever seems to happen. Until... a skeptical reporter and a prayerful pastor begin to compare notes. They suddenly find themselves fighting a hideous New Age plot to subjugate the townspeople, and eventually the entire human race.The battle against evil continues in Piercing the Darkness, where a young loner fleeing for her life while trying to recall her dark past takes refuge in the tiny farming community of Bacon's Corner. There she finds herself caught up in the middle of bizarre events.from an attempted murder to a ruthless lawsuit against a struggling Christian school.".. I concur completely. I read these novels some time ago and was glued to my seat. They are truly great Christian entertainment as well as conveying a timely message --JMB