Tour & Giveaway The Kingdom of God by John Avery

About the Book

Book: The Kingdom of God: Our life with Jesus the King

Author: John Avery

Genre: Christian Devotional, non-fiction

Release date: March 1, 2023

What is the kingdom of God? Many people only vaguely understand (or misunderstand) it. Is it a future heavenly existence where the nicest dreams come true and nightmares are miraculously purged? After all, it is sometimes called the kingdom of heaven. Perhaps we dismiss it as an irrelevant ideal. Pastors typically prioritize topics like salvation, grace, eternal life, faith, and prayer. Yet, the kingdom was central to the messages of John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul, and other New Testament writers. Their words and behavior show that the kingdom theme is the framework uniting those topics and the entire mission of Jesus and His followers.

God’s kingdom centers on the King. It’s a life journey shared with other kingdom subjects.

This collection of 38 short pieces (2-3 pages each) explores vital questions like:

How well do we understand Jesus’ view of the kingdom of God?
What did Jesus mean when He spoke of being in (or outside of) the kingdom?
Does the kingdom make any difference to our lives right now? Should it?
Will the kingdom grow automatically, or do we have a part to play?

These pieces can be read quickly; they’re relaxed too—but think carefully and deeply.

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INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR…JOHN AVERY

Answers by John Avery, author of The Kingdom of God: our life with Jesus the King.

Answers by John Avery, author of The Kingdom of God: our life with Jesus the King

How long does it take you to write a book?

My first book (The Name Quest: explore the names of God to grow in faith and get to know Him better) took fifteen years (probably >10,000 hours). The devotionals that I write are 5-600 words. Some come very quickly; most take 2-3 hours for an acceptable draft. Compiling them into a book like The Kingdom of God takes additional time and editing.

2. What tactics do you have when writing? Do you just sit down and start writing? Or have an outline plan before?

Almost every piece begins in my own times with Him and reading the Bible. I might check what I sense against commentaries or reference works sometimes, but the main message comes from those times with Him. I make a point of writing the outline as soon as I finish my time with Him. I develop the work at various times after that. Sunday evenings are my reserved writing times but I try to find time on other days too.

3. What special knowledge or research was required to write this book?

I think that years of reading about the Kingdom of God and studying the Bible in general were essential. Over the last three years I focused on reading the Gospels multiple times. I analyzed the events in Jesus’ life and ministry and discovered patterns in what He said and did, where, to whom, what triggered things etc. Some of that comes out in The Kingdom of God, perhaps more in my previous book, The Questions of Jesus: questions asked by Jesus, questions people asked Him.

4. How do you make non-fiction interesting and engaging while still being informative and writing the facts?

Five things:

I try not to write things that have been written many times before or are too obvious; I believe God gives me fresh insights that are, nonetheless sound.

I try to include a brief life situation or personal experience that people can relate to.

I keep “heady” academic things to a bare minimum when they are essential.

I try to write in a casual, conversational way and to not use “Christianese” but everyday language.

I check my ideas against commentaries and other reference works to make sure I am not “off.”

5. Who is your favorite author?

CS Lewis is hard to beat. He has wonderful insight, can express things extremely well, and he writes well in multiple genres.

6. Your favorite pastime or hobby?

I am a hiker. I love to be out in the mountains or desert. Summer hiking, winter cross-country skiing. The further into wilderness, the better.

7. Do you have a favorite vacation spot?

My wife and I love going to Palm Springs area for Christmas break. It’s great for winter hiking and, of course, warmer weather than Oregon.

About the Author

John Avery is the author of The Name Quest: Explore the Names of God to Grow in Faith and Get to Know Him Better (Morgan James Publishing, 2015). The Name Quest won the 2016 Oregon Christian Writers’ Cascade Award for nonfiction. A compilation of short pieces, The Questions of Jesus, was published in 2022.

John is a trained teacher with over thirty years’ experience as a Bible teaching pastor, small group leader, missionary, and disciple maker. He has lived in England, Israel, Africa, and the Caribbean, ministering with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), international student ministry, and local churches. He and his wife, Janet, now make their home in Oregon. John likes to hike, snowshoe, and cross-country ski. John writes short, thought-provoking Bible devotionals at www.BibleMaturity.com many of which will be compiled into books like this one. He maintains a comprehensive resource for all the names of God at www.NamesForGod.net.

More from John

This book is a collection of short devotional pieces. They’re relaxed, but they challenge the reader to think carefully too. What is the kingdom of God? What does it mean for our lives?

Many people only vaguely understand (or misunderstand) the kingdom of God. Is it a future heavenly existence where the nicest dreams come true and nightmares are miraculously purged? After all, it is sometimes called the kingdom of heaven. Perhaps we dismiss it as an irrelevant ideal. Pastors typically prioritize topics like salvation, grace, eternal life, faith, and prayer. Yet, the kingdom was a priority for Jesus.

God’s kingdom centers on the King. It’s a life journey shared with other kingdom subjects.

The pieces explore vital questions like: