By GINNY COOPER / Staff writer

WILSONVILLE—Author Arvle Cooper announces the nationwide release of “The Revelation of St. John the Divine,” a verse-by-verse study of the book of Revelation.

“A lot of people are scared of it (Revelation), but there’s nothing to be afraid of if you’re a Christian,” Cooper said. “I wrote this book to help people understand what the Bible says.”

Though Cooper has served as a Bible study teacher for over two decades, his secular career was in the lumber business. He owned several lumber yards until business slowed during the recession and he left the business in 2010.

It was during this period of unemployment that he posted his notes from previous Bible studies online and began to consider penning a book.

“When I start studying to teach or write, it’s like the Holy Spirit just comes and opens up the Word to me. That’s one of the reasons I teach,” Cooper said.

“The Revelation of St. John the Divine” is just the first of many books, Cooper hopes, and he has several others in process. Cooper’s second book, an in-depth study on the book of Genesis, will be released by WestBow press in just a few months.

Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, “The Revelation of St. John the Divine” is available through bookstores nationwide, from the publisher at Tatepublishing.com/bookstore, or by visiting Barnesandnoble.com or Amazon.com.

Cooper will hold a book signing March 1 at the Childersburg Library between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Though his career has taken a very different turn, Cooper said that he is thrilled to be able to write about and explain different books of the Bible.

“This is my calling,” Cooper said. “I was lead to write it.”