As this year begins to wind down, I pray that you are well, both physically both spiritually. Being involved together with you in the Lord’s work has been something I’ve grown to be even more thankful for this year.
Before I move on to my main topic in this month’s report, I want to share with you something about the “work flow” in my writing that you may find interesting. I am using the new AI writing tools in various ways, but one of the most helpful things is this: when I have completed the draft of a new page, I copy and paste it into ChatGPT and ask it to summarize the main point in two or three sentences. Sometimes it “gets” my point exactly, but when it does not, I take that as a sign that I was not as clear as I thought I was, and I can go back and clarify or sharpen the focus of the page. The truth is, if ChatGPT can’t tell what my main point is, a human reader probably won’t get it either. We writers (and preachers) are often not as clear as we think we are — so I’m thankful for the brutal honesty of a “reader” like ChatGPT. It helps me to communicate more understandably.
But now, let’s talk about something more important. Daryl Townsend is a gospel preacher in Florida who has for many years been active in working with inmates in the Florida prison system. He has a non-profit foundation called “Off the Chain Ministries” that people can make tax-deductible contributions to, and the Lord has used Daryl’s work in reaching many prisoners with the gospel.
For a number of years, Daryl has used my books in his work. He has purchased cases of books, and I have tried to donate as many cases as I can. Occasionally, Daryl has forwarded to me letters from prisoners expressing their appreciation for the books, especially Reaching Forward.
Recently Daryl discovered a new tool that he thinks is going to be useful in reaching many more prisoners, not only in Florida but all over the United States. There is an app that prisoners can use on tablets provided to them in prison, and Daryl is going to be able to upload biblical teaching resources to this app. The possibilities are amazing. Potentially, thousands of prisoners all over the country can be exposed to topics related to the gospel of Christ.
Initially, Daryl asked for my permission to make the daily readings from my books available on the app, and we are in discussions with the technical people concerning the best way to do this. But as we have talked about the possibilities, I have offered to also make some short teaching videos that would be relevant to the prisoners. Initially, I have offered to provide one video each month, to see how this might work.
I am excited about this work. I had been praying for quite some time about the fact that my health situation has curtailed my “pulpit” preaching, and I can’t help but believe that the opening of this door in Daryl Townsend’s work is providential. Here is a way that I can continue to teach through the spoken work, and not only that, but it will connect me to an audience whose needs are especially near to my heart. I hope you’ll pray with me about this work!
Thank you for every expression of your help in the work that I am privileged to be a part of. I thank God for you!
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 2026.
- Going Home — Book 7 in the WordPoints Daybook Series. Target: November 2029.
- 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.
