When I moved back to Colorado from Alabama in 2006, a newly minted Navigator staff member, I had breakfast with a well-connected Navigator colleague. Among the things he told me was:

Navigator Church Ministries are not strategic.

I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, and it didn’t sound quite right at the time, but I was new. I wrote it down dutifully…and forgot about it.

My experience, then and now, with people and churches, is that God gives you those he wants you to work with. I don’t assess them for their “strategic” importance.

In WORLD Magazine, Paul Butler reviews Charles E. Cotherman’s Strip Mine Jesus: Hope for the Rural Church, Small Towns, and Overlooked Places, a book he says should be required reading for every prospective pastor. Here’s a key paragraph containing the reviewer’s experience:

Personally, I never imagined I’d end up ministering in the shadow of a coal mine’s castoffs. Yet here I am. During my own Bible college experience, there was a sense that the bigger the gospel vision, the more God-honoring it must be. This idea gets reinforced in many seminary alumni magazines with glossy spreads on the “successful” graduates, while often overlooking the faithful, hidden servants of God working in the quiet corners of the Master’s fields. Cotherman calls believers to join the rolls of that latter group—looking out for the woman at the well, the blind man by the side of the road, and the unclean on the edges of society.

“…faithful, hidden servants of God working in the quiet corners…looking out for the woman at the well, the blind man by the side of the road, and the unclean on the edges of society.” Amen.

Jesus wasn’t “strategic,” ministering to fishermen in rural Galilee rather than to national leaders in Jerusalem. Some Navigators would argue that the Apostle Paul was “strategic,” going for the population centers. But does it matter? Have you heard this story?

Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, picked up a hitchhiker one day and took him to his house for dinner. Just a hitchhiker named Bill. If you had asked Dawson, “What what was your ministry highlight that day?” He might have said, “Oh, not much. I picked up a hitchhiker named Bill and led him to Christ.” But that was Bill Bright, who later went on to found Campus Crusade for Christ and develop “The Four Laws” method of presenting the gospel. Over a billion people have heard the gospel through the influence of “just a hitchhiker.”

Was Dawson being strategic that day? Or was he merely following the Spirit’s leading? Even “strategic” Paul’s goal was “everyone:”

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. (Colossians 1.28, ESV)

To continue yesterday’s discussion about churches generally not doing a good job teaching skills like How to Have Daily Time with God, here’s another story:

A friend of ours, in her 80s, was talking with June about a new experience she was having. Our friend is politically liberal, and, as nearly as we could tell, theologically nowhere. She and her husband hadn’t participated in church much until they retired and moved to a Colorado mountain town. There, they were going to a church in which they could discuss, as nearly as I could tell, their political causes.

So June was shocked when she said something like this: “We’re not going to church anymore, but we are participating in a discussion group that meets at 7am. We’re reading the Bible and sharing what we’re hearing from God. Have you ever heard of ‘Lectio Divina?’” (Lectio Divina, Latin for “Divine Light” is, at its simplest, a way of reading the Bible to listen for God to speak.)

Then our friend said, “The church has failed us.”

By which she meant, I’m over 80 years old, and I’m just learning how to read the Bible in a meaningful way.

Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Church, said much the same thing in an oft-misunderstood quote back in 2008:

We made a mistake… What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and became Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become self feeders. We should have gotten people (and) taught people how to read their Bible between services (and) how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own.”

Bill discovered that Willow Creek Church, for all the good it was doing, hadn’t been teaching folks to read the Bible for themselves, and in that omission the church was failing its members. It was failing to make disciples. I’m afraid most churches and pastors fall into that trap. Churches have replaced training the people to be in the Word for themselves with never-ending spoon-feeding.

The Apostle John wrote:

I am writing to you,

• little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. I am writing to you,
• fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you,
• young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you,
• children, because you know the Father. I write to you,
• fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you,
• young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (1 John 2.12 – 14, ESV)

“Little children” need someone to feed them. “Young adults” feed themselves. “Parents” feed others. There should be a progression, not, as I say, never-ending spoon-feeding.

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. (Hebrews 5.11, 12, ESV)

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2.1, 2, NIV)

Portions of this blog are adapted from my blog “The Church Has Failed Us,” January 28, 2018

I was participating in a church meeting recently to discuss “Christian Formation” options. I would just say “Discipleship,” but no matter. I wanted to make the point that churches in general don’t do a good job at training (we do better at knowledge than skills). So I told this story about Daily Time with God:

When I was on church staff about 20 years ago, I brought in my long-time Navigator friend Rich Berry for a one-day workshop. Among his teachings were how to have daily time with God (maybe you’ve heard me speak of that before!). Anyway, everyone loved him, and about a year later, he came back for an evening seminar. One of the participants told Rich: “When you were here last year, my wife really enjoyed your teaching on daily time with God. In fact, she put it into practice, and it was a great comfort to her in her last days. She was ill and has since passed away.”

A success story? Yes, of course. I’m glad the lady was able to have quality time with God in the last year of her life. But here’s the sad part. This couple was in their 60s. The husband was a licensed local pastor. Why had someone not taught them this decades ago?

One of the group members disagreed: “We do teach it, but people are in different seasons of life and don’t always hear it.” There’s truth in the “seasons of life” observation, but the fact remains that churches often don’t train people to be “self-feeders.” More about that tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD. (Proverbs 8.34, 35, ESV)

PS Portions of this blog first appeared in my blog Lasting Ministry, May 14, 2019.

Last Wednesday night, I was driving home from a church meeting in Monument, about 10 miles north of where I live in Colorado Springs. It wasn’t raining in Monument, but it was raining pretty hard as I drove south. No rain in Monument meant the setting sun was shining out of the northwest:

And you all know what happens when sunshine mixes with rain:

I was able to shoot this from an exit designed to allow folks to pull off and see Pikes Peak as well as the Air Force Academy. A few minutes later I got his picture from a street near my house:

As I was driving, I consciously brought to mind God’s promise to Noah:

When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. (Genesis 9.14, 15, ESV)

Back to Ezekiel. Chapter 28 is an enigmatic chapter that contains one of only two direct references to Satan in the Old Testament that I can think of. One is in Isaiah 14 – the famous five “I will” declarations, buried in a taunt to the “king of Babylon:”

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart,

• ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God
• I will set my throne on high;
• I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;
• I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
• I will make myself like the Most High.’ (Isaiah 14.12 – 14, ESV)

Ezekiel 28 is similar, opening with a lament for “the prince of Tyre,” a man:

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,’ yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god— you are indeed wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you; by your wisdom and your understanding you have made wealth for yourself, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries; by your great wisdom in your trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth.”— (Ezekiel 28.1 – 5, ESV)

The “prince of Tyre:” A man who is proud of his wealth.

But the chapter continues with a lament for the “king of Tyre,” not a man:

“Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD: “

• You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
• You were in Eden, the garden of God;
• every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.
• You were an anointed guardian cherub.
• I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.
• You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created,
• till unrighteousness was found in you…so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. (Ezekiel 28.12 – 16, ESV)

Both the Isaiah and Ezekiel passages give rise to the idea that there are “principalities and powers:” A hierarchy of demons controlling world cities: “king of Babylon,” “king of Tyre.” The Apostle Paul speaks to it:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6.10 – 12, ESV)

This is serious business: there’s a war on!

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him…Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. (Revelation 12.7 – 9, 17, ESV)

Author Frank Peretti captured this spiritual warfare in his novels This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness, both available on Kindle. Worth the read if you missed them when they came out in the late 80s.

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” (Revelation 12.10, 11, ESV)

On July 28, 2026, WMBI, the radio station operated by Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute celebrated its 100th anniversary. A long and fruitful ministry, still going strong. My wife, June, listened to it regularly when she was in Nursing School in the Chicago area. Here’s where I heard about the anniversary – a report from World Magazine in the Daily Sift, July 29:

Past and present employees of the Moody Bible Institute flocked to Chicago on Tuesday for a commemorative chapel service celebrating 100 years of Christian radio broadcasting. Moody Radio Vice President Wes Ward, who spoke with WORLD after the service, said the service commemorated 100 years of God at work and ended with a time of commissioning Moody for another century of ministry. He added that Moody was celebrating the diamond anniversary with special broadcasts, a short film, and a book chronicling Moody Radio’s 100-year history.

Moody Radio needs to continue evolving in order to reach 21st-century audiences, Ward said. He explained how in 1926, some Christians opposed the use of radio for ministry and viewed it as satanic, since Ephesians 2:2 describes Satan as “the prince of the power of the air.” But Moody’s founders wanted to reach as many people as they could with the gospel, so they weren’t afraid of new technology, Ward said. He cited Moody’s early adoption of satellite technology in the early 1980s.

Did you see it? “…in 1926 some Christians opposed the use of radio for ministry and viewed it as satanic…” It’s always the case, isn’t? People are fearful of new technology for one reason or another. Today it’s Artificial Intelligence (AI). I wrote a piece about that recently: Fret Not!

I’m glad Moody wasn’t afraid to adopt the new technology.

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43.18, 19, ESV)

For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” (Isaiah 8.11 – 13, ESV)

How did I miss this? In an advertisement for a retreat ministry, I noticed a book with the tag line: “Find out why 41 is an important biblical number.”

41? Really? I’ve read the Bible many times and never seen a reference to “41.” But it’s an inference, and a good one. Here’s a paragraph from an essay on Bible App, a site about which I know nothing (bullets added):

• After Noah built the ark, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. Day 41 came, and the rain stopped.
• After Moses committed murder, he hid in the desert for 40 years. Year 41 came, and God gave Moses a second chance—commissioning him to rescue Israel from slavery in Egypt.
• After the Exodus, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Year 41 came, and a new generation entered the Promised Land.
• For 40 days, Goliath bullied Israel, just begging for someone to come fight him. Day 41 came, and David stepped up and slew the giant.
• For 40 days, Jonah delivered a message of doom and gloom to the city of Nineveh—that God was going to destroy them because of their wickedness. Day 41 came, and God changed his mind and instead extended mercy because the Ninevites had repented.
• After being baptized, Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and was tempted by the devil. Day 41 came, the devil fled, angels showed up, and Jesus launched his monumental ministry.
• During the 40 days after his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples on several occasions—proving to them that he was alive and breathing new life into them as he explained the Kingdom of God and commissioned them to build it. On day 41, after promising to send the Holy Spirit in his place, he ascended into heaven, leaving the disciples to carry out his plan for launching the church—a church that, by the way, is still prevailing against the gates of hell. 

I like it! I’m a math guy, and I should have discovered this for myself. But it’s OK. I can learn from others, and it’s a reminder that as I approach my 80th birthday, it’s not too late to learn new things.

The Bible App essay concludes:

Whether you’re stuck in the storms of life; in serious need of a second chance; stranded in the wilderness of unexpected circumstances or unfulfilled expectations; facing what seems to be an unbeatable giant; or bearing up against unspeakable temptation, the pattern is clear. The number 41 represents the dawn of a new day—the hope and promise that if you don’t quit, the rain will stop, the giant will fall, and you will enter your “promised land.” 

Amen.

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43.18, 19, ESV)

Interestingly, Psalm 41, the last psalm in Book 1 of the five books of Psalms, is about deliverance and new beginnings. Worth the read in its entirety, it closes:

By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever.

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen. (Psalm 41.11 – 13, ESV)

We just returned from Aspen, Colorado, where we catch a couple of concerts most summers as part of the Aspen Music Festival. It’s always a great time with world class classical music in a splendid setting.

A good orchestra is a marvel, if you think about it. Each musician is highly trained, disciplined to daily practice to refine their craft, AND disciplined to follow their conductor. They all have to play:

• The right note
• At the right time
• At the right volume

Back in 2021, I told the story of an arrogant conductor:

A city orchestra hired a new conductor who was reputed to be quite good. Everyone looked forward to his coming. However, it turned out that he was very arrogant and treated the orchestra badly. Every rehearsal he berated them for their lack of skill, poor direction-taking, and general lack of musicality. This went on and on. Finally, they scheduled their first concert. The townspeople filled the auditorium. The orchestra members filed onto the stage and took their places. Finally, the conductor came out, took his place on the podium, and raised his baton. When he gave the signal to begin, no one played. He tried again. Still nothing. Finally, the Concertmaster, the first violinist, got up and whispered in his ear:

Maestro, never forget that no music comes out of that stick!

It’s a great story, but it occurred to me that “no music comes out of that stick” whether it’s an arrogant conductor or not. Suppose the body of Christ is like an orchestra. Jesus is our conductor.

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. (Colossians 1.17, 18, ESV)

Jesus is the conductor, but no music comes out of that stick! He chooses to let us make the music, under his direction. What would the orchestra sound like if half the members didn’t show up? Or if some of the members didn’t bother to learn how to play their instrument? Or didn’t learn the current music?

We have a part. How are we playing it?

He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. (Ephesians 4.11 – 13, MSG)

There’s a lesson to be learned from Ezekiel’s diatribes against Judah’s surrounding nations:

Ammon:

For thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice within your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand against you, and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 25.6 – 7, ESV)

Moab and Seir:

“Thus says the Lord GOD: Because Moab and Seir said, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,’ therefore I will lay open the flank of Moab from the cities, from its cities on its frontier, the glory of the country… (Ezekiel 25.8, 9, ESV)

Edom:

“Thus says the Lord GOD: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them, therefore thus says the Lord GOD, I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast. And I will make it desolate… (Ezekiel 25.12, 13, ESV)

Philistia:

“Thus says the Lord GOD: Because the Philistines acted revengefully and took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity, therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the rest of the seacoast. (Ezekiel 25.15, 16, ESV)

All the judgments were for how they were treating Israel and rejoicing in Israel’s misfortune.

In context, don’t mess with Israel! There are those who say that’s an everlasting principle, and it might be. Another application has to do with rejoicing over my enemy’s misfortune. That’s an everlasting principle too:

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12.19 – 21, ESV)

“Overcome evil with good.” Peter said the same:

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1 Peter 3.9, ESV)

Peter goes on to quote from Psalm 34:

What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?

• Keep your tongue from evil and
• your lips from speaking deceit.
• Turn away from evil and
• do good;
• seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. (Psalm 34.12 – 16, ESV)

Another good list, doable. Negatives, for sure, but also positives: do good, seek peace. It’s not enough to turn away from evil, I must do good. It’s not enough to abstain from vengeance on my enemy. Seek peace – then maybe he won’t be an enemy!

I got a call last week from Johnny, a friend from “long ago in a galaxy far away.” Actually, he’s in the Montgomery, Alabama area, and we met frequently when I lived there in the early 2000s.

After discussing a book he’s read several times since I gave it to him and talked about another book, Johnny said something like, “I read the Bible every day, actually the New Testament, Matthew through Revelation, but I don’t think I’m getting out of it what I should.” So I wrote him a short letter and am now deciding to share it with you.

I’m reminded of Martin Luther’s A Simple Way to Pray, a letter written to his barber in which he tells the barber how to pray through The Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Apostles’ Creed. 22 pages! My “letter to Johnny” is only one page. I reproduce it here:

Enclosed is a plan for reading the New Testament, not in Matthew – Revelation sequence. When we read the gospels one after the other, it can feel a bit repetitious, so this plan spreads the gospels out.

I recommend you read just the one chapter/day. One chapter/day, five days per week, gets all of it in one year. When you read, read slowly and “listen” for what God wants to say to you, personally, through what you’re reading. As Eli counseled young Samuel, say, “Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.”

When I read, I like to reflect on the one thing I sense God wants to say to me that day. Then I respond to God in prayer over what he told me. If you do this day after day, I think you will be blessed. Here’s a good prayer:

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. (Psalm 25.4, 5)

And a promise:

Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. (Psalm 25.8, 9)

–End of letter–

PS to the blog: those of you who are familiar with my Time with God tool, will notice that I have included only “read, reflect, and respond” in this letter. I left out “record” because Johnny was in a bad car accident around 2005, and he lost the use of his right hand. That is, he can’t write.