About Ann Roecker
Ann Roecker is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. She has worked as a newspaper reporter, award-winning book and publications editor, and certified fundraising executive advancing not-for-profit missions. She has worked with young adult Christian ministries at Stanford University, University of Colorado, and Central Philippine University, and in an East Los Angeles African American church.
Ann is married to Tim Cranston, a cum laude graduate of Harvard University and Kellogg School of Management. He sounds like Uncle Cliff in The Revelation of Emery Audubon.
What is Apologetics Fiction?
Apologetics fiction entertains readers like any good story, but it also seeks to answer readers’ questions about God, Jesus, the Bible, and life.
Why Does This Matter?
#1: This trending genre matters because 50 to 70 percent of young Christians today walk away from the church even before they get to college. Why? Because their parents, pastors, and schools aren’t answering their questions about God.[1]
Let’s face it, most young adults won’t read tomes on apologetics, but they will read a good story. The Revelation of Emery Audubon and other apologetics fiction is an innovative way to learn about Christianity, and answer our questions about God.
#2: Apologetics fiction also provides a compelling alternative to the overdose of stories about witches, wizards, fairies, zombies, and space travel. Enough!
And please spare us from having to sit through another sword fight or car chase scene!! Famous screenwriting coach Robert McKee says authors use these devises when they run out of story. Besides, sword fights and car chases don’t equip us to win our spiritual battles in real life.
So, what does equip us to win the unseen war that’s not against flesh and blood? Emery Audubon is forced to find out, even though she’s not all that keen on confronting the evil that’s entrenched at her university and is now out to ruin her life.
#3: There’s one more reason apologetics fiction matters – the biggest reason. Jesus Christ has called his followers to “disciple the nations” (Matthew 28:18-20). This means not only sharing the gospel and other biblical truths with individuals and in churches, it also means discipling (reforming) our nation’s systems and institutions – education, the arts, science, religion, families, business, media, and yes, government – so that they reflect heaven on earth. This means being salt and light everywhere. It means making Christianity a force to be reckoned with in the midst of opposition in the public square.
The shocking truth is, if we Christians don’t disciple the nations the devil does, as evidenced by the steep downgrade in American cultural norms since the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.[2] While millions of individuals (including me) came to faith during the Jesus Revolution and church services got livelier, this revival did not move on to reform our systems and institutions. Secular atheists filled the gap, reinventing schools, sports, “the science,” the arts, media, sexual boundaries, and much more. Meanwhile, many of us got sucked in, going along and getting along. And many churches took a nap.
Does discipling the nations sound like a job we secretly hope someone else does while we cheer from the sidelines? Apologetics fiction to the rescue. The Revelation of Emery Audubon models what discipling the nations can look like for you. Even if you’re not all that brave. And even if you’re young. Especially if you’re young.
Interested in sharing your questions about God or your ideas for impact with Ann, or having Ann speak to your group? Contact her using the link below to start a conversation. www.annroecker.com/contact
[1] For more on this topic read So The Next Generation Will Know: Training Young Christians For A Challenging World by Sean McDowell and J. Warner Wallace.
[2] Pastor Dutch Sheets observed this in his genius Give Him 15 post on February 2, 2024.
Coming in June 2025
The Revelation of Emery Audubon
Emery Audubon’s future is bright. She’s been accepted into Holworthy Halls, New America’s most prestigious university. She doesn’t mind that Holworthy helped ban the Bible or that they passed laws requiring schools to teach there is no God.
But everything changes when a Christian student invites Emery to take an illegal class on Revelation, a class that meets in secret in a campus basement. There Emery is confronted with truths no one taught her in school, a spiritual war she’s never noticed until now, and the God who reigns and redeems.
Emery’s life is shaken even more when her dean discovers she’s taking the class. Will this nationally recognized academic leader ruin her life, which he now is determined to do? Or will Emery use unexpected truths from Revelation to reform her school? Read The Revelation of Emery Audubon to find out.
