Well, Here I Sit

As many of you know, The Cup and the Glory existed for years and was passed around to about seventy countries before it was ever published. The writing of the book coincided with the advent of the Web and email, so it never would have been that widespread without the new technology tools. As many who have read the book know my "price" for distributing the book was prayer for me, and that they would send it on to someone they think needed it.

Since I also used the material at certain classes I taught at seminary and at various mission conferences and churches, and since I would receive letters and emails from many who ended up with it, I had either verbally or in written form communicated with thousands before and after the book was published. Every chapter ended up being many people's favorite chapter, and a lot of this was due to the circumstances in their lives. The numerous interactions gave me such a substantial base of comparison as I listened to people tell me things, and they would have no idea of previous conversations I had had with others. It made me much better at this because of this wealth of interaction.

I wrote this just to show the vast difference in interaction with others at the present time with The Darkness and the Glory, which was released on December 1, 2008. I had no idea how striking the very limited interaction about the new book would be to me. Of course, this will change over time, but it is something that greatly surprised me. John MacArthur was about the 20th person to read The Darkness and the Glory. 

The Darkness and the Glory is one of the Shepherd Conference of Grace Community Church "give away books." I am supposed to do an interview this Thursday about the book. I am praying that God will bring things to mind that He wants because I do not thoroughly know this book yet like I do The Cup and the Glory. I know that may sound strange in that I did write the book, but it is not the same as the process for the first book. I don't know a quick way to prepare for the interview. Again, hopefully once I am into it, God will stir my remembrance.

I am doing a monthly study on The Darkness and the Glory with a blessed group of secretaries from Grace Community Church. It is my first group study since the book was published. We had previously studied The Cup and the Glory together, so they very familiar with the format. It has been most interesting to watch them as they study and to interact with them. They are up to the end of chapter four, "The Separation." With The Cup and the Glory, many of them had life experiences of their own cup and hardships. With The Darkness and the Glory, which deals with the cup that Jesus alone had to drink because no one else could, it has been a lot less vocal as a reverential awe and worship of what Jesus endured for us permeated our last session. There were still comments, of course, but when we look at what He endured, we see how far removed we are from Him, and often there are no words fit to express this. This is fitting and is as God intends and is at the heart of true worship. 

I will keep you posted as I hear from people as sit on the sideline watch with interest how people respond to this book.

Grace and peace. 

Glory Books Ministry 

Late January reflections (Bitter Sweet)

Well, I guess it is time I updated the blog. Looks as though I have already blow my New Year's resolution on this one. Not at an excuse, but it really has been a whirlwind of activities: new book published, editing the third one, the start of the semester, beginning a teaching pastor position at a new church (more about all these later).

I always date when the books come out by when I first receive them. In this case, The Darkness and the Glory arrived to me on December 2, 2008. I was in the mountains of Georgia speaking at a church and had to wait until I got home to see them.

While in Georgia in late November, I received word the following from my wife Betsy and wrote the following email to those involved in the non-profit ministry:

Good morning, Beloved

After about a 10-year "wait until the time is right with God," The Darkness and the Glory will be shipped from the printers. It has already borne fruit, and for that I am extremely thankful and rejoicing in the Lord.

I found out yesterday that Bill Merrill, the lawyer for The Master's Seminary and College, fell over dead from a heart attack. He was in his forties; he left behind a wife and two teenage children. It has left me rejoicing for the above paragraph and "kicked in the stomach" stunned at the same time.

Indeed our days are numbered before the Lord, and Bill going home to be with God is no mistake, but we still grieve our losses until we are all home with the Lord. 

I will miss him and our deepening friendship, and I will very much miss his expertise in being the brain trust behind the non-profit.

God bless you all.

Greg

Well, that should be enough for the time being.

More about The Darkness and the Glory soon.

Glory Books Ministry 

The Training Wheels Edition of the Glory Books Ministry Blog

It seems to be my course in life to always start something new right in the midst of a very busy segment of life. Beginning this blog is no different. We approach the end of our semester at The Master's Seminary, and it is an incredibly busy time for both students and faculty. It has been a wonderful semester. Those who know me know that I am anything but "cutting edge" computer savvy or up with all the latest doing with the web or computers. 

Yet I wanted to get this blog up and going so I could add to it over time. The Darkness and the Glory, which is the sequel to The Cup and the Glory, is being released anywhere from today up through early next week. My copies are scheduled to arrive this Monday, Dec. 1. Many people who have read The Cup and the Glory do not yet know that the sequel exists. The Darkness and the Glory will be one of the Grace Community Church's give-away books for their 2009 Shepherd's Conference. It is a high honor to be associated with this, I assure you.

I have already seen fruit from the pre-publication versions, and I say that with a most thankful heart unto the Lord. I will tell more about some of these in the upcoming weeks. It would not make a lot of sense to tell people about it before they read the book. 

We named the blog "Glory Books Ministry" since there is now more than one "glory book"out. If all goes well, the third glory book will be released about the same time next year. We also are in the process of having the Spanish version of The Cup and the Glory printed very soon, and wanted to make people aware of that. And it very much is a ministry. I get no royalties from any of the books or study guides, but that is not the same as saying "I get nothing from it." I get the thrill of standing on the sidelines and watching God do with these as He will and fruit He produces. Our childlike simplistic "business model" is to pray, give the royalties away to other ministries, and ask that people who read this will pass it on to someone they think needs it. It has been immensely fruitful this way, and I pray that God will continue to give the increase as He sees fit. 

Having seen God already use The Darkness and the Glory before its publication, I continue to stand on the sideline and watch with anticipation what God does. I pray for people's salvation, and I pray that the Body of Christ will be edified as they read about the unique cup that Jesus drank in order to save those who would receive His gift of salavation. 

We will see what God does with this second glory book.

To God be the glory. 

Glory Books Ministry