Faithful Living in a Faithless World
We asked author Andy Lamberton to share with us some of his thoughts behind writing Letters for Exiles, which imagines letters written to Daniel by a mentor, Abel.
I am more convinced than ever that Jesus is the only way. There is nothing on offer today that even comes close to the sense-making, life-transforming, sin-forgiving, future-securing, truth-revealing invitation from Jesus: to come and follow me.
Yet the world is changing. And it’s tempting to think that things are only going one way. But read the story of Daniel, and you will see, that while it would have been easy to think Nebuchadnezzar held all the power, it is the faithful choices of a few devoted disciples who change the course of history.
Why did you write this book?
I wrote this book because I was scared. Scared of the world changing and my faith not keeping up. But having dived into the story of Daniel, I’m not scared any more. Why? Because the sweet life Christ offers is easier and lighter than the weight of the world, and because God is in control.
Babylon is big but it’s empty; modern but temporary; sophisticated but meaningless; tempting but short-sighted. And in a world of deep fakes, a life in Christ is real. The gospel makes sense of who we are and tells us where we're going. It is the only attractive thing I see on offer today.
I really believe Christians have no cause to be scared of a secularising culture, yet we'd be fools to believe it posed no danger. God has led His people through times of tremendous strangeness with unsettling adversaries and geographical movement... I think He will see us through a little AI, a rise in tribalism and the smartphone! Yet we must, like Daniel, learn to translate what faithful living looks like in today’s world.
How do we negotiate these times? We need books that will act like bridges to the truth of scripture, provide hope and inspire the tenacity we need to embrace our commission afresh. I trust this project will act as a catalyst to help us engage with the Biblical theme of exile, especially the books of Daniel, Jeremiah and Lamentations. I hope it sparks meaningful conversations across campuses, youth groups, churches and families.
What gave you the idea to create a fictional mentor for Daniel?
Daniel was young when he was taken, yet against the odds, lived a long, high-achieving life. His ambition is motivating, his conviction inspiring, and his gumption is just pure class. As you read, you just have to ask: who inspired this wisdom we so desperately need in the church today?
Over the years as a youth leader, I would often wonder: who was Daniel’s mentor? and what would they say if I got the chance to interview them? Then one day I wrote this paragraph in my notebook.
“As the Babylonians invade Jerusalem his mentor realises Daniel, will be taken. Grabbing all the parchment he can, some ink and a couple of quills, he starts to write letters to Daniel, not knowing when danger might call at his own door. He hopes these letters will prepare Daniel to thrive in exile, to help him translate his faith into a new culture and to live free under God’s reign while all evidence shows only Nebuchadnezzar holding the ropes of power.”
I was mentoring two young men at the time. I could see a Daniel-like ambition in them. I could also see the pull of the world. I wanted Daniel’s mentor to disciple them.
Not having time-travel at my disposal, I decided to do the study, enter the story and try as best I could to think through the kind of advice Daniel would have received in his younger days that stood him so well.
This book is a genuine attempt at that.
The letters are of course, pretend letters. I hope you can pretend they are for you.
Why does the book quote from the book of Jeremiah and who is Abel?
Like a prequel movie, Letters for Exiles pre-empts the story of Daniel. To get the most out of the book I suggest listening to Daniel 1-6 and then diving in.
Why Jeremiah? The last godly leaders of Isreal before the exile were Josiah and Jeremiah. Josiah led a revolution; Jeremiah a revival. Their teaching and leadership would still be in the imagination of God’s people as they faced the desolation of their city and were moved to Babylon. In Letters for Exiles, Jeremiah is the main text, Daniel is the context and God is the hero.
To give these letters a voice I created Abel. Abel is an educated bondservant of Daniel’s family who choose to stay after the debt was paid. Abel is entrusted with Daniel’s schooling, and that’s how the relationship begins.
Who is this book aimed at?
With three sections and short chapters, this book is ideal for small groups, mentoring, as a present for someone going to University or if you want a deep-dive into how we follow Jesus in a changing world. Included in the book are questions to think about, as well as ‘time to discuss’ to aid personal reflection and group study.
What are you hoping will come from this book?
The body of Christ needs grounded young people more than ever, to help the church navigate the secularisation and fear of the coming decade. We will need to sing our hallelujah, say our morning prayers and reach out with the compassion of Jesus in the company of people who disagree profoundly with us, as well as the indifferent attitudes of the apathetic masses.
When I look at the church today I do see the flaking numbers and the same old prodigal stories but I also see an increasing number of deep young people, who understand their faith and earth their ambition in the core principles of Christian living.
If you’ve made it this far in this blog, you are probably one of them.
So, you can still buy the book, but let me tell you the whole point…
I'm glad to have the story of Daniel as an example, but I'm not daring you to 'be a Daniel'... I'm daring you to follow Jesus with all you've got. To live for the longer, truer story. Because following Jesus is always better, always worth it, and He is always with you.
Welcome to the adventure.
Keep your eyes open,
Andy
