About Tim Stafford
Tim Stafford is a freelance writer and Senior Writer for Christianity Today Magazine. He’s written more than twenty books, both fiction and non-fiction. His new book, Miracles: A Journalist Looks at Modern Day Experiences of God’s Power, is due out in July. You order it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christianbook.com, or even at your local bookstore!
His most recent works are Personal God: Can You Really Know the One Who Made the Universe, and Shaking the System: What I Learned from the Great American Reform Movements. Tim lives in Santa Rosa, California. He is married to Popie Stafford and they have three grown children.
Tim loves to run, backpack, follow the Oakland A’s, and most of all read. He’s currently working on a novel set in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963.
December 5, 2009 at 2:55 am |
Good to hear you speak in Berkeley. I appreciate you message in speech and writing.
August 30, 2010 at 9:00 pm |
Tim,
I am preparing to teach tomorrow a co-op class for homeschoolers called Creative Writing: The Essay, and as look again at your article, “It Only Hurts When I Love,” which I use as a model essay, it seemed that I should write a note to thank you for committing your story to print so many year ago. (The story of how my wife and I met has many parallels–so I smile and laugh and almost cry every time I read your piece.) I have been helped also by your book, Knowing the Face of God. And just recently I ordered used copies of A Love Story, to give to two of my sons who are starting to think about girls.
It is hard to say in a few lines how I have connected with your work over the years–and I haven’t the time to be long. But I wanted you to know that I have been encouraged by your prose, and by your spirit. And I pray God’s blessing on you this day.
In Christ,
Tim Hensley
Bristol, Virginia
August 30, 2010
August 31, 2010 at 12:13 am |
Thanks so much!
October 4, 2010 at 6:54 pm |
Tim,
How much did you revise “Knowing the Face of God” for Wipf & Stock? Or was it revised before that?
Love the blog and your writing very much!
Clay
Rev. Clay Knick
Kernstown UMC
Winchester, VA
October 4, 2010 at 10:17 pm |
Hey, Thanks, Clay….
I didn’t revise “Knowing the Face of God” at all for Wipf & Stock. However, there was a revised edition at Zondervan… no dramatic changes in content, but the first half and the second half traded places. You must be an attentive reader.
December 4, 2010 at 11:34 pm |
Tim! Hi! I feel like I found an old friend from college. Guess what I found this morning while dusting my thousands of books? A Love Story.
It changed my life, in many ways. I would love to tell you about them!
Since I feel like I’m catching up with a college friend, let me tell you how things have gone for me…at the time I read your book I was a journalism student at the University of South Carolina. I finished magna cum laude at 20 and finished law school at 22, began practicing at 23, started teaching college a few years later, and am now retired and looking for the next step.
I didn’t get married until I was 33. Roger was 39. First marriage for both of us. 18 years of blissful happiness! We have two daughters, 10 and 12, both adopted from China.
Your book and Charlie Shedd’s books were the only ones I ever read that laid out arguments and thoughts I could relate to. I’d love to tell you more about my personal life, and what I did from the time I read your book at 19 till the day I stood at the altar at 33. Please shoot me an email if you have the time!!!
I WILL be giving your book to my 12 year old as soon as I finish re-reading it. I find it particularly horrifying to think of guiding two teenagers through the years to come, but I guess that I’ll have to ask God to help me. Can’t do it alone.
PS I could not remember your wife’s name..just that it was unusual. I’m so happy that the internet is around now
December 16, 2010 at 11:50 pm |
Hi Tim,
I’m on staff at a church in Albuquerque, NM, Sandia Presbyterian. I was able to track down this blog of yours, and I have a simple question for you: do you do/accept invitations to speaking engagements at all in your current life and ministry?
Reason I ask is our church’s new mom’s group is studying “Never Mind the Joneses” in the new year, and I was just dreaming about some kind of dinner/event for young parents with a speaker such as yourself. This is all very much still just a brainstorm in my (and some other leaders’) mind, so no details are in place yet. I simply wanted to ask, as part of our initial research and brainstorming, whether you’re even available for traveling speaking engagements in the new year.
(In the meantime, my wife and I are loving your book at home in our own reading too… don’t know if it’s our IVCF background or what; but thanks for this wonderful book!)
Thanks for any thoughts about speaking! ~ Matt Pooley
June 24, 2011 at 3:16 pm |
Tim,
What English Bible versions do you enjoy using?
Any new books coming out in the future?
June 24, 2011 at 4:21 pm |
I like the TNIV, which I think means that I like the newest edition of the NIV. I also like to use The Message occasionally. But I don’t have very strong opinions about translations.
I’m working on three books at the moment. The one that will appear first, sometime next year, is “Miracles.” Then there’s a novel set in the civil rights movement, and a book on faith and science.
June 24, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Thanks, Tim. I like the TNIV/NIV’1!, too.
I’m sure to buy and read(!) the book on miracles and the one on faith and science. Thanks for all the hard work.
I really enjoy reading your blog.
July 28, 2011 at 5:13 pm |
[...] Tim Stafford has posted an obituary providing a good overview of the life and work of one of evangelicalism’s esteemed leaders. He writes: Stott exemplified how extraordinary plain, ordinary Christianity can be. He was not known as an original thinker, nor did he seek to be. He always turned to the Bible for understanding, and his unforgettable gift was to penetrate and explain the Scriptures. [...]
September 1, 2011 at 5:01 pm |
Tim I read your article on India’s Grassroots Revival in Christianity Today. We have traveled there several time and part of our giving goes to support national India mission groups such as Operation Agape.
I have a website on equipping nationals rather than sending Americans short and long term- http://www.andmakedisciples.com and am interested in seeing more discussion on the pros and cons on the subject. We are willing to donate to Chr. Today to see this issue discussed- any thoughts? John W. Addink
September 6, 2011 at 10:28 pm |
CT gets a little antsy about money given for particular subjects–editorial independence and all that–but if there were plenty of latitude the editors might be open. (For example, if somebody wants to support reporting on Latin American Pentecostals there might be openness, but not if it was for reporting for or against Latin Pentecostals.)
December 18, 2011 at 7:58 pm |
Hi Mr. Stafford. I am just finishing your book, Sexual Chaos, and I love it. It is one of the best books I have ever read on contemporary culture and sexuality!
Terri
April 24, 2012 at 8:13 pm |
Tim,
Do you have a copy you could send me of the article you wrote in CT 1987 on sexual ethics?
August 18, 2012 at 7:15 pm |
Tim,
I just read and reviewed your book on Miracles. I really enjoyed it and found it helpful in sorting through healing and hype. Here is a link to my review: http://matichuk.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/its-a-miracle-a-book-review/
James
October 7, 2012 at 3:16 am |
I am reading your book Surprised by Jesus. went through it first time but did not get many of the implications.
But on second reading, find myself blessed.
Your description of Bangalore meeting – yes and the smell of working class no one can know well than me with Asthma.
Also the point when you ref. Ajith is so true, we are in US now
I have undergone a triple by pass and treated for COPD, but I miss India – worship, fellowship and evangelism.
Sir, can I quote you in one of our flier we distribute in Ambernath, Maharashtra, India, (as we work for Infected & affected )for AIDS awareness from page 54 ” Doesn’t Scripture clearly tell us-to mention just one them – to care for orphans and widows? with millions of orphans and widows due to AIDS, we have plenty to do.”
TIM Stafford – senior writer for Christianity Today
October 12, 2012 at 5:40 pm |
Yes, absolutely, quote away. Thanks for your note.
November 2, 2012 at 7:48 am |
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