This week we have the pleasure of getting to know Shane Lems, author of The Doctrines of Grace: Student Edition.

• Question #1 – Tell us a little bit about yourself: where you’re from, family, job, personal interests, unique hobbies, what do you do in your spare time, etc.

I’m a husband, father of four, and the pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Hammond, WI.  Before I came to Covenant Presbyterian, I was the church planter/pastor of the United Reformed Church in Sunnyside, WA.  Even before that, I graduated from Westminster Seminary California with an MDiv degree.  Still earlier in my life, I was in the United States Army Reserve for 6 years and worked in the auto parts industry – mostly in Northwest Iowa where I grew up in a solid Reformed Christian home.

• Question #2 – Which writers inspire you?

I try to read various authors and genres, and I typically go through phases in my reading.  For a while, I read almost every World War II book I could get my hands on.  I also went through an exploration phase – I read books about early expeditions to the Americas as well as expeditions to the North Pole.  When I lived in Washington State I also read up on the Lewis and Clark expedition.  I’ve even read a big handful of books on baseball and its history.  I suppose these books didn’t inspire me, but they fascinated me and helped me learn world history (and they improved my reading and writing ability!).

I also love stories, so I’ve been captivated by storybooks since I was young.  Of course, I love The Chronicles of Narnia and The Hobbit, but I also really enjoy other classics like Where the Red Fern Grows, My Side of the Mountain, and The Yearling – in fact, I read parts of The Yearling more than a few times.  For some reason, it captured me.  I also enjoy Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga series (and I highly recommend it!).

Concerning Christian authors, I have many books by Os Guinness, Eugene Peterson, Jerry Bridges, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  I suppose my favorite theological reading would be (in no specific order): Herman Bavinck, John Newton, St. Cyprian, Francis Turretin, John Calvin, Martin Luther, Thomas Brooks, and other various Puritans.

• Question #3 – Did you always enjoy writing?

I didn’t like to write when I was forced to write (i.e. in school), but I always did like to write for fun (I even kept a journal in Basic Training).

• Question #4 – What inspired you to write this book, about this topic?

I wrote this book about the doctrines of grace for one main reason: I couldn’t find one like it.  I was planning out a Sunday School class for teens and wanted a simple, readable, and brief study on the doctrines of grace.  There are a quite a few very good books on this topic, but not many that are short, simple, and to the point.

• Question #5 – What books are you reading now?

I’m actually reading a few John Grisham books for my “fun” reading – and I’m almost done with Martel’s bestselling novel, The Life of Pi.  For my studies, I’m reading a book on suffering by Timothy Keller (Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering) a book on biblicism, The Bible Made Impossible by Christian Smith, and I’m trying to finish Thomas Brooks’ Works (though that might take awhile!).

• Question #6 – Do you have a favorite author? Who is it and why?

This is a tough question, but I suppose it would be John Newton.  He was so very pastoral and grace-filled in his writing – he humbles the heart and while doing so, magnifies the grace of God.  All of his writing might be considered a commentary on Romans 5:20b.

• Question #7 – Do you have a favorite movie? What is it and why?

I’m not at all a movie buff; I only watched 3 movies last year.  But I liked Moneyball because I’m a baseball stats kind of guy.

• Question #8 – Do you have a favorite quote? What is it and why?

“God must come to us before we can go to him.”  (Geerhardus Vos)  I love that quote because it is a great summary of the gospel of grace.

• Question #9 – What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

1)      Don’t write a book that’s already been written.

2)      Don’t try to be trendy – trends come and go.

3)      Be patient, take your time, and sit on the book a year or two before sending it to the publisher.

• Question #10 – Do you have an interesting writing quirk?

I hate rough drafts, so my “first” draft usually turns out like a “third” draft (give or take).

• Question #11 – At what time of day do you write most?

Between 5AM and 3PM.  Almost never at night.

• Question #12 – How do you deal with writer’s block?

I quit writing and either go for a jog or check baseball scores.  I try very hard to be patient when writing – I want to think over a book for a few years before I send it in for publication.  Typically, I’m not rushed when I write so writer’s block isn’t such a big deal (though it is different when it comes to sermon writing!).

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Want to learn more about Shane Lems?

• Read his blog: www.reformedreader.wordpress.com
• Follow him on Twitter: @reformedread
• Like his Facebook Page: The Reformed Reader
• Visit his church’s website: www.covenantopc.net

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Check out these 2014 written (not audio) P&R author interviews with Books at a Glance.

1. Brad Bigney: Author of Gospel Treason. 

 

Click HERE for Brad’s interview

2. Charles Quarles: Author of A Theology of Matthew.

 

Click HERE for Charles’ interview

3. Aimee Byrd: Author of Housewife Theologian: How the Gospel Interrupts the Ordinary.

 

Click HERE for Aimee’s interview

4. John Frame: Author of Systematic Theology.

 

Click HERE for John’s interview

 

 

 

   

 

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This week for our author interview, we hear from Starr Meade, author of Training Hearts, Teaching Minds: Family Devotions Based on the Shorter Catechism; Grandpa’s Box: Retelling the Biblical Story of Redemption; and Comforting Hearts, Teaching Minds: Family Devotions Based on the Heidelberg Catechism.

• Tell us a little bit about yourself: where you’re from, family, job, personal interests, unique hobbies, what do you do in your spare time, etc.

I grew up in the deserts of Arizona. I’ve lived here almost my entire life. I married young—and happily—and have three children and, at this moment, five grandsons. I have served as a missionary in France, worked as a director of children’s ministries in a local church, and taught in a Christian school. Oh—and I’ve driven a tractor and a swather in Idaho! Besides writing, I teach homeschooled teenagers in humanities-type classes. I also volunteer as a CASA, a national organization that advocates for children in foster care. I teach Sunday school with my husband (4^th-6^th grade). I love to read, play WordChums, be outside, see new places, and watch movies. And I collect gargoyles.

 

• When did you first want to write a book?

I’ve always loved writing and I have always wanted to write a book—I just assumed I wouldn’t get published.

 

• Which writers inspire you?

Bach (a writer of music, of course). Bach wasn’t famous in his time. People thought he was good, but not necessarily exceptional. But he didn’t write in order to be famous. He wrote, day in and day, as his musical compositions say at the bottom, for the glory of God. He ministered in his church, faithfully writing music for his choir to sing, and supported his family by giving music lessons–and just kept writing and writing because God had made him able to compose so he did, famous or not. Later, everyone—and I mean everyone—came to understand that the man was brilliant, but by then he didn’t care anyway, because he was hearing the “Well done, good and faithful servant” of the Lord for whom he’d done all that writing.

 

• What inspired you to write this book, about this topic?

A new pastor at my church years ago wanted the congregation to memorize The Westminster Shorter Catechism. I wanted the children who were memorizing it to understand what they were memorizing, so I wrote a weekly bulletin insert with short daily devotional readings based on the catechism question of the week. That eventually became Training Hearts, Teaching Minds. I always thought I should do another based on The Heidelberg Catechism. So I finally have, and that’s why there is a Comforting Hearts, Teaching Minds.

 

• Do you have a specific spot that you enjoy writing most?

The library or a local coffee/breakfast spot.

 

• What books are you reading now?

N. D. Wilson’s Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl (and loving it!), Charles Hodge’s Commentary on 1 Corinthians, C. S. Lewis’s Till We Have Faces, 100 Short Stories of Ray Bradbury, and Heroes and Heretics: How Renaissance Artists and Reformation Priests Created our World by Thomas Cahill.

 

• Other than the Bible, do you have a favorite book?

Many. I love Samuel Rutherford’s Letters; I love Les Miserables, and A Tale of Two Cities, and The Count of Monte Cristo (I seem to have a French theme going here). More recent books I’ve enjoyed are Kevin DeYoung’s The Good News We Almost Forgot and Ray Ortlund, Jr.’s Isaiah: God Saves Sinners, and the fictional Atticus by Ron Hansen.

 

• Do you have a favorite author? Who is it and why?

Charles Dickens. He can write about anything in such a way that it entrances. He can take several pages to describe a door knob and I am enthralled!

 

• Do you have a favorite movie? What is it and why?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is pretty amazing!

 

• Do you have a favorite quote? What is it and why?

Samuel Rutherford: “Duties are ours, events are the Lord’s.” It reminds me to be faithful and leave the rest to God. Also, Jim Elliot: “We give thanks for the given, not letting the not given spoil it.”

 

• What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

1. Take the time to learn English grammar well. You cannot write intelligibly without it.

2. Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly until you can do it well.

3. Don’t let sales or fame or money be your motivation. You will probably be frustrated.

 

• Do you have a favorite book that you have written?

That’s like asking if I have a favorite child I’ve parented!

 

• At what time of day do you write most?

Before noon.

 

• How do you deal with writer’s block?

Write anyway. Get words down on paper. I can go back and edit, revise, or even start over later.

 

• What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

It’s not exactly giving a compliment, but when people are thoughtful enough to write or tell me personally how one of my books has been helpful, it’s so encouraging! It seems to me that people have been pretty kind about my writing, so I have no hurtful criticisms to note.

 

• Favorite sport to watch? Why? Favorite sport’s team?

Rodeo. I grew up with it.

 

• Favorite food?

It’s a beverage and has absolutely no nutritional value—coffee.

 

• Favorite flavor of ice cream?

Sweet cream with Heath bar.

 

• Favorite animal? Why?

Horses. I desperately wanted a horse as a child and finally owned one, then another as a teenager. I still love them.

 

• Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia? Why?

Apples to oranges. No fair.

 

• What famous person (living or dead) would you like to meet and why?

Bach. See “Which writers inspire you?”

 

• If you have a favorite book of the Bible, what is it and why?

Isaiah. It’s so beautifully written, and all the bright light of the gospel shines so much more gloriously against the dark gloom of the coming punishment it describes.

 

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Want to learn more about Starr Meade?

Visit her website: http://www.starrmeade.com/

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