This week’s author interview is with Joshua Mack. He is the author of Compassion and the coauthor of A Fight to the Death, Courage, and God’s Solutions to Life’s Problems.

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  • Question #1 – Tell us a little bit about yourself: where you’re from, family, job, personal interests, unique hobbies, what you do in your spare time, etc.

I am originally from Pennsylvania, went to university in California, married a girl from Alaska, and now live in South Africa. My wife and I met on a missions trip to Africa, and we both came away from that trip with a particular desire to serve God here. After ministering for a few years in the United States, we were able to move to Africa, where within a few short years, our family grew from three children to nine! I am the pastor of a church in the inner-city of Pretoria and our congregation is made up of individuals from all over Africa. It’s our prayer to be a church that raises up missionaries for Africa from Africa!

 

  • Question #2 – Which writers inspire you?

I get excited when I read authors who are excited about Christ and who help me think more deeply about Him than I have before. So for example, and this is hardly surprising, but I love reading John Calvin’s Institutes and also his sermons. The sermons he preached on Ephesians in particular made me want to sing! Maybe I should say shout, because I am not really a very good singer. I also spend a lot of time reading the sermons of Jonathan Edwards and the works of John Owen. I love these men because not only does their love for Christ come leaping off the page, they also help me think thoughts about God and the gospel and Jesus that are truly biblical but which honestly, I probably wouldn’t have seen or considered on my own.

 

  • Question #3 – What inspired you to write this book, about this topic?

I wrote this booklet on compassion because I wanted to remind those who love the truth how important it is that they also love people. It is a great privilege to know the truth, and as a result, it is very sad when we make the truth more difficult for others to hear and embrace through our own arrogance and uncaring attitudes.

 

  • Question #4 – What book are you reading now?

I am enjoying Dale Ralph Davies commentaries on Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Samuel. I am re-reading C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy. And I am working my way through David Talley’s, The Story of the Old Testament.

 

  • Question #5 – Do you have a favorite quote? What is it and why?

My favorite quotes usually come from whatever Jonathan Edwards sermon I have most recently worked my way through. Though it’s long, the following quote has often encouraged me regarding the importance of showing compassion not only to men’s bodies but especially to their souls.

“Is it not a great pity that things which are so precious as souls are, should be lost? Should we not, if we saw any man in distress of body and in great danger of dying, be willing to lend him a hand to save his life? Why, let us look about us and we shall see thousands of men in a sorrowful condition, and in danger of dying every moment. Should we see a man a-drowning, should not we be willing to afford him some assistance to help him out of the water? If we look about we may see thousands of poor souls drowning in sin and iniquity, and in danger of being drowned in the lake of fire and brimstone. Let us therefore do what we can for them; perhaps we may be instrumental of saving several souls from everlasting ruin and destruction. If each one here present should do what he could towards it, there is no doubt to be made that many souls might be saved by their means. Let us therefore do our utmost; don’t lest us be so inhuman as to see men sick and not help them.”

How can readers discover more about you and your work?

 

Related posts:

  1. NEW RELEASE – Compassion by Joshua Mack (Resources for Biblical Living series)
  2. Author Interview with Jim Schwenk
  3. Author Interview with Murray Capill
  4. Author Interview with Sarah Ivill
  5. Author Interview with Brock Eastman