Chris Staron's Blog
March 21, 2018
This is it!
Truce is finally on it's way! Join us next week for the launch. Head over the to the Truce Podcast tab above to read more about it and listen to the trailer. I am a firm believer that thoughtful coverage of a topic can change the world. And the gospel is the most important topic we can be covering. So why not do it? It is TIME, my friends. This is a big project and I can't keep it up without your support. Join me in prayer and please subscribe on iTunes and write a review there. Thanks!
February 21, 2018
Truce Release Date Coming Soon
As you may know, I've been working away on this new podcast venture. The goal is to have an audience-supported podcast that examines the church and its impact on society. I'm looking to include quality journalism and modern editing techniques to create something truly original. It just takes time!
Season One will be released in one big chunk so you can binge-listen to your heart's delight. Here's the thing, though: I need help from every single person. Please tell everyone you know from your middle school science teacher to well-connected social media gurus. The goal is to eventually launch this thing as a full time job with episodes every 2-3 weeks instead of a season every 6 months or so. I'm also looking for sponsors! Want to have your ads before or after the show? Use my contact form to find out how to make that happen.
Season One will be released in one big chunk so you can binge-listen to your heart's delight. Here's the thing, though: I need help from every single person. Please tell everyone you know from your middle school science teacher to well-connected social media gurus. The goal is to eventually launch this thing as a full time job with episodes every 2-3 weeks instead of a season every 6 months or so. I'm also looking for sponsors! Want to have your ads before or after the show? Use my contact form to find out how to make that happen.
May 14, 2017
Cradle Robber Available on iTune, Nook, and Kindle
The book is back on all available formats! GO FOR IT!
March 13, 2017
They'll Know We Are Christians...
Perhaps the most haunting song in the Christian songbook is “They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love”. Not only is it set to a dirge-like tune that could be the background to a haunted house, but it also exposes our weakness as a community.
Will they know we are Christians by our love?
In this era? I suspect not.
They will know us by our nastiness. They will know us by our fear of “them”. But I don't think they will know us by our love.
Evangelicals support terrible causes. As a result the public equates Christianity with things like pollution, isolationism, ignoring the poor, fear, and bigotry.
I want to take a moment and apologize for the actions and words of Christians in the era of Trump and Brexit. We aren't battling famine in Yemen and Somalia. Instead we have become obsessed with our echo chamber.
I'm sorry.
We have set the accumulation of wealth as our highest idol, despite biblical warnings that the rich will struggle to get into heaven.
I'm so sorry.
Many Christians voted for Trump. We are often sighted as a key reason why he got elected. In seeing that, many of my friends have closed themselves off to Jesus. Because of the gospel? No. Because Trump scares minorities, even those here legally. Because he brags about grabbing women. Because he lies. Often.
About those lies. Christians have worked for decades to prove the existence of absolute truth. Yet the word of 2016 was “post-truth”, a word aimed at the Trump campaign. How can we declare that truth exists when it is denied by someone who is supposed to represent us?
Friends, forgive us.
Dear believers, we need to step up our game. We are trading the gospel for political power. It is a bad deal. It can only hurt us in the end. The tide of politics turns quickly. In four years we will wonder why we are being persecuted. There will be conferences to discuss the outcry against the people of God. We'll try to say it is because of our faith, but it will have been born in these times. We are bringing it on ourselves.
They will remember when we were cruel. When we tried to believe that racism was keeping us safe. When we allowed uninterrupted collection of our data.
It is frightening to write these words. It is seen as culturally taboo in the evangelical world to speak honestly about the Trump administration. How can that kind of fear exist amongst brothers and sisters in Christ? Still, I have written this article many times over and over again.
For those who do not believe in Jesus, please know that the message of Christ is about forgiveness to those who repent. It is not about strutting, gloating, or money. We should be laying our lives down for others.
I pray that someday we are known for our love.
Forgive us.
Will they know we are Christians by our love?
In this era? I suspect not.
They will know us by our nastiness. They will know us by our fear of “them”. But I don't think they will know us by our love.
Evangelicals support terrible causes. As a result the public equates Christianity with things like pollution, isolationism, ignoring the poor, fear, and bigotry.
I want to take a moment and apologize for the actions and words of Christians in the era of Trump and Brexit. We aren't battling famine in Yemen and Somalia. Instead we have become obsessed with our echo chamber.
I'm sorry.
We have set the accumulation of wealth as our highest idol, despite biblical warnings that the rich will struggle to get into heaven.
I'm so sorry.
Many Christians voted for Trump. We are often sighted as a key reason why he got elected. In seeing that, many of my friends have closed themselves off to Jesus. Because of the gospel? No. Because Trump scares minorities, even those here legally. Because he brags about grabbing women. Because he lies. Often.
About those lies. Christians have worked for decades to prove the existence of absolute truth. Yet the word of 2016 was “post-truth”, a word aimed at the Trump campaign. How can we declare that truth exists when it is denied by someone who is supposed to represent us?
Friends, forgive us.
Dear believers, we need to step up our game. We are trading the gospel for political power. It is a bad deal. It can only hurt us in the end. The tide of politics turns quickly. In four years we will wonder why we are being persecuted. There will be conferences to discuss the outcry against the people of God. We'll try to say it is because of our faith, but it will have been born in these times. We are bringing it on ourselves.
They will remember when we were cruel. When we tried to believe that racism was keeping us safe. When we allowed uninterrupted collection of our data.
It is frightening to write these words. It is seen as culturally taboo in the evangelical world to speak honestly about the Trump administration. How can that kind of fear exist amongst brothers and sisters in Christ? Still, I have written this article many times over and over again.
For those who do not believe in Jesus, please know that the message of Christ is about forgiveness to those who repent. It is not about strutting, gloating, or money. We should be laying our lives down for others.
I pray that someday we are known for our love.
Forgive us.
November 17, 2016
Going KDP Select
Why can't I buy Cradle Robber on iBooks or Nook?
I have decided to join Amazon KDP Select (Kindle Direct Publishing). From now until February 15, 2017 the book will be available exclusively on Amazon.com. Why? I'll tell you why!
This way the book can be available to readers of the Kindle Lending Library and Kindle Unlimited, which means more reviews and more exposure for the book. I can also do some countdown sales or free giveaways.
But should a self-published ebook go to KDP Select? Well, it all comes down to whether or not you have a following. I've got a few from the movies, but not many. My hope is that by joining Select that I can built a readership that will continue across the other books that I'm working on.
I've spent several hundred dollars on marketing (Facebook and Amazon ads, mostly) and haven't seen sales change. So it can't hurt to try this free method of marketing. Stay tuned to the blog and I'll let you know how it goes!
As always, keep the project in your prayers. There is a lot here that can bring healing to the hearts of many. Godspeed, cyberspace!
I have decided to join Amazon KDP Select (Kindle Direct Publishing). From now until February 15, 2017 the book will be available exclusively on Amazon.com. Why? I'll tell you why!
This way the book can be available to readers of the Kindle Lending Library and Kindle Unlimited, which means more reviews and more exposure for the book. I can also do some countdown sales or free giveaways.
But should a self-published ebook go to KDP Select? Well, it all comes down to whether or not you have a following. I've got a few from the movies, but not many. My hope is that by joining Select that I can built a readership that will continue across the other books that I'm working on.
I've spent several hundred dollars on marketing (Facebook and Amazon ads, mostly) and haven't seen sales change. So it can't hurt to try this free method of marketing. Stay tuned to the blog and I'll let you know how it goes!
As always, keep the project in your prayers. There is a lot here that can bring healing to the hearts of many. Godspeed, cyberspace!
November 9, 2016
When The Church is at Its Best
When have you seen the church at its best?
Is it when we shout at people who need Jesus? Is it when we belittle women, react in fear to people who look differently than us? When we try to make earth the City of God?
Or is it when we take care of the hungry, the orphaned, the widows?
History has demonstrated time and again that we reach more people when we knock down walls, not when we build them.
I wrote Cradle Robber in response to the hatred that I found in my own heart. After working hard to force the world to behave like I wanted it to behave I found that it only hurt me. I damaged my witness, my self-esteem, and my own faith. I want to encourage believers around the world to put down their weapons. Stop pretending to be sin-free. Nobody but Christ has ever been free of sin. We have to confess our sin and accept that we cannot do it on our own. And we have to do that WAY before we try to teach the world our way of life.
If we use the Word of God as a weapon we should not be surprised when it hurts others and there is retaliation. The real message of the cross is repentance, humility, and servanthood. That is when the church is at its best. Lets not forget that.
Is it when we shout at people who need Jesus? Is it when we belittle women, react in fear to people who look differently than us? When we try to make earth the City of God?
Or is it when we take care of the hungry, the orphaned, the widows?
History has demonstrated time and again that we reach more people when we knock down walls, not when we build them.
I wrote Cradle Robber in response to the hatred that I found in my own heart. After working hard to force the world to behave like I wanted it to behave I found that it only hurt me. I damaged my witness, my self-esteem, and my own faith. I want to encourage believers around the world to put down their weapons. Stop pretending to be sin-free. Nobody but Christ has ever been free of sin. We have to confess our sin and accept that we cannot do it on our own. And we have to do that WAY before we try to teach the world our way of life.
If we use the Word of God as a weapon we should not be surprised when it hurts others and there is retaliation. The real message of the cross is repentance, humility, and servanthood. That is when the church is at its best. Lets not forget that.
October 29, 2016
We Can Change the Face of Christian Media
It's time for a change.
The market is now saturated with products designed for the Christian audience. But a lot of what is available on the market dilutes the real truth of the gospel. We are also facing an era in which Christians are afraid of their neighbors, largely because we pretend that we are perfect people instead of forgiven sinners. We ought to be out in the world caring for the hurting and sharing the Truth that can really heal.
I hope that my novel Cradle Robber can help bridge the gap. How?By demonstrating to the market that a novel doesn't have to duplicate what already exists in order to be successful.By including a solid gospel message that is crucially tied into the plot of the narrative. It can be done in an organic way.By creating an anti-hero in Wade Rollins. Wade goes from a person we like to, hopefully, a mirror of what happens when we become angry at "them" instead of taking care of our own sin. Anti-hero's are everywhere from secular TV shows and books to classic literature like Crime and Punishment. Why can't we use that literary device in the Christian world?By featuring a male lead character. Conventional wisdom in the market says that novels need to be from the perspective of a woman to be successful. The logic is that since 80% of the people who buy things in the Christian market are women, then we need to target that demographic. This line of thinking is narrow minded. Male-driven stories are successful in the rest of the market, why not with us?By taking the reader into a morally-complex story, I hope that we can question where we are as Christians. What do we believe? What are our most effective tools at creative social change? How do we work toward healing after getting hurt? What is the gospel, really?Lets take this revolution into our churches, work places, and social circles. Please read Cradle Robber and spread the word. Every share helps!
The market is now saturated with products designed for the Christian audience. But a lot of what is available on the market dilutes the real truth of the gospel. We are also facing an era in which Christians are afraid of their neighbors, largely because we pretend that we are perfect people instead of forgiven sinners. We ought to be out in the world caring for the hurting and sharing the Truth that can really heal.
I hope that my novel Cradle Robber can help bridge the gap. How?By demonstrating to the market that a novel doesn't have to duplicate what already exists in order to be successful.By including a solid gospel message that is crucially tied into the plot of the narrative. It can be done in an organic way.By creating an anti-hero in Wade Rollins. Wade goes from a person we like to, hopefully, a mirror of what happens when we become angry at "them" instead of taking care of our own sin. Anti-hero's are everywhere from secular TV shows and books to classic literature like Crime and Punishment. Why can't we use that literary device in the Christian world?By featuring a male lead character. Conventional wisdom in the market says that novels need to be from the perspective of a woman to be successful. The logic is that since 80% of the people who buy things in the Christian market are women, then we need to target that demographic. This line of thinking is narrow minded. Male-driven stories are successful in the rest of the market, why not with us?By taking the reader into a morally-complex story, I hope that we can question where we are as Christians. What do we believe? What are our most effective tools at creative social change? How do we work toward healing after getting hurt? What is the gospel, really?Lets take this revolution into our churches, work places, and social circles. Please read Cradle Robber and spread the word. Every share helps!
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