The Big Picture Podcast 25: Courage – Christan Podcast Central

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In this week’s podcast, the “Back Row Baptist” takes in his big picture view of what’s going on in the Church today. One thing he sees that’s troubling him is a serious lack of courage.

While our culture and our future seems scarier and scarier, courage seems to be in shorter and shorter supply among those claiming to have a Christian worldview. According to the Bible, this should be a time when our faith – and our courage – is proven… even honed and sharpened.

But instead, so many in the church today are stepping back rather than stepping forward, or at least standing firm. Too many are worried about the Church’s reputation. Now, this is understandable – our culture is more intimidating toward Christian beliefs than ever before. But understandable doesn’t mean that it’s right.

Too many Christian leaders are either intimidated into silence or even into compliance because they’re overly concerned about being viewed as intolerant or lacking compassion; or they don’t want to be defined by what they are against… or any number of such rationalizations for being just plain scared of a world that’s growing more and more opposed and hostile to us – the church – and Biblical truths.

Now, don’t get me wrong. it scares me, too. No one who has grown up in this country over the last 50 years wants to admit that their liberties are being stripped away, especially in terms of our foundational religious speech, thought and morals.

But, I think that’s why the Bible so clearly tells us to be courageous – and STRONG! It just doesn’t come naturally to most of us. Joshua, Caleb and David were some of the most courageous men in the Old Testament, but even they had to be reminded and encouraged by God Himself to have courage, be strong and stand firm.

It seems that, like David facing Goliath, we are now facing a big, imposable foe in our government, a nasty mass media and an intimidating political agenda with its spears pointing at us from all directions. But also like David, there is a greater reward awaiting us as we face these oppositions and their defiance of the Living God.

Because the battle is His. Joshua and David knew it. Do we?

This week’s podcast then concludes with another example of courageous heroes nominated to the Great Cloud of Witnesses – a modern day group of young students, a pastor, in fact a Church facing communist oppression. Yet, despite their opposing foes in their Spiritual battle, they stood firm. They stood strong. They stood courageous.