New novel ‘Walkout’ learns from religious leaders who have fallen from grace

Book reveals how love and forgiveness can help their congregations recover

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

ATLANTIC, IA (ANS) -- Since retiring as an English teacher, Allen Stark has become an author, syndicated columnist, and newspaper reporter.

For several years he had wanted to write a Christian novel entitled, ‘Walkout’, which has now been published by Tate Publishers.

Journalist and author Allen Stark

Stark told ANS that a great deal of what he shares in the story resulted from watching, listening to, and interacting with those in several Christian communities over the period of years since rededicating his life to the Lord in 1985.

“I have now seen how things work and don’t work, depending on the individual Christian’s focus, and how they ‘walk out’ of situations rather than helping to make things better,” he said.

Stark says he wanted to make it obvious to those reading his book that there have been several religious leaders who have fallen from grace and how many of those in their congregations walked out on them, never to return.

“My intention for writing the story was not to dwell on the fall, but on the restoration process,” he said.

“I wanted to show how God used those who listened to His voice, especially after the fall. I wanted to show how God can work on hearts and minds to bring about change.”

Stark continued: “One of the most important elements I wanted to cover in the story was to try and get readers, especially the younger generation, to understand what religion should be about—helping, serving, and getting out of one’s comfort zone.”

“I have written ‘Walkout’ not as a template and format to follow, but more to present ideas and concepts to think about and hopefully to provide more hope to a hurting world.”

Stark said the bottom line as to why he wrote the story is the fact that love and forgiveness is our most important legacy.

“It’s not what you do, but how much love you put in to it that matters. I hope that those who read Walkout will see God’s love through my efforts to convert fact to fiction as part of my love for writing,” he said.

Stark explained that ‘Walkout’ is about how God uses those who listen to His voice to tell the love story of grace, mercy, redeeming love, and passion for His children.

He stated: “Those who are being called to walk in clear, uncompromising discernment and have watched the stars of religion fall, struggling with becoming critical and keeping their focus on the cross, will find the story thought-provoking.”

Cover artwork for 'Walkout'

'Walkout' contains an original plot, offering not only literary entertainment but encouragement to the reader as well. It offers some interesting views of how God relates to His people. It will not only encourage those who already know Him, but also engage those who have not yet recognized His work in their lives.

Those who have read the story have made comments such as, “What the author shares has the power to convict, draw tears and create hope for a brighter future within the Church.

Using a plot woven with characters to whom anyone can relate, he has created a book that not only entertains but truly makes a reader stop and think about their own heart and motives.”

Another reader commented, “Thank you for writing ‘Walkout.’ It really has me rethinking my walk with the Lord. For some time He has been trying to get my attention on getting back to a closer relationship with Him. It is a book that demands a second and even possibly a third reading.”

Christian author, Dan Parkins, says, “From the first moments of engaging the book ‘Walkout’, written by Allen Stark, I couldn’t help but be drawn into the eerily familiar atmosphere from which much of this book was written. I too had experienced my own ‘walkout’ of sorts, from a triumphantly wonderful pastor falling from sin to people disheartened by the political make-up and fear of man that seems to be so prevalent in church today.”

Parkins added: “Some could say I’ve lived parts of it, and from that vantage point, I couldn’t help but look in the mirror and see my own reflection in this book. I once heard it stated that a good book will not merely entertain, but force you to engage yourself and ask questions that illicit change. ‘Walkout’ does exactly that.”

He concluded: “Stark is a good writer. It seems odd to say this, but in a day and age when even the script seems to be spoon fed to us, Stark writes allegorically with ease and as you work through the story, you catch a glimpse of a man who knows the literary scope to which he is attempting to write in. Honestly, I liked it.”

Stark went on to say that he firmly and personally believes that God’s kingdom does not consist of words, but of power.

“In order for His church, His people, to go forward with the gospel to the ends of the earth, we must have His power. If we want this power in our daily lives, then we must focus on the cross daily. God’s power in us will be great only if we embrace the cross of Jesus Christ. With my writing as a tool, I want to motivate born-again Christians to not move forward alone, but to join hearts together, as did the characters who walked out of the author’s story, and continue the journey God has planned and wants written.”

He states: “I also wanted my writing of the story to bring not only me joy, but joy to others by seeing how, in dealing with spiritual matters God’s way, things work out better. My wife and I have been shown that God reveals who He is by how He works things out. I wanted to share, through my writing, how He wants us to step out in faith so that we can see Him as a miracle-working God and not be surprised by anything He does.

Stark also explained that one of the things that keeps the ink flowing is facilitating of the Southwest Iowa Writers Guild, which he started in 2007.

“We have also published a weekly column called ‘The Write Stuff’. E-newsletters that publish my work include ASSIST News Service, International Press Association, Good News Daily, and Southwest Kansas Faith and Family.

He concluded: “When I am not writing, I keep busy with work in my community, especially with a group known as Circles4Success, a program begun in Ames, Iowa that works with marginalized people in our society, and which my wife facilitates.”

‘Walkout’ can be purchased through either the publisher’s bookstore at www.tatepublishing.com ,www.amazon.com , or www.BarnesandNobel.com  and other sources.

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** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

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Read About The People You Would Like to Meet

By Bill Ellis
Special to ASSIST News Service

SCOTT DEPOT, WV (ANS) -- I did not have the opportunity to meet personally some of my chosen friends. I did meet them, however, in the books I read about them.

Others I met after reading about them. One of the joys of reading is that of travel, entering into the experiences of others, though vicariously so, and becoming friends with those who have enriched our lives.

Reading about people you would like to meet certainly increases your chances of actually meeting them. Meet whomever you can in person.

One of the most enjoyable persons I ever met was Elvis Jacob Stahr, Jr., who was born on March 9, 1916, in Hickman, Kentucky, to Mary McDaniel Stahr and the Honorable, Kentucky judge, Elvis Stahr. At the age of 16, he entered the University of Kentucky where he was graduated with the highest academic average in the history of the school.

We met at an early morning breakfast at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington D.C. At that time, I was living in Anderson, Indiana, and working as the Public Relations and Promotion Director for the Radio and Television Commission of the Church of God.

Stahr and I arrived early. The door to the special breakfast meeting room was still locked. We started up conversation something like, "Hello, I'm Bill Ellis". And "I'm El Stahr." Then, "Where are you from El?" "I'm from Kentucky." "Nice to meet a neighbor", I said and added, "Actually, I grew up in Abbotts Hollow (we called it 'Holler') in the little coal mining community of Wevaco, WV, at the head of Cabin Creek."

We then began to inquire of each other about the "moonshining business" in our respective birth states. I told him about the day Oscar Fraley's old cow got into somebody's mash barrel up the hollow and got as "drunk as a skunk" and came running down through the community bawling and creating quite a ruckus

.

A drunken cow is not nearly the menace as a drunken human. A drunk is a danger to any society.

As the doors opened, El and I go lost from each other. I was shocked when I saw him sitting near the center of the speaker's table. How did a "Kentucky moonshiner" get such an impressive seat?

You can imagine my amazement when he was introduced as "the former Dean of the School of Law at the University of Kentucky, the once distinguished president of West Virginia University, staff director of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Commission on Education, a combat Army Colonel in China during World War II and now the "Honorable, Elvis Jacob Stahr, Jr., the Secretary of the Army for the United States of America." He, incidentally, left that position to go to the state in which I was living, to become the President of Indiana University.

How could I have been so uninformed? Talking with one of the most powerful and educated men in America and we are laughing and wasting our time discussing the antics of moonshiners.

I wonder what the conversation might have been like had I earlier read about the people who would be on the program. Anyway, we laughed and were relaxed and El Stahr will be one of my all-time favorite conversationalists. He probably wondered, "How did this clodhopper of all clods" get into this meeting of outstanding broadcast and government leaders.

I still wonder about that, but the memories are good. I have read enough since to know that the Bible says, "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: . . . A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4).

Learn to laugh at yourself and with those whom you meet along the way.

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Bill Ellis is a syndicated columnist, and convention and conference speaker on every continent. He is the writer of more than 2,000 newspaper and magazine columns, articles and contributions to books. He is also a widely known motivational speaker and pulpit guest who utilizes enjoyment of life and just plain fun and laughter while speaking to high school, university and professional sports teams as well as to business and professional groups of all kinds. His keen understanding of human problems makes him a favorite speaker for youth, parent, and senior adult meetings. He is accompanied by Kitty, his wife, favorite singer, editor and publisher. For information on becoming a subscriber to the Ellis Column for your newspaper or magazine, you may contact him at: BILL ELLIS, P.O.Box 345, Scott Depot, WV 25560 or by calling: 304-757-6089.