A Longstanding Friendship Brings About New Book Series
I first met Reggie Weems at one of those conferences I was attending in the early 2000s–I do not recall whether it was Together for the Gospel or, maybe more likely, Shepherds’ Conference near Los Angeles. Anyway, we connected. I was living in the UK at the time, and he was residing in eastern Tennessee.
I remember speaking to him by phone one day. Somehow, he had gotten my number, and the distinctive tones of his voice enabled me to remember that he was “the man I had met at the conference.” The name and the face (at the stimulus of the voice) immediately connected with me.
“Might you be able to write a book on missions?” I remember asking him once while we were having dinner in Johnson City (I was visiting him and a book distributor on the same trip). He had already contributed a few books to the publisher I served at the time, Day One. He had me enthralled as he told me of his various strategies for fostering a vision and sensitivity for global missions in his church, a Southern Baptist congregation, well named Heritage Baptist Church. It was my pleasure to superintend the publishing process of that book, as well as having overseen the earlier publications.
Smoky Mountain Range: Hills of North Carolina / Eastern Tennessee, not far from where Reggie lives.
Thinking of a New Series. . .
With changes in my circumstances and my no longer working for the same UK-based publisher, the friendship continued without interruption. Then one day Reggie called me: “I have some manuscripts that I think could work well for books,” he informed me. “They are the fruit of some things I am doing with my congregation at the moment, and deal with real issues my people are struggling with.”
As he continued, the vision grew for me. Reggie, ever practical in meeting the needs of his congregation, ever faithful in his application of the Word of God, ever hardworking and diligent to present the counsel of the Scriptures in an understandable format, outlined to me the kinds of topics he wished to write on. He intended them to be “a series of books that offer biblical encouragement and practical direction on matters of concern to modern Christians.” That may be a broad-brush description, but take a look at some of the titles that we were to kick off with:
“You’ll need a website to help promote these,” I guided him. “I think there is enormous potential in this concept. When can we start?”
Start we did late in 2017 and worked intensively to produce the first four. The books are available for physical purchase in print as well as in Kindle format. Each book is under 10,000 words in length, produced on a small, paperback format (small enough to fit in a pocket or purse, usually around 80 pages), and written in brief, easy-to-read chapters with key review points and quotes highlighted for easy reference. You can find out more about the series (and check out some previews) at the dedicated website HERE.
The books are available worldwide and Amazon offers easy purchasing and shipping options for most customers.
