My Plans for 2024

As you can imagine, I’m a fairly busy boy, with lots happening and going on, so maybe my friends and supporters would like to know what - Lord willing! - 2024 holds in store for Michael Bird.

Well, whether it’s family, teaching, traveling, or publishing, there are a great many things scheduled if you’d care to know.

First, family is everything, so I’m looking forward to my 25th wedding anniversary with my wonderful wife Naomi, and celebrating bigly with her in late February. Also, working closely with Naomi on our media company (long story). I want to keep an eye on my kids as always. I’d love to send my two daughters for a course at Baylor to get some additional education, imbibe some Texan culture, and meet some nice Christian Texan boys (FYI, I’m writing this right now from Baylor!). My two boys need that wonderful mixture of fun and discipline that only Daddies can provide, so hoping to hit that up!

Second, a big priority for me is Ridley College where I am deputy principal academic. My job there is what I’d call in military-speak “S3” or “operations,” which means keeping the academic ship afloat, putting out fires, and keeping us accredited. I have some cool ideas for teaching Romans this year, some innovative ideas for marketing, some creative assessments for Intro to Theology, and there are my 10+ PhD students who keep me sharp and active. Theological education is facing some big headwinds, but I see opportunities for those who are willing to show some initiative.

Third, there are some personal things I want to do, spend time in the Gospel of Matthew and the Psalms, I want to watch David Brakke’s great courses course on Gnosticism to level up my knowledge of that space, and help out in Melbourne churches whenever I’m asked. The Society of New Testament Studies is meeting in Melbourne in July and on the eve of it, we are hosting a symposium on “Paul within Paganism” which will be fun. Oh, ugh, I think I’m also gonna need shoulder surgery because I like to imagine I can hit a forehand like Carlos Alcaraz but ambition and ability are not in alignment. That’s gonna hurt and the recovery will be frustrating. On the upside, I will be celebrating my 50th birthday if I make it to November!

Fourth, some big travel plans ahead this year, trips to North America, maybe even a book tour, and hopefully a study tour to Turkey and Greece depending on how WWIII is going. If the study tour happens, it will mean no ETS or SBL for me in 2024!

Fifth, as for publishing, well, sneak preview for special friends …

The biggest thing for next year is the release of the N.T. Wright and Michael Bird volume Jesus and the Power: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracy which is scheduled for April 2024. This will be EPIC! Hopefully we’ll do some cool promotional events to coincide with it.

I’m also hoping to finish editing What is the Gospel? Five Views and Handbook on Second Century Christianity, which reminds me why editing is such a challenging thing!

My plan is to also to complete a volume on the historical Jesus called The Whisper of Revolution: Jesus of Nazareth and the Coming of God as Kingdom, got about 25% left to write. Following that, I intend to do a second edition of What Christians Ought To Believe. Then, towards the end of the year, get into Romulus Rising which will be a narrative history of the Roman empire in the third century!

You should also see several essays of mine published on topics ranging from the Epistle to Diognetus to Romans 8 to Bible Study Methods to translation and paraphrase of Romans.

I intend to continue making some videos and podcasts about early christology and church history.

If I get half of that stuff done, I’ll be impressed, so pray for my wisdom, strength, and energy to get those things done, and pray that it is a blessing to the churches and extends Christ’s kingdom.