Biblical fiction—novels that bring Bible characters to life and help readers reimagine Scripture—is surging in popularity, according to publishers and indie authors.
In 2021, Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, conducted a reader survey that showed biblical fiction, sometimes referred to as “bibfic,” ranking high among respondents' favorite genres. Senior acquisitions editor Rochelle Gloege said the popularity of bibfic among readers was “perhaps the biggest surprise finding of that survey”—and as a result, the publisher made the decision to acquire more authors and books in the category.
Now, roughly 10% of Bethany’s fiction line is biblical fiction, with Gloege reporting that “Bethany House has seen a nice bump in our biblical fiction sales over the last few years.” Commenting on the appeal of the genre, she said that bibfic “breathes life into people and a time that can feel distant to and disconnected from us. For the reader seeking to grow in their faith, we think the books meet a unique felt need.”
Popular Bethany House authors include Tessa Afshar, author of the Queen Esther’s Court series; Connilyn Cossette, whose Splendor of the Land is out in August; Angela Hunt, whose 1996 release Dreamers was Bethany’s first bibfic title; Heather Kaufman, author of Up from Dust; and Mesu Andrews, author of the King David’s Brides series. Revell, another imprint of BPG, also publishes popular bibfic author Jill Eileen Smith, who Andrews calls “one of the trailblazers” in the genre. Her most recent novel, Dawn of Grace: Mary Magdalene’s Story, was published in February.
“I think readers get a clear picture of Scripture when they are invited into the culture,” said Andrews, whose Noble: The Story of Maakah releases in August. The first book in the King David’s Brides series, Brave: The Story of Ahinoam, came out in October 2024, with two more in the series scheduled for 2026 and, tentatively, 2028.
“The best reviews I get are when someone is so excited that they go right to Scripture,” said Andrews, who also self-published prequels to the series on her website. “Because I love God’s Word so crazily, I write biblical fiction to get readers into their Bibles,”
Upcoming bibfic titles at Bethany House include the launch of a three-book series by Hunt called The Matriarchs with Rescued Heart: The Story of Sarah, set for October. And 2026 is shaping up to be a busy year, with Kaufman releasing On Living Stone: Salome’s Story, the final book in her Women of the Way series; Cossette concluding her The King’s Men series; and Afshar finishing her Queen Esther’s Court series.
In March, Tyndale released Christian fiction matriarch Janette Oke’s The Pharisee’s Wife, sales of which “have exceeded expectations,” according to Stephanie Broene, associate publisher for fiction. The novel was also picked by Hobby Lobby, which provided an additional boost. Afshar’s 2022 novel The Hidden Prince is also seeing a sales boost thanks to Proverbs 31 Ministries’ book club Circle 31 choosing it as their June pick. Broene says Tyndale has more bibfic plans in the works.
The surge of biblical fiction by traditional Christian houses is encouraging indie authors as well.
Anna Moore Bradfield deliberately chose to release her novels Legacy (2023) and Lunacy (2024)—both of which center on King David of the Old Testament—through Credo House Publishing because, she says, “I was feeling so much pressure to have an email list and subscribers, etc., which discouraged me from moving forward” with a traditional publisher.
Bradfield sells primarily via Amazon and her website, and has started the podcast God’s Power Stories that can direct listeners to her books. She says sales of Legacy are about 700 and Lunacy a couple hundred. However, her Kindle Unlimited page reads total almost 750,000. She says it's “rewarding to see that many people reading the books."
Naomi Craig, a cofounder of a Facebook group Biblical Fiction Aficionados, with Dana McNeely, estimated that for every one bibfic published by a major house, there are two to three indie bibfics released. The group, run by Craig and McNeely who both write biblical fiction, has 1,500 members and features a book club, author interviews, giveaways, and discussion points for its member readers and authors. The pair say that both Old and New Testament bibfic draw fans.
“We discuss everything related to bibfic or the early church on the site,” said McNeely. “Readers and authors have often posted their own questions about history, research, authors, or the Bible that lead to lively discussions.”
The pair also point to the Biblical Fiction Finder database, where readers can search by author, character, era, or event for relevant titles. It has nearly 500 biblical and early church novels listed. “In our community,” Craig said, “biblical fiction authors really try to uphold the integrity of Scripture with careful study and research to bring light to the culture of the Bible.”
