Tim LaHaye Biography

Tim LaHaye was a Christian minister and political activist who developed the ideas behind the best-selling book series Left Behind, a fictional account of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

The books, the first of which was published in 1995, were written by LaHaye’s collaborator, Jerry B. Jenkins, and based on LaHaye’s interpretation of the prophecies of the Bible’s Book of Revelations. The success of the first novel in the series led to several sequels, a feature film, Left Behind: The Movie (2000), and a series of children’s books, Left Behind: The Kids.

LaHaye grew up in Michigan, but began his ministry in southern California in 1958. Over the years he published several non-fiction books, including The Act of Marriage (1976), co-written with his wife, Beverly. The LaHayes were also active in conservative politics: Tim was a founding member of the Moral Majority and the Council for National Policy, and Beverly founded the conservative activist group Concerned Women for America.

Although LaHaye was criticized by Christians and non-Christians for his interpretation of Biblical prophecies, the Left Behind books are perennial bestsellers and among the few modern Christian works of fiction to have achieved mainstream publishing success.