INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR CAROL BERUBEE

 

You may be used to me doing interviews with fellow believers I learned about in a Facebook Group I'm in, that group being Female Christian Rock & Metal. Well, you'll start seeing a few interviews from authors in a different Facebook Group I'm in, namely Calvinist Dispensationalists Unite! Today, I have the honor of interviewing author Carol Berubee.

 

Before I start with the interview, though, allow me to add something. Yes, I love interviewing novelists and musicians and artists. However, the interviews I enjoy the most deal with theology, as today's and those I did with Mere Liberty's Kerrie Baldwin and Common Thread's Mark Mirza. 

So are you ready for today's interview?

JR: Welcome to my blog, Carol. May I start by asking how you came to Christ and how you got started writing?

CB: Thanks for inviting me, Jeff. Well, my background is not Christian. I grew up in a home that was Deist, at best. There were some occult influences, as well. I had no idea who Jesus was. I heard “Jesus Christ” as a curse word, but had no clue that this was a person. Even in my twenties, I
wasn’t too sure what Christmas was; I didn’t really understand the birth of Christ. I was even more confused about “Easter.” I just had no understanding of it at all.

I was raised in a “moralist” home; we understood that lying, stealing, cheating, and swearing were all wrong, not to even mention murder (including abortion), or adultery, or other sexual sins. We knew that all of those things were forbidden. My parents, at the same time, instilled in us the importance of helping others, of “loving your neighbor.”

But moralism without God leads to grand valleys of failure. With so many rules to obey, it’s easy to cross the line. Then, there comes a time when everything just seems to snowball; or, in my case, there’s one dramatic sin that ensnares you and even though you don’t (at least, on the surface) think that anything is sinful, you just know that your life isn’t right. I was happy until I wasn’t; and then, I’d tell myself that my life was okay and I had every right to be happy. That kind of thinking only takes you so far. 

One night, when I was 31 and was, literally, in the middle of my sin, I just had a moment where I realized that God was there. Without going into details, I was convicted of my sin and the next morning I began to look for Christian books and messages. From there, I finally found a local church, though I would leave there after four years because I came to realize that it wasn’t really Biblical. It did, however, afford me the opportunity to teach women’s Bible studies.

Over the years, I had fielded many questions from fellow Christians about various topics, especially law and grace, and eschatology, so that I began to write a book “in my head.” Eventually, a friend shared something that had occurred in his Bible study group that had to do with how we know we are saved. I was surprised that in my friend’s group, no one had referenced anything from the Pauline corpus. It was evident that “works” had come to the fore and references were drawn from the Gospel accounts and from James’ epistle.

My response to my friend was based on my years of Biblical study that had led me to believe that Paul is our Apostle, that Jesus had come under the Law to minister to Israel, and that James was an Apostle to the Jews, specifically; therefore, we should look to Paul, first and foremost. But how would I explain that in just a few sentences? I had to write a book that would explain to my friend, and others, what the Bible tells us about Paul’s ministry as distinct from Jesus’ pre-Cross ministry to Israel, and even the ministry of The Twelve among the Jews. 

JR: Could you tell us about your most recent book? What other books do you have out?

CB: I’ll begin with your second question, if I may. I knew the first book I wrote would be the beginning of a series, so after making the case for Pauline Dispensationalism, the next book would be a primer on Pauline doctrine. If Paul is our Apostle, what does the Ascended Christ have to tell us through His chosen vessel? What is Paul’s Gospel and what is the “mystery” of which he speaks? 

To your first question, after writing those two books, I set that series aside for the time being so that I could write my most recent book, what I call a “Bible study devotional” for women. It’s a response to some women who have great influence in Christian circles but who don’t necessarily have a Biblical worldview, or don’t believe the Bible is sufficient, or don’t understand walking in grace rather than law-works.
I had also heard women complaining that most devotionals for women are too “fluffy;” they wanted more meat. So, this little devotional is packed with Scripture and challenges ladies to leave aside the pretty pictures to focus on the meat of the Word, which is enough. The theme is “law and grace” and “walking in the Spirit.”

JR: On your Facebook Author page, you state you’re “Helping Christians to know who they are in Christ by rightly dividing the Word – Acts 2 Pauline Dispensationalism.” Acts 2 Pauline Dispensationalism sounds interesting. What is it? Does it differ from other forms of Dispensationalism or theology? Or, taking a different angle, are the teachings of Paul at odds with those of Jesus?

CB: Well, first, Acts 2 Dispensationalism is the default dispensational stance; that is, most dispensationalists hold that the Church, which is the Body of Christ, began in Acts 2. Some dispensationalists are Mid-Acts or later; that is, they believe the Church began at Paul’s conversion in Acts 9, or when believers were first called “Christians” in Acts 13, or even as late as Acts 28 when Paul supposedly goes to the Jews for the last time and concentrates the rest of his ministry to Gentiles only. I’m Acts 2, but I differ from most Acts 2 dispensationalists in that I acknowledge and embrace the unique ministry and message of Paul, and recognize the differences between Paul’s Gospel and ministry over against those of the pre-Cross
Christ and even the post-Cross Twelve; thus, I’m Pauline.

As if that’s not confusing enough to some Christians, we have the added confusion of the label, “Pauline Dispensationalism,” which is used today by Mid-Acts believers. However, it was once used by Acts 2 believers who were distinctly Pauline but because we are all but extinct, there aren’t enough of us to hold on to that moniker and so we’ve lost it to the Mid-Acts folks; hence, my label of “Acts 2 Pauline Dispensational.”

So, the theological differences between your run-of-the-mill (Acts 2) dispensationalist and a Pauline dispensationalist can be quite significant. For example, while the typical Christian, even the typical modern dispensationalist, would hang on every word of the Sermon on the Mount, the Pauline believer recognizes the context of the Sermon as Yeshua Messiah teaching pre-Cross Jews. Christ had been born under the Law to minister to Israel under the Law (Galatians 4:4, Romans 15:8). There is no mention of the Cross, the shed blood, the indwelling Spirit, or the Body of Christ in the Sermon; therefore, we study the Sermon (it IS the Word of God!), but we keep it in its proper context (Israel under Mosaic Law). For example, in the Sermon, Christ says that if we do not forgive, then God won’t forgive us (Matthew 6:15), but Paul says that we forgive because we have already been forgiven by God (Ephesians 4:32). I go through several such examples in my first book. There are also these types of differences between the ministry of The Twelve and that of Paul, and these are explained in the book.

Theologically, the most significant differences have to do with law and grace, the mystery, and the Body of Christ. Even The Twelve continued to practice Mosaic Law after the Cross (Acts 10-11). And then, more than twenty years post-Cross, Peter, James, and John agreed to continue to go to Jews only, while Paul and Barnabas continued to go to the Gentiles (Galatians 2). The Twelve and James had just come to understand, at that time, that the Gentiles were not required to proselytize to Judaism in order to become Christians. This is important because Paul had been teaching grace among the Gentiles from the beginning and, in keeping with that doctrine, he never compelled the Gentiles to look to Israel’s Law for either justification or sanctification. And yet, today, most Christians will say that, at the very least, we are under the Ten Commandments for sanctification, so that we need to “check ourselves” against the Commandments as our daily rule of life.

In relation to “the mystery,” the Bible tells us that The Twelve were preaching what had been plainly revealed in the Old Testament, that the Messiah would come, would save His people, and restore the Kingdom to Israel (Acts 3:19-26; cf. Luke 1:67-70; cf. also Acts 1:3 with Acts 1:6). Paul, however, says that his Gospel message had been a mystery, not revealed in the OT, but revealed to him after his conversion (Romans 16:25, 1 Corinthians 2:7-8, Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:24-29). While Paul certainly believed that Christ would someday return to rule and reign on this earth in fulfillment of OT prophecy, yet his ministry was focused on the mystery of the Body of Christ, an organism already seated in the heavenly places.

JR: Some consider dispensationalism is concerned with either end-times or cessationism, while I always thought it’s emphasis is that the Church and Israel are two separate entities. But your book descriptions and articles give me the impression that you see Pauline Dispensationalism concerned with sanctification. How does Dispensationalism relate to holiness and oppose legalism.

CB: I agree that dispensationalism is, or should be, associated with end-times and cessationism. As well, it is true that dispensationalism must include the doctrine that Israel and the Church are two separate entities, and, in fact, the logical application of that doctrine will affect how we view sanctification. For instance, if the Law was given only to Israel (Exodus 20:2; Psalm 147:19-20; Romans 2:14, 3:19), then we must not put the Church under Israel’s Law, a Law which ended at the Cross. This is basic dispensationalism. So, let me say this: I believe a dispensationalism that only includes the Israel-Church distinction is a “mere dispensationalism” that cannot and will not endure in history. I believe dispensationalism is far more than the recognition of the Israel-Church distinction, and far more than the acknowledgement of an earthly future for national Israel. Today, we have Progressive Dispensationalism, which still features an Israel-Church distinction and an earthly future for national Israel, but which has ceded much to Covenant Theology – the Church under Israel’s Law, Christ currently reigning from David’s Throne in Heaven, etc. In time, this mere dispensationalism, as distinct from Traditional and Pauline Dispensationalism, will be swallowed up by Covenant Theology. 

Traditional Dispensationalism, and certainly Pauline Dispensationalism, emphasizes the law-grace distinction, and the in Adam-in Christ distinction, just as much as a pre-Tribulation/pre-Millennial eschatology, and cessationism.

I would go even further and say that dispensationalism should be viewed as a boon to those who hold to the Doctrines of Grace (a Calvinistic anthropology and soteriology). John MacArthur has preached that all Calvinists should be dispensationalists, and I agree, but I would say that, in addition, all dispensationalists should be Calvinists. What I mean is that Traditional and, to some extent, Pauline dispensationalism recognizes the unfolding of several successive dispensations throughout history and, in each environment with its own set of unique variables determined by God, man has failed the test. Each dispensation has made it clear to man that he is totally depraved, no matter the circumstances, no matter how much light he has been given. God must act in efficacious grace if man is to be saved.

So, I see dispensationalism as far more than an Israel-Church distinction. I would also emphasize this current dispensation, the dispensation of the mystery, as distinctly Pauline so that, therefore, we find our rule of life in Paul’s epistles. In this way, Pauline Dispensationalism addresses sanctification, as you noted. How does the Church live under grace? The Mosaic Law was given only to Israel, not the Gentiles, not the Church. This is a very important truth that can only be discovered and mined in a strong dispensational system. The Church is not an extension of Judaism. The Church is a new organism distinct from Israel and Israel’s Law; therefore, in this dispensation, Paul does not point us to the Law but instead tells us that it is grace that teaches us godliness and righteousness (Titus 2:11-12). 

JR: I’ll admit, the above questions were a little weighty. Maybe this one is a little lighter. Who do you consider worthy following as they follow Jesus (1 Cor. 11:1)? Any authors (fiction as well as non-fiction), musicians/hymn writers, radio/TV pastors, etc. have encouraged your faith?

CB: This is actually a tougher question for me! When I was first saved, I had no idea what to do next because I had never gone to church or read any Christian books (including the Bible), so I found myself watching TBN on television. I was off to a bad start, to say the least! I had a steady diet of TBN for two years and then started going to a Pentecostal church. But God was faithful. He led me out of the Word of Faith false doctrine and out of the Pentecostal church I had attended for four years.

That experience led me to really study the Bible and ask God for discernment. I rarely endorse any ministry or teacher or song writer because most folks who are well known have questionable theology or motives, or both. So, I would say that I appreciate John MacArthur, although I pray that he would be more Pauline, more dispensational. I cringe every time he puts the Church under the Ten Commandments, but I do find that I am in agreement with him most of the time.

Mainly, I only read books from old dead guys. Reading “Romans Verse-by-Verse” by William R. Newell was like finding “home.” His theology resonated with me and I finally understood Christianity. I can say the same for Lewis Sperry Chafer’s “Grace: The Glorious Theme.” Between Newell and Chafer my life was completely changed. H.A. Ironside is fun to read, if not always theologically accurate. I have a lot of books from the 1800s that are rich and edifying, as well.

JR: Thank you for your time, Carol. How can we learn more about your writing and ministry? And what projects do you have coming out? Anything unexpected, such as a science fiction novel? 

CB: It was my pleasure, Jeff. Thanks for having me. I don’t have a lot of social media, but I do have a website at carolberubee.com as well as my FaceBook page @carolberubeeauthor. My books are available at all online booksellers and can be ordered at most brick-and-mortar bookshops. I’m currently writing a book on life after death. It will include a few charts, for which we dispensationalists are known (and often mocked), but it just wouldn’t be as good without them. Someday, Lord willing, I’ll get back to fiction writing. I used to write short stories in high school and my early college days, but then God saved me and took my life in a different direction. Who knows? I just pray that whatever I do it would be for the glory of God.

 

 

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 4 OF 22: GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY

The Point Church and Community Center, Greenwood, IN

God moves in a mysterious way 

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea 

And rides upon the storm.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; 

The clouds you so much dread

Are thick with mercy and shall break 

With blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, 

But trust upon His grace;

Behind each frowning providence 

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, 

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste, 

But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err 

And scan His work in vain;

God is His own interpreter, 

And He will make it plain.

NOTES ON HYMN

• This song is in a hymnal used in two churches I attended and at the college chapel, and yet I was unfamiliar with this song until Becky introduced me to it.
• Becky learned this song because one of her college professors hosted a gathering every Tuesday night, and he had them sing this song each week.
• The above hymnal contained five verses, which is how I learned it. Cyberhymnal includes another verse (the second). I'm including a link to their page below so you can see that verse if you wish.
  
• This song, like "Am I A Soldier Of The Cross" (part 1 of this series) is common meter (8,6,8,6). You can sing this to the tunes of many songs like "Amazing Grace" or "O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing" or the verses of "Oh, How I Love Jesus" or "Joy to the World! The Lord Has Come!"
• One other song you can sing this hymn to the tune is the theme of Gilligan's Island. I sang the first verse to that tune and smiled at the end, thinking of the storm. Then, I sang the next verse and the following, and something hit me. This song's theme is weeping is for the night, but joy comes in the morning. The original tune reflects the weeping; singing it to Gilligan's Island captures the joy part. So I may sing that song to Gilligan but not as a joke anymore.
• The lyrics to this song were written by William Cowper, who also wrote the words to "There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood" (which, by the way, is another common meter song). Cyberhymnal mentions the story behind the song, so you can click here to see the story and the original second verse that my hymnal omitted. 😞
  

BOOK REVIEW - UNDER SURVEILANCE BY JODIE BAILEY

 Who broke into Macey Price's house and attempted to kidnap her? Why did they tear the house apart looking for something - including Macy's deceased roommate - but leave her room alone? And should she trust her neighbor, Trey Blackburn, or is he hiding something that could hurt her?

Jodie Bailey is one of my favorite novelists, and this book confirms it. If you want cover to cover suspense, you have it in this novel. If you're into mystery and trying to figure out the clues, you'll find it in the pages of this story. If you desire three dimensional characters you can care about, then you'll enjoy this tale.

One question I have is if this is a stand-alone or if it's the fourth part of a quadrology (or what ever you call a four part series). About halfway into this novel, you'll be introduced to characters from Jodie's previous story "Fatal Identity", but you don't need to read that excellent book to appreciate this excellent book.

I highly recommend this novel. It's one of the best stories I've read this year. Plus, it has one of the best covers!

INTERVIEW WITH NOVELIST JESSICA PATCH

Courtesy of Emily Shuff Photography, LLC

What two things do YA baseball novelist John R. Cooper, suspense author Allistair MacLean, and Queen of Crime Agatha Christie have in common?

1. They are on my list of favorite authors.
2. They passed away before I had a chance to interview them.

My other favorite authors weren't so lucky. Or is a better way to put it that I've been blessed to interview my writing heroes, and as a result I've had many enjoyable interviews either on this interview or ones with Hoosier Ink (blog page for ACFW Indiana Chapter) and Sleuths and Suspects.

 I can give you a list, and if you ask nicely I will, but I'd like to get to the point you've probably figured out: Today I'm sharing an interview with one of those writing heroines: Jessica Patch. I discovered her when I started reading Love Inspired Suspense (along with Jodie Bailey, who's also on the list). You may remember my drawing of my 20 favorite characters? In that collection was Wilder Flynn, the hero of the first Jessica Patch novel I read, Deadly Obsession. I've read all three of her Cold Case Investigators this year, and have a few more on my list. 

JR: Welcome to Friends of the Prophets blog! I'll start with the basics: How did you come to Christ, and when did you get interested in writing?

JP: I was raised in a Christian home and gave my life to Jesus at age 10. I’ve always loved writing but pursued it professionally in 2008.

JR: Would you like to tell us about your new release Her Darkest Secret? What inspired the story? Or is this a dark secret?

JP: This book follows a fictional FBI team, the Strange Crimes Unit as they track down a Memphis serial killer who is staging his victims in nursery rhyme poses. I think my grandma inspired it with her many nursery rhymes she used to tell me as a child. I just tweaked them a little. 😀

JR: I'll admit - the cover of Cold Case Killer Profile makes this California/Arizona boy homesick. Anything you'd like to say about that novel and the Quantico Profilers? How does Her Darkest Secret differ genre-wise from the Love Inspired Suspense stories you've written?

JP: I love writing about the FBI heroes who profile. It’s fun series with older characters. Her Darkest Secret is a psychological thriller and Love Inspired Suspense are well…suspenses. Less gritty and complex as a trade length book.

JR: Are you more of a plotter or a blank pager? Related - when you start a series, how much do you know about the later stories?

JP: I have to be plotter since my Publisher requires full synopses for each book!  I know enough to write a back cover blurb which isn’t a lot. 😀

JR: I've noticed a section on your web-site about speaking, as well as a recent pod-cast on setting with Lisa Harris. What are your favorite parts about writing? And what advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

JP: I speak often at women’s conferences and events. I really can’t pick a favorite part since I love it all. Be disciplined and write daily! 

JR: Thank you very much for your time. How can we keep up with what you're writing next? And what does the coming year look like writing and otherwise?

JP: You can sign up on my webpage for my Patched In Newsletter which you receive monthly. The coming year is busy busy with writing new books and releasing them!

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 3 OF 22: GIVE ME THE BIBLE

Photo by Jeff Reynolds

 

Give me the Bible, star of gladness gleaming,

To cheer the wand'rer lone and tempest-tossed;

No storm can hide that radiance peaceful beaming,

Since Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

 

Give me the Bible when my heart is broken, 

When sin and grief have filled my soul with fear;

Give me the precious words by Jesus spoken,

Hold up faith's lamp to show my Savior near.

 

Give me the Bible, all my steps enlighten, 

Teach me the danger of these realms below;

That lamp of safety o'er the gloom shall brighten,

That light alone the path of peace can show.

 

Give me the Bible, lamp of life immortal,

Hold up that splendor by the open grave;

Show me the light from heaven's shining portal,

Show me the glory gilding Jordan's wave.

Give me the Bible, hearing You each morning;

Cause me to bow before Your throne each day;

Open the truth of Scripture to my learning;

Revive my heart to trust You and obey.

Give me the Bible, living out the Gospel:

Your will is that I witness as my part,

Passing the hope to ev'ry tribe and languange,

Your Word a treasure, capturing my heart.

Give me the Bible, Holy message shining; 

Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way;

Precept and promise, law and love combining,

Till night shall vanish in eternal day.

NOTES ON THIS HYMN

• The final stanza is the chorus. It's written with an 11,10,11,10 meter.
  
• Most of this hymn's words were written by Priscilla Owens. She also wrote the words to "We Have Heard The Joyful Sound (aka Jesus Saves)" and "We Have An Anchor." However, I've only seen this hymn in Church of Christ hymnals. 😕
• I said most of the words. The fifth and sixth stanzas were written by Becky.
  

 

INTERVIEW WITH VALENTINE GRIMM AND SINAWEE OF SWEDISH BAND DARK VALENTINE.

Dark Valentine, l-r Sinawee, Valentine Grimm, Erzebet

JR: Let's start with introductions. I'm Jeff Reynolds, a blogger, used to be a songwriter (now working on being a novelist), 61 years old, ordained minister, and always having enjoyed Christian rock of several styles. As for you, how did Dark Valentine get started? Who's in the band?

VALENTINE: I started the band as a solo project in 2005. Me and Sinawee met in 2006 and we joined forces on what would become Dark Valentine as it is today. Erzebet joined us on bass throughout the years and we've had several guest performers with us, but as of now the band consists of Sinawee and myself. 

JR: My first impression of Dark Valentine is a meme with three of the members about how you are reaching those most churches can't reach and to not judge Christian Goth (see above). First, I agree. How would you define Christian Goth? I tend to think of them wearing dark outfits: how is it compatible with Scriptures saying we're of light, not of darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:5), and having no fellowship with the unfruitul works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11)?

SINAWEE: It has nothing to do with outside and the color of clothing, as you know even priests and nuns wear black. One of our favorite Scripture is Isaiah 45:3 "And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel."  In Psalms God uses darkness as his canopy. We know he is not referring to evil. To us a Christian Goth is someone who is a Christian and appreciates gothic style in clothing and make up, whether its Pixie Goth, Romantic Goth, Gothic Metal. there are many different variations of gothic style. Music with darker notes, or minors or ambiance, gothic metal, etherial, industrial, symphonic doom, etc. 

JR: Most of my view of Christianity is of course here in the lower 48 on the other side of the pond, as well as keeping up with mission groups including Voice of the Martyrs. What is the state of the Church in Sweden? What are the greatest challenges you face? Does it sometimes seem you're facing a two front war, with the world on one side and the organized Church on the other? Also, have you ever had opportunity to cross over and visit here? If so, have you noticed any differences (other than us not speaking Swedish)?

SINAWEE: The only time it feels like we have been in a two sided war is in America, in Sweden the churches simply appreciate anyone who will darken their doors. They accept and respect you and do not judge you on outer appearance. We find in Sweden, USA and across the globe, when we play at non-christian venues, we have been accepted on merit of how we perform our shows and everyone has been very respectful to us when they find out we are Christians and they are usually curious and engage in meaningful conversation which gives us a chance to talk to them about Jesus.

JR: I'll admit I only had the blessing of hearing one song by you: "A World Beguiled." (And I absolutely loved it!) What are you all currently working on? Any songs that you're excited about and that you'd like to tell me about?

VALENTINE: There is a lot of music in my head. We are working on new things, but for now, like to keep the mystery alive. If you like "A world Beguiled" you might enjoy "Come to Me", and maybe even a song like "Drain".
our latest album "Twill BE Epic' is available on Bandcamp (https://darkvalentine.bandcamp.com/)

JR: What sources has God used to encourage you? How do you strengthen your faith? What is God doing for you all and through you all? 

SINAWEE: First and foremost spending time with the Lord and reading the Word. Gathering together with other believers and we have family and friends we are very close to and keep each other accountable. 

The Lord is always providing strength, healing and hope, no matter what the situation looks like. We've learned to put our trust in Jesus, trust Him with our lives. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) Sometimes we notice that we have taken things back in our own hands and doing things in our own strength and we have to give it back to Him again. Through us and through the music, He is ministering to people, both saved and lost.  

JR: Thank you for your time. Anything else you'd like us to know? Any prayer requests? How do we keep up with what you're up to?

VALENTINE & SINAWEE: Just keep us in prayer for God to keep using us in the ways he wants to use us. As to how to keep up with us: we are on Facebook. There is the Dark Valentine store where you can buy a physical copy of our CD "Twill Be Epic," and as we said earlier the CD is available, digitally, on Bandcamp. Thank you for giving us this opportunity. God Bless you and all your endeavors!

INTERVIEW WITH NATHANIEL OF TOMORROWZ END

Tomorrowz End, l-r Justin, Hayley, Nathaniel, Tyler, Andrew

 

JEFF: Welcome to the blog, and let me start with the typical starting point: How and when did the band start? Who's all in the group? And how did you come up with your name? 

NATHANIEL: The band officially started in 2016.  However, this was a beta test version, so to speak.  We were blessed to go and perform and witness in 22 states.  We fine-tuned our songs along the way and went into the studio in 2018 and recorded our 40 song debut album that is divided in 4 parts: “Tetralogy Part I Volumes 1-4” that we just released in April of 2022.  

After the recording of the tracks, this brought us to 2020 and then the pandemic hit.  During this time we could not go out and perform, so we used the time we had to make final touches on the album. We then decided to diversify and work on our 21 Episode Video Serial and get started on our Comic Book “The Age of Tomorrowz End” along with getting other projects in production or pre-production.  

As for who is in the group, when we perform we go simply by the letters X, I, T, S, and ?(Q).  This is not to be strange or anything like that, it is simply because when we perform we want it to be 100 percent not about the people performing (as the people can always change but the characters and meanings within the project always stay the same).  Everything in Tomorrowz End has a meaning and is a parable for the Christian walk and message.  For full details you can check out our website.  On our website, you will find every character that appears under the umbrella of Tomorrowz End and what they mean.  However, if you are looking for names, as of this writing I portray the T character; my wife Hayley portrays the I character; my brother Andrew the ? character; my longest running friend Justin the X character; and my best friend Tyler the S character.  

As for where the Tomorrowz End name comes from, this dates back to 2004.  I was 17 years old and a senior in high school and was diagnosed with a very rare bone cancer called Osteosarcoma.  I was not saved and had not accepted Christ in my life up to this point, however, the very day I was diagnosed, while sitting on my parents’ couch with my Grandmother by my side, I accepted Christ into my heart, and I have been blessed to be 17 years cancer free as of this writing, Praise God!  When I was going through my Chemotherapies, I really felt I needed to use any gift I had to further give testimony and witness for Christ, so as a result, the very 1st version of Tomorrowz End the Christian rock band was formed.  However, I was not ready spiritually or even matured enough in the faith to do what would take me years to finally get to do.  Which is a lesson to anyone reading this.  It is always about God’s timing, not our own.  

Fast forward to 2022, I was about to undergo a 5 level spinal fusion surgery, and most of our projects were either completed or near completed. So with prayer and patience, we finally started releasing the 1st wave of our content starting with the 40 song album and Act 1 of our 21 Episode Video Serial.  We did this because my recovery was supposed to be extra long because of the 5 level fusion, however, a miracle transpired through this event and a 5 level fusion was turned into a 3 level fusion and all I or my doctor could do is give all Praise and Thanks to God! 

JEFF: Allow me to start with the music end. Am I correct that your most recent release is a four-way tie? Could you tell us about the project? Any singles out? 

NATHANIEL: That is correct. We released 40 songs on 4 albums recorded in various styles from Heavy Metal; to Hard Rock; to Southern Rock; to Electronica; to more Ballad Rock all the way to straight up Experimental Rock.  21 of these songs will be featured in our 21 Episode Video Serial that are in the vain of the old Republic Movie Serials from the 40’s and 50’s.  These videos give a visual representation of what each song is about, and put together they tell a much more grand and intriguing story with and overarching message found throughout and at the end.  

We also have songs being spun on the radio throughout the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, but all stations are playing various songs.  Each song is tailored to that specific station’s likes.  So yes, we have singles released but they spread throughout all 4 albums.  The songs getting most spins right now are: “Repent and be Baptized”, “Pouring Rain”, “Arkangel”, and “A Jesus Frankenstein.”

JEFF: I don't know if you're familiar with the singer/pastor Steve Camp. I had a friend who wore a Steve Camp T-shirt to a Bible study, and an older lady said, "Steve Camp. Where's that?" What does the word CAMP mean to you? How does that relate to your music?

 NATHANIEL: We actually describe ourselves as a C.A.M.P. a “Christian Art Music Project.”  We not only are a band and have released 40 songs, but are doing our best to get the message of Christ out in all forms of media through various forms of art, hence describing ourselves as a C.A.M.P.  

In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) time, He spoke often in parables to convey certain messages and truths, and these parables were often of seed planting or of things people could relate to at the time.   In today’s culture and time most people don’t do the same activities or have the exact same lifestyle that they did in the 1st Century AD, so we are just trying to take the same message and the same truth Christ taught and walked out perfectly and put it into music, comic books, videos, card games, board games, stop motion, and every form of art or interactive entertainment we can put it into to get people to truly think about their relationship and walk with Jesus (Yeshua) Christ. 

JEFF: I know the ultimate hero of the believer is Christ, but God also has given us fellow believers to mentor, influence, encourage, and challenge us. What musicians, artists, authors, pastors/radio & TV ministers, etc. have served these roles in your life? 

NATHANIEL: This is a good question. I would like to say at the front that I am not trying to avoid or dodge the question, but instead see this as an opportunity to make a point.  After all our travels within the Christian Community, this is a point that needs to be made.  I have learned good things from people with bad theology and I have learned bad things from people with good theology.  My point of stating this is we as Christians need to be able to distinguish truth from lie, wrong from right, up from down.  So, I always try and remind people, just because you heard something true in a sermon from a preacher or teacher, continue to do as the Bible says and “test all things.”   

Anytime we are taught something or learn something from a specific teaching, we need to make sure what we have learned can be found within the pages of the Bible; God’s unerring word, which is 100% truth.  The reason I mention this is because through our travels we have seen too many instances of the blind leading the blind.  Just because someone quotes something that comes from the Bible that is true, does not necessarily indicate the next sentence coming from them is truth as well. So, test all things, test all teachings, and hold fast to what is truth.  Always remember, truth can stand up to as many questions as you throw at it where as a lie cannot.  So, read and get to know your Bible so you can do what Paul in the New Testament said to do.  “Search the scriptures daily to see what I am telling you is true.”  the Bible is the measuring stick for truth, so get to know what it says so you won’t be deceived. 

JEFF: I always ask the interviewee about their website, but I rarely ask them about somebody else's. I'm making an exception here. You mentioned Biblehub.com in your mission statement. How has this site impacted your life, ministry, and creativity? 

NATHANIEL: I would say Biblehub.com is a resource every Christian with access to the internet should take advantage of.  The reason I say this is because it has almost every translation and has the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek translations that all Bibles are transcribed from.  So, if you are ever curious which version is the correct version to read out of, you can look at the native language that specific scripture was wrote in and it clears up a lot of confusion on mistranslated words or ideas that have confused many people over the years.  It is an awesome resource and with a little bit of work on our part, we can more clearly understand what the words used in scripture truly mean and even which words are really used in certain instances. 

JEFF: Thank you for your time. What is on the agenda? Any concerts coming up? Do you have a web-site that we can keep up with you?

NATHANIEL: I am currently healing from my neck fusion surgery, but after I heal we will be doing live shows again and plan on providing a unique and full experience to make up for all the lost time.  In the meantime, people can check out all 40 songs on any  music streaming platform as well as on our website www.tomorrowzend.com 

We also have 3 issues of “The Age of Tomorrowz End” comic book ready for order on our website along with a card game.  People can also check out Act 1 and Act 2 of our 21 Episode Video Serial on our YouTube channel with Act 3 and 4 being released by the end of the year.  Speaking of the end of the year, we will be releasing our board game by the end of 2022 and by the 1st quarter of 2023 we will be releasing our stop motion project.  

Anyone interested can check out all news by finding us on facebook.  We have both a Friend and a Likes page.  For people who just want to be friends they can feel free to friend us.  For others who just want to like the page but not chat they can Follow and like our Likes page.  However, anyone who is interested can also do both!  

Also, within the next few months all of our content will be free on our website at tomorrowzend.com, as we are not in this for the money but truly want to provide art that makes you think about your relationship with Christ.  If you have never accepted Christ and are reading this, we ask you to take a 2nd look at Christ and HIs message and don’t let the hypocrisy you may have seen in flawed imperfect people turn you away from a perfect Christ.  And if you are a believer and already believe in Christ, we ask you to re-examine your life and make sure your life is reflecting Christ in all you do.  Remember, sometimes the only Jesus (Yeshua) people every see is the Jesus (Yeshua) that is present in the life that we lead.  Thank you so much for this interview, and thank you to everyone that took the time to read it.  As always, I will leave you with a question:  “Are you ready for Tomorrowz End?”

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 2 OF 22: CHRIST RETURNETH

Baymont Inn (former Alpine Lodge) parking lot, Cookeville, TN. Photo by Jeff Reynolds

It may be at morn, when the day is awaking,

When sunlight through darkness and shadow is breaking,

That Jesus will come in the fullness of glory,

To receive from the world "His own."

It may be at mid-day, it may be at twilight, 

It may be perchance that the blackness of midnight

Will burst into light in the blaze of His glory,

When Jesus receives "His own."

While its hosts cry Hosanna, from heaven descending,

With glorified saints and the angels attending,

With grace on His brow, like a halo of glory,

Will Jesus receive "His own."

Oh, joy! oh, delight! Should we go without dying,

No sickness, no sadness, no dread and no crying, 

Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory,

When Jesus receives "His own."

O. Lord Jesus, how long, how long

Ere we shout the glad song,

Christ returneth! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen;

Hallelujah! Amen.

NOTES ON ABOVE HYMN

• It may be obvious, but the final stanza is the chorus.
  
• I fell in love with this song when I first heard it. I love the music for the song, and I often sing the chorus for personal worship. (Becky and I sing hymns regularly, but I like this song better than she does.)
• James McGranahan composed the music for this song. He's my favorite hymn composer. If I remember correctly, none of his other songs made my list, but he composed the music for "There Will Be Showers of Blessing", "Sing O Sing of My Redeemer," and "I Know Whom I Have Believed," among others.
• If you look at the music signature, it reads 3/4 4/4. What does that mean? It means that the first three measures of the first two lines of each verse (and the rest of the song) are 3/4, and the fourth measure has an extra beat, which is a rest. A former song-leader of the church where I learned this song said the odd measure said it was more difficult because of the signature. However, I find it similar to "The Solid Rock." The difference is that "The Solid Rock" uses a bird's eye, where the singer holds the note for what turns out to be an extra beat instead of the rest McGranahan uses.

 

BOOK REVIEW - PRAYER: HOW PRAYING TOGETHER SHAPES THE CHURCH BY JOHN ONWUCHEKWA

 Is prayer primarily a part of one's personal walk with Christ? Or is corporate prayer an important part of the local church? If the latter, how can your church maximize prayer's potential?

I am a big fan of the 9Marks: Building Healthy Church's series. This is the sixth book I've read from that series, and it's one of my favorites. 

Author John Onwuchekwa does an excellent job with the topic. He introduces the need, goes to a pair of examples (the typically named The Lord's Prayer and Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane), and concludes with how corporate prayer impacts corporate worship, corporate care, and evangelism/missions.

I highly recommend this book to every church.

INTERVIEW WITH NOVELIST/FORMER MILITARY METEROOLOGIST H. G. WEGLEY

 

JR: Welcome to the blog, H. L. I have interviewed you several years ago, but could you tell us about how you came to Christ and how you got interested in writing? 

HW: I had attended church from the time I was about 5 years old and believed that what I heard about Jesus from the Bible was true. I told myself that someday I was going to commit my life to Christ. Some day kept being put off until, as a teenager, I met a young lady who challenged me regarding my spiritual condition. She emphasized that my commitment to Jesus was not something to put off, because we do not know how long we have here on planet earth. She gave me the push I needed, and at age 18, I committed my life to Christ. Two years later, I committed my life to that young woman, and we’ve been married now for 56 years. 

About writing—I’ve always been writing something, mostly as a hobby—short stories, essays, poetry. When I became a research scientist, I wrote scientific articles, papers, books, and reports that were published in the scientific literature. But I didn’t start writing fiction until after I retired. A fun project that my kids urged me to do—writing down my childhood stories that I had told to them—was so fun that I tried my hand with a novel. When it won a book contract, I was hooked. 

On a more serious note, writing fiction is a way to convey spiritual truths that people won’t always listen to when we talk with them. But as C.S. Lewis said, one can smuggle a lot of God’s word and His ways into a story and people will read it.

JR: If I remember correctly from a previous interview, you used to be a military meteorologist. For those who hadn't read it (and to refresh my aging memory), how does that differ from the finely dressed ladies and gentlemen on the local news or the Weather Channel? Should we have more respect for their predictions? And are you a fan of any particular weather personality?

HW: Yes, I was a meteorologist in the military and then served in that capacity for nearly 13 years at a national lab. On a Strategic Air Command base as a new second lieutenant in a detachment that was short on officers, I had to fill two captain’s slots. Besides being the Chief Forecaster, I was the Wing Weather Officer, which meant that each morning I gave personal weather briefings to the staff of the Bomb Wing Commander, the Missile Wing Commander, the Helicopter Squadron, the Fighter/Interceptor Squadron, and if requested to the Base Commander. Since I was considered a staff member of both Wing Commanders, I gave them briefings in person while standing in front of a 10-foot screen with an old-fashioned pointer in hand and about 30 stern-looking, high-ranking officers scrutinizing everything I said. The other briefings were my only televised briefings. We used closed-circuit TV and the picture was in black and white.

As you can see, this was not as glamorous as a modern TV weather woman’s briefings. In fact, it could become downright intimidating, because my audience could ask me questions—questions like, “Can I complete all of my planned activities without weather interfering, yes or no?” Forecasts were not given in probabilities of precipitation or probabilities of anything else. Answers were always binary, either yes or no. And if my forecast busted, I had to face the commander the next day and convince him my next forecast was as right as rain … or snow or tornadoes, or whatever. I grew a thick skin and developed excellent forecasting skills, because it was a matter of survival. ☺

I do have a favorite TV forecaster, Shannon O'Donnell. She’s a meteorologist for the local Seattle ABC station. Shannon has the unique capability of explaining the forecast in a way that the general public gets the information they need to know from her forecasts.

JR: Looking at your Amazon page, I see several series. I have read some from three of them (Pure Genius, Against All Enemies, and Witness Protection), but I noticed the Riven Republic trilogy and others like Slanted, Virtuality, and The Janus Journals. Could you introduce each series/stand alone, a brief description, and what you enjoyed about writing that series/story?

HW: Let’s start with the Riven Republic Series. It is based on the premise that American Constitutionalists and the Radical Left have no common ground in their ideologies and so we face an inevitable break up of the nation, a modern-day version of a civil war. I took the state of Oregon as a microcosm of the United States and followed the conflict through the lives of Oregonians on both sides of the political issues. Rather than a nationwide war, I portrayed a fragmentation of the nation along geopolitical boundaries. The fragmentation included a breakup of the military, and that created a real mess, especially as some areas formed militias to protect their families and homes.

The fun thing about this project was that I borrowed from all my books all the characters who lived in Oregon, and I reused them in the cast. It complicated the story, but my readers seemed to enjoy seeing heroes and heroines they knew.

Of my three stand-alone stories, two focused on issues in our country today. Based on scientific research, Slanted showed precisely how search engines influence people’s thinking without them realizing it. In the story, the company running the world’s largest search engine attempts to influence a presidential election, and when a researcher starts to expose the plot, the CEO hires a team to kill him, to kill the eight-year-old girl for which he is a guardian, and a young woman who tries to help the young girl.

Virtuality looks at virtual reality capabilities that are right on the horizon—capabilities that enable people to live their fantasies so realistically that they may never want to return to the real world. The existing technology needed to accomplish this is outlined in the story. The villains are the managers of a porn company who want to steal the technology and use it for nefarious purposes. This is happening to some extent now, and it will only get worse as the technology matures. I wanted to warn people what is coming so they could protect their children and themselves. This story won bronze in the Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards.

The Janus Journals is a dual timeline story where I tried to create a Cold War thriller but one that was set at the present time. It’s about a KGB deep-cover plant who came to the U.S. as a young man and then, when the Soviet Union collapsed, he just never did his job and tried to live as a patriotic citizen in the country he had come to love. But when he’s discovered, many years later, both he and his daughter become the targets of the vindictive SVR. One timeline runs through the Reagan years. I really enjoyed watching Reagan’s speeches as I refreshed my memory with those things that might serve to change a dedicated KGB agent into a man who loves America. This story won silver in the Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards.

JR: When I contacted you about an interview, you mentioned you had some big news coming up. Is it a new series? Have you moved from suspense to writing sci fi or fantasy? Are you starting a metal band? Or have you decided to form an exploratory committee for a White House run?

HW: The big news we were keeping hidden for a while was that a group of Christian suspense writers, ten of us, are collaborating on a nine-novel collection of suspense novellas called Winter Deceptions. We have several best-selling, award-winning authors, including 2 or 3 Christy Award winners. Though still in prerelease, Winter Deceptions is already on several best seller lists on Amazon. Since the collection is about 1,300 pages long, it will only be released as an eBook. But the plan is, after sales dwindle, we will unpublish it, and each author will publish their own novella. Most of us are using our contribution as the prequel to a new series we are currently writing.

JR: Some of your stories are political thrillers. I remember one character in one of your novels I read wanting to prevent the Dystopian States of America. What is your view of where we're at? Can we solve this by replacing one party with the other (or giving a third party a deserved shot, since neither major party seems to be putting forth good candidates)? If not, what should the church be doing here in the U.S.?

HW: We are so far removed from our founders’ vision for America that I believe there is nothing man can do to save our nation. We might gain a reprieve for the duration of a president’s term, but long-term we are headed for a godless future of depravity, lawlessness, and probably tyranny. But this is not unlike where the British Colonies were in the early 1700s after the first-generation immigrants died and their children and grandchildren took control. They lusted for money, land, and power. The religious fervor had largely died. They dealt treacherously with the native tribes. What saved our nation then and made it ready to govern itself and take its place among the nations of the world was a movement of God across this land, the first Great Awakening.
From the preaching of Edwards, Whitefield, Brainerd, and others, hearts and minds were changed. The Gospel spanned cultural and racial boundaries, reaching African Americans and Native Americans. Our nation was unified as never before, and the colonies became prepared for 1776 and all that followed.

In my Riven Republic Series, Zach Tanner, a radio talk show host, makes this statement during his radio broadcast in the first book of the series. 

“In America’s history we have seen at least three and perhaps four Great Awakenings, if one counts the Jesus movement of the early ‘70s. These were movements of God that swept across the nation. One lasted nearly fifty years. 

“In each awakening, personal revival led to political change within the culture because God was changing hearts. That led to a change in votes and subsequently in who got elected to state legislatures and to Congress.

“I am pleading with you to hold the line on biblical morality. Don’t cave in to the demands of the radical left. But most of all, pray with me for a movement of God across our nation as it struggles against itself and against God.”

Zach’s last paragraph sums up well what we need in America today, an awakening that changes the course of our nation. 

JR: Thanks for your time. What's over the horizon? How can we keep up with your writing? Any web-sites or the like?

HW: I mentioned earlier the nine-story collection of suspense novellas, called Winter Deceptions, releasing August 11. My contribution, Against the Darkness, is the prequel to a three-book series of the same name which will release probably around the end of January 2023, after Winter Deceptions is unpublished.

Against the Darkness is the story of a brilliant young molecular virologist from Hong Kong, Dr. Meiling Chen. She is lured to the Wuhan Institute of Virology via an attractive postdoctoral fellowship where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and their army, the PLA, plan to steal her findings and use them to create powerful biowarfare weapons. But Meiling conceals her most important findings and then destroys all the project data at Wuhan and flees to America with CCP agents in pursuit. If she survives, and finds Americans she can trust, Meiling plans to launch a team that will use her breakthrough findings to counter every biological warfare move by the Chinese.

Readers can find out more about Winter Deceptions—both the authors and their stories—on the project website: https://winterdeceptions.com/ 

I will be updating my website shortly to show the collection, to talk about my story, and to update readers on my progress in writing the Against the Darkness series. https://www.hlwegley.com 

Thanks so much for hosting me, Jeffrey! Hopefully, I’ve whetted the appetites of suspense readers for some excellent Christian suspense stories.