 Charles Swindoll, author of Christian bestsellers The Grace Awakening and Living on the Ragged Edge, recently spoke to DeWayne Hamby, Christian Retailing assistant editor, on his ambitious new Bible commentary project Swindoll's New Testament Insights (the first of which releases in January), his legacy and encouragement for retailers.
What can you tell us about the New Testament Commentary series?
"Years ago, it dawned on me that there's a lot of material that wound up in filing cabinets. I've preached this material, I realized I'd done virtually book in the New Testament. I thought that all that material is going to stay there in those cabinets, those notes, unless we release them. So I got busy, found a publisher, Zondervan, and we're calling it Swindoll's New Testament Insights. Anyone who's heard our broadcasts or know us personally, knows our style. I decided I would provide a 15-volume set of the New Testament, starting with the letter to the Romans and I would do it my style. Everybody has their own personal style and mine is more practical. You don't have to be a seminary professor to understand it. They will help those who've never been to seminary or Bible college to get the truth of what we're talking about. I just decided it was time for that set of books to be made available. Each one has insights from the book in it. I wrote them for people like the registered nurse, the truck driver, mechanic, banker, cab driver, even the student that's still trying to figure out what life's about. I do have some substance in them, because I do word studies and character maps as you work your way through the book. But there's nothing in it that's intimidating. There are applications, stories, maps, details, plus some overviews that will really help a person get a grasp of the scriptures. That's what I'm doing, I'm still involved in it, and what I'll probably be doing until the year 2017, should Christ not come back."
It's a major commitment. This would be your legacy, I guess.
"Well, they call it that, but I don't spend any time thinking about my legacy. I'm pretty busy dealing with my responsibilities. I have no plans to retire. Retirement to me sounds like a pretty boring way to finish off one's life. I'd rather die in the pulpit than anywhere else. I might as well go after it as long as I'm able. And I'm involved in a church that we founded 11 years ago. Loving it, engaged in life, marrying and burying and encouraging people. Helping folks get on their way as they start having families. The books are a lot about life and I see the value of scripture in how we live our lives from one day to the next. I think anyone who gets them will realize that when they read it, they'll not only learn some things about the book but learn some things about life."
You've released so many bestselling books in the Christian marketplace and still some of those messages are timeless, still engaging readers. Why do you think that is?
"I'm really glad to hear you say that and I don't mean that commercially, I mean that honestly. I've spent my life being surprised at the way that God uses what I write, what I preach, what I teach. I think the reason might be that I didn't write those books with a particular ear in mind. I wrote them with life in mind. Each one of them has a particular theme or emphasis but regardless of what era in which you live, you'll find truth to live by and it's always made practical. I'm not dealing with great theological issues, I'm not trying to solve the great controversies of the day - though I certainly believe in taking a stand in places where it's important. But folks will find when they read the book, that there's something here for them regardless of their situation - single, married, divorced, feeling forgotten, very successful, large family, no family, regardless of race, color, age, lifestyle. My writing has to do with everyday living regardless of what may be the subject of hand."
We have a special retailer emphasis in the new year about going back and restocking consistent sellers. If you have any kind of message for retailers, the ones you've met with over the years. They're facing a different climate than when your first book was released.
"I always tell the retailers that you folks are the heroes of the market. You are the ones that are on the front edge. You are the author's best friend. You're out there in the middle the mess of our times and there are few places today that offer solid reliable competent answers and you're one of those places. Don't lose heart. Don't be weary in well doing. God's going to use you and keep using you in spite of the economic downturn, all the challenges we face either from the government or unemployment or wars of rumors of war, there's always a place for what you're doing. Stand tall and stay true."
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