Pressing On with my Book

I am now in the most difficult phase of getting my book done and dusted. I am re-reading and revising as I go along, putting the last few footnotes, expanding or deleting what I think is not necessary and keep the book within the self-imposed limit of 200 pages of commentary on the last 9 chapters of the Gospel of John, some of the most difficult chapters to interpret, but I am pressing on. It may last for a few more weeks, as I go along.

I have found a proof-reader to help me read through my book and correct mistakes and spelling. I have read the book 3 or 4 times now but there are still many errors here and there. Even though it is my 8th book, it is not getting any easier and I am glad to take a break from active ministry to complete this vol. 2 of the commentary which first volume was published more than 6 years ago, just before the start of the MCO due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

I just had a brief conversation with a hawker, who works at a small restaurant that I go to from time to time and she asked what I did for a living. I said, "I am a pastor" which she did not understand at first, but I tried using some Hakka which I think she understood I worked for the church, but I told her I ended my service about 2 months ago to focus on writing and I could see a blank in her face and I took out my manuscript. Obviously as a chef or hawker I do not think she had read a page let alone a book in her life for many many years. 

How do I bridge my interests with others, but like Paul I become all things to all people so I changed the topic and told her about my travels around Sabah and said that I had preached in 130 SIB churches, mostly in the interior of Sabah and she was even more amazed. If my Hakka or Mandarin were better, I would have shared Christ with her. 

No wonder my ministry is among the Malay-speaking folks and one day perhaps the Lord will open doors for me to minister in a foreign land that majority of its inhabitants speak and understand English. Sometimes, I feel I could contribute much in the English speaking world. I had in the past 31 years preached twice in English churches here in Sabah and my main language seems to have gone to waste, except writing this blog and a couple of books which I wrote in English. 

Again, I will think and pray about writing another book in English and it might be on the Psalms towards the fourth quarter of the year. In the meantime, I press on with my Malay speaking audience and after John's Gospel it could well be a book on Romans in Malay, my trilogy of books would then be complete (John's Gospel, Galatians, Romans).