Author: Shawn Stamp
Located in: Louisville, Ohio
Submitted: July 06, 2010
Tell us a little about yourself. Even though my "day job" is working with computer systems, my real job is trying to be a godly husband & father in the midst of a culture that is trying to tear families - and the Body of Christ - apart.
What was your motivation behind this project? I lost count of how many times I stopped working on the book over the years, always convincing myself that there was a good reason for me not to finish it. Yet every time I stopped, I inevitably hit this spiritual "wall" where I felt stagnant & aimless. Even though I did my best to compensate with other activities, as long as I avoided this book nothing else seemed to matter. So in the end, I finished "Living in Laodicea" because I was convinced that not doing so was an act of disobedience; I feel like this project pursued me, not the other way around.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? We are facing a spiritual crisis in this country, so this book is admittedly pretty heavy - almost depressing - in spots; however, trying to sugar-coat things seems not only dishonest to me, but also dangerous. That is one reason why it was so hard to finish this book, and it is also why the book turned out to be so long: I just couldn't leave the problem on the table without reminding us of the solution - indeed the hope - that is right in front of us. So my hope is that this book will prompt the church to open its eyes and recognize the clear call to action that we must answer if we are to be faithful to our Lord.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? I'd be lying if I didn't admit that every shortcoming, exhortation, and reprimand in this book is auto-biographical to some degree; and I'd also be lying if I didn't admit that even now, when I go back and re-read parts of this book, it convicts me still. Granted, we are all "works in progress," but it is so easy in this culture to get complacent and look backwards instead of forwards. So this book reminds me that we must keep growing in our walk with Christ - He continues to advance His kingdom and tells us to "follow" Him.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? Well, you'd probably never know it after reading the 2nd half of the book, but I like R.C. Sproul. I also try to listen to Alistair Begg whenever I get a chance.
