I could use your help...
Please support my campaign to fund the publication of my first book: No Longer Slaves
Dear friends and subscribers,
After years of study, prayer, and writing, I’m finally nearing the finish line of a project that has captured my heart: No Longer Slaves — a full-length historical novel about the runaway slave Onesimus, whose story intertwines with the Apostle Paul and the early Church. This is not a retelling, but a vivid, historically grounded narrative built from years of primary-source research into the Theology of slavery to the church fathers living at the time of Nero, Roman slavery (manumission), First-century Roman culture, and early Christian life in general.
The journey of Onesimus—from bondage to brotherhood—is the heartbeat of the gospel: that Christ alone makes us free. My goal is to bring this story to print with the excellence and integrity it deserves, and I need your help to do it.
Why This Book Matters
Most readers know Paul’s brief letter to Philemon. But few have imagined what it felt like to walk in Onesimus’ sandals—to flee a Roman household, to risk crucifixion or capture, and to encounter an imprisoned apostle whose message about the risen Christ would change everything.
Through No Longer Slaves, I want readers to feel the dust of the Roman roads, the shame of slavery, the bitterness of class and race struggles in the Roman empire in the first century—evan amongst believers, and the tension of a man torn between fear and faith. It’s a story that speaks not only to the first century but to our own—about freedom, forgiveness, and identity in Christ told from the perspective of people in a world that hasn’t been influenced by almost 2,000 years of being saturated in the gospel.
The Inspiration Behind the Story
This novel was born out of reflection on Scot McKnight’s book The Blue Parakeet, which deeply influenced my understanding of Paul’s letter to Philemon. McKnight explores how this short but powerful epistle reveals the radical nature of the gospel and its implications for freedom, reconciliation, and equality among believers. His theological insights into how Paul reimagined the relationship between master and slave—as brothers in Christ—sparked my imagination and inspired me to bring the world of Onesimus and Philemon to life through historical fiction. This vision became the foundation for No Longer Slaves.
How You Can Help
Publishing a historically faithful, professionally edited, and beautifully designed novel requires real resources. That’s why I’ve launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise the funds needed for:
Developmental and copy editing
Historical and theological review
Professional cover design and interior layout
Maps, illustrations, and historical appendices
Initial print run and audiobook narration
Your support will directly fuel this mission—bringing a biblically rooted, research-driven story to readers who hunger for truth and beauty in Christian fiction.
Join Me in This Work
If you’ve been moved by the essays and studies on Creation Awaits, you already know my heart—to recover forgotten voices and reveal the glory of God through history, story, and scripture. No Longer Slaves is the culmination of that vision.
Please take a moment today to visit the campaign, read the details, and prayerfully consider becoming a supporter or sharing the link with others who love Scripture, history, or redemptive storytelling.
Every gift—large or small—moves this vision closer to reality.
Thank you for walking this road with me. Let’s bring Onesimus’ story into the light, together.
Grace and Peace,
James Menendez
Author, No Longer Slaves
Founder, Creation Awaits