The Unseen Realm is moving into the “camera ready files” stage and Supernatural is close behind. We also hope to launch two other products with the two books — items for pastors and folks in the pews. I can’t say more than that right now. Stay tuned.
With the clock ticking to launch all these things, it’s time to have a conversation about how to get the word out. The publisher will be pursuing (and has been planning for) all normal avenues (magazine ads, websites, mailing campaigns, etc.). But everyone on this end knows this will be driven at the grass roots level over the course of years — not a week or two of cheerleading. This is where you all come in. It begins here, with those who follow this blog.
Many moons ago I asked for pastors or folks who otherwise work in the church for blurbs of encouragement and endorsement. Those we received, along with the event in New Bern, NC of last January, have contributed to a long-haul idea to getting the word out — not just about the books, but about their content.
Once the books launch we will be devoting internal time and energy (again, this is very long term) to contacting churches / pastors anywhere and everywhere to take a serious interest in the content. We’ll be asking them to do something like the event in New Bern (see the second set of sessions). In other words, we are not asking for me to appear on a Sunday morning. I can’t possibly communicate the content of the books — the worldview, the biblical theology in its original context — in 30 minutes in a sermon. We won’t book that sort of thing. What we want is to have churches host me for a Saturday event that spans 3-4 hours plus Q & A. This will be at our expense, not a church’s. In exchange for churches not having to pay for my travel, lodging, etc., churches will need to agree to allow us to take orders for the books and software at the event (Lexham Press, the publisher, is an imprint of Faithlife Corporation, the makers of Logos Bible Software).
If you are a pastor who has followed the content of these books (formerly “The Myth that is True” manuscript, now The Unseen Realm and its trade book companion, Supernatural), I hope you’ll consider inviting me to your church/location to do this. Please email me if that’s the case, and I will put you in touch with the folks on this end who schedule the events to work out the details. My email address is under “Contact” on my website. If you are a lay person in your church who teaches or is otherwise interested in the content, this invitation to get involved is also for you. The New Bern, NC event was initiated by two people in that church who were passionate about the content. Their pastor trusted them and gave the green light.
Stay tuned for more as May approaches.
Cant wait to see what the other two products will be
pretty cool
Hey Michael, I’m 17 and a new believer, I saw your rules for bible study and i was wondering how one should start studying the bible? Because I’ve seen other sites where people say studying theology and philosophy, or church history or learning about reformed theology and also learning the biblical languages. I just don’t know where to start they all seem important to some degree or another. The biblical languages seem interesting, I’m really anxious to start learning i just don’t know where to start.
Fundamentally, you need to read Scripture closely – large portions, just to get the flow and get through the Bible. My advice is always to read the prose narratives like you’d read fiction — because when we know we’re reading a novel, for example, our senses are tuned differently — we *know* the author is doing something to us — that there’s an agenda, something he wants us to catch. That helps us train our minds to repetitive words, phrases, places — patterns and devices. A lot of good interpretation is about recognizing patterns, how things pop up more than once and are re-purposed even within a book, but elsewhere. You need to get the basics under your belt: flow of biblical history, major characters/players, major themes (e.g., covenant, sacred space, kingdom, Law, exile, restoration, gospel, grace). The more of the story and flow you store away the better (you need breadth before depth).
I wouldn’t bother reading church history or any particular theology — those things become filters for the Bible. The Bible doesn’t need a filter. It needs to be set free them.
I guess to start I’d recommend that you listen to my (old) podcast series – episodes 16 through 33 at:
http://www.nakedbiblepodcast.com/episodes/page/4/
After you get through with those, you’ll have a better idea as to what might interest you — where you might want to start learning more.
And see my latest post “5 minutes is a long time.”
Thank You,I really appreciate this.
If we want to order copies of the books in bulk (say, a few boxes’ worth), who do we talk to about this?
You’d have to talk to the publisher. However, once they are shipping, if you email me about that, I can give you a more direct email address for that.
Hope all is well with you and yours. We have several pastors and very possibly a Reformed Baptist (think John Gill) Association of churches here in Atlanta that are interested. I’ve had many read the Myth book out of my dropbox account (it may the first draft you put up.)
Not to puff you up but as I’ve told you before, God worked on my tired old mind through your work.
We are praying He uses this new version to revive not just minds but spirits as well.
Thanks for this – good news. Stay tuned for when the real thing launches (still slated for sometime in May). The real one is far more readable, and has a good bit of new material.
Since you are in Atlanta, maybe we can meet in any respect in November. The ETS/SBL meetings are in Atlanta this year (Nov 17-23).
Are both (or either) “Supernatural” and “The Unseen Realm” on track for a May 1 release? Amazon shows that to be the case for “Supernatural”, but still shows “Currently Unavailable” for “The Unseen Realm”. I’m chomping at the bit to order and read “The Unseen Realm” but updates as to its release date have been nil. Lastly, can you (or does the publisher allow you) to share any info/availability on accompanying resources for each of these upcoming releases? Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide on these questions. I’ve been promoting both books to folks I know. Several have already places orders for “Supernatural” from Amazon.
Ignore Amazon. That date is manufactured by the robots that work there (literally). THIS SITE will be the place that announces when the books are actually obtainable.