Interview with author Tim Chaffey

By Nick Daniels

My good friend, Tim Chaffey, is a pastor, speaker, apologist, and author of a new fiction series for young adults, called The Truth Chronicles. He writes about some fascinating topics that I would like you to know about, so here we go...

Tim, before trying your hand at writing youth fiction, you published a couple of nonfiction books—one about Christian apologetics and another about your journey with cancer. Can you tell us a little about those two books?

My first book is called Old-Earth Creationism on Trial and was co-authored with astrophysicist, Jason Lisle. A straightforward reading of Scripture reveals that God created everything in six days approximately 6,000 years ago and that He used a worldwide flood to judge the world. Numerous Christian leaders have sought to reinterpret the plain teachings of these passages in an effort to harmonize the Bible with man’s ever-changing opinions about the past. We examined all the arguments they present and demonstrate they cannot be supported by Scripture.

My second book (God and Cancer: Finding Hope in the Midst of Life's Trials) was designed to use my own cancer battle to offer hope to others who go through difficult times. Sadly, many people blame God when tough times come rather than relying wholly on Him. The last few chapters are dedicated to dealing with the problem of suffering and evil and show how only Biblical Christianity provides the solution.

And I understand that you have been cancer-free for more than three years now--awesome. So, what motivated you and your coauthor Joe Westbrook to write a series for teens?

Joe and I share a passion to reach young people with the Gospel. I have been working with youth for years and they have been taught so many things that contradict the Bible. Our goal was to present the Biblical worldview in a fun and exciting way.

The first book in the series, The Truth Chronicles: The Time Machine is being released later this month by Risen Books. What is this book about?

Two teens from a top science academy discover time travel and get more than they bargained for when they attempt to go back to ancient Egypt. Rather than pharaohs and pyramids they get dinosaurs and danger. To save his best friend’s life, the protagonist, Jax, must enlist the help of two friendly rivals. The four students are forced to examine their beliefs when confronted with the true history of the world.

Can you give us a preview of what we could expect in the rest of the series?

Sure. The stories continue the adventure of the four teens as they decide to return to the same time period as their first journey. Their goal is to determine whether the Biblical or evolutionary worldview makes better sense of what they find and there are plenty of surprises waiting for them. Throughout the adventures, numerous difficult questions about the Bible are addressed and the Gospel is clearly presented.

You have a passion for defending the truth of the Bible. Why do you think it is important for teens to learn about science and faith issues?

There is such a huge misconception out there that the Bible cannot be trusted because of the findings of science. Christians should not be afraid of science but should study the world God made and they’ll find that it will always confirm God’s Word. This truth can give us great confidence in our walk with the Lord and motivate us to reach the lost. It will also help us to always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks us the reason for the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15).

Most Christians will accept that God is the Creator, but many may differ when it comes to the “how” of creation, especially when it comes to the age of the earth. Obviously, there is a clear position that you take in your books, including the Truth Chronicles, that the earth is only a few thousand years old, as opposed to millions of years old. Why do you adopt this position?

I take this position because it is the clear teaching of the Bible. Since God cannot lie, and He inspired the Bible, then the Bible is true in every area, even when it touches science. Many of the Christians who have adopted the old-earth view do not realize the unbiblical philosophical assumptions to undergird the dating methods. The question of the earth’s age is a matter of historical science, not observational science. Unless one has an accurate eyewitness account of the past, then he must make educated guesses about the past. In the Bible, we have access to information provided by the only one who was around “in the beginning” and we can trust what He has told us.

Very interesting. Well, what’s next in Tim’s career? Are you planning to write more novels or are you going back into nonfiction?

I’d like to do both. I’ve got a few nonfiction projects that I’ve been working on. I’ve also had a lot of fun writing fiction and would love to dive into it again.

Tim, thanks so much for this interview. I wish you success with your new series.

Click here to read a sample chapter of The Truth Chronicles.

Nick Daniels is a suspense novelist who tends to hover on controversial topics. Nick and Tim host the apologetics podcast Breaking Unbelief.