Set Your Fields on Fire

Set Your Fields on Fire

Alex Alterman is a “mystery worshipper”—hired by churches to experience their worship services as a member of the congregation and evaluate what works and what doesn’t. Grass growing in the parking lot “Unkempt bathrooms “Bad sound systems” These may turn away people as much as the “singing and the sermon. To whom much is given, much is required. But when Alex and his dedicated band of nitpicking zealots are hired to evaluate a Florida church and its prominent pastor, they are presented with a set of mysteries: Who hired them? And who hired their main competition? And why are they being shadowed by a couple of atheists running a dirt-dealing blog? Oil spills, dwarf spies, choir room surveillance, church league basketball cheats and parking lot security all combine in a splendid caper that stretches from Wall Street to the beachfront. As Alterman’s group finds itself in the eye of the storm, the work takes on a new dimension as they untangle the reasons they believe in their work, and why they believe at all. "Set Your Fields on Fire" started in October 2008 when I read a story in The Wall Street Journal about church consultants who get hired to evaluatecongregations like people evaluate grocery stores and retail chains. Iimmediately thought of this as a comedy. I mean, I had the idea thatvery day. It was situation and character immediately. But it took a fewmonths for me to figure out that the comedy would come because this guywould be a real stickler. My first idea was to have it be just about one person in a situation. But then I realized he needed a team. How would I organize it? That came when I was flipping through the TV and saw"Oceans 11." Then I had a structure for the story - old character, young female, millennial guy, undercover person, voice of reason, adversary,etc.Doing this also gave it a little suspense, because it becomes like a heist film, or a heist film about Sunday School, you might say. William Thornton is an award-winning writer, journalist and a Sunday School teacher. He lives in Alabama with his wife and daughter.