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Though Epaphroditus is only mentioned twice in the New Testament (Phil. 2:25-30 and 4:18), he apparently was important to Paul’s ministry. According to these verses, here are the facts about Epaphroditus:

• he was a brother, fellow worker, and soldier in the gospel
• he ministered to Paul’s needs
• he was a messenger between Paul and the church at Philippi
• he risked his life, almost dying from illness
• he was distressed about the people of Philippi worrying about his illness
• he was commended by Paul for his sacrifice

Author Jenifer Jennings took those facts, filled in the gaps, and fashioned a wonderful story about Epaphroditus, his faith journey, and his relationship to Luke, the physician, in Philippi during the time of the early church. The result is the novel Leading Philippi: Epaphroditus’ Story.

How did Epaphroditus get to the point of being such a valuable helper to Paul? We don’t know. We can only speculate. But pondering these things in a Biblical context can give us greater appreciation for those early church founders and the trials they faced. Reading stories like Jenifer’s moves us from simple facts to deeper understanding.

Jenifer is known for several Biblical fiction series.

Servant Siblings series (the siblings of Jesus): 

• James
• Joseph
• Assia
• Jude
• Lydia
• Simon
• Salome

Faith Finders series:

• The Midwives of Moses
• Wilderness Wanderer 
• Crimson Cord 
• A Stolen Wife 
• At His Feet
• Lasting Legacy

The Rebekah Series:

• The Stranger
• The Journey
• The Hope

Leading Philippi is book 1 of Paul’s Patrons. The second book, Keeping Thessalonica: Persis’ Story, launches on August 4, 2026. It features Persis, a woman mentioned in Romans 16. The story features I and II Thessalonians, beginning in the city of Thessalonica. Jenifer has plans for four more titles after that. 

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Blurb for Leading Philippi: Epaphroditus’ Story (Paul’s Patrons Book 1, Peacock Press)

In the raging sea of fear, Epaphroditus finds his faith.

In the bustling colony of Philippi, Epaphroditus, the son of a traveling merchant, finds himself ensnared in the threads of destiny. Blessed with wealth and privilege, his life is shadowed by a prophecy whispered by one of Aphrodite’s priestesses: a grim fate aboard a ship awaits Epaphroditus.

Living vicariously through his best friend Luke, a compassionate physician traversing the seas to aid the afflicted, Epaphroditus grapples with the threat of mortality and the uncertainty of his future. When a bold traveler named Paul arrives, bearing tales of a humble craftsman from Nazareth named Jesus, Epaphroditus finds himself drawn into a journey of faith.

Join Epaphroditus on his extraordinary odyssey, where he discovers the transformative power of grace and the strength to battle fear with faith. Dare to embark on a journey that will stir your soul and ignite your faith as the letter of Philippians comes to life in Leading Philippi, Book 1 of the Paul’s Patrons series.

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My thoughts

The way Jenifer Jennings takes a little known Biblical character and creates a three-dimensional persona who engages with others in an ancient city in A.D. 37 is nothing short of incredible. 

Epaphroditus is real and relatable, somebody who had to overcome great fear and experience God’s grace firsthand in order to later be used of God to deliver gifts to Paul in Rome.

There’s a reason why Epaphroditus doesn’t follow in his father’s footsteps as a merchant; he is afraid of the sea because of a prophecy given to him as a child. This shows the power that the false goddess Aphrodite had over people in that culture. With beliefs so entrenched, it would take a miracle to uproot them. 

That miracle occurs later through the ministry of Paul as well as through Epaphroditus’s friendship with Luke, the physician. Also present are other Biblical figures, such as Timothy, Clement, Euodia, Syntyche, and Lydia. I enjoyed seeing Lydia’s impact on both women and men in the early church. I particularly loved the warm relationship between Luke and Epaphroditus.

Vivid details and imagery make the city of Philippi come alive, as well as its inhabitants. The plot is both plausible and engaging. 

Join me for some Q & A with author Jenifer Jennings. 

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Questions about Leading Philippi

What was your inspiration for writing Leading Philippi? What’s your personal connection to the story and/or setting?

Jenifer: The inspiration for Leading Philippi came from a deep study of the book of Philippians. I was preparing to teach a Sunday School class for the first time, and I wanted to focus on walking women verse-by-verse through books of the Bible. 

Lots of people mentioned that the book of Philippians was their favorite, so I decided it was a good starting place. What I didn’t know was how much I was going to fall in love with the people in Philippi. As I studied, Epaphroditus kept drawing me into his story.

Philippians is one of my favorite epistles too. How did you develop Epaphroditus as a character? Did he (or anyone) hijack the story or did you have full rein? 

Jenifer: With some characters, it’s like pulling teeth to get them to talk to me. Then there are characters like Epaphroditus. He was ready to tell his story. So much, in fact, that he muscled his way into my writing while I was trying to finish another book. I was behind on a deadline and completely stressed, and Epaphroditus wouldn’t stop trying to tell his story. 

That summer, I had to put down the series I was working on and write his story. In a few short weeks, I had over 40,000 words. It wasn’t complete, but it got Epaphroditus to settle down enough that I could finish the other books and then come back to his.

Wow, he is one persistent guy! And quite talkative!How well did you know him at the beginning of the novel, or did you get to know him as you wrote?

Jenifer: I knew Epaphroditus pretty well at the beginning of this novel, at least for the first half. When I finally got back to writing the second half of his story, he did throw some surprises at me. I didn’t see this ending coming. Honestly, I had a very different ending in mind, but this one was much better.

Good that you’re able to go with the flow and trust the process. What was the biggest challenge of writing this story?

Jenifer: The biggest challenge for this story was not telling multiple chapters through Luke’s perspective. It was not on my bingo card to fall in love with the physician. At one point, I considered writing the entire series with Luke as a dual perspective. 

It wasn’t going to work out for every book, so I scratched the idea. I really had to edit hard to keep everything in Epaphroditus’s perspective.

I can see why that was a challenge, especially since Luke is a very appealing character. What unusual or interesting thing did you do or discover while researching for this story?

Jenifer: I learned all sorts of interesting things while researching Philippi. Since it was a Roman colony, the culture was fascinating. But my favorite thing was discovering verified records of a stream flowing right outside the Neapolis Gate, exactly where Luke said it was (Acts 16). The physician has been proven correct time and time again in his historical documentation.

I love it when research backs up scripture that way. What is one of your favorite quotes from this novel? Why?

Jenifer: There are so many little quips between characters in this story that I love. But I think the last lines of this book really capture Epaphroditus’ story well: “The prophecy and the sea had not swallowed him. He had stepped from his tomb of fear … and risen in faith.”

Yes, that certainly does capture it. How do you want this book to resonate with readers?

Jenifer: My hope and prayer is that anyone battling their own war with fear and anxiety would find themselves next to Epaphroditus on this journey and discover our God is so much bigger than our fears.

That’s a lesson we have to constantly keep learning. How does this book connect to your previous work—or signal a new direction for you?

Jenifer: All of my previous work is Biblical fiction, like this story. This one is unique in that it’s the first book in a brand-new series. This series was really born from a book I did years ago called “Lasting Legacy.” In that story, I created a fictitious wife for Timothy, a woman from Ephesus, and the events surrounding the books of Ephesians and 1&2 Timothy. 

When I was planning this new series, I took that book as inspiration and planned out a story for each of Paul’s other church letters.

The next book, Keeping Thessalonica, is coming out this August. It features Persis, a woman mentioned in Romans 16, and is inspired by I and II Thessalonians.

Good to hear how your previous efforts found fruition in this new endeavor.Which of your books is the best introduction to you and your work?

Jenifer: Typically, when someone asks me which book of mine they should start with, I ask them who their favorite Bible character or book of the Bible is. If they like Genesis, I point them to The Stranger, which starts a trilogy following the life of Rebekah. 

If they like a mix of Old and New Testament, I suggest Midwives of Moses, which starts a six-book Faith Finders series that features such characters as the midwives of Exodus, Miriam, Rahab, Bathsheba, Mary of Bethany, and a fictitious wife of Timothy. 

If they talk about New Testament people or Jesus. I suggest James, which opens the seven books of the Siblings series, told from Jesus’s half-siblings’ perspective on the events of His crucifixion, resurrection, and the early Jerusalem church. 

If Paul is their favorite, I suggest Leading Philippi, which is the first book in my new Paul’s Patrons series focused on Paul’s letters to the different churches.

So many options! Each one is a good path to start on. 

Questions about writing

Where do your story ideas usually originate from—character, plot, setting, theme, or a combination?

Jenifer: My books have always originated from a character. I hear them tell their story, and then I build a plot around their lives. I have the great blessing of having several plot points given to me in God’s Word, and I focus on filling in the gaps. 

With Epaphroditus, for example, I knew so little about him outside of the events in Philippians about his time with Paul in Rome. He supplied a lot of his story for me. 

With other characters, I ask myself what choices would they make to get where we see them in Scripture. Then, sometimes, it’s working backwards from there.

That makes sense—considering their choices. How long have you wanted to be a novelist? Share a bit of your road to publication.

Jenifer: I didn’t start out wanting to be a writer. I always say God chose this path for me. If you had told little me that I was going to make a living being a writer, I probably would have laughed. 

My worst subjects were grammar and history. I couldn’t spell or remember English grammar rules, and I couldn’t keep dates and historical facts straight. God really does enjoy taking the weaknesses of humanity and using them for His glory.    

Sounds like your weaknesses became your strengths over time.Share a little about your novel writing process, and the length of time it takes to complete a book.

Jenifer: Since I am an indie writer, my schedule is flexible. I wrote one book in 13 days, and another book took me 10 years. Over the years, I’ve refined my process. 

From start to finish, a completed story takes me 4-6 months, depending on which number it is in a series. First books take a little longer, while sequential books often take less time since I’m already familiar with the world.

That’s quite a range—thirteen days to ten years!Why do you write in your particular genre?

Jenifer: I love writing in the Biblical historical fiction genre because I get to spend all day studying my Bible and chasing historical rabbit trails. It has been a true blessing to dive deep into God’s Word to know the people of these stories more and more. This helps me see God in ways I never imagined.

Such a perfect profession for you—being able to do what you love.If you were allowed 3 wishes in regard to your writing, what would they be?

Jenifer: If I had 3 wishes for my writing, they would be: 1. Everyone whom God wanted to speak to would get a copy in their hands. 2. My children would hear my voice when they read my books after I’m gone. 3. When I get to Heaven, Jesus and the other people I wrote about would get a good chuckle from my stories.

Such great wishes. I often wonder what it will be like talking to Bible characters in heaven and getting the real story behind the story.Is there any writing advice you wish you’d known 10 or 15 years ago?

Jenifer: I started writing about 15 years ago, so if I could tell myself something when I first started, it would be: plan more grace time into your schedule. I can’t tell you how many times I stressed myself out over my own self-imposed deadlines. I thought I had to produce an absurd amount of books a year just to keep my name in front of people.

In one year, I published three novels. When I realized that most novels take two years or more to go from manuscript to published book, I finally started to really think about my publishing schedule. After experiencing a huge burnout pushing out novels and finishing my master’s, I discovered I needed to give myself much more grace. 

I’m still a huge advocate for self-imposed deadlines, but I now balance them with knowing we all need more grace than we realize.

Excellent advice. I have no idea how you managed more than one novel per year. Good that you have found some balance. 

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Back to Laura . . . On a similar note . . . 

If you enjoy Biblical fiction, you might enjoy my novel, Rain in the Wilderness, launching in January 2027. Set in ancient Israel during the time of Christ’s ministry, the story is told through several perspectives, including a woman who lost her baby during the Bethlehem massacre. Sign up for my newsletter to stay updated.StandoutStoriesNewsletter.com

If you like dual timeline fiction about family dynamics in a small town Midwest setting, try The Broken Weathervane (September 2, 2025). Two co-workers seek the same information. One wants to publish it; the other has good reasons to keep it hidden. The timeline alternates between 2015 and the 1950s. Check out the reviews and book trailer here.

If you like biographical historical fiction, you might enjoy A Hundred Magical Reasons (January 2025). This story spotlights L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, his friendship with a young girl, and his impact through the decades. Set in Holland, Michigan, this dual timeline novel alternates between 1980 and the early 1900s. Read more and watch the book trailer here. 

If you like Southern fiction and small town/rural stories about family dynamics and secrets, you might enjoy my novel All That Is Hidden. Set near North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains in 1968, the story spotlights the bond of family and the connections of a tight-knit community. Northern exploitation threatens as a father’s hidden past catches up to him and tests family ties. Learn more and watch the trailer here.

All That Is Hidden is now an audiobook! 

I invite you to join my monthly newsletter for writing updates, freebies, and giveaways. Sign up and I’ll send you a prequel and 7 Oz-inspired recipes: StandoutStoriesNewsletter.com  

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Jenifer Jennings bio

Jenifer Jennings is a passionate storyteller who brings ancient worlds to life through Biblical historical novels. A devoted student of Scripture since coming to faith in Jesus at seventeen, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Ministry and a master’s in Biblical Languages. Jenifer is an active member of Word Weavers International, serving as an online chapter president and attending in-person meetings, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). When Jenifer’s not writing, she’s on a date with her husband or mothering their two children, a wise-cracking mathematician and a feisty artist. Learn more here. jeniferjennings.com 

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Join me next time for a visit with author Daryl Lott.

Meanwhile, have you read any of Jenifer’s Biblical fiction? Do you have a favorite Biblical time period . . . or a favorite Bible story that should be novelized?

Answer in the comments below to win an ebook or paperback of your choice–USA only.

Ever reading,

Laura

Sign up for my monthly newsletter and receive a prequel and 7 free Oz-inspired recipes: StandoutStoriesNewsletter.com