BTSCelebs: Who is Chris Fabry?

Chris Fabry: I’m a husband, dad, writer, broadcaster, and believer, not necessarily in that order. Overcomer is my eighty-first published book. I host a daily program called Chris Fabry Live on Moody Radio. My wife and I have been married since 1982 and have nine children.

Why did you decide to write the novel Overcomer?

The Kendrick brothers were kind enough to approach me with their script and idea for the film and ask me to make the story into a novel. I did the same for the book War Room, and I love the process of them crafting a great story and allowing me to create a full-fledged novel for readers.

Do you feel the story mirrors elements in your real life?

Absolutely. As I look at the books that have bubbled to the surface of my life, I think most of them have had some kind of identity theme throughout them. In my writing advice I say, “Writing is joining yourself in your own journey.” The process of telling a good story takes elements of your own life and fits them into a creative endeavor that reveals much about your own heart. And God is very kind to transform/conform us with patience and mercy.

Tell us about some times in your life when you needed to be reminded of your true identity in Christ.

It happens every day. I committed to taking a trip several months ago and didn’t realize my son’s graduation was on the day of the event. I apologized to him when I finally realized this and we talked it through. When I was on the trip, my default was to beat myself up and condemn myself for the mistake, but this concept of being “in Christ” takes away that condemnation. It was a loss for both of us, but I learned a lot in the process. This happens when I compare my book sales to someone who sells more than me. It happens on my radio show constantly—am I “somebody” because I’m on the radio, or is it enough to be a child of God?

Which Overcomer character do you relate with the most?

I’m somewhere between Barbara and John. I know the truth of Ephesians 1 and 2, but it’s a struggle to appropriate that into real life. It’s not a cognitive thing, not just a mental assent to the truth, but a full embrace of it as a lifestyle that I struggle with.

What do you want the fans of War Room to take away from Overcomer?

I think Overcomer is an extension of War Room. It’s a logical next step. Prayer is a powerful weapon. And it’s even more powerful in the heart and hands of someone who fully embraces their identity in Christ and lives from that well rather than another.

Learn more about Chris Fabry by visiting his official website, ChrisFabry.com

A Special Thanks to Chris Fabry and Tyndale House Publishers for the interview and photo.