How Pathway Learning and Steve Childers Are Like Star Wars and George Lucas
Dear Friend,
Earlier this week I received a text from someone who had just opened their mailbox and found our new paperback Renewing Your Hope with the Lord’s Prayer. His questions made me realize: I should give you an inside look at what makes this book unique––and why Part 2 of the trilogy released before Part 1.
1. What makes this book unique
This is not a conventional Christian book. It was designed from the ground up as a guided learning experience—a transformational pathway rather than a traditional read.
Each chapter includes ten integrated learning steps: structured conversations, prayer guides, application exercises, reflection prompts, academic notes, and more. The reading itself is important, but it’s only one part of the journey. Real transformation happens as readers walk the path together.
That’s why the opening page says READ THIS FIRST—because the book is not meant to be read alone but experienced with others in community.
We learn with others.
We grow with others.
We are formed with others.
Yes, you can read it alone. But its design assumes something deeper and more biblical—that lasting transformation happens best through shared reflection, shared prayer, and shared application.
2. Why Part 2 released before Part 1
Many have asked: Why did Hope (Part 2) release before Faith (Part 1)?
The answer is simple: the trilogy’s production timeline did not follow the trilogy’s sequential order.
Think of the Star Wars movies. George Lucas released the later episodes before the earlier ones. [Get this—I’ve had several people over the years tell me I look like George Lucas. I guess old white guys with white beards and glasses all look the same.]
In our trilogy, the intended sequence is:
Faith — Apostles’ Creed
Hope — Lord’s Prayer
Love — Ten Commandments
But the release order is:
Hope (Part 2) — 2025
Faith (Part 1) — 2026
Love (Part 3) — 2027
Nothing is missing. Part 2 simply finished final editing and production first. Parts 1 and 3 are already written and moving through the publishing pipeline.
And the good news: the entry point doesn’t matter. Each book stands alone, yet together they form one integrated framework for renewing faith, hope, and love.
3. Why this matters for our Mission
I want to share something with you candidly.
Pathway Learning’s ability to create resources like this—books, courses, translations, transformational learning paths—is entirely dependent on the generosity of friends like you.
We remain a relatively small nonprofit with global opportunities far larger than our size. And yet, by God’s grace and through partners like you, we are witnessing remarkable kingdom impact—in Indonesia, China, Japan, West Africa, Europe, North America, and beyond.
Every book we produce, every course we launch, and every translation we complete is directly tied to your support.
As new doors continue to open wide, our prayer is simple: that God would raise up many more partners like you so we can equip many more underserved church leaders to plant and grow healthy churches that transform lives and communities around the world.
I hope this gives you a clearer picture of what this book is, why Part 2 came first, and how deeply grateful I am for your support. None of this could happen without you.
Would you consider a generous year-end gift to Pathway Learning?
Your support now will help us expand translation projects, publish the next two volumes of the trilogy, and equip leaders who have almost no access to seminary-level training.
For the King!
Steve Childers
President, Pathway Learning
P.S. Your year-end donation will directly accelerate the release of the Faith-Apostles’ Creed and Love-Ten Commandments books, expand translation efforts in Indonesia and China, and equip leaders in some of the most underserved places in the world. Thank you for prayerfully considering a gift today.
WAYS TO GIVE
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