Writing for the Second Day

I have just completed my commentary on the last few verses of John 16 which I left off last October 2024.  I am writing for the second day running, having not written a single line since I took up my current pastorate a year ago. I am taking a few days to write in view of my lighter than usual preaching duties in the next couple of weeks. There are two visiting preachers and I am only preaching on 13th and 14th December when the church celebrates our Christmas before the exodus back home (villages) for some of the church members just before the actual Christmas Day on the 25th.

So I hope to write and push on the commentary on John's Gospel which have five chapters to go (17-21). This is just the first draft and revision takes much time and I will have to go somewhere to get my references as I will want to include English references, some of the latest commentaries and journal articles on the Gospel of John. The first volume was published almost 6 years ago (February 2020) and by God's grace I hope to get this done by end of 2026 and then onto another book. I hope to write a book on Revelation after finishing this commentary on John's Gospel vol. 2. 

During my trip to Entilibon early this month, I sold more than 10 books, mostly commentaries on Galatians which I promoted when I shared how for the whole of 2022 I was occupied in writing the commentary as I waited for my next appointment. It took 18 months off active ministry before I joined a local seminary which lasted just a year and then another 5 months of writing "Anak Panah" which is my semi-biography in Malay. I am heartened that every where I go there are buyers of the several books I had authored and may the Malay speaking and reading church rise up to become one that is strong theologically and biblically, only if they read and engage with the biblical text beyond casual reading for daily devotions.