VALDOSTA — South Georgia author Billy Bryan believes his book has the power to save souls. ... At least, it offers the opportunity for readers to save their souls through Jesus Christ.

“The most important thing about this book is that it has the power to save souls by the grace and knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ,” Bryan says. “It is not about me. It is about the work that he is doing through me to reach souls.”

The book is “Life, Death, and the Only Way to Heaven.” It is Bryan’s first book and fulfills a need in which Bryan felt he should do something with his life.

From Tifton, Bryan grew up playing basketball and was even a member of the 1996 state championship basketball team.

“I experienced some success with basketball and other things, but nothing compares to accepting Christ and his plans for your life,” Bryan says.

In the book, Bryan shares that he felt a spiritual calling at a young age, but he ran from it. He sought worldly ways to ignore this calling until he felt a big hole in his life.

“In the fall of 2008, I finally grabbed hold of the nail-scarred hands that had been reaching out to me my whole life,” Bryan writes. “The moment I accepted Christ, the void in my heart was filled with his love. He began to work in me that day, and my life has never been the same.”

In addition to salvation, “Life, Death, and the One Way to Heaven” concentrates on the price of sin.

“Most people today preach of the goodness of God, but never talk about sin,” Bryan says. “We have to tell people about sin and that Jesus is the only way to be forgiven from that sin. A relationship with Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved from hell.”

The Times conducted an email interview with Billy Bryan.

THE TIMES: In the book’s opening, you mention watching a movie where a character is dying, saying he’s never done a thing in life. This moment prompted you to write “Life, Death, and the Only Way to Heaven.” What moment turned your life to God?

BILLY BRYAN: “The moment I accepted Christ and gave my life to him was when I realized how much he suffered for us. Christ went through so much emotional and physical pain to pay for our sins. Everyone wants to be loved, I realized I had been running from the greatest love of all. Then I discovered if he had not done this, I would have no hope of heaven. He saved me from hell! Yes, I am a grown man, but I cried uncontrollably and asked Jesus to come into my heart and save me.”



THE TIMES: This book is a combination of Scripture, parable and personal experience. How did you decide how much to share personally and how to balance the book to appeal to more readers?

BILLY BRYAN: “I wanted to share the truth about my personal life, but the main idea of the book was to point to Jesus. I wanted to show how he helped and saved me. If he can do this for me, he can and will do it for anyone. I also wanted to write in a way that the reader could understand.  



THE TIMES: Who is your target audience for this book? Is it for Sunday School classes? The regular church goer? A person who does not regularly attend church?

BILLY BRYAN: “As the book began to sell, I noticed something astonishing. Adults bought the book, then returned to buy copies for their children! It is written in a way that is easy to understand but mature enough for adults. One of my goals was to target today’s youth and youth pastors. I was thinking an age range of 15 to 30, but adults are using it in men’s study groups, and it is being used in Sunday school classes as well. There are even a few people that do not attend church, that read it and accepted the Lord, Jesus Christ!”



THE TIMES: Do you feel this book has fulfilled your hope of leaving something behind? Or is it just the beginning? Are you already writing a second one? Do you have other plans?

BILLY BRYAN: “No doubt. If I were to die tomorrow, this book is what I would want to be remembered by. However, I do feel the book is the beginning of some great things God is doing in my life. He is opening doors for me to preach and speak publicly about Jesus and his suffering for our sins. It is a dream of mine to preach the gospel in as many churches as God allows.”



Billy Bryan’s “Life, Death, and the Only Way to Heaven” is available at amazon.com and the Potter’s House in Valdosta.