Author, television writer, pastor, husband, father and grandfather Troy Schmidt has spent his life using stories to point people toward hope, purpose and truth. Drawing on his own conversion at 23-as well as his experiences raising sons and watching his grandchildren become young adults-Schmidt joined forces with producer Dan Merrell to create THE SEVEN, an ambitious seven-book, biblically based time-travel series for middle-grade readers.
In the concluding installment, ALIVE, skeptical teenager Josh is transported to the crucifixion of Jesus, bringing his long spiritual journey to a powerful climax. In this interview, Schmidt discusses the 15-year road behind the series, the personal faith struggles he poured into Josh and why he believes an exciting story can introduce a new generation to the life-changing truth of Jesus Christ.
Q: For readers meeting you for the first time, who is Troy Schmidt, and how have your experiences as an author, television writer, and pastor shaped the stories you tell young people?
Don't forget husband, father and grandparent. I think all my experience have shaped me to become the writer I am today. As for young people, I was once a young person, believe it or not, and I raised young men. Now I watch my grandchildren become young adults. They all need the same thing-hope, purpose, truth, community. I use my skills as a writer to fuel my passion as a pastor to see young adults discover Jesus Christ in their lives.
Q: THE SEVEN took shape over 15 years. What first inspired the series, and why did you believe middle-grade readers needed a biblically based adventure saga of this scale?
Dan and I developed some ideas for another series which never came to fruition. We liked the idea of a time travel adventure for middle school students and continued to develop it off and on. I wrote Flood for fun and sent it to him. He liked it but everyone he took it to rejected it. So then I wrote Fire for fun, but still no interest. Apparently, middle school kids don't read. Dan then grabbed the opportunity and published it through his company and then the gears started rolling. We really believed we could interject the truth of the Bible into a fiction based series, taking modern kids back in time and showing them the Bible.
Q: You have said that Josh reflects who you were as a teenager-angry, skeptical, and slow to respond to the gospel. How much of your own spiritual journey found its way into his seven-book transformation?
A lot of it. I wasn't as angry, just disinterested. My transformation occurred when I opened the Bible for the first time to actually read it and find out what it was all about. I surrendered my life after five minutes. It made me believe that if people are open to discovering the truth they will find it.
Q: In ALIVE, Josh travels to the crucifixion of Jesus. How did you portray such a sacred and emotionally demanding event while keeping the story exciting, accessible, and faithful to Scripture?
I've read about the crucifixion. Seen every movie. Been to the locations in Israel. This time I had to imagine these characters there. I don't think I've ever sat down for hours and imagined myself there, thinking about the sights, sounds, weather, crowds, smells. It definitely brought me to tears.
Q: With time travel, supernatural gifts, spiritual warfare, apologetics, and biblical history all woven together, what do you most hope young readers-and perhaps their parents-will take away from ALIVE and the completed series?
I hope they learn something because the characters talk about all these ideas. There's archaeology and history, plus places they can go to research and see the areas themselves today. It's all presented, not as a sermon, but as a story. I hope they walk away with the knowledge that Jesus loves them and will do anything to reach anyone.
Q: On a more personal level, you have said you wish you had encountered the message of THE SEVEN before coming to faith at 23. What finally led you to surrender your life to Christ, and how does that experience continue to shape your faith today?
After hearing a sermon, I went home and opened the Bible for myself. I opened to the "Old" Testament and really felt, "Who likes old? I like new." Well, there was a New Testament. I found the Christmas story, which I knew from Charlie Brown's Christmas and read the Matthew version. Immediately, I knew Jesus came to earth for me. I fell on my knees and asked Jesus to forgive me. Now, here I am, writing Christian TV, books and working as a Pastor. Who knew? Well...God did.
ALIVE and the entire THE SEVEN series are available on TheBibleforKids.com or Amazon.com and wherever books are sold.
For more information on Troy Schmidt and his books, visit his website, TroyESchmidt.com.
