Greetings in the Lord and best wishes for this new year in His work. This year, I plan to resume a monthly schedule for these reports. For some, that may be a bit much, since we are all inundated with communications these days. But I feel it’s important for me to keep in touch with those who support me, especially those who do so financially. And I am excited about the work that I’ll be updating you on throughout the new year, Lord willing.
I look forward to preaching for the congregation in Clarksville, Indiana on two Sundays this month, January 2 & 30.
I will also be speaking at the Southside congregation in Pasadena, Texas this coming weekend, January 7–9. I will be presenting my series on “Obeying the Gospel,” helping them begin their 2022 theme of “The Gospel Is for All.”
The Obeying the Gospel podcast was well received in 2021. At year’s end, there had been over 10,000 downloads of the podcast, and that does not count the many who listened on YouTube. The podcast will repeat its cycle in 2022, with each day’s podcast containing the audio for that day’s reading in the book.
As 2022 begins, I’m excited about starting to write the new book, Walking in Christ. This will be Book 6 in the WordPoints Daybook Series, the next-to-the-last volume in that series. I’ve written a few pages already and am glad to be back into the swing of writing. I miss it terribly when I’m in the interim between books. This next book will be the natural followup to Obeying the Gospel — that book talked about becoming a Christian; the new volume will discuss what’s involved in being a Christian.
As I’ve announced previously, I plan during 2022 to begin a series of teaching videos called Encountering Christ. This will be, as I like to say, “what the Scriptures teach about Jesus Christ . . . and why we should believe it.” Ultimately, I hope to write a book with that title, but between now and then, I want to do these videos as a means of preparing for the writing of the book. Each video will be short and tightly focused on some single aspect of Jesus Christ. In addition to presenting Christ as He is found in the Scriptures, I want to defend the truth about Him against the objections and criticisms that are raised in our age. So the work will be partly instructional and partly apologetic (defense of the faith). It will be later in the year before the first video will be ready, but I will begin work on this project immediately.
I am deeply grateful for the financial support that many of you provide me. Needless to say, it would be very hard to do this work without your help. Mere words are inadequate to express my gratitude. I believe strongly in the value of this work (I wish you could read the emails and texts I get from people who say they’ve been helped), and each day I am reminded of the privilege of getting to do this work. No one has ever been blessed with as many friends in the Lord as I have. I would try to do this work, if I could, even without support, but that would be nearly impossible. So the fact that I am supported to do it is a tremendous “bonus.” I never take it for granted, but pray about it every day when I am counting my blessings. I hope you know how much I love you for your willingness to help me keep going.
As we begin a new calendar year, I pray that our Lord will open many doors for us all in the work of His kingdom. I believe that 2022 is going to see some great things happen by His grace. It’s going to be a blessing to be a part of it.
Gary Henry — WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
WRITING GOALS
Pray with me that I will be given the ability to finish these works
- Walking in Christ — Book 6 in the WordPoints Daybook Series. Target: November 2025.
- Going Home — Book 7 in the WordPoints Daybook Series. Target: November 2028.
- Seeking God in the Psalms — a 52-lesson study — theme for each week, studies for Monday-Friday.
- Ecclesiastes — a full-scale commentary on the text of Ecclesiastes.
- Encountering Christ — what the Scriptures teach about Jesus Christ . . . and why we should believe it.
