Countdown, part 3: Why I’m moving forward

Lord willing, I’m relaunching this blog on January 1 and publishing my book sometime in 2022. In this pre-launch series, I’ve addressed what I’ve been doing with my writing and where this blog is headed. But I haven’t really explained why I’m doing all this in the first place. Why should I blog through the Bible and publish a book about the good news of Jesus, when there are plenty of others out there doing similar work?

Here’s my answer to that, in a 4-point nutshell:

1. Biblical knowledge continues to decrease in our society. Many people know little to nothing about the Bible. Others who have some Biblical knowledge find it hard to describe the Bible as good news. We need more people explaining the Bible, not less, and I’d like to be one of those helping others understand how the Bible’s message is really good news.

2. The myth of a mean God continues to persist. Humans are naturally susceptible to the idea that God wants to withhold blessings from them. This skewed perspective shows up even inside Christian circles. I’d like to keep pointing out that the God of the Bible is not like that! While it’s true that the Bible emphasizes God’s holiness, righteousness, and judgment, the Bible also emphasizes God’s love, mercy, and desire to bless, expressed ultimately in his gift of Jesus Christ.

3. I’ll testify to the good God and the good news in a fresh way. I do not claim to have any earth-shaking revelations about the Bible or brand-new approaches to the good news. However, I am a unique person with a unique story of God’s grace. And I’ve noticed that people particularly appreciate the parts of my story that emphasize my weakness. If I share that I lost my father to suicide, or that I lost my first wife to cancer, or that I’ve suffered mental and emotional burnout, people sit up and take notice. I think that’s because God’s faithfulness shines through my moments of personal pain, loss, or struggle.

4. I believe that God wants me to do this. For me, moving forward with this blog and the book is a matter of joyful, serious obedience. I’m a follower of Christ; I’m also a writer. I’m supposed to testify about Jesus. It’s time I get moving.

I hope you’ll join me here in 2022 as I blog through the Bible and give updates on the book! Subscribe via email below, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or WordPress.

_{Featured image by Sven Huls on Unsplash}