Publications

The Kingdom Scribe

The Most Reverend Garland F. Byers, Jr. is a bishop of the Church. His calling as a bishop is not to pastor a congregation or shepherd a flock, nor to carry out the ordinary ministerial work of the clergy. It is the calling the Lord described in these words: to serve as a Kingdom Scribe.

In the days of Jesus, and long before, there were scribes among the people of God. Their office was to preserve the word of God in writing and to teach it, so that the people might understand. Ezra “was a ready scribe in the law of Moses” (Ezra 7:6), who “had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments” (Ezra 7:10). When the law was read before the people, “they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8). The Lord Himself promised to send such men: “Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes” (Matthew 23:34).

A scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven brings forth from the treasure of God’s word things new and old. He brings the old truths of the faith back to remembrance, and he sets forth the new for the benefit of God’s people. He does not write by his own strength, but by the Holy Spirit, of whom the Lord said, “he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).

The writings gathered here are the fruit of that calling. The Bishop writes as he is led, on whatever the times and the faithful require, whether a single point of teaching, a word in a time of trouble, or an extended study carried through many parts.

How the Writings Are Numbered

Each writing receives a number in the order of its publication: No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and so on. The numbering continues unbroken from year to year and is never reset or reused. Each writing also bears the date on which it was published.

The number is the writing’s permanent reference. It stays the same in every language and in every form, so a writing may always be cited simply by its number. If a writing is later corrected, it keeps its number and shows the date of revision beneath the original date.

How to Read Them

Every writing may be read here on the website and downloaded as a PDF. As translations are completed, each writing will also be available in the other languages of this site, under the same number.

Series, Topics and Volumes

Some writings stand alone. Others belong to a longer study published in parts as each part is completed, so that the faithful may have it without waiting for the whole. As the writings grow in number, they will also be gathered by series and by topic, and in time collected into volumes.

The Writings

The writings will be listed here, newest first, as they are published.