It’s amazing how much can change in a year.

For as long as I have been writing Escape to Reality, readers have been asking, “Paul, why don’t you write a commentary?” and my reply has always been, “It’s not gonna happen.”

My reluctance was based on brutal experience.

It took me two years to write a verse-by-verse commentary of Matthew 24 for a book called AD70 and the End of the World. It took nearly as long to write a commentary for Revelations 2 and 3 (Letters from Jesus).

That’s four years to cover a grand total of 102 verses.

At that pace I calculated it would take me more than 300 years to write a commentary for the whole New Testament.

So no, it wasn’t going to happen.

Except it has.

In January this year, I felt strongly impressed to give it a shot and in less than nine months we have this new thing called The Grace Commentary which now has commentary for 1,500 verses!

How did that happen?

I honestly can’t account for it except to say the grace of God has brought this project to life.

Who is the Grace Commentary for?

It’s for people who ask this question:

How do I read this verse through the lens of grace?

I get asked that question every day by readers. Perhaps you have even asked me that question. Now instead of waiting for me to answer (and being disappointed when I don’t), you can get an instant answer straight from the Grace Commentary, any time of the day, any day of the week.

We still have a long way to go, but we’ve made a solid start. 1500 verses. My hope is that you and your family will find the Grace Commentary a useful tool as you grow in grace.

If you believe the Grace Commentary is a worthwhile project, here are three ways you can support it:

1. Pray for wisdom/strength/inspiration as I write
2. Add a link to The Grace Commentary on your website (incoming links help the commentary get noticed by Google)
3. Become a financial partner

Why does a commentary need money? It may surprise you to learn that the Grace Commentary website is more expensive to run than Escape to Reality, thanks to all the techy stuff under the hood. BUt hopefully it is worth it.

Become a partner in this exciting venture, and you’ll be investing in something truly worthwhile. Even in these early stages, the Grace Commentary is helping hundreds of people a week.

Whether you support the commentary or not, I hope you use it, and I hope you find it helpful.

Grace and peace,
Paul

Sign up to be notified of updates to the Grace Commentary.

Words mean different things to different people.

Consider the word obedience. What does this word mean to you?

If you have an old covenant mindset, obedience means keeping the Ten Commandments. But if you have a new covenant mindset, obedience means heeding Jesus.

It’s the same for the word repentance. Under the old covenant, repentance means turning from sin, but in the new covenant, repentance means changing your mind and turning to God.

We could say something similar about the words confess, faith, and righteousness. What do these words mean to you? Your answer depends on whether you have an old- or new covenant mindset.

In nearly 12 years of writing Escape to Reality, I have learned that there is enormous confusion about the covenants. Because many people don’t know what makes the new covenant new, they are stuck with the inferior definitions of the old.

Think of it as the difference between two languages. Those who speak old covenant speak a language of petition and longing, while those who speak new covenant speak a language of thanksgiving and praise.

Introducing the Grace Glossary

If you want to enjoy the superior realities of the new covenant, you need to learn to speak the new covenant language of Jesus.

To help you do that, I have started working on something called the Grace Glossary. (A glossary is a dictionary of words limited to one subject, in this case, the new covenant.)

The beginnings of the new Grace Glossary can be found on my commentary website here:

www.thegracecommentary.com/glossary

If you find the Grace Glossary useful, you may want to sign up for occasional updates.

Grace and peace,

Paul

Zoom. Live streaming. Online worship. Virtual meetings. Facebook groups. Drive-thru communion.

Churches and ministries are adapting to meet the realities of a post-Covid world. But while the emergence of new platforms and technologies has been a boon, one thing that has not changed is the need for top-notch content.

We can help.

Escape to Reality has become an arsenal for the gospel of grace. Our resources are regularly turned into sermons, seminars, social media soundbites, and teaching series.

But you probably knew that.

What you may not know is that E2R supporters have given away more than $250,000 worth of books and ebooks to leaders and churches in developing nations and elsewhere.

That’s a lot of books!

E2R supporters are doing extraordinary things. By partnering they are proclaiming the gospel of grace all around the world and funding moonshot projects like The Grace Commentary. Our supporters give this message wings.

Who are these generous people?

They are E2R readers just like you who have signed up to give a little each month via Patreon or Donorbox. And the good news is you can join them!

Which brings me to today’s special offer.

Five years ago today, we launched our Patreon page. To celebrate our Patreonniversary, we have a special offer for anyone who signs up as a patron in the next three days:

1. Sign up for any amount, even as a little as a dollar a month, and you’ll get instant access to three classic sermons rewritten in modern English…

2. Sign up to give $10 or more per month and you’ll get the classic sermons plus the keys to my growing library of study notes (see below). You’ll also get online access to my last four books (The Silent Queen, Letters from Jesus, etc.) as well as sneak peeks at forthcoming work.

3. Sign up for $100 or more per month and you will get everything above (the classic sermons, the study notes, my last four books, draft chapters of forthcoming work, etc.), and as a token of my gratitude I will send you an limited edition autographed copy of one of my books. (Think of the resale value!) I will also send you a personal thank you message via Patreon.

If you or your family have been blessed by my writing and you want others to experience that blessing, why not become a patron on Patreon today?

You can also become a supporter at Donorbox and get the same rewards.

Not ready to become a monthly supporter? You can also make a one-time contribution at PayPal.

Every dollar helps, but be quick. This special offer ends this Saturday 12 June.

To all our awesome patrons and supporters who have helped give away a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of books, thank you! Your wholehearted generosity is bearing fruit all over the world.

Paul

Hi friends,

For years readers having been telling me, “Paul, why don’t you write a commentary?”

You’re wish is granted. Check out my brand new grace-based Bible commentary at:

www.thegracecommentary.com

This is a new project and there is a ton of work to do. But hopefully there is enough material on the new site to give you a taste of what is to come. If you’d like a glimpse of the finished product, check out the entries for 1 John.

I’ve been working quietly on this project for years. It’s time to find out what you think. Is The Grace Commentary a tool you might use? Is it easy to navigate? That sort of thing.

My hope is that you will find it helpful as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus.

Grace and peace,

Paul

To celebrate Escape to Reality’s 11th anniversary and Chinese New Year and the invention of a vaccine and whatever else is worth celebrating in this wonderful days of hope, we’re repeating last year’s huge giveaway.

For the next three days you can get one, two, or seven of my books for a special pandemic pay-whatever-you-want price.

Which means you can get all these books for nothing!

Click on a book below to get this deal. You’ll get the book in 3 ebook formats to suit any and every device…

​

As always, thanks for sharing the journey,

Paul

PS: Giveaways like these are possible thanks to generous supporters on Patreon or Donorbox. Thank you!

My new book, The Silent Queen: Why the Church Needs Women to Find their Voice, comes out today!

In The Silent Queen, I reveal God’s original plan for men and women to rule and reign in partnership. I show how God’s partnership plan runs like a golden thread throughout the tapestry of scripture, and I address those scriptures that have been misused to sabotage that plan.

Women have been told they are subordinate and men have been told they must rule alone, but that’s not what our Father said. In this book, I tackle the tough questions undermine our marriages, families, and churches:

• Should women stay silent in church?
• Can women teach, preach and pastor?
• What did Jesus think about women in leadership?
• Are wives helpmates?
• Should women submit to male leaders?
• Should wives submit to bad husbands?
• Are women more easily deceived?
• Is infidelity the only excuse for divorce?
• And much more!

I’ve been working on this book for two years and I can’t wait to share it with you. Here is some of the feedback I have received so far:

“You better repent of your false teaching!”
“It’s clear from scripture that women can’t lead.”
“You are very wrong. Your writing is dangerous, brother.”

Apparently this is a dangerous book!

Full disclosure: this book challenges traditional (i.e., unbiblical) ideas we have about women and their place in the world. It draws a line between what God said and what man made up.

One of my favorite comments came from a (male) beta reader: “This book removed blinders I did not know I was wearing.” That is my story too. I did not know I had blind spots until God revealed them to me.

For the first time ever, I am releasing a new book in three formats:

1. Ebook: Kindle, Kobo, Google Play, PDF

2. Paperback: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository (free shipping)

3. Audiobook: Audible (coming soon), Kobo, Bookbeat, Bookmate

Grab a copy of The Silent Queen for yourself and another for your pastor, mother, sister, daughter, son, and anyone else with a story or song to share.

Happy Christmas, and happy reading!

Paul

You Americans. One minute, you’re tearing yourselves apart over politics. The next, you’re joining hands in a national day of thanksgiving. You’re an enigma wrapped in a rootin-tootin’ riddle. When you shine, the world is dazzled. And one area where Americans truly shine is in their generosity. No other nation gives more. Today in America, it is “Giving Tuesday.” I don’t have any experience with this tradition, and my American readers may want to correct me if I’ve got it wrong, but it doesn’t seem complicated. On the first Tuesday in December, you give. You give time, resources, yourself and the world becomes a little kinder and more generous. Brilliant. I want in. So for one day only (Tuesday 1 December 2020) I’m giving my books away. You can get any book below in 3 ebook formats for any price you want, which means you can get them for FREE. Click on a book for more…   If you haven’t got these awesome books, get them quick. And if you have got them, tell your friends. But be quick. Giving Tuesday lasts for one day only. Grace and peace,Paul

Next week.

That’s when you could be reading a copy of my new book, The Silent Queen. But that can only happen if you are signed up as a patron by the end of this week.

What others are saying about The Silent Queen:

“I loved this book, and I learned heaps from it. I know you will too! You might even get set free as a result of reading it!” – Lyn Packer, author of Daughters of Eve

“Brilliant! Amen! Yes!” – Jami Amerine, author of Well, Girl

“A delight to read. Insightful, intelligent, and thoroughly thought out.” – Marg Mowczko, Australian theologian and writer

How do I get my name in The Silent Queen?

Sign up as a monthly supporter on Patreon or Donorbox in the next two days (before Oct 31, 2020) and I will thank you in the acknowledgements of the ebook version of The Silent Queen.

How much?

One lousy dollar.

You’ve probably got one in your pocket, all alone and friendless. Put that little guy to work and do some good. For every dollar pledged in the next two days, I will give away a copy of the book. The more you give, the more books we give away.

Become a supporter today and you’ll get instant access to all sorts of bonus materials such as my study notes and classic sermons from great preachers, PLUS these awesome extras:

– Sign up at the $10 level or higher and you will get an advance review copy (ebook) of The Silent Queen next week!

– Sign up at the $25 level and you’ll get the advance review copy AND a paperback book fresh from the printer AND your name will be printed in the acknowledgements of that book!

– Sign up at the $100 level and you’ll get the advance review copy AND a signed paperback copy of The Silent Queen. AND if you want me to add a personal message for that special someone, just let me know. AND as a special one-off bonus, you will receive a signed (and very rare!) copy of The Chocolate Gospel as well!

Patreon and Donorbox are easy to join and you can cancel at any time. But no books will be given away, and your name won’t be in them, unless you do it before the deadline: Saturday 31 October 2020.

Awesome!

Paul

Here is the world’s first glimpse of the cover of my new book:

Like it?

The Silent Queen: Why the Church Needs Women to Find their Voice, is my first proper book in two years.

And if you act fast, your name could be in it!

What’s the book about?

It’s about how God has given every one of us a story, a song, or a message that the world needs to hear. But if you are denied the opportunity to share your gift, your light will not shine as bright as God intended.

In The Silent Queen, I confront the lies that keep women silent and sidelined. In this book you will learn what Jesus really thought about women in leadership; why the Bible never said women should stay in the shadows; why submission may not mean what you think it means; why you should never compare your wife or yourself to the woman of Proverbs 31; and much more! It’s a book about marriage and church and fulfilling your God-given dreams.

It’s probably the most important book I’ve written.

What are others saying about The Silent Queen?

“I was stunned by the things I discovered in this powerful book.” – Sandra McCollom, author of I Tried Until I Almost Died

“A critical and essential masterpiece.” – Nate Tanner, evangelist at L3 International Ministries

“Reading this book, I had quite a few moments where the blinders came off – blinders I didn’t realize I had on!” – a (male) beta reader

Sounds good. When can I get the book?

The Silent Queen comes out at Christmas 2020. However, patrons and supporters will get advance copies a full month earlier.

How do I get my name in The Silent Queen?

Easy. Sign up as a patron on Patreon (USD) or a monthly supporter on Donorbox (other currencies) before October 31, 2020 and your name will go in the acknowlegements. Patrons and supporters enable me to write full-time, and I intend to thank them in my book.

Why should I put my name in your book?

Because more people will hear the gospel if you do. Patrons and supporters are the reason why everything on this website is free and why people in every country are hearing the good news of grace without charge.

How much?

People pay big money to get their names in a Lee Child thriller, but you can get your name in my book for next to nothing.

For a few dollars a month, you can become a partner in this message. And if you contribute a little more, you’ll get exclusive supporter-only rewards such as draft chapters, Q&A sessions, bonus materials, exclusive articles, insider access, giveaways, sneak peeks, etc. Here’s the deal:

– Sign up at the $10 level or higher and you will get an advance review copy (ebook) of The Silent Queen weeks before the book goes on sale.

– Sign up at the $25 level and you’ll get the advance review copy AND a paperback book fresh from the printer AND your name will be printed in the acknowledgements of that book!

– Sign up at the $100 level and you’ll get the advance review copy AND a signed paperback copy of The Silent Queen. AND if you want me to add a personal message for that special someone, just let me know. AND as a special one-off bonus, you will receive a signed (and very rare!) copy of The Chocolate Gospel as well! Did someone just say Happy Christmas?

What else you got?

The Silent Queen is full of good news for both men and women. I want everyone to be set free by the message in this book, so for every dollar raised in the next few days, I will give away one book.

Sign up at $10/month, and your gift means I’ll give away 10 books. Sign up at the $50 level and that’s 50 people who will hear the good news because of your investment. If you have been blessed by my writing and want others to hear the good news of grace, why not sign up as a patron today?

Being a patron is easy and you can cancel at any time.

Paul

PS: As an added incentive, the first 20 new patrons who sign up from today will get a personal thank you message from me!

Hi friends,

Just a gentle reminder that you have one day remaining to take advantage of our special offer.

“What special offer?”

Sign up as a patron before this weekend and you will receive my latest ebook, “Henry Moorhouse’s ‘The Good Shepherd’.” My book introduces the Victorian boy preacher, Henry Moorhouse, and his great sermon in easy-to-read language for modern readers.

What is a patron? Patrons are readers like you who contribute a small amount each month to become partners in this message.

Patrons are changing the way the gospel is preached, and patronage is not without benefits. Sign up on Patreon and you can get instant access to a suite of goodies, such as bonus articles, my personal study notes and draft chapters from forthcoming books.

Not only that, but I will match your gift by giving away a corresponding number of books. Sign up at $5/month and I’ll give away 5 books. Sign up at $100 and I’ll give away 100 books! The more you give, the more we give away. It’s that simple.

Don’t like Patreon? Sign up as a monthly supporter on Donorbox at any level and I’ll send you the free book.

Being a patron is easy and you can cancel at any time. But the Moorhouse special offer is only good until tomorrow. His “Good Shepherd” sermon is an absolute gem, and a powerful word of comfort for these unsettled times. Don’t miss out.

Grace and peace,

Paul