Max Lucado

**Biographical Information**

Max Lucado was born in San Angelo, Texas on January 11th, 1955. Max’s parents, Jack and Thelma, raised him and his three siblings to be hard working, Christian people. His father an oil field worker and mother a nurse. He graduated from Andres High School in Andrews, Texas and continued his education at Abilene Christian University. To graduate from Abilene, each student was required to take a Bible course. During this course, a mission trip was offered, and Max took the opportunity that eventually change his path to be a missionary. He earned a BA in mass communications but needed to continue to receive a graduate degree with two years of experience ministering at a church. After this work, Max earned a MA in biblical and related studies.

After graduation, Max moved to Miami, Florida to be an associate minister at Central Church of Christ.  He worked there for two years overseeing a singles’ group and writing their newsletter where he met his wife, Denalyn. They moved to Rio de Janerio, Brazil to both become full-time missionaries and start a family. Max and Denalyn now have three daughters: Sara, Jenna, and Andrea. After living and working in Brazil for five years, Max heard devastating news of his father passing away from Lou Gehrig’s disease in 1986. Max and his family decided to move back to the United States in Texas to be closer to his mother.

Max was hired as a minister at Oak Hills Church of Christ in San Antonio, Texas in 1987. By this time, he had written *On the Anvil*, *No Wonder They Call Him the Savior*, and *God Came Near* to establish himself as a successful Christian writer. As he continued preaching and writing, he stopped his salary with Oak Hills Church of Christ because of the many successes with his books. His philosophies within the church changed to welcome more people into the church. This included not requiring baptism, which lead to dropping the affiliation and changing the name of the church to ‘Oak Hills Church’ in 2003. After serving there for 20 years, Max announced in 2007 that he would be stepping down due to health reasons. He has now taken a more limited role and is co-pastor with Randy Frazee.

**Themes**

Max’s faith and teachings have been the focal point of his books. It started with his commitment to Christ after his baptism when he was 10 years old. Throughout his journey, he has been open about his past and struggles he faced. He developed a drinking problem in high school and became a womanizer in college. During his sophomore year in college, he found his love for Christ and his writing focused on God’s grace. Max acknowledged God’s plan for him to use his writing talents. Many of the books he has written mentions difficult situations that he has experienced himself, which makes it easier for him to write about.

**Style**

Max liked to devote his Tuesday evenings to reflect on events that happened in his own life while being a minister in Florida. His assignment of developing a weekly newsletter became a beloved project and was always generating ideas to share with the congregation at his church. He wanted to perfect his writing for people of all ages to relate to his words. After much criticism, he said, “I came to believe this much: good words are worth the work. Well-written words can change a life. Words go where we never go.” He understood that readers take time out of their day to read the words and invite the author into their lives. Max wants to accept the invitation to be that person who can spread God’s love through writing.

**Bibliography**

1985 – On the Avil, Tyndale House

1986 – No Wonder They Call Him the Savior, Multnoham Press

1987 – God Came Near, Multnoham Press

1989 – Six Hours One Friday, Multnoham Press

1990 – The Applause of Heaven, Word, Inc.

1991 – In the Eye of the Storm, Word, Inc.

1992 – And the Angels Were Silent, Multnoham Press

1992 – Just in Case You Ever Wonder, Tommy Nelson, Inc. (updated 2019)\*

1992 – Tell Me the Story, Crossway\*

1993 – He Still Moves Stones, Word

1993 – Tell Me the Secrets, Crossway\*

1994 – When God Whispers Your Name, Word

1994 – The Children of the Kind, Crossway\*

1994 – The Crippled Lamb, Tommy Nelson

1995 – A Gentle Thunder, Word

1995 – The Song of the King, Crossway\*

1996 – In the Grip of Grace, Word

1996 – Alabaster’s Song, Tommy Nelson\*

1997 – You Are Special, Crossway\*

1997 – Cosmic Christmas, Word

1997 – The Great House of God, Word

1998 – Just Like Jesus, Word

1998 – Jacob’s Gift, Tommy Nelson

1998 – The Christmas Child, Word (formerly The Christmas Cross)

1999 – Because I Love You, Crossway\*

1999 – When Christ Comes, Word

1999 – Just the Way You Are, Crossway

2000 – All You Ever Need, Crossway

2000 – He Chose the Nails, Word

2000 – Small Gifts in God’s Hands, Tommy Nelson\*

2001 – Shaped By God, Tyndale (formerly On The Anvil)

2001 – With You All the Way, Crossway\*

2001 – Traveling Light, W Publishing Group

2001 – You are Mine, Crossway\*

2002 – He Chose You, Tommy Nelson\*

2002 – If I Only Had a Green Nose, Crossway\*

2002 – A Love Worth Giving, W Publishing Group

2002 – An Angel Story, W Publishing (formerly Cosmic Christmas)

2003 – Best of All, Crossway\*

2003 – Just Like Jesus for Teens, Tommy Nelson\*

2003 – Hermie: A Common Caterpillar, Tommy Nelson\*

2003 – Next Door Savior, W Publishing Group

2004 – Come Thirsty, W Publishing Group

2004 – A Hat for Ivan, Crossway\*

2004 – Flo, The Lyin’ Fly, Tommy Nelson\*

2004 – It’s Not About Me, Integrity Publishers

2004 – Punchinello and the Most Marvelous Gift, Tommy Nelson\*

2004 – Punchinello One of a Kind, Tommy Nelson\*

2004 – Webster The Scaredy Spider, Tommy Nelson\*

2004 – Lucia and the Razzly Dazzly Wemberry Pies, Tommy Nelson\*

2004 – The 12 Bugs of Christmas, Tommy Nelson\*

2005 – A Fruitcake Christmas, Tommy Nelson\*

2005 – Cure for The Common Life, W Publishing

2005 - The Way Home, A Princess Story, Tommy Nelson\*

2006 – Stanley The Stink Bug, Tommy Nelson\*

2006 – Your Special Gift, Crossway Books\*

2006 – Facing Your Giants, W Publishing

2006 – The Oak in the Acorn, W Publishing\*

2006 – The Christmas Candle, W Publishing

2007 – Coming Home, Crossway Books\*

2007 – Milo the Mantis Who Wouldn’t Pray, Tommy Nelson\*

2007 – You! God’s Brand New Idea, Tommy Nelson\*

2007 – 3:16 The Numbers of Hope, W Publishing

2007 – Every Day Deserves A Change, Tommy Nelson

2007 – Buzby and The Grumble Bees, Tommy Nelson

2009 – Fearless, Tommy Nelson

2009 – Tallest of the Smalls, Tommy Nelson\*

2010 – Outlive Your Life, Tommy Nelson

2010 – One Hand Two Hands, Tommy Nelson\*

2010 – You Changed My Life, Tommy Nelson\*

2011 – Max on Life, Tommy Nelson

2011 – God’s Story, Your Story, Tommy Nelson (retitled 2016)

2012 – Great Day Every Day, Tommy Nelson

2012 – Grace, Tommy Nelson

2012 – The Boy and The Ocean, Crossway\*

2013 – You’ll Get Through This, Tommy Nelson

2013 – Itsy Bitsy Christmas, Tommy Nelson

2014 – Before Amen, Tommy Nelson

2014 – Miracle at Higher Grounds Café, Tommy Nelson

2015 – Glory Days, Tommy Nelson

2016 – More to Your Story, Tommy Nelson

2016 – Because of Bethlehem

2017 – Anxious for Nothing

2017 – Scaredy Cat

2018 – Unshakable Hope

2018 – Unshakable Hope Promise Book for Students\*

2018 – God Always Keeps His Promises

2019 – How Happiness Happens

2020 – Lucado Encouraging Word Bible

2020 – You Are Never Alone

\*children and youth books

**Awards**

1994 Gold Medallion Book Award – Gift Book/Poetry Winner (Tell Me the Secrets: Treasures for Eternity)

1995 Gold Medallion Book Award – Gift Book/Poetry Winner (Crippled Lamb)

2000 Gold Medallion Book Award – Elementary Children Winner (Because I Love You)

2002 Gold Medallion Book Award – Preschool Children Nominee (Because I Love You)

2002 Gold Medallion Book Award – Preschool Children Nominee (You Are Mine)

2003 Gold Medallion Book Award - Preschool Children Finalist (If Only I Had a Green Nose)

2004 Gold Medallion Book Award - Elementary Children Finalist (Best of All)

2005 Gold Medallion Book Award – Elementary Children Finalist (A Hat for Ivan)

2006 Christian Retailing’s Best – Children’s Fiction Finalist (Buzby, the Misbehaving Bee)

2006 Christian Retailing’s Best – Children’s Mixed Media Finalist (Buzby, the Misbehaving Bee)

2007 Christian Book Award – Children and Youth Finalist (Your Special Gift)

2007 Christian Retailing’s Best – Children’s Fiction Finalist (The Oak Inside the Acorn)

2009 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award – Illustrator Silver Medal Winner (The Tallest of Smalls)

2010 Christian Retailing’s Best – Children’s Fiction Finalist (The Tallest of Smalls)

2014 Christian Book Award – Children’s Finalist (The Boy and the Ocean)

2014 Christian Retailing’s Best – Children’s Fiction Finalist (The Boy and the Ocean)

**Criticism**

Often times, Max’s critics differ on the matters of faith and not his writing. The biggest disagreement of his faith for readers is his position on baptism. Max believes that that it is important, but not essential for redemption. He is seen to be a theologian rather than the faith’s literalist of the New Testament. Ultimately, Max decided to not listen to every critic because he will not please everyone. His writing is not supposed to be the exact definition of faith, but rather a guiding light for others.

**References**

1.     https://web.archive.org/web/20060525082932/http://www.christnotes.org/\_max-lucado.asp

2.     https://maxlucado.com/

3.   https://www.inquirer.com/philly/living/Max\_Lucado\_talks\_about\_love\_for\_words\_and\_theme\_that\_underlines\_ministry.html

4.     https://www.fictiondb.com/author/max-lucado~book-awards~60485.htm

5.     https://www.religionnewsblog.com/6432/best-selling-christian-author-not-without-critics