Advice re a project, please?

You asked: "1) Is there a need for it?"

IMHO no. There are many books on the subject that deal with it quite adequately. HOWEVER, if, as you have suggested, there is something new that you want to bring to the discussion then there is good reason to do it, though whether anyone in our church society would be interested ... ? The interest you have gotten here is certainly not enough to print a book - ain't cost effective.

Dallas didn't reprint Chafer's theology for years because there was little interest.

I'm not sure it is warm and fuzzy enough a topic to excite the church I know.

You asked: "2) Does God want me to do it?"

Might I add a humorous yes? Not that I presume to to have any idea!

You asked: "3) Can I get it published?"

DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH! It could get painful if not life threatening!

Since a lot of the work is done, you wouldn't need a real long time to write it - SO - write a good brief but detailed letter of what you are proposing to write and send it to some publishers. Be sure to include a good section on why you think the work is important to the church. They will give you some idea as to their attitude toward such a work. Again, if you have something new to add to the discussion, then I'd guess you might get an affirmative.

You can always self publish and then the answer is yes, if you have a few thousand There is always the publish on demand businesses that are a lot cheaper and becoming more popular and accepted. Some deal with the major book outlets.

At any rate, be sure to tell people where you are going in the beginning and then be sure that you can get there so they aren't disappointed.

I would suggest, if you are stuck on the Sunday School end of it that you shouldn't be. Do that, but add a volume for the other end of the spectrum.

As to editing, don't look at me, I hate that end of writing!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Left my brain in bed this morning.

Two other possibles. If you aren't interested in money you could publish online and reach about as many people I would guess. With that I could and would be glad to assist.

There is another online method that might bring in some money as well. There is a man (Dallas Sem. man I think) that has a website where his informatiion is readable, and he also sells it through an online outlet for computer/pocket computer. You could do either or both of his methods. (For any other readers, if you want these .pdf files on ppc you can export the files to .txt files with the latest adobe reader program.)

http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes.htm I'd guess he might be glad to email about it.

There is also a site that might consider putting it online if it was to be free. http://www.bible.org

 

True, there are many books but a lot of these suffer from some inadequacy. Some are poorly written regarding style and readability, some are written in the English and style of past generations, some are too technical for the layman, and others are so much fluff.

Of course, you are stating your opinion from your own circle of church people. I think that some Baptist and Bible churches in certain parts of the country could get serious about this book if well written. It takes a church with emphasis on Bible teaching and doctrine over experiential religion.

You may be right that it won’t get the publishers’ attention like the Left Behind series but I don’t think that is the purpose here. Publishing is powered by many different motives. Some publish for money, some write for fame and some write and publish because they have something worthwhile to say.

I respectfully disagree. Too many guys make the mistake in assuming their dissertation is publishable. Unless you are limiting your focus to academics (a very narrow base of specialists), an academic paper is unsuitable for publishing. A dissertation is written for an entirely different audience than the general reading Christian public. And publishers don’t generally get excited about publishing dissertations and theses. The work under discussion needs a complete rewrite, not a revision. I’m talking about structure, style, organization, etc.

On the other hand, it is an excellent suggestion to submit a proposal with an outline and sample chapter to publishers now. This is pretty much standard fare with freelance writers today.

This is a legitimate option but I don’t like it. One, who is serious about his writing, wants access the widest possible audience—not for money but to get his message out. There are small print publishers who would publish this work, if well written, without subsidy. Much of the self-publishing industry is aptly name “vanity presses.” I have an bad feelings about publishing for ego. That’s why I use nom de plume.”

There’s a strategy with publishers. Shoot for the top first and then come down the line to smaller houses. In this case, go with Word and Zondervan. Work down the line. Don’t be disappointed if they reject—there is a good chance that they will because it’s not the big money-maker unless you can weave some fiction or personal narrative into it. However, Harvest House or Bethany may take you. I think one of your best chances would be with Ambassador-Emerald of Greenville, SC. They are looking for books and authors. They may be mildly Reformed in theology.

http://www.emeraldhouse.com/

I’m not sure how editing got stuck in here but I am a pretty good editor, not proofreader, and jackleg theologian. I taught writing for a couple of years. Although I could not commit to the editing job, I would be happy to read the draft if UZThD (Bill) could put up with my intrusive comments and loudmouth suggestions.

Personally, I think Bill needs to go full steam ahead. This is a big enough project to keep ole Bill outa trouble for awhile.

 

Quite a number of things are posted at http://cranfordville.com/Cranfordville/BibleStudies.htm

Looking at a Christian Life New Testament might help as well.

Step by Step Through The Old Testament and Step by Step Through The New Testament from Lifeway are laid out very well.
http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/shopping_product_page/0,1711,I%253D0805499466%2526M%253D50005,00.html

 

It's a great idea,Paid gave you some great advice.It sounds like he could help by editing some of your material.It will be a challenge to write that's for sure.
I could be wrong but I think if you challenge students and make it interesting they will rise to the occassion.I have taught adult classes in Sunday School.Making the lesson come alive,giving the student weekly home work so they have something to bring back to the class and contribute can wake students up,get them excited and help them grow in Christ. It's fun to watch Christians come alive.

So I would write it with a dual purpose of being for the general Christian public and for Sunday School.

You might put a warning on the front cover:
Christian Doctrine for Real Men And Women Only.
or
No Milk, for Meat Eaters Only.
Something fun like that.
I too would like to read this book.

 

At first glance, it appears to me that this could be a successful venture. It is a subject that has me interested, so I would assume other "average joe" church members would be as well.

There are other books on the subject, but I have the feeling that you are aiming for something a little deeper and more "involved" than what is available now. While I cannot pretend to speak for anyone other than myself; I would welcome the opportunity to actually get to the "meat" of the subject matter. I think sometimes there are a group of us that get overlooked. The "academics" have their place in our church society. Many of the church members are interested in being taught for an hour or two a week, and little else. However, I do believe that there is a reasonably large segment of our churches that would welcome the opportunity to be involved in deeper study.

Of course, convincing publishing houses that they have been missing a large market may be difficult. Or, I could be dead wrong—maybe I really am the only one!

 

WOW, after reading that post I am even more interested. I think you just gave me enough reason to think to keep my busy for quite some time!

 

You are right.Something is very wrong.Could it be that adult Sunday School students are allowed to be too passive,that there is not enough of a challenge,and they are not inter-acting enough?

I think you may have grabbed onto something very important here.

 

You are correct, something is wrong. Of course, I think some of it is the methodology used in the church. Your LD children are in a situation where they really need to learn. They are tested over the material, they have regular tests and quizzes, and are accountable for not doing what they are supposed to do. In the church, people come in and sit through an hour of SS, half an hour of singing/praise, and another half hour of preaching. There is no real demand. I think if SS were more school-like it may help. Of course, it could also just make the number of people in SS classes drop, I don't know.