The story of Joshua and the Israelite conquest of the land revealed two internal struggles that bear far greater concern to the emerging nation’s history than any fortified, armed foe. The first of which is rather understated, that being a spirit of independence that led to isolation. Back in Numbers 22, the story unfolds as…
Month: January 2012
The Real Battle:: 1
If I were to make a motion picture based on the battle of Jericho, it would open with Joshua standing in a briefing room before his Israeli Joint Chiefs of Staff. “Men,” he would say, “I’ve just spoken with the commander of the Lord’s army, and here is the battle plan for our first objective,…
Meet the Real Hero:: 3
If I’m going to pick a “don’t miss this” lesson from Joshua 5, it’s going to be that before we can lead we must be led. Christian leaders are followers first. So why is this so important? Am I just trying to pay lip service to God? Chapter 6 gives us the reason. After his…
Book Review: Sanctuary of the Soul
I have a lot of books on prayer. Many of them are good, even inspirational (i.e. they move me to action). Most of these books have definitions of prayer, patterns that outline how to pray, and of course, the “end game” or expected outcome of prayer. Without question, one of today’s clearest voices on the…
Meet The Real Hero:: 2
When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the LORD’s army.” At this, Joshua fell with his face…
Three Questions to Ask When Considering a Move
Those of you who know me are aware that I have recently made a transition in ministry. For the last six years I’ve served as Lead Pastor of Ashworth Road Baptist Church in West Des Moines, IA. That position ended for me in December following my call to serve as Senior Pastor of First Baptist…
Meet The Real Hero
My guess is that you had a hero when you were growing up. Maybe it was an athlete or a musician. Or an actor or some other entertainer. Perhaps it was a teacher or a coach. Your hero could have been a parent or an older sibling. I think those influences served us well, helping…
Make Your Mark:: 3
As far back as I can remember, I’ve wanted to change the world. This is a sentiment that is shared by many people I know. There’s something compelling about leaving a legacy or making a mark, if you will. I think that many are deterred from such lofty aspirations because they automatically assume that changing…
The Value of Deborah
One of the blogs I follow on a daily basis is Scot McKnight’s page at patheos.com titled Jesus Creed. Today McKnight has offered an excellent post on Deborah and the value she brings to the ongoing conversation regarding women in leadership and women in ministry. You can find the post here.
Make Your Mark:: 2
After the Israelites crossed the river, Joshua paused and did something important. He sent people back into the river bed to extract rocks that would be used to create a memorial on the western bank of the Jordan to commemorate the crossing. Not only did the people need their own miracles, they needed their own…