I was in my office having my quiet time and after reading Luke 24:27, I had this huge WOW! moment. And I truly felt the Lord leading me to accomplish the task. By the end of the day, it was confirmed to me in my heart that I better get started. That was January 31, 2008.
Who is the audience for The Conversation?
Jewish and Gentile folks who seek answers to Jesus’ identity, Christians, Messianic Jews, and anyone interested in knowing more about the life of Jesus.
Which character can you relate to the most, Cleopas or the Narrator?
I have to say I can relate to both on various levels. I identify with the Narrator in the area of his insecurities, and Cleopas in his pursuit for the truth, no matter how much it hurts.
Many people picture Jesus/Yeshua gently hugging the children or carrying a lamb but you’ve caused us, through this book, to focus on another aspect. Talk about that.
I think we forget what He endured, the opposition He faced from places that should have been his greatest support; such as the religious leaders, His own people who longed for the Messiah, His family and eventually his closest friends. I think it’s a powerful thing to consider what He knew He’d endure, and told us He’d endure, but did it anyway all for those who would embrace Him as the true Messiah, Redeemer of the World .
What are your hopes for The Conversation?
I pray it helps people to remember the time of His suffering which, until the “Passion of the Christ” came out in theaters, folks seemed to prefer to sweep under the carpet. I pray it brings believes to a place of gratitude and deeper devotion to Him; I pray it answers questions for those who seek to know Him; I pray it has an impact in leading many people to Jesus the Messiah. And even though those are hard things to talk about it is written in such a way that it is engaging and makes you want to continue reading.
What was the hardest thing about writing this book?
Making sure it was as accurate as it could be even though it is a fictional account. I tried not to put any more words into the Stranger’s mouth than was necessary to move the story along. And ultimately, I felt a great weight of responsibility on my shoulders for writing a fictional book with the Risen Lord as the main character.
The book is dedicated to a man named Clarence Nagel. Who was he?
Clarence was a family friend who I met less than six months before I founded Logos Presentations in 1994. He eventually came to live with us. He had a boldness to share Jesus that put me to shame. One of the last things he did before he died at 102 was to clutch the manuscript and petition the Lord for His blessing upon it.
How does this work differ from other things you’ve produced?
Everything I have produced before The Conversation I did because I saw a particular need and I simply filled the gap. However, The Conversation was not something I set out to do. It was truly an out-of-my-element, completely-over-my-head project where the only one who should get the glory is the centerpiece of it all, Yeshua our Lord.
How do you see believers using this resource?
The Conversation is an extremely powerful apologetic tool that I believe will excite them when they see just how many prophecies there are concerning His suffering, death, burial, and resurrection. Of the 80 footnotes in the book, only two are not Scripture references. The rest (78) represent about 200 passages for the reader to investigate for the validity. It is truly an awesome Easter story they can share as gifts for evangelism or to simply answer questions for themselves and others. This is the perfect gift for Jewish people because it answers actual objections many of them have.