Church on the Edge Update
It’s still hard for me to believe I haven’t spoken publicly in over a year, not since December 1, 2019. That was the Sunday I preached my last message to the members of Seoul International Baptist Church while welcoming the new pastor, James Lynch.
Even though preaching and teaching have always been the mainstay of my ministry, I am convinced that I am exactly where God wants me to be.
But that doesn’t mean it has been easy!
For thirty-six years, I preached two or more times on Sundays, taught classes during weekdays and weeknights, and led conferences in various churches throughout the United States and Asia. I fully expected to continue doing all these things after returning to the States.
But after less than three months back in the U.S., Covid-19 exploded around the world.
Anyone called to preach knows there is nothing harder than sitting on the sidelines. But that’s where I am, and, once again, I am convinced I am exactly where God wants me.
It’s not like I haven’t done anything. I’ve published two books - Prophets or Patriots and Masterpiece in the Making. My plans were to release my third book in May, Where is the God of Elijah?. The subtitle of the book - Overcoming Spiritual Drought in Our Lives and Churches says it all. We are living in days of great spiritual drought. The signs and symptoms of that drought are everywhere, rampant in churches, para-church ministries, and individual Christian lives.
The book will likely be released this Fall. I’ve just got too many irons in the fire right now, and although the book was published in Korea and used in our spiritual growth groups in the church and in my seminary classes at Torch Trinity Graduate University, I want to make some revisions before releasing it.
By the way, one of those irons in the fire is a book I’m writing, together with my friend, retired Army General Carl Fisher. Our working title for the book is, Who’s in Your We? Taking our cue from the preamble of the Constitution of the United States, Carl and I (perhaps with some other writers from different backgrounds) feel strongly that those of us who are citizens of the United States of America must strive together to form, in the words of the preamble, “a more perfect union” and to “promote domestic tranquility.”
This can only be done when we stop demonizing those different from us, whether on the Left or Right, and learn to practice the art of compromise. Compromise is not weakness; it is wisdom. Consider these words from James 3:17 -
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
If we would but put these words into practice, we could change our nation and our world for the better. There is no going back. We cannot return to what we once were, but we can move forward by God’s grace to a better, brighter future.
Two weeks ago, during Holy Week, I released my first set of podcasts, entitled “Darkness and Death.” Last week, I released five more short podcasts entitled “The Road From the Tomb.”
Beginning this week, I will be releasing daily devotionals on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and podcasts on Tuesday and Thursday. Tuesday’s podcasts will be a series entitled “Journey of Faith.” Thursday’s podcasts will be “Interviews on the Edge.” I’ve been working on these interviews for some time, and I’m finally ready to begin releasing them.
Something else I am considering is resuming the live Zoom calls for those of you who are interested. We had some great studies and discussions during these get-togethers, and I’d like to start back. I’d also like to find a way to include those of you in time zones different from the U.S. That probably means having two different groups in our meetings. I’m working on it. Feel free to email me with your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas - armisteaddw@gmail.com.
We never know what the future holds, do we?
Proverbs 19:21 tells us, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
As the old preacher once said, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.”
In Christ,
Dan