Radical Together

Be ready to be challenged. It is not an easy book to read because in the end we have a choice to make.  Are we ready to give up our comfort to become selfless followers of Christ? Or are we still holding tightly our plan and possession because God’s agenda is too risky?  While Platt is intentional in his challenge to us, he is honest with his own struggle.  It is not easy to be a selfless follower of Christ because our ego is often in the way.  The realization comes after his encounter with Tozer’s book, "The Knowledge of the Holy."  There, he understood that God does not need us to bring him glory.  However, God’s love invites us to work together to proclaim his glory so that all nations come to know him.

For pastors or church leaders familiar with church growth methodology, they would find the book unappealing because Platt has no concern for how many crowds a church can attract.  In fact, Platt politely criticizes “seeker sensitive” methodology.  He has no concerns over relevant programs or preaching.  For Platt, one element always missing in church growth methodology is the maturity of the people of God. Therefore, he exhorts church leaders to focus on growing disciples than managing relevant programs to attract seekers.  The function of the church is to teach the Word so that the people are transformed and inspired to live for Christ.  Let the Word of God move people to follow Christ’s agenda: make disciples of all nations.

I gave the book five stars because of its simple yet profound message.  That is to live intentionally as the people of God for the glory of Christ.  We are called to always examine our life whether our agenda, our plan, and our possession are in alignment with God’s purpose to proclaim his gospel to all nations?

What Does a Leader Need?

"This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful." Joshua 1:9

After they left Egypt about forty years ago, the people of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land.  Moses had died; Joshua would now lead the people into the land.  If we were Joshua, we would have this question, “How could I lead this multitude of people (some scholars estimated 2.5 million people)?” Moses, the giant leader was not permitted to enter the land because of the incident in Meribah.  God instructed Moses to speak to rock, and the water would come out for the people and their livestock to drink.  However, frustrated with their complaint, Moses acted in disrespect to God.  He struck the rock twice instead of speaking to the rock.  For his act of disobedience, God forbid Moses to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:2-12).  If Moses, the giant leader and the great lawgiver, was disqualified, could Joshua lead better than Moses?  It seems that the Lord understood Joshua’s concern.  Therefore, the Lord three times instructed Joshua in this text (Joshua 1:6, 7, and 9): “Be strong and courageous.” If the Lord desired for Joshua to have courage, how would the Lord equip him?  Would the Lord give Joshua the supernatural staff as he did for Moses?  The answer might not be what Joshua would have expected. To have courage, Joshua must dwell in the Word (1:8).  How can the practice of dwelling in the Word build courage in Joshua’s leadership?  I will share three reasons why the Word of God shapes Joshua to become a courageous leader.

First, the Word of God provides Joshua with the assurance of God's promise.  When God gave him the promise of victory as Joshua and the people would cross the river of Jordan, God does not give him a general promise. This promise is the fulfillment of the covenant given to Abraham (Genesis 12:1).  Throughout the Book of the Law, God repeats the promise over and over.  He did that with Isaac (Genesis 26:3), with Jacob (28:15) and with Moses (Exodus 3:8).  The repetition means that God is firm with his promise, and he will make sure that it happens. Now, God reveals to Joshua that he is the man that God would use to bring his promise into fulfillment. Later in life, Joshua recounted this unfailing promise of God when he invited the people of Israel to renew their covenant with God. 

“Not one thing has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you; all have come to pass for you, not one of them has failed” (Joshua 23:14).

Second, the Word of God provides Joshua with the assurance of God's presence (1:5, 9). Joshua was with Moses when God gave him the Law in the form of the two stone tablets came down to meet Moses in the cloud on the top of the mountain.  It was a glorious fellowship between God and Moses (Exodus 24:15-17).  It was not the only experience.  Joshua had witnessed that every time Moses entered the tent of meeting, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance.  There, the Lord spoke to Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend (33:9-11).  For Joshua, when God speaks, his presence is there, and it brings joy and comfort (Psalm 16:11).

Lastly, the Word of God provides Joshua with the assurance of God’s providence.  How many times was Moses confronted with the rebellion of his people?  How many times had Moses put up with their stubbornness? They had been rebellious against God since they left Egypt (Deuteronomy 9:7).  It was a constant struggle; however, Moses was faithful, and he did not quit. He persevered because God’s Word gave him strength. When the ten spies returned with the bad report, the people refused to enter the land.  They even rejected Moses as their leader, and they demanded a new leader to lead them back to Egypt.  Did the Lord understand Moses’ pain?  He comforted Moses that the people actually rejected him and not Moses (Numbers 14:11).  God assured Joshua the same providence: “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you” (Joshua 1:5).

What does a leader need?  God’s instruction to Joshua reveals to us that the success of Joshua’s mission to occupy the land does not depend on his power or strategy, but it depends on his faithful observance of the law.  This week, we have witnessed the failure of two male prominent leaders: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dominique Strauss-Kahn (Director of International Monetary Fund).  Their failure is not that they lack intellect or leadership skills.  Their failure results from their immoral conduct.  One violated the trust of his wife and family; the other abused his power to sexually assault a hotel maid.  Joshua’s story invites us to build our life on the Word of God so that we can safeguard our life against moral failure, and we can experience God’s blessing of a satisfied life.

The Sacred Journey by Charles Foster

Can pilgrimage add depth to one's spiritual life?  That is the question I had when I picked up this book for review.  By the time I finished reading, I agree with Charles Foster that there is a spiritual meaning in pilgrimage.  Foster has done a wonderful job in articulating the theology of pilgrimage.  He traced the theme of pilgrimage from the Old Testament with the story of Abraham as the desert nomad to the New Testament with the life example of Jesus as he traveled from city to city to proclaim the gospel.

While I find that Foster has a compelling argument, I also wonder whether he approaches the Scripture with the bias against settlers.  For Foster, Cain should not have built a civilization in the land of Nod. Doing so he missed God's redemptive plan. Is it so? I will argue that it is the grace of God that permits Cain to cultivate the land of Nod so that it becomes a fruitful civilization.

Regardless one's opinion of Foster's theology of pilgrimage, readers will agree that there are spiritual benefits from pilgrimage.  I agree with Foster that Christian pilgrimage is a walk with Jesus. In pilgrimage, we can experience hardships, loneliness, and isolation.  This crisis will create in us a spirit of humility.  This is the reason why pilgrimage can deepen one's faith.

Foster did an outstanding job in articulating the spiritual richness of pilgrimage. I will rate The Sacred Journey five stars.  Foster has compelled me to seriously consider pilgrimage as the spiritual exercise for my faith building.