DALLAS (BP) — It might have been called the Principle Series, the bestselling stream of books O.S. Hawkins launched in 2012 with “The Joshua Code.”

As Hawkins, who was in the middle of a distinguished run as president of GuideStone Financial Resources, focused on Joshua 1:8 during his daily devotion, he wondered how diligently Christians memorize Scripture.

“I thought, this is a principle, so I called it the Joshua Principle, and we talked about it, prayed about it, and then we just, we called it the Joshua Code,” Hawkins told Baptist Press more than 13 years, 15 books and 3 million sales later. “I just felt like that was where the Lord was leading me. There’s nothing secretive about a code, but it’s just an unveiling, an opening.”

Now president emeritus of GuideStone, Hawkins has released more than a book a year in the series included in his bibliography of more than 50 titles.

“Before that, I had published over 30 books over the course of the ministry that the Lord’s given me. But this one took off, and it sold hundreds of thousands of copies the first year, and it just caught on in churches,” Hawkins recalled. “Churches were using it in Bible studies and church-wide things. Pastors were preaching on those verses and having all the church members memorize that verse.”

Hawkins followed in quick succession with “The Jesus Code,” “The James Code,” “The Daniel Code,” “The Christmas Code,” “The Believer’s Code,” “The Nehemiah Code” and “The Easter Code.” Not to miss “The Passion Code,” “The Apostles’ Code,” “The Bible Code,” “The Prayer Code,” “The Promise Code,” “The Connection Code” and “The Spirit Code.”

Fast forward to tomorrow, Oct. 28, and Hawkins releases the 16th in the Code Series, “Just Jesus,” forgoing the word “code.” But the key to each publication is the subtitle, Hawkins said.

“Just Jesus: Our Hope Yesterday, Today, Forever” offers in a 365-day devotional a compilation of nuggets from previous Code bestsellers.

He envisioned “Just Jesus” from the concept of cropping the nativity scene to include only the Christ child, removing the parents, shepherds and others typically included in the crèche.

“It’s just Jesus,” Hawkins said. “That’s what’s important in life. We can focus on a lot of things in Christian life, but I’m just trying to get people to focus on Jesus.”

Further distinguishing the Code series is that Hawkins gives all royalties from the book sales to GuideStone’s Mission:Dignity, a humanitarian program for ministerial retirees and their widows. Each year, Mission:Dignity helps more than 2,700 individuals with housing, food and medication costs, among other essentials, Hawkins said.

“When we started Mission:Dignity, we were able to give them $50 a month,” he said. “Now the neediest, because these books have sold so much, the neediest get $750 a month, plus expense grants if they need new dentures or their cars need tires, they need a new refrigerator or whatever.”

Hawkins repeats a story he has shared often.

“So, one little pastor’s widow wrote me some time ago, and she said she’s 87 years old,” Hawkins shares. “She said, ‘I get to eat at night now, and it’s not just a piece of toast.’”

Each book in the series has helped sell the next, Hawkins said, based on responses he’s received.

“These Code books have sold themselves. If somebody bought ‘The Bible Code,’ and then they see there’s a ‘Joshua Code: 52 Scripture Verses Every Believer Should Know,’ they buy more,” Hawkins said, “and they give them to people. So it’s just been a snowballing effect, and that’s been beautiful.”

Hawkins isn’t done. He anticipates other installments in the Code series as he continues in ministry. Retired from GuideStone, he continues at 78 years old as chancellor and senior professor of pastoral ministry and evangelism at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

If he didn’t know his age, he would likely think himself younger than he is, Hawkins said, referencing a quote from the late baseball great Satchell Paige.

“You know, he didn’t have a birth certificate, he didn’t know (his age),” Hawkins said. “A reporter said, how old are you? He said, ‘Well, how old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were?’

“If I didn’t know I was 78 and you asked me how old I am,” Hawkins told Baptist Press, “I’d say I’m 52.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer.)