Ever wonder how Chuck Swindoll got involved in publishing? I mean, he's a fantastic writer. Plus, he's published over 70 books. Chuck became an author by --get this -- adapting his Sunday sermons into books. This is pure genius. It's like killing two birds with the same stone. And why not? After all, all the research and work you put into preaching is the perfect foundation for a lifetime of publishing. Likewise, I think transforming your lectures into books is a great strategy. I've used it a bit myself. I mean, your lectures are already structured and packed with your core ideas. This gives you a massive head start when it comes to publishing. I'd say about half of my books originated in this manner. I would simply take the things I'd been saying in the classroom for years and then author a book based on the pre-existing content. The books Chuck wrote like this include his fabulous The Grace Awakening and Strengthening Your Grip.
I recall it was in the 1980s when I was approached by a publisher to write for them a beginning Greek grammar. By that time I had been teaching Greek at Biola for a number of years. When the publisher contacted me, my initial response was something like, "Are you serious? We teachers need a new beginning Greek grammar like a hole in the head." They said, "Understood. But would you pray about it?" I said yes, and 5 months later they received my completed manuscript. It really wasn't all that hard to do. After all, I'd been teaching this material for many years. Besides, by then I was beginning to adopt what later became I suppose my hallmark as a writer -- keeping things simple without (hopefully) being simplistic. The last thing I wanted to come across as was just another arrogant egghead in academia. The church doesn't need gimmicks to attract people. It needs subject matter that is taught clearly and lived out passionately. I am committed that Learn to Read New Testament Greek will not someday become Learn to Show Off New Testament Greek from the Pulpit. This is a great time to remind ourselves that the Bible was not given for our information. It was given for our transformation. This is true of your English Bible as much as it is true of the Greek New Testament (and Hebrew Old Testament). Teaching Greek to people strips away the veil of translation. Not only that, it equips and empowers them to evaluate secondary sources independently. This inspires, not interpretive pride, but interpretive confidence.
At any rate, I can tell you from experience that writing a book can be incredibly surreal. It is a milestone that people reach at all stages of life. Writing a beginning grammar was one of the most delightful experiences of my career. The ultimate joy comes from the thrill of finally getting a tool out into the world that might turn an isolated hobby into a shared human experience. With editions in English, Spanish, and Mandarin -- the world's three most widely-spoken languages -- it blows my mind to think that 40 percent of the world's population now has access to the language of the New Testament if they are willing to put in the work.
Chuck Swindoll's book are loved because they make complex biblical truth intensely practical and relatable. No one can strip away academic dryness like he can. His writing style and passion for simplicity are great virtues in an often overly complicated world.