I promise it is not a gesture of false-humility to say I am shocked that my body, mind, spirit, and ego have made it through another book-writing process in one piece.
Yes, the writing part makes up a bulk of the mental and spiritual heavy lifting, but I find the post-manuscript even more grueling. I do think I have a pretty tough skin and know that editors are there to make the book stronger, but I have to take a running start before I am brave enough to open up that first draft of edits. Every time it is a bloodbath of red edits. We're talking hundreds and hundreds of corrections, suggestions, and comments like, "I'm not sure what you are trying to say here."
Having been through this a few times now, I am sure I require more editing than your average bear. I tend to write like I talk, which is the vibe of my writing, but does not always communicate what I am trying to say. From the amount of word salad my editors are forced to decipher, it has also become painfully evident that my brain moves much faster than my fingers. It is not hyperbole to say that editors are the real heroes of the book-writing process. They should get hazard pay for what their brains must go through on any of my projects.
After multiple rounds of editing, Prophets, Priests, Pastors, and Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ is finished — Subject: Final Edit [SEND].
With a big sigh of relief, the schilling can now begin. With the final edits submitted, the official 30% off, pre-order link is live on www.chalicepress.com, and you are invited to pre-order two or ten copies for yourself, your book group, for a church read, or to secretly mail to your favorite Christian Nationalist (joking, not joking).
From the description –
Who is Jesus—and who is Jesus calling us to be? In Prophets, Priests, Pastors, and Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ, explore the fullness of Jesus’ identity and how it challenges us to reflect His life in our own. Too often, we reduce Jesus to the traits we find easiest to follow while neglecting His full call. This transformative book unpacks the four-fold nature of Jesus as prophet, priest, pastor, and poet, inviting readers to view Jesus’ ministry through difference lenses and to see a broader, richer faith. Through action, reflection, and storytelling, this accessible resource equips individuals and communities to navigate life with deeper purpose and imagination—building bridges, inspiring change, and encountering God in expansive ways.
For those considering using PPPP for a book group or church read, let me know. If you would like me to remotely join your group for an hour, let's arrange a time. Email The Team to set up a time.
From the Introduction
Who do people say that I am?—Mark 6:27
We begin this particular Jesus journey with a screaming toddler on a cold Christmas Eve night. It was the late ’90s, and we had been trucking it from the Christmas Eve service that I led as the pastor of a local congregation to our family gathering. Every year, the rest of the family had to wait for my mom (also a Presbyterian minister) and me to finish our services before the feasting could begin. We were all getting a little tired and cranky. During this particular service, Jesus stickers were handed out to the kids as a way for them to remember that Jesus was with them, with us, and with the world. When we left service, Jesus was firmly in Ev’s hand, but by the time we arrived, Ev had fallen asleep and released their grip, allowing Jesus to disappear into the wilderness of a minivan abyss of goldfish crackers, single socks, and mysterious substances. When we pulled up to the driveway of my mom’s place and Ev woke up, we were greeted with the type of scream that only comes from an abruptly awakened hungry toddler.
“I lost Jesus!” was all we heard over and over and over again. “I lost Jesus! I lost Jesus! I lost Jesus!”
Being the loving, straitlaced, pious church parents that we were, we could only giggle to ourselves as we tried to comfort our child, who was so clearly distressed about losing Jesus. Seriously, we could barely hold in our outright laughter while trying to console our screaming child. And, miracles of miracles, Jesus somehow showed up, and Ev triumphantly declared, “I found him. I found Jesus!”
Whew. Crisis of faith averted.
This is where we begin with Jesus. Make no mistake, I take Jesus very seriously. And at the same time, I do not take us humans too seriously in our pursuit of understanding this divine human we call the Christ. We are complex people deserving of all the reactions when it comes to how we have approached Jesus: compassion, encouragement, gratitude, patience, and yes, even sometimes a little playful mockery.
Thanks again for all of the support and for helping to fill in the cracks in between all of these projects. I am deeply grateful.
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