The audiobook for Run with Perseverance is now available. In addition to audio, it’s also available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover formats. The audiobook is auto-narrated by Maxwell.
In Run with Perseverance discover the book of Hebrews afresh. Skip the fluff and dive deep in this down-to-earth biblical teaching that is relevant, applicable, and inspiring. Each day’s reading includes fresh insights, application questions, and Bible references.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
My wife and I are looking to find a new church. I never thought we’d be in this situation. My assumption was we’d go to our church for the rest of our lives. So much for assumptions.
While writing my not-yet-published memoir, God, I Don’t Want to Go to Church, I realized I’d picked every church Candy and I have attended over the years. I’d have my favorite; she’d have hers.
Unable to agree, I’d effectively decide because I drove. She’d go along, grumbling a bit as we went, but eventually we’d settle into life at our new church.
For our last church, I committed us to be part of a church plant without consulting her. I assumed she’d be as excited as me. I was wrong.
Eventually she embraced my choice as we immersed ourselves with giddy excitement into the allure of creating a fresh faith expression, working with a like-minded community of spiritual mavericks and misfits, rejects of today’s church culture.
I later apologized to her for always picking our churches. I promised she could pick the next one—even though I assumed there never would be a next one.
A few years later, after our yearlong sabbatical of researching and writing 52 Churches, we returned to our home church.
We picked up where we left off. Friends welcomed us back, excited about our return. A few, however, never knew we were gone.
This reminded me of how big and disconnected our church had become. Faithful regulars, even with a visible presence each Sunday, could slip away for a year and not be missed.
In his book The Barbarian Way, Erwin McManus wrote about being barbarians for Jesus, of not settling for a civilized acceptance of the religious status quo.
We started our church plant as passionate barbarians, but in eight short years we had settled into a civilized acquiescence. We had become like other churches, just with edgier music and more attendees from society’s fringe.
As we became organized (civilized), there was less room for my maverick soul to find solace. An all-too-familiar ache resurfaced, that spiritual yearning for more.
Our daughter and her family went to this church with us. We persisted in attending to be with them. But then our son-in-law switched jobs, and they moved near our son and his wife.
The pull of family caused us to ask an unexpected question: Should we move too? After consulting with our kids and receiving their blessing, we did just that.
Now we need to find a new church.
Key Considerations
I desire to worship with our neighbors in our new community, so we’ll look at churches nearby. Yet most of their buildings and names suggest they’re traditional congregations, with traditional views, and little patience for nontraditional me.
We’ll also consider the churches our neighbors attend. As far as we know, most of them drive outside our community each Sunday. If one of these churches clicks, at least we’ll be able to attend with some neighbors.
A third consideration is our kids’ churches. However, our daughter and son-in-law are still looking, while I’m not sure how long our son and daughter-in-law will continue where they’re going.
What are the chances we could all end up at the same place?
We’ll know the right church when we see it, but it’s good to have an idea of what we’re looking for.
For me, true community is paramount. This implies a smaller congregation. I also want a church family that goes all out to follow Jesus, worships the Father in spirit and in truth, and embraces the power of the Holy Spirit.
I need a truly Trinitarian faith community. Traditional churches need not apply.
In addition, it’s important to find a church that gives me a place to plug in and help others. Over the years I’ve served in many areas at the churches we’ve attended, often in excess and to the detriment of my family.
At one time I was simultaneously involved in ten different areas at our church, going there two or three times throughout the week to meet all my commitments, in addition to being quite busy on Sundays.
Where to Serve?
Over the years I’ve served as elder, deacon, treasurer, assistant treasurer, and executive committee member. A few times I even gave the sermon. I also headed up one church’s small group ministry, a 20-hour-a-week commitment.
I’ve taught various Sunday school classes, from preschool to adult, with the junior high boys being my favorite. Along the way, I’ve led small groups.
Then there is ushering, greeting, and taking the collection. And I’ve been on more committees than I care to remember.
Though I could do any of these things again, I don’t feel God calling me to any of them at this time. I also don’t think these are the best way for me to help advance his Kingdom.
After too many years of overcommitment, I established a guideline for my church involvement. It works well.
Quite simply, in addition to the Sunday service, I’m open to do one additional thing each week—and only one thing—at church. That’s it. I hope the church we pick offers me this one place to serve, one that will give me life.
Candy’s list is different. She seeks music that is worshipful and not a performance. They must speak the truth but in love.
Last, she wants a church willing to address today’s issues, not worrying about being politically correct or afraid to declare biblical truth.
In visiting congregations for 52 Churches, I set each destination with only minimal input from my wife. It was my research. We weren’t looking for a new church, so the consequences were minimal.
A New Church Home
This time is different. We’re seeking a new church home. The stakes are high. This won’t be a methodical investigation to gather information. It’s an imperative journey to find a new church family, a place for us to belong.
This time we’ll make the list together. I expect we’ll skip traditional congregations, formal gatherings, and liturgical services. While these are ideal choices for some, they have no pull for us.
Though this journey is ours together, and I will write the book from my perspective, Candy will make the final decision. I promised her that. My hope is I’ll be able to accept her selection and then embrace it, just as she did with my past choices.
Our journey to find a new church home is about to begin.
Check back next Thursday to read about our first consideration.
This book picks up the mantle from 52 Churches, their year-long sabbatical of visiting churches.
Here’s what happens:
My wife and I move. Now we need to find a new church. It’s not as easy as it sounds. She wants two things; I seek three others.
But this time the stakes are higher. I’ll write about the churches we visit, and my wife will pick which one we’ll call home. It sounds simple. What could possibly go wrong?
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
After Moses dies, his successor, Joshua, leads the people to conquer and settle in the promised land. Then a series of judges (leaders) work to free the people from recurring cycles of oppression.
The book of Judges lists one female judge among many male counterparts. Deborah, a judge and a prophet, takes the mantle of leadership when Barak lacks the courage to do so by himself. Through her direction, God provides the nation of Israel with victory. In doing so, another woman, Jael, plays a decisive part.
Deborah (along with Barak) then offers this psalm of praise to God for delivering them from their enemies.
“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh! “Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel. “Yahweh, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water. The mountains quaked at Yahweh’s presence, even Sinai at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel. “In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travelers walked through byways. The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel.They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh! “Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way. Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse Yahweh’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then Yahweh’s people went down to the gates. ‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’ “Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Yahweh came down for me against the mighty. Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun. The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart. Why did you sit among the sheepfolds? To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart. Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks. Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field. “The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver. From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera. The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength. Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones. ‘Curse Meroz,’ said Yahweh’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help Yahweh, to help Yahweh against the mighty.’ “Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent. He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish. She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples. At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead. “Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’ Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself, ‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’ “So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.”
Like Deborah, we may find ourselves in positions we didn’t want. And like Barak, we may cower from what God wants us to do.
When faced with what we don’t want, do we pull back in human fear or move forward in godly power? Are we able to praise Yahweh for the results? May we have the courage to do what’s right and what God calls us to do.
Explore the other psalms—sacred songs of praise, petition, and lament—scattered throughout the Bible in Peter’s book Beyond Psalm 150.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
The King Confesses His Mistake and Asks God to Take Away the Guilt
In 1 Chronicles 21 we read the account of David telling Joab to take a census of the people to determine how many fighting men are in the nation. This was Satan’s doing who tempted David into numbering his military. This could cause him to put his trust in the size of his armies and not God to give him victory, as he had always done.
Joab completed the momentous task and reported the numbers back to David. The king was immediately grieved for what he had done and confessed his sin to God. He implored the Lord to take away the guilt for his foolish act.
Today we know that Jesus has died to take away our guilt and absolve us from our sins. But this had not yet taken place in David’s time, and he had no such assurance. His guilt weighed him down. He confessed his sin and asked God to take away the guilt.
God gave him three sentence options and allowed David to select his punishment. David made his decision, opting for the one that was the shortest in duration and that came from God’s hand and not from human hands. It was a three-day-long plague over the nation.
It was David—and David alone—who sinned, but the whole nation received the penalty for David’s mistake. This doesn’t seem fair, and during the plague, David realized this.
He rightly confessed he was the one who sinned, and it was wrong for the people to suffer for his shortcoming. Yet instead of asking God to punish only him, David asks the Lord to punish him and his family.
Why didn’t David ask God to punish him alone?
Yet another question is why didn’t David—the man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22)—ask for mercy instead of judgment?
There are three lessons we can learn from this story:
A leader’s shortcomings affect those who follow.
Though we deserve punishment for the wrong things we do, we can ask God for mercy to take away the guilt.
Through Jesus, Father God forgives and forgets our sins.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
Focus verse: “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” (John 19:11)
The Jewish religious leaders want to kill Jesus. They view him as a threat to the little authority their Roman occupiers have given them to rule their people. Retaining power matters most to them. They reason that Jesus must die.
Their power has limits. They can’t execute anyone. They need Roman permission. Once approved, the Roman soldiers will handle the crucifixion, their preferred method of killing lawbreakers.
The authority to approve a crucifixion falls to Pilate. As Rome’s designated leader in that region, he can decide whether Jesus will live or die. As he investigates the charges against Jesus, he realizes Jesus’s innocence.
Pilate tries to release him and save him from an unjust death.
But the Jewish religious leaders don’t care about justice. They only care about their agenda. They oppose Pilate’s solution to the Jesus problem, because they want a different outcome.
His death is what matters to them, even if he has done nothing to deserve such an extreme punishment. Pilate realizes this. Roman law is not at stake. Pilate finds himself stuck in the middle of their scheme.
He goes to Jesus to inquire further. Jesus doesn’t answer Pilate’s questions. Exasperated, Pilate asks Jesus, “Don’t you know I have the power to free you or kill you?”
Now Jesus responds. “You have no power except what God gives you.” But Jesus also offers perspective to Pilate. “The one who betrayed me is guilty of the greater sin.”
This shifts the main blame from Pilate to Judas but doesn’t absolve Pilate of wrongdoing should he convict Jesus to die.
With Jesus affirming that Pilate’s power comes from God and not the Roman government, we see a big-picture perspective. From a human point of view Pilate receives his power through Roman rule.
In truth, it’s God who gives power to both the Romans and Pilate.
This doesn’t mean God supports the Roman’s barbaric reign or Pilate’s decisions. It confirms, however, that God has given them authority over others. It’s up to them to use that power for good or for bad. The decision is theirs. They have free will.
The same applies to Judas. God doesn’t force him to betray Jesus. God gives him the opportunity to decide for himself what to do. He chooses wrong—even though God uses it to bring salvation to everyone.
Back to Pilate. He wants to free Jesus and attempts to do so. But the religious leaders demand Jesus’s death. They stir up a crowd. With the threat of a riot, Pilate gives in, either out of fear or expediency.
As with Gamaliel before him (Day 28, “Don’t Fight Against God”), he may reason that killing one man—Jesus—is better than a riotous uprising that will hurt many.
Pilate uses the power God gives him to order Jesus’s death. This is as Jesus confirmed, Pilate is guilty for what he does. But God didn’t make Pilate do it. The decision was Pilate’s alone.
Questions:
When have you not done what is right so you can do what you want?
How often do you forgo justice because you fear taking a stand?
When has doing what is right been a costly decision?
Where does your power come from?
What does free will mean to you?
Discover more about the temptation to do wrong in 1 Corinthians 10:13 and James 1:13–16. What insights can you glean from these passages?
Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
How We View God Impacts What We Allow Ourselves to Receive from Him
I never liked the idea of mindset. It seemed a little too woo woo for me. It was as though I was depending on a positive attitude or self-fulfilling prophecy instead of relying on God to provide what I needed each day, instead of having an expectant mindset.
I recently realized, however, that my perception was in error. When it comes to God, we need to embrace an expectant mindset. Yes, we must rely on him to provide for our needs, but our perspective ties in with the degree to which we allow him to do that.
Consider how having an expectant mindset impacts our perception of God and opens us better to receive his blessings and provisions.
Generosity versus Scarcity
I recently talked about how my prayer each morning for God to provide my daily bread had over time morphed into a scarcity mindset. That perception of God limited my ability to receive what he wanted to give me. I needed to correct my thinking to properly view him as generous as opposed to stingy.
When it came to asking him for my daily bread, I needed to adopt an expectant mindset. Once I did, everything changed. Now I’m able to praise him each night for his generous provisions during the day.
Mercy versus Judgment
When we take a cursory glance of the Old Testament, it’s easy to see God emerge as mean spirited and judgmental. Yet a more careful read shows that he’s abundantly patient and full of compassion for his people.
Intellectually, we know about God’s grace and mercy, yet do our attitudes and actions align with this? Or do we perceive God as waiting for us to mess up so he can punish us? Though it’s appropriate to have a God-honoring respect of who he is, some people overreach and cower in trepidation that he’s poised to smack us down at the slightest of mistakes.
Having an expectant mindset helps change our perception of God from judgmental to merciful.
Loving versus Vengeful
Related to the idea of mercy versus judgment is love versus vengeance. Though we know God is a God of love and loves us—so much so that he sacrificed his Son to save us—do we love him back? Or do we fear him? Do we live a life where we anticipate his love or worry about his vengeance?
His vengeance, however, is for those who reject him, not those who follow him. Yet to all he offers love in the hope we will love him back.
Again, we need to adapt an expectant mindset to fully receive the love he offers. If we hold back because we expect punishment, we limit being able to receive the full amount of his love.
Have an Expectant Mindset
We know that God is generous, offers mercy, and is loving. Yet does that knowledge move from our head to our reality? Too often we act as though God withholds goodness from us, is judgmental, and awaits to afflict vengeance on us.
To combat this, we need to adopt, and fully embrace, an expectant mindset that God wants the best for us—if only we will let him.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
Another exploration of visiting churches has wrapped up, producing memories and insights. These can serve to move us forward in our spiritual journey, better prepared to worship God, serve others, and experience community. Where do we go from here? What are the next steps?
Consider these three discussion questions about the next steps.
1. Church means different things to different people, with our understanding of it evolving over time. The same applies to faith. Review your answers in this workbook.
How has your view of church grown? What changes should we make in how we put our faith into action?
2. I hope the questions in this book have spurred a lot of great ideas. But without action, great ideas amount to nothing.
What are the top three things we want to start doing differently?
3. When visiting churches, one person often made the difference between us feeling accepted and rejected.
In addition to changes we want to make in our own interactions with visitors, how can we encourage others to follow our example?
Get your copy ofMore Than 52 Churches today, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
After Moses’s final song he gives a blessing to the people. The first four verses of this passage read like a psalm. He then directs the rest of his oration to various tribes, much like a patriarch giving his final words to his children.
In the opening to his blessing, Moses refers to himself in the third person. It’s as if he sees himself as already dead, offering these words from the grave.
“Yahweh came from Sinai, and rose from Seir to them. He shone from Mount Paran. He came from the ten thousands of holy ones. At his right hand was a fiery law for them. Yes, he loves the people. All his saints are in your hand. They sat down at your feet. Each receives your words. Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob. He was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.”
What will our final words be to our family and friends? How can we influence future generations after we’re gone?
May we make our final words count.
Explore the other psalms—sacred songs of praise, petition, and lament—scattered throughout the Bible in Peter’s book Beyond Psalm 150.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Our perceptions of angels are likely skewed by paintings we have seen. While many of these paintings are great works of art, they cannot begin to capture just how breathtaking and astounding angels must be.
Consider Daniel’s angelic encounter: “His body was like [a precious gem], his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.” I’ve never seen a picture like that!
Now consider Daniel’s reaction to his angelic encounter:
no strength, grew deathly pale, very weak (v8)
trembling (v10-11)
speechless (v15)
overcome with anguish; helpless (v16)
strength is gone; can hardly breathe (v17)
Plus, this was likely a “junior” angel, as he required help from a more powerful angel just to reach Daniel. How much more intense would it have been if the “senior” angel showed himself. It is no surprise then, that one of the first things angels say when they reveal themselves is “don’t be afraid.”
However, if an encounter with an angel produces this sort of intense, overwhelming, heart-stopping reaction, imagine what an encounter with the God who created them would be like.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
Focus verse:“My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)
Jesus talks often about his kingdom. John, along with Mark and Luke, uses the phrase kingdom of God, while Matthew prefers the kingdom of heaven. The two phrases mean the same thing. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll use kingdom of God.
Kingdom of God is a New Testament phrase. Jesus mentions the kingdom of God in eighty-five verses, with fourteen more in the rest of the New Testament and none in the Old.
Jesus says the kingdom of God is near (Luke 10:9), within his disciples’ lifetimes (Mark 9:1), and even present (Luke 17:21).
Isn’t kingdom of God a reference to heaven and eternal life? If so, how could it have been near two millennia ago but something we expect in our future today?
We must view the kingdom of God as both a present reality and a future promise. Jesus’s kingdom is about heaven when we die. It’s also about our time here on earth today.
The kingdom of God starts with Jesus and his salvation, along with the life we lead in response to his gift to us.
The kingdom of God is about eternal life, and that eternal life begins now. Heaven is part two. We’re living in part one today—at least we should be.
Let’s embrace Jesus’s teaching on the kingdom of God to inform how we act today. He uses parables to teach us what he means.
Although John records none of Jesus’s parables, Matthew, Mark, and Luke do. Here are the parables concerning Jesus’s kingdom:
We should use these kingdom of God parables to inform our view of God and grow our relationship with him and others. Jesus tells us to seek his kingdom first (Matthew 6:33). We should listen and obey.
Questions:
How can you better understand the kingdom of God?
What does it mean to be part of his kingdom?
How can you view the kingdom of God as both a present reality and a future promise?
Which of Jesus’s parables about the kingdom of God most connects with you? Why?
How do Jesus’s parables on the kingdom of God apply to us today?
Discover more about God’s kingdom in John 3:1–21. What insights can you glean from this passage?
Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
