I will start with my writing. I’m writing every day. My new book project is on Heaven. So far, I’m still doing research. Also, at the same time I’m redoing a few books—mostly book covers. Oh, I also have a new publishing name: Zenyl Publishing. What do you think of the name?

John Wesley

I have about a dozen Heroes of the Faith books that I’m reading. I recently read about Martin Luther and William Tyndale. Now I’m reading John Wesley—almost finished. John was an interesting character. His parents, Samuel and Susanna, were hard working farmers, and Samuel was a preacher. All of their ten children (7 girls and 3 boys) were well educated at home. I was amazed at their very strict and early education schedule. “Every minute of every day was planned.” John in particular was very studious. From age five he started to read (from the bible). He also learned Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, along with the regular courses like math, history and music. Then in 1720, at seventeen, John went to collage in the town of Oxford in London, where he was schooled mainly in the classics.

It was during this time that he decided to become a cleric like his father. And he also began to lead a group called “The Holy Club.” Everyone in the club had to abide by a very strict and moral code.

Well, to my surprise, even as John was brilliant in his writing and preaching, and even in his holiness, he had serious doubts about his salvation. And this was revealed to him mainly because of his fears of death (during a few skirmishes with enemies). But, in God’s providence, he had certain Moravian friends who had no such fear of dying. Hence, through the private tutoring of these Moravians and by his own prayers, John came to have an assurance of his faith; and he grew into a very dynamic preacher; and even though he was often pelted with stones, nearly to death, he had no fear!

And besides his fears (which he overcame) he had another weakness. For some reason he thought he had to minister to, and tutor, every young woman that he was attracted to. And he fell in love with them all—but never could commit to any of them because of his ministry commitments. I counted six women. But the seventh one his brother Charles convinced him to marry. Well, he did marry her, but not for love; and she soon left him in a rage because of his lack of attention to her.

Well, as we know, those holy clubs developed into a movement called the Methodists; and John was its leader. I don’t know much about the Methodist church—except that they are quite liberal. I don’t think they are anything like what John intended them to be. At first I’m sure the Methodist were a godly people, and I suppose that many of our true Christian churches came from those Methodists. But if there is one thing I am grateful for it is the hymns that John and Charles wrote that are still in our hymn books.