This week’s author interview is with Stanley Gale, author of 3 P&R titles: The Prayer of Jehoshaphat: Seeing Beyond Life’s Storms, What is Spiritual Warfare?, and Why Do We Pray?.

  • Question #1 – Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am the husband of one wife (Linda), father of four children (Samantha, Luke, Sarah, Nathan), and grandfather of eight (Ruby, Isaac, Weston, Kaylie, Jasper, Asher, Gryphon, Penelope).  I hold Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education degrees from the University of Delaware, a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. I am an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America and have served my current charge in West Chester, Pennsylvania, since 1988.  In my spare time I enjoy reading, writing and playing tennis.

 

  • Question #2 – Did you always enjoy writing?

I’ve always been a reader and have had an interest in verbal expression, helped in part by my Catholic school education where I learned to diagram sentences and rules of grammar. It’s only in the last dozen years that I turned my attention to writing books and articles. I’m part of a writers’ group where five of us exchange the latest 5-10 pages of books we’re working on. As the only religious nonfiction writer in the group, I have the opportunity to reach out through sharing biblical teaching and to encourage them in their writing. I write as a first student, where my study ministers first to me and then to others. I consider writing a kingdom extension of my ministry as a pastor-teacher.

 

  • Question #3 – Other than the Bible, do you have a favorite book?

It’s hard to narrow it down to a single book, but certainly Knowing God by J. I. Packer is one of the most influential books in my life, setting my trajectory of thought as a young Christian. I’m also a big mystery reader.

 

  • Question #4 – Do you have a favorite quote?

Among my favorite is one I discovered in researching spiritual warfare. It’s by John Bunyan in his book, The Holy War and describes Lucifer’s strategy to neutralize the church (Mansoul). “Let those engaged in this business for us, and let Mansoul be taken with much business, and if possible with much pleasure and this is the way to get ground of them.  Let us but cumber and occupy and amuse Mansoul sufficiently, and they will make their castle a warehouse for goods instead of a garrison for men of war.” Looks like Satan’s tactics have not changed much over the centuries.

 

  • Question #5 – Do you have a favorite book you have written?

P&R has published three of my books, The Prayer of Jehoshaphat, What is Spiritual Warfare?, and Why Do We Pray?, the latter two part of the Basics of the Faith Series. While I like The Prayer of Jehoshaphat to help believers process their trials through the lens of God’s providence and privilege of prayer, it is my contributions to the BoF Series that are my favorite because I believe they bring important dimensions to bear for Christian discipleship. The perspective of spiritual warfare is foundational to a biblical worldview, something for which God equips us in His Word and integral to the believer’s walk and service. Seeing prayer as God’s means not only for communion with Him but given us for the advancement of His kingdom is essential to the walk of the Christian and work of the church.

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Interested in learning more about Stanley and his work?

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Related posts:

  1. BOOK HIGHLIGHT – The Prayer of Jehoshaphat by Stanley D. Gale
  2. Author Interview with Dan Barber
  3. Author Interview with Murray Capill
  4. Author Interview with Zack Eswine
  5. Author Interview with Brandon Crowe