I want to use this week’s blog to tell my readers about the status of some of the projects I am working on. I look forward to spending two weeks of vacation in Sweden in early August. It will be good to see our son and our two grandchildren again. Then, following this break, I will embark on a busy program that will take me to Dublin in Ireland, Belgrade in Serbia, Vienna in Austria, Brisbane in Australia, Riga in Latvia, and then to Sweden again. In all these places I will preach, give lectures, do workshops, and hopefully I will also have some time to see a few things and, of course, I hope to meet old friends and meet new friends.

In the past three months I have spent a lot of time in preparing for sermons, lectures and power point presentations.  My aim is to have everything done before we fly to Sweden. It looks like this will happen. But while I have been busy with all these preparations for future events, some writing projects of the recent past are becoming real books!

During the European Pastors’ Council (in Belgrade in the last week of August), the Stanborough Press (the Adventist Publishing House in Great Britain) will launch the English language edition of my last devotional with 366 short portraits of as many men and women in the Bible. Its title will be: Face to Face.  I wrote it originally in Dutch and then translated it also into English. I look forward to soon holding a first copy in my hands.

Last week my newest book saw the light of day. Its topic is Last Generation Theology. I believe that the theories that are found under that umbrella pose a real danger to the individual believer as well as to the church. I have tried to take a pastoral approach and hope many people will read the book and will find my arguments convincing. The book is entitled: In All Humility: Saying No to Last Generation Theology. The English language edition has been published by Oak and Acorn in the USA, which also plans a Spanish edition. I hope there will also be a French and a German version.  The English edition may be ordered from Amazon.com. It has about 200 pages and sells for $ 12,99.

I expect that within days the (Brazilian) Portuguese edition of my book FACING DOUBT: A Book for Adventist Believers ‘on the Margins’ will also be ready. Its Portuguese title is: Sair our Permanecer?Um livro para Adventistas que lidam com a dúvida. Some people in Brazil (and In Europe) felt that many Adventists in their country could benefit from this book and they have assisted with the translation, corrections, proofreading, etc.). The book can soon be ordered through Amazon.com and, no doubt, other internet book sellers will also carry it. However, one huge problem remains: How do we promote the book in Brazil and in the Brazilian/Portuguese diaspora?  We hope that we can use the social media, but further suggestions are most welcome!

And then there is a brochure with the title: Basic Alphabet Theology.  The word “alphabet” refers to the capitals that are often used in connection with people who have a non-hetero sexual orientation: LGBTI or LGBTQ. It is an attempt to help my fellow-Adventists believers to better understand what it means to be ‘different’, and to consider what the Bible says about this topic. The brochure is published and distributed by The Coracle Project—(Building Safe Places for Everyone), and is already available (or will soon be) in English, Dutch, French, German, and Swedish.  For more information:  buildingsafeplaces@gmail.com

I realize that not everyone is always happy with the stuff that I produce. However, it gives me great satisfaction to contribute to various discussions and I am truly thankful for the fact that many do appreciate my work and tell me that it has helped them on the pilgrimage.

Finally, I suspect that at some point during my vacation and travels there will be a moment of inspiration pointing me to the next book that should be written!