Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Fallen by Matthew Raley


This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Fallen

(Kregel Publications February 29, 2008)

by

Matthew Raley



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Matthew Raley is senior pastor of the Orland Evangelical Free Church in northern California, where he lives with his wife and two young children. For fun, he enjoys playing chamber music with friends, giving occasional solo recitals, and playing first violin in the North State Symphony. This is his first book.








ABOUT THE BOOK

Jim was at work when his eyes drifted to the coffee shop visible from his office window. An attractive woman driving a Mercedes pulled up to the curb . . . and Jim’s married pastor emerged from the car. When Jim delves deeper into his pastor’s world, will he be able to handle what he discovers? Is he right to suspect that Dave is having an affair? In the behind-the-scenes church battle that ensues, Jim is torn between duty to his church and a desire to show grace. A ripped-from-the-headlines drama of suspense that keeps you engaged to the last page.

Fallen is the story about Jim’s relationship with Dave—how Jim tries to do the right thing to keep Dave accountable, but finds the situation getting worse and worse. It’s also about Jim’s other relationships. Just as he discovers hypocrisy in Dave, Jim discovers his own sins against his wife and daughter.



Margie's comments: Fallen is a sobering look at the moral issues of our day. When a pastor falls, it's public and easy to point fingers. But how many of us ignore our own weaknesses and failures, yes, even hypocrisy, while we judge others. I appreciate the emphasis on what living in grace and dealing with others with grace means in a practical sense. Fallen is not an easy book to read, but it is definitely right on the mark in the issues it covers.


Daily Bible reading (yesterday): Isaiah 3–4, Mark 1:23–44
Daily Bible reading (today): Isaiah 5–6, Mark 2

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting the novel, and for your comments. I really appreciate your encouragement.