A new book idea . . .

Daniel Segraves

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When Susan and I were in Paris a couple of weeks ago, I went into a bookstore and discovered an interesting book display. Here’s the picture and my comments.

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Exploring a book display filled with small volumes all subtitled something like “A Short Introduction to . . . .” Each is about 100 pages long. I am looking at one titled “A Short Introduction to Miracles.” The bibliography includes a book on miracles written by Graham Twelftree, an Australian scholar who was one of my professors in my Ph.D. Program. The display gave me the idea to write short books on topics relevant to biblical studies. Who knows? Now that I’m retired . . .

Now, this past Sunday, Susan and I attended a 90th birthday celebration for Lorene Foster, a founding member of The Sanctuary UPC. As we sat at a table with Jim and Donna Sample and Robin and Marsha Johnston, Brother Johnston, who is the editor in chief for the United Pentecostal Church International, told me he had read my post. He said, “We need a book on the Holy Spirit.”

It turns out that the UPCI needs to publish a series of books on topics that are generally associated with systematic theology. One is a book on pneumatology, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

I have mentioned before that my “big” project since retirement is to write the second volume of my commentary on Psalms. I have been working on that, but I will set it aside temporarily to write the manuscript for a book on the Holy Spirit. It will be about 150 pages long. I have already submitted a tentative outline to Everett Gossard, the book editor for the Pentecostal Publishing House.

I’m excited about this project. I’ve taught pneumatology between 25 and 30 times over the years. The Holy Spirit stands at the beginning and ending of the Holy Bible.

We’re Pentecostals, we need a book on the Holy Spirit!

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