Maximum Life Maximum Life with Pastor Zach Terry serves you through biblical teaching, books, and resources, we seek to assist you in knowing how to put the puzzle of life together in a way that is both logical and beautiful. https://zachterry.org Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:47:36 +0000 Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:47:36 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com A Kairos Moment Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/23/a-kairos-moment Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:34:14 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/23/a-kairos-moment

A Kairos Moment

What Joseph’s worst day teaches us about God’s timing — Genesis 37

This is a recap of Sunday’s message at First Baptist Fernandina Beach. If you missed it, you can listen to the full sermon on the Maximum Life+ app or at coderedtalk.com.

We’ve arrived at the final and most important section of our study through Genesis. Fourteen full chapters — roughly 25–30% of the entire book — are dedicated to the life of one man: Joseph.

John Phillips makes a striking observation about that. God used only three words to create the stars. Two in Hebrew, three in English: “and the stars.” Consider what that means — the sun alone releases more energy in one second than humanity has used in our entire history, and the universe is filled with such stars. Yet God gave their creation half a verse.

Joseph gets fourteen chapters.

Phillips concludes that God is more interested in making saints than He is in making stars. And if there’s any saint God was personally invested in making, it was Joseph.

What Is a Kairos Moment?

There are two Greek words translated as “time” in the Bible. Chronos means a sequence of moments — the ticking of the clock. Kairos means a season of divine opportunity — a moment in history when God moves. When Jesus told Mary, “My time has not yet come,” He used the word kairos. It wasn’t a time on the clock. It was a moment ordained by heaven.

How do you know when you’re in a kairos moment? In Genesis 37, three things align — and they may be aligning in your life right now.

1. Providential Favor

Joseph was the son of Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife, and Jacob made his favoritism visible. He gave Joseph a multicolored tunic — a symbol of patriarchal authority. It wasn’t Joseph’s fault that he was favored. It wasn’t his fault that he was given the coat. But it was his fault that he wore it.

Solomon warns us: “Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” (Proverbs 27:4). Anger is dangerous, but it’s short-lived — it cools. Jealousy doesn’t. Jealousy grows. It becomes a lens through which one sees the world. It is cold, calculated, and sustained — it compares, fixates, and plots.

The brothers hated Joseph. They couldn’t even speak peacefully to him. Providential favor had arrived — but it came wrapped in opposition.

If God is giving you increased responsibility, internal clarity about your calling, or a shift from obscurity to prominence, pay attention. You may be stepping into a kairos moment.

2. Prophetic Alignment

Joseph had two revelatory dreams. In the first, his brothers’ sheaves bowed to his. In the second, the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed before him. Both pointed to the same reality: God was going to place Joseph in a position of authority.

The brothers interpreted the dreams immediately and correctly. The meaning was unmistakable, and it infuriated them. But here’s what they missed — this wasn’t Joseph’s ambition speaking. It was God’s agenda being revealed.

I wonder if God has spoken a word over your life. Maybe through a teacher, a mentor, an older saint at church who said something you’ve never forgotten. God tends to speak to the church through the church. And sometimes we miss it because we weren’t there that day.

3. Persecution Increases

Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers near Shechem — a journey of nearly sixty miles. When Joseph arrived, the brothers had moved to Dothan, an even more remote location. A stranger pointed the way. Every one of these “coincidences” was the invisible fingerprint of God.

Then comes one of the most chilling lines in Scripture: “They saw him from afar.” How did they recognize him at a distance? The coat. That multicolored tunic, visible across the open terrain, marked him like a target. The very symbol of his father’s love became the thing that identified him for destruction.

“Here comes this dreamer,” they sneered — literally in Hebrew, “the master of dreams.” They mocked the very thing God gave him. “Let’s kill him,” they said, “and we will see what will become of his dreams.” Do you hear the arrogance? They thought they could murder the man and thereby murder God’s plan. They thought a pit in the ground could cancel a prophecy from heaven.

The Hebrew word for “stripped” means to skin an animal. They didn’t just remove his coat — they tore his identity from his body. The word “threw” is not generic; it’s the term for dumping a dead body into a grave. And then the text gives us five devastating words:
“Then they sat down to eat.”

Their seventeen-year-old brother was screaming in a hole in the ground — Genesis 42:21 later reveals he was begging them — and they spread out a meal. The casualness of their cruelty is staggering.

Judah proposed selling him instead of killing him. But listen to his reasoning: “What profit is it if we kill our brother?”Profit. Judah wasn’t moved by conscience; he was motivated by commerce. They sold their own brother for twenty shekels of silver — the price of a slave.

And yet, while Jacob wept and the brothers lied, God was already at work. Joseph landed exactly where he needed to be. The persecution was real, but Providence was never absent, and the prophecy was still unfolding exactly as God promised.

The Ultimate Joseph

Here’s where the story gets personal.

Joseph was being turned — involuntarily — into the savior of one human family. But centuries later, another came to His own, and His own received Him not. Another was sold for silver. Another was stripped naked. Another cried out in the dark.

That was Jesus. And He came voluntarily to be the Savior of us all.

The pit Jesus fell into was vastly deeper. His cry was vastly greater. His sense of abandonment went infinitely beyond anything Joseph experienced. On the cross, Jesus was not merely physically naked — He was stripped of His Father’s love, punished in our place for our sin.

Here is the One who lost the Father’s coat so you can be assured you have it. Here is the One who lost the Father’s love — paying our penalty — so we could know, in spite of our imperfect lives, that God loves us.

Christianity is the only religion that even claims God has suffered — that God has gone into the pit, that God is there in the dark beside you. He knows what it is like.

Are You in a Kairos Moment?

Where is the place God has sovereignly positioned you for such a time as this? Does it align with words spoken over your life? Are you feeling the heat of persecution?

If so, you’re in good company. Joseph has been there. And by the way — Jesus has been there, too.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/23/a-kairos-moment#comments 0 The Road to Bethel: Why Settling for Shechem Will Cost You Everything Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/23/the-road-to-bethel-why-settling-for-shechem-will-cost-you-everything Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:28:28 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/23/the-road-to-bethel-why-settling-for-shechem-will-cost-you-everything

The Road to Bethel: Why Settling for Shechem Will Cost You Everything

Genesis 34:1—35:29

WATCH SERMON

It’s better to be at Bethel under God’s blessing than at Shechem with a Target.
That line from this week’s sermon has stuck with me all week, and I think it’ll stick with you too. Let me explain.
After wrestling with God at Peniel and making peace with his brother Esau, Jacob should have gone straight to Bethel — the place where God first appeared to him, the place where he made a vow to worship. But he didn’t. He stopped short. He settled in Shechem instead.

Why? Because Shechem was a major crossroad in Canaan. It had everything a wandering Bedouin could want. It was comfortable, convenient, well-located. Bethel was less developed, fewer amenities, further off the beaten path.

Sound familiar?

Years ago, a pastor friend of mine was called to lead a great church, but the town didn’t have enough restaurants — not even a Target. He stayed in the larger city. Within ten years, his wife left him, his kids left the faith, and the church no longer needed his services. Before you relocate your family, make sure God is in it.

People train for years to climb Mount Everest, but the majority only make it partway up. Why? The Namche Bazaar — a warm and cozy Tea House at the first base camp with heated lounge tents and luxury pods. It becomes their Shechem. They choose comfort over the dream.

I wonder how many people reading this today are not where God wants them. Perhaps God called you to a particular occupation, but you found it easier to settle in Shechem. Maybe God called you to unite with a church, but you sojourned at Shechem instead.

As we’ll see, tragedy often occurs amid compromised obedience.

What Happened at Shechem

Genesis 34 is an R-rated chapter of the Bible. Even as a sermon, it deserves the label “Parental Guidance Suggested.” But God preserved this story for a reason. It is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went out to see the women of the land. Moses tells us she is Leah’s daughter for a reason — reminding us that Leah was the unwanted wife, the unloved one. It’s quite possible that Jacob’s dislike of Leah carried over to their daughter. If so, perhaps that’s why Dinah was seeking companionship elsewhere.

At face value, she was doing nothing different from any other teenage girl. She wanted friends. She wanted to do what the other girls were doing. But this was Shechem — a city whose inhabitants, as Leviticus 18 later reveals, were marked by the most deviant sexual practices.

May this be a warning to you, fathers. God gave you a daughter not only to provide for, but to protect. Know her friends. Be aware of where she goes for entertainment. I’ve never understood how a family can allow a teenager unfiltered access to the internet in the privacy of their room. Do you remember what it was like to be that age? You say, “Well, Pastor, don’t you trust your kids?” No. I don’t trust myself either. Paul said it best: “Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.”

Then came the unthinkable. Shechem, the son of Hamor — a prince of the land — saw Dinah, seized her, and violated her.

Let’s be absolutely clear: this was rape. The Hebrew word for “humiliated” (anah) is the same word used throughout Scripture for sexual violence. There is no ambiguity in the text. This was not a misunderstanding, not a cultural difference, not a “mistake.” This was a violent crime against a young woman.

And here is one of the most disturbing dynamics in the story: after violating her, Shechem says he “loves” Dinah. He wants to marry her. He speaks “tenderly” to her. This is textbook abusive behavior — assault followed by affection, violence followed by promises. He violated her body, and now he toys with her mind and emotions. This is one of the reasons violence goes unreported. The abuser manipulates and confuses the victim. She thinks: It was just one time. It won’t happen again. I know he loves me.

But love never violates. What Shechem calls “love” is control. Any relationship that begins with violence will end in disaster.

The Silence of a Father

Where was Jacob through all of this?

Scripture says he “held his peace.” Silence. No outrage. No protective fury. No justice. Jacob did nothing. He was paralyzed. And that silence — that failure to act, to speak up, to defend his daughter — compounded the trauma. Dinah was violated, and her own father wouldn’t even acknowledge it.

So many have experienced this. The assault itself is horrific, but then comes the silence. The family that doesn’t believe you. The church that tells you to move on. Silence can be almost as damaging as the assault itself.

Solomon reminds us in Proverbs 29:2: “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.”

This is why we should pray for godly people to be in government — locally and nationally. When godless people rule, the people will always suffer.

It was recently brought to my attention that our local county library experienced a sudden, significant uptick in book purchases of a concerning nature. I spoke with an employee and asked if these books were sent by publishers or specifically ordered. He told me they had to be ordered directly, by title, by the library. I asked if children had access. He replied, “The kids can take the books and read them all they want, but they have to have a parent’s permission to take them home.”

How does this happen in the most conservative county in the state? The righteous of the land haven’t been paying attention — or they simply don’t care.

When Leaders Fail, the Unqualified Step In

Jacob’s sons, at least, were angry. They called what happened an “outrageous thing” — a phrase in Hebrew (nebalah b’Yisrael) that means a covenant-breaking abomination. They recognized the evil.

When someone has been violated or exposed to something sick and twisted, it is necessary to speak up and clearly label what has happened. If we fail to do so, the soul of the victim will find no healing, and generations will suffer in the wake.

But here’s the tragedy: when Jacob failed to lead, his sons took matters into their own hands. Through deception and violence, Simeon and Levi slaughtered the men of Shechem. They weaponized the covenant sign of circumcision to exact revenge. What resulted was unjust, tragic, and a sin against the covenant with Yahweh.

And saddest of all — it could have been prevented had Jacob simply led his family to Bethel.

Chapter 35: The Pivot

Everyone has suffered. Everyone has been through trauma. But in chapter 35, the family finally makes a good move. Jacob takes all the sin and pain to God at Bethel.

“God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’” — Genesis 35:1

God intervenes. He doesn’t tell Jacob to fix what happened. He doesn’t chastise him. He simply says: if you and your family will find healing, it will be at Bethel.

And then Jacob does something remarkable. He tells his household: “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments.”

Wait — foreign gods? Jacob’s household had been living with idols this entire time? Rachel stole her father’s household gods back in chapter 31, and apparently nobody dealt with it. For years, they’d been carrying these false gods around, paying lip service to Yahweh while hedging their bets with pagan deities.

Sometimes it takes a crisis to show us where we’ve been compromising. Sometimes God allows us to see the consequences of settling in Shechem so we’ll finally be willing to go to Bethel. The pain wakes us up. The brokenness drives us home.

Three Truths for the Road Back

Healing requires honesty. The first step toward healing is naming what happened. Jacob tried silence — it didn’t work. The brothers tried revenge — it made things worse. But God’s way starts with honesty: acknowledge the trauma, call sin what it is, bring it into the light.

If you’ve been sexually assaulted or violated, you need to tell someone. Not because you’re weak, but because secrets keep you sick. Find a safe person — a trusted friend, a counselor, a pastor who will believe you and support you. You don’t have to carry this alone.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” — Psalm 147:3

Christ died for our sins, but He also died for the sins committed against us. By His stripes, we find healing. The cross is God’s demonstration that sin is real, that it has eternal consequences, and that justice will either fall on Christ or on the sinner. No sin has been or will be overlooked. Bring Him your broken heart. You have to let Him see your wounds.

Healing requires release. Jacob’s household had to stop compromising in Shechem and return to Bethel. They had to get rid of their idols. They had to believe God is enough.

The reason we cling to idols is that they are small enough for us to feel some measure of control. Victims, in particular, are drawn to what they can control, because a loss of control is what got them in the mess in the first place. It’s not uncommon for them to bow at the altar of a bottle, a pill, or to throw themselves into work or the gym — all in an attempt to control something.

God’s call to put away foreign gods is an invitation to freedom. You don’t have to perform to have value. You don’t have to control everything to be safe. You don’t have to numb the pain to survive. Come to Bethel. Let God be God. Trust Him with your healing.
Healing requires returning. This is the heart of the passage. God says, “Go to Bethel and make an altar.”

Worship is not a luxury for people who have it all together. Worship is how broken people find healing. Worship reorients us. It reminds us that God is still God, even when our world has been shattered. It reconnects us to the One who sees us, knows us, and loves us anyway.

Some of you have been avoiding church, avoiding worship, avoiding God because you feel too damaged. You think, “I’ll come back when I’m better. I’ll worship when I have my life together. I’ll seek God when I’m clean enough.” But that’s backwards. You come to Bethel broken. You worship your way toward wholeness. You encounter God in your mess, and He meets you there.

Shechem and Calvary

Consider the stark difference:

At Shechem, a daughter is violated. At Calvary, the Son is violated.

At Shechem, a father is silent. At Calvary, the Father speaks from heaven.

At Shechem, brothers spill guilty blood. At Calvary, innocent blood is shed to satisfy justice.

At Shechem, revenge multiplies sin. At Calvary, justice absorbs sin.

Where are you today? Are you sojourning in Shechem or worshipping at Bethel? What has it cost you? Is it worth it?

The road back to Bethel is available to all of us. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or what’s been done to you. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in Shechem. God is calling you home. He’s calling you back to the place of encounter, the place of covenant, the place of blessing.

Arise. Go to Bethel.

Listen to the full sermon: The Road to Bethel — First Baptist Fernandina Beach, Genesis Series
Subscribe to my Substack: Zach Terry on Substack
Learn more: Maximum Life with Zach Terry 
Download the Maximum Life+ App: Available on the App Store and Google Play

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, contact RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) at 1-800-656-4673 or visit www.rainn.org.

Dr. Zach Terry is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Fernandina Beach, FL, and President of Maximum Life, Inc.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/23/the-road-to-bethel-why-settling-for-shechem-will-cost-you-everything#comments 0 The Epstein Files, the AI Revolution, and the Death of Institutional Trust Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/23/the-epstein-files-the-ai-revolution-and-the-death-of-institutional-trust Mon, 23 Feb 2026 11:58:06 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/23/the-epstein-files-the-ai-revolution-and-the-death-of-institutional-trust

The Epstein Files, the AI Revolution, and the Death of Institutional Trust

A Civilizational Singularity Is Unfolding — And Most People Don’t Realize They’re Living Through It

We are living through a civilizational singularity. Not one, but two — happening simultaneously. And if you’re not paying attention, you’re going to miss the most consequential shift in modern history.

On this week’s episode of Code Red, I sat down with attorney and Coffee & Covid author Jeff Childers to unpack the two stories that tower above everything else in the news right now: the Epstein file disclosures and the AI revolution. What emerged was a conversation that went from geopolitics to local libraries, from ancient debate societies to the future of labor — and it all circles back to one haunting question: What do we do now that we know what we know?

Watch the full episode here.

The Epstein Files: A Worldwide Reckoning

Put aside the noise about Minneapolis, the IRS agents, and Nancy Guthrie for a moment. The Epstein document release — all 3 million pages of it, heavily redacted — is systematically dismantling what remains of public trust in the ruling class.

And it’s not a partisan issue. This cuts across every political line.

As Jeff put it: “There’s not one of them that you would trust to babysit your kids. And you probably wouldn’t even loan them money.”

The crowdsourcing phenomenon is remarkable. Millions of ordinary citizens are combing through these documents, making connections, searching keywords, and building tools like jmail.world — a searchable interface that functions like Gmail but gives you access to Jeffrey Epstein’s email archive. The age of centralized investigation is over. The public is doing the work.

And the fallout is global. The Norwegian royal family is teetering. British Prime Minister Starmer’s government is in crisis after his appointment of Peter Mandelson — the so-called “Prince of Darkness” of British politics — as US ambassador blew up when Mandelson appeared in the Epstein documents. Starmer’s chief of staff has already resigned. The dominoes are falling.

Here in the States, mega-donors like Larry Summers have been wiped out. And we’re only in the top 1% of what these files contain.

The Second Ring

What’s particularly striking is what Jeff calls the “second ring” — people who aren’t in the files themselves but are connected to people who are. Starmer never met Epstein, never went to the island. But he hired someone who did. That connection alone may end his political career. The blast radius is expanding far beyond the names on the flight logs.

The Essential Death

One of the most important — and underappreciated — aspects of this story is that Epstein’s death (alleged or otherwise) was essential to everything we’re now seeing. Had he lived, his unlimited legal resources would have tied up every document for 50 years. His lawyers would have buried it all. For all legal purposes, his death unlocked the vault. His estate opened. His emails became discoverable. And here we are.

As Jeff noted, in the 2005 prosecution, Epstein’s powerful friends got him a sweetheart plea deal — a misdemeanor slap on the wrist. Trump watched it happen from Mar-a-Lago. In 2019, when Epstein was arrested again, he didn’t survive long enough for those same political favors to save him. That contrast raises uncomfortable questions — and perhaps some hopeful ones.

The Strategy Question

We explored a working hypothesis about the public feuds Trump orchestrates with allies — the Elon breakup, the Thomas Massie confrontation. In each case, the “enemy” goes out, makes noise, and ultimately advances Trump’s agenda. Elon said “Trump’s in the Epstein files” during their public feud. That was technically true — Trump appears as a whistleblower who cooperated with Palm Beach police. But the statement got Democrats so fired up that they voted nearly unanimously for the discharge petition ordering the DOJ to release everything.

Now Elon’s back in the White House. And the documents are out. Coincidence? Maybe. But it’s a pattern worth watching.

The AI Singularity: When the Cost of Labor Hits Zero

The second singularity is economic. Since December, a new paradigm has emerged in artificial intelligence that is rewriting the rules.

Jeff shared a story about a small business owner — not a tech person — who asked an AI to add a button to his Excel spreadsheet. The AI responded: “Buttons don’t work well in Excel. Let me just build you an entire custom software platform.” Three hours later, the man had a fully functional, web-based business management system — built entirely by AI.

On a Spotify earnings call, the CEO told investors that senior developers haven’t written code since last year. They’re managing the AIs that write the code. A developer on the subway gets a Slack message from the AI back at the office: “This is ready for approval.” He approves the next step during his commute.

Elon Musk’s analysis is worth considering: we are approaching a moment when the cost of labor drops to near zero. Remove labor costs from goods and services, and you’re left with capital, electricity, and raw materials. Everything gets dramatically cheaper. The classic economic formula that has existed since humans started writing — labor versus capital versus productivity — is about to fundamentally change.

And that’s before we even talk about robots.

The Death of the Illusion

As Christians, we shouldn’t be surprised. The doctrine of total depravity tells us that sin touches everyone — from Mother Teresa to the Pope to Billy Graham. There is no special class of people who “have it together” because they went to the right schools or sit in the right boardrooms.

But there was an illusion — a cultural assumption that the people running things were essentially decent. The Epstein files have shattered that illusion beyond repair. Jesus asked about the rich man and the eye of the needle for a reason.

The House Oversight Committee published a cropped photo of Bill Gates and former Prince Andrew from the Epstein files. But when you find the uncropped version and slide it to the right — there’s the King. I don’t know what it proves. But I believe it’s a metaphor for where this scandal is heading.

Closer to Home: The Nassau County Library

Here’s where it gets personal. This week, local citizen Jack Knocke used AI to analyze book purchases for the Nassau County Library, searching keywords related to LGBTQ content, the pride movement, and witchcraft.

For years, the numbers were modest — a few titles here and there. Then, in the last six months to a year, the purchases skyrocketed. Hundreds of books. The line went off the chart.

I talked to a library employee. This wasn’t publishers sneaking books in. Someone had to order each title individually, by name. And there’s no policy preventing a ten-year-old from sitting down in the library and reading material of an adult nature. They can’t check it out, but they can read it right there.

It turns out a county employee hired an aggressively progressive ideologue to oversee the public library. We’ve raised the issue. So far, nothing has changed.

This is the Epstein problem in microcosm: institutional trust breaking down at every level, from the global stage to your local county.

Resurrecting the Lyceum: A Proposal

This is where I want to float something I’ve been thinking about for a while.

I’ve been reading about the Lyceum movement — the debating societies that flourished across America in the 1800s and produced the Lincoln-Douglas debates. North, south, small towns, big cities. Men would gather, younger men in their twenties would be assigned topics, coached by experienced mentors, and debate the issues before their community. There were rules. There was decorum. No heckling. And at the end, the audience responded — who won, how could they improve, who might be ready to run for office.

Think of it like a UFC fight card for civic engagement. The undercard features younger, less experienced debaters building their muscles. The main event brings in the heavyweights — experienced leaders, political candidates, community figures.

The topics wouldn’t be theoretical. They’d be local. Paid parking in Fernandina Beach. Library book purchasing policies. Who should be the next governor of Florida — and why.

I’ve been bouncing this idea off people from across the political spectrum. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. One local venue was eager to host. This could be ticketed, live-streamed, and scaled across the state.

The most important thing about classical debate isn’t that it teaches people how to argue. It teaches them how to think. If our kids understood classical logical fallacies — like the Appeal to Authority (”Well, the CDC says...”) — they would be far less susceptible to propaganda.

Jeff and I both turned 50 recently. We’re just now learning how local government actually works. That’s a failure of civics education that we cannot pass on to the next generation.

The alternative to rebuilding trust in institutions is anarchy. And nobody wants that. But rebuilding is going to require more than polish. It’s going to require citizens getting in a room, having honest conversations, and doing it pro bono — because this isn’t a business model. It’s a civic duty.

Final Thought

We are watching two singularities collide: the political collapse of institutional credibility and the economic revolution of artificial intelligence. Neither has a precedent in human history. Both demand that ordinary citizens step up, pay attention, and get involved — starting in their own communities.

The king has no clothes. And it’s time we stopped pretending otherwise.

Watch the full episode: Code Red with Jeff Childers
Subscribe to Jeff Childers’ newsletter: Coffee & Covid on Substack
Subscribe to my Substack: Zach Terry on Substack
Learn more about Code Red: coderedtalk.com
Download the Maximum Life+ App: Available on the App Store and Google Play Store
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/23/the-epstein-files-the-ai-revolution-and-the-death-of-institutional-trust#comments 0 Fear Not Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/12/fear-not Thu, 12 Feb 2026 10:41:37 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/12/fear-not

Fear Not

Overcoming Fear from God’s Perspective

Fear is a pervasive issue in our society. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, specific phobias—irrational fears of particular things—affect an estimated 9.1% of U.S. adults each year, impacting about 19 million people. Broader anxiety disorders, including phobias, panic attacks, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety, affect roughly 19.1% of adults annually, or about 40 million Americans.

Data from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) shows that 16.5% of U.S. adults reported taking prescription medication for mental health issues in the past year, covering anxiety, depression, and related symptoms. Anxiety is a primary factor here, with recent increases in usage nearly twice as high for women (up almost 40%) compared to men (up 22.7%). Fear is a serious issue in America.

What do you fear? What keeps you awake at night? What influences every decision and holds you back from your true potential?

  • Financial fears? Layoffs—some of you lie awake gripped by worry over what your employer might do.
  • Medical fears? Doctor’s reports—parents, how many of you watch your child closely, analyzing every eye twitch? Before long, your mind turns it into a tumor.
  • Family fears? The unknown—some of you are gripped by fear over what your spouse might be doing, despite no evidence or reason to doubt.
  • Opinion fears? Some live afraid of what others think, which is why you hesitate to share your faith.

From God’s perspective, there is absolutely nothing to fear. This truth is so profound that fear becomes functional atheism—it declares, “God is not enough”—and thus, it becomes sin.

“Fear Not” is the most repeated command in Scripture, appearing 366 times—one for each day of the year, plus an extra for leap years.

Despite these verses, fear is a daily battle. The Apostle Paul knew this well, perhaps never more intensely than in first-century Corinth.

Context: Paul’s Journey to Corinth

Paul had just finished ministering in Athens, a city renowned for its academic achievements. Now he arrived in Corinth, infamous for its sensual perversions.
Corinth was the Las Vegas of its era—Sin City. What happened in Corinth stayed in Corinth.
As a port city, all sea traffic to and from Athens passed through it.

Fun fact: The oldest known marketing ploy was discovered there—footprints painted on the main street leading to a brothel.

Towering above was the Acrocorinth, an acropolis with views of the Gulf of Corinth. It served for defense and pagan worship, large enough to shelter the entire city during a siege. It housed a temple to Aphrodite, goddess of love, with about 1,000 priestesses who were ritual prostitutes. Each night, they descended into the city to “serve” travelers and locals, making “to Corinthianize” a synonym for a loose, drunken lifestyle.

This seemed bizarre to us, but to them, it was normal and patriotic. Refusing such “worship” was seen as inviting the gods’ displeasure.

Paul faced every imaginable illicit temptation in Corinth, plus fears of opinions, temptations, and physical harm.

He summed it up in 1 Corinthians 2:3 (NASB95): “I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.”

Adding to this, Paul clashed harshly with the local synagogue leaders.

From Acts 18:5–6 (NASB95): “But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’”

This act symbolized excommunication—declaring them outside Israel’s commonwealth.
Acts 18:7 (NASB95): “Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue.”

He marched out and went about 20 feet next door to Titius Justus’s home. Paul kept preaching, audible to the synagogue, because...

Acts 18:8 (NASB95): “Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.”

This was cause for rejoicing, but it heightened Paul’s anxiety. He knew a storm was brewing—his enemies wouldn’t back down.

Imagine Paul in bed that night, haunted by:

  • Memories of 39 lashes.
  • Echoes of enemies’ words.
  • News of rising Christian persecution from Rome.

In these late hours, real fear strikes.

2 Corinthians 11:27 (NASB95): “I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights...”

Have you lost sleep to fear? I have!

Plus, every believer faces constant temptations.

I’m telling you, I know what it’s like to lie in the apostle’s bed—gripped by fear, worry, anxiety.

At this point, you grasp at straws: Maybe slip out of town at night?

  • How do you handle such fear?
  • How do you encourage a friend struggling with it (give them courage)?
  • How do you encourage yourself?

Jesus appears in a vision (Acts 18:9–10 in red letters), giving Paul three reasons not to fear. Framed as three alliterated principles: Refocus on Your Mission, Remember His Presence, and Rely on His Sovereignty.

1. Refocus on Your Mission

Acts 18:9–10 (NASB95): “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent...”

The Principle of Mission: You are invincible until your mission is complete or resigned.
Take courage—they can’t harm you until God is done with you.

As long as you breathe, you have a mission; to keep breathing, pursue it.
Acts 13:36 (NASB95): “For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep...”

The same held for Paul—no one could end him until his mission finished. It’s true for you! You’re like Superman until your work is done.

But fear is like Kryptonite—it paralyzes.

Illustration: Peter followed Jesus at a dangerous distance, then denied Him when terrified by a slave girl.

We freeze when scared—hence “gripped with fear.” Many resign ministry amid trials.

Scripture says the opposite: When fear grips, let it propel you into overdrive.

“Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent...”

Romans 12:11 (NIV): “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

Refocus on why God placed you here.

  • He didn’t put you here to build widget fortunes; widgets fund time to teach 10th-grade boys’ Sunday school. Don’t you know that?
  • He gave children not for athletics, popularity, intellect, or cuteness at Fernandina Beach High—they’re arrows for a warrior. Polish, point, and propel them for Christ’s Kingdom.

The fears gripping you won’t matter eternally.

Illustration: Remember your first day of third grade? It felt huge—dress right, act right. Now? Barely a memory!

That’s how your terrors will seem after a million years with Jesus.

  • “Life on old Earth? I think I wore a hat...”
  • “Laid off? Haha, I was an engineer...”
  • “Cancer? Seems like something like that...”

That’s the Mission Principle—you’re invincible till complete.

Is your fear bigger than God’s mission?

2. Remember His Presence

Acts 18:9–10 (NASB95): “...for I am with you...”

The Principle of Presence: No matter what frightens you, Jesus is bigger.

This is the divine trump card: “I am with you.” Nothing stacks up against it.

  • Laid off? It’s okay—I am with you.
  • People won’t like you? It’s okay—I am with you, a friend closer than a brother.
  • Bad diagnosis? It’s okay—he’s practicing; I’m the Great Physician.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the Shadow of Death, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL for THOU ART WITH ME!”

Matthew 28:19–20 (NASB95): “Go therefore and make disciples... and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

See? “I am with you” goes to disciple-makers. Want this? Get busy with point one.

Isaiah 41:10 (NASB95): “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Jeremiah 1:17–19 (NASB95): “Now, gird up your loins... Do not be dismayed before them, or I will dismay you before them.” (Like Dad saying, “Don’t cry, or I’ll give you something to cry about!”)

“...I have made you... as walls of bronze... They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.

Illustration: In seventh grade, at a bluegrass convention with cousins Tatum, Zeke, and Boone, four school bullies cornered us. They shoved me, threatened a fight at 3:00 in the men’s room. We were terrified—no police, no dads. At 2:45, Tatum and Zeke’s brother Scotty arrived—huge, football star who made headlines ending careers. Suddenly, odds favored us.

Is your fear bigger than God’s mission? God’s presence?

3. Rely on His Sovereignty

Acts 18:9–10 (NASB95): “...and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

Strange words from Jesus—few had believed, many rejected.

Yet He calls things not as they are, but as they will be.

The Principle of Sovereignty: God’s Word and Work are destined to succeed.
Paul might have thought: “God, wasting time in Corinth? If any New Testament city seemed God-forsaken, it’s this. Why not quit?”

But Christ said, “I have many people in this city!”

God’s sovereignty over salvation is a top fear antidote.

This perspective sustained Paul for 18 months in Corinth.

J.I. Packer: “...the sovereignty of God in grace gave Paul hope of success as he preached to deaf ears, and held up Christ before blind eyes, and sought to move stony hearts.”
See it in Acts 13:48 (NASB95): “When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing... and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”

Illustration: In evangelism training, if it depended on my presentation or emotion-swaying, I’d be gripped by fear. But realizing I partner with the Living God—He saves, He draws—sets me free.

Illustration: If this church’s success rested on my weak hands, fear would grip me. But Jesus said, “I will build MY church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”—that gives courage.

Acts 15:14 (NASB95): “Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.”

Now, your situation:

  • Will your fear matter in 3 million years?
  • Is it bigger than God?
  • Could it thwart God’s ultimate plan?

Is your fear bigger than God’s mission? God’s presence? God’s sovereignty?

Conclusion: “The Sleeping Child”

When my kids were small, one would wake terrified—thunder, bad dream, wall shadows.

You enter; nothing changes—thunder rolls, shadows linger, storm rages.

But seeing you by the bed shifts everything.

They don’t demand weather explanations or theology on atmospheric pressure. They reach for your hand, sometimes falling asleep holding your finger. Why?

Presence eliminates fear more than explanation ever could.

You don’t need God to explain every shadow—you need Him beside your bed.

In Christ, He is.

The storm may rage tonight. Biopsy unchanged tomorrow. Job unresolved this week. But the Father is with you. The hand holding the universe holds you.

If fear grips you today, refocus on your mission, remember His presence, and rely on His sovereignty.
To dive deeper into teachings like this and access more resources, including sermon videos, books, blog posts, and audio from Pastor Zach Terry, download the Maximum Life+ app today! It’s your go-to hub for spiritual growth and encouragement on the go. Available on the App Store and Google Play.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/12/fear-not#comments 0 Reconciliation Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/12/reconciliation Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:37:17 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/12/reconciliation

Reconciliation

The Hard Walk That Changes Everything

Based on the Sermon by the same title from Genesis 33:1–20 by Dr. Zach Terry. More resources available at ZachTerry.com

Most people have a strategy for dealing with conflict.
Some fight.
Some flee.
Some pretend nothing ever happened.

Scripture offers a better way.
The Bible calls it reconciliation—the restoration of harmony where it has been lost. And if the history of revival teaches us anything, it’s this: the greatest moves of God often follow the hard work of reconciliation.

I’ve seen it firsthand. I’ve watched God pour grace into a room after one person took responsibility, humbled themselves, and made things right. Revival didn’t start with music or emotion—it started with reconciliation.

That’s exactly what we see in Genesis 33.

When the Past Refuses to Stay Buried

Genesis 33 opens with tension. Jacob lifts his eyes and sees Esau approaching—with four hundred men behind him.

This is not a warm family reunion.
This is a reckoning.

Twenty years earlier, Jacob had deceived his brother, stolen his blessing, and fled for his life. Esau had every reason to hate him. Jacob knows it. He has already heard that Esau is coming like a general marching to war.

But something has changed since the last time Jacob and Esau were in the same room.

The night before this encounter, Jacob wrestled—not with Esau—but with God. That struggle broke him, blessed him, and reordered his fears. He moved from fearing man to fearing God, from grasping for blessing through deception to receiving it by faith.
And here’s the principle we cannot escape:

Reconciliation with people begins with reconciliation with God.

Until peace is made within, peace cannot be made without.

Peace with God Produces Peace with Man

Scripture is relentless on this point.

Paul reminds us that reconciliation is first vertical before it is ever horizontal:
“You, who once were alienated and hostile in mind… He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death.” (Col. 1:21–22)

And again:
“God… through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Cor. 5:18)

James explains why unresolved inner conflict always spills outward:
“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” (James 4:1)

You cannot live at peace with others while remaining at war with God.

But once peace is made with God, something remarkable happens:
“When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Prov. 16:7)

That does not mean everyone suddenly likes you. It means hostility loses its power because you’ve become a peacemaker.

Four Requirements for Biblical Reconciliation


“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Pet. 5:5)

Why Reconciliation Looks Like the Gospel

At the heart of reconciliation is the gospel itself.

God was the most offended party—and yet He paid the cost.
He absorbed the pain.
He initiated the process.
He made restitution we could never afford.

And He did it through His Son.

When we reconcile, we look most like our Savior.

So the question isn’t whether reconciliation is possible.

The question is whether we are willing to walk the hard road Christ walked first.

Initiative — Someone has to take the first step.
Humility — Reconciliation goes low before it goes forward.
Restitution — Grace repairs what sin damaged.
Boundaries — Peace does not require proximity.

If God has reconciled us to Himself at such cost, how can we refuse the call to pursue peace with one another?
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/12/reconciliation#comments 0 Discover Maximum Life+ Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/12/discover-maximum-life Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:29:18 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/12/discover-maximum-life

Discover Maximum Life+

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Maximum Life+ isn’t just another app—it’s a complete ecosystem designed to enrich your daily life. Imagine having instant access to:

  • Code Red Podcast Episodes: Dive into thought-provoking discussions that challenge perspectives and spark meaningful conversations. Each episode is crafted to provide practical insights for navigating life’s challenges with confidence.
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Head over to your app store today, search for “Maximum Life+”, and experience the difference. Your path to maximum living awaits!
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/12/discover-maximum-life#comments 0 Three Keys to Blessing Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/04/three-keys-to-blessing Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:11:19 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/04/three-keys-to-blessing

Three Keys to Blessing

In our series “We Who Wrestle,” inspired by themes of struggle in the book of Genesis (and with a nod to Jordan Peterson’s work), we’ve seen conflict define every major story. From Jacob and Esau wrestling in the womb, to Jacob tricking his brother out of his birthright and blessing, to his decades-long strife with Laban that nearly ended in war but resolved in a fragile peace treaty. Now, we arrive at Jacob’s pivotal moment: a face-to-face encounter with God Himself that changes everything.

This isn’t just ancient history—it’s a blueprint for how God meets us in our own wrestlings. Let’s dive into Genesis 32 and uncover three keys to receiving God’s blessing.

The Encounter: Genesis 32:1-32 (ESV)

Jacob is on his way home, and angels meet him. He names the place Mahanaim, meaning “two camps”—his and God’s. He sends messengers to Esau in Seir, humbly offering gifts of livestock to seek favor. But the messengers return with alarming news: Esau is coming with 400 men.

Jacob, terrified, divides his camp into two for a chance at survival. Then, he prays—a rare moment for him, showing growth. “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac,” he pleads, reminding God of His promises and confessing his unworthiness. He begs for deliverance from Esau.

That night, Jacob sends waves of gifts ahead: 200 goats, 200 sheep, camels, cows, and donkeys. He crosses his family over the Jabbok ford, leaving himself alone.

In the darkness, a mysterious man wrestles Jacob until dawn. Neither prevails until the man touches Jacob’s hip, dislocating it. Yet Jacob clings, demanding a blessing. The man asks his name: “Jacob.” Then renames him Israel, for striving with God and men and prevailing. Jacob calls the place Peniel: “I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” He limps away, forever changed.

This wrestler? The preincarnate Christ—God in human form.

What This Means for Us: Three Keys to Blessing

God blessed Abraham with a promise (Genesis 12) and reaffirmed it to Isaac (Genesis 26). But Jacob needed breaking before blessing. Here’s how we can apply this:

1. Solitude

Jacob’s deepest God-encounters happen alone. Fleeing to Haran, he saw the ladder to heaven with angels ascending and descending. Now, alone by the Jabbok, he wrestles God.

We hope you meet God in community, like church gatherings. But the real transformation often comes in solitude. A woman recently shared how she visited our church for a baptism and stayed. On New Year’s Eve, she found herself alone, reading her Bible—something she’d never done before. “Something had changed.”

Henry Nouwen said, “Without solitude it is virtually impossible to live the Christian life.” Yet many fear it, filling life with distractions to avoid being alone with God. But that’s where blessing awaits. You are what you are in solitude—true faith starts in private.

2. Struggle

We meet God’s greatest blessing at our point of greatest weakness. God wrestles us into transformation, not just comfort.

In culture, faith is often sold as inner peace. But Scripture shows God intervening in distress:

  • Moses: Not in Egypt’s palaces, but trembling in Midian, at the burning bush.
  • Gideon: Hiding in fear, threshing wheat in a winepress, when the Angel of the Lord appeared.
  • Hannah: In barrenness’s humiliation.
  • Elijah: Fleeing Jezebel, depressed and suicidal.
  • Job: On ashes, having lost everything.
  • Peter: In guilt after denying Christ, when Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”

God knows your struggles—He sent Jesus to die for them. Let Him meet you there.

3. Submission

When Jacob demands a blessing, he’s exactly where God wants him: recognizing God as the source.

“Blessed” was a Greek word reserved for gods, yet Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount with it: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

How do we know Jacob submitted? God changed his name—from “Jacob” (grasper, deceiver) to “Israel” (God strives). Name changes signal authority: Parents name children; I renamed the Gulf of Mexico in a joke because... well, authority. When Julie married me, her name became Terry.

Jacob spent life grasping blessings by force. At Peniel, his striving met its match—not celebrating his strength, but memorializing weakness transformed by God.

Crucially, God condescends to Jacob’s level. The wrestler “could not prevail” without breaking him, hinting at voluntary weakness. This all-powerful Being wrestles a mortal, pointing to Jesus: emptying Himself (Philippians 2:6-8), becoming servant, dying for us. Taking our curse for blessing (Galatians 3:13-14).

Conclusion: The Ultimate Wrestler

Art historian Kenneth Clark, a skeptic, felt heavenly joy in a church but recoiled, feeling unworthy. Like Jacob surviving God’s presence, Clark wondered: How can holy God bless the unholy?

The answer: Christ’s weakness—becoming servant, dying for us. Now, with power to condemn, He wrestles us lovingly until submission, transforming us anew.
Through the Cross, He who could conquer forgave and blessed. What is this wrestler’s name? Why ask... I think you know.

In communion, we remember: The transcendent God stepped into time, born in Bethlehem, bearing our sins, rising victorious.

If this resonates, find solitude, embrace struggle, submit. Share your thoughts below—how has God met you in wrestling?

Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this, subscribe for more insights from “We Who Wrestle.”
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/04/three-keys-to-blessing#comments 0 When the Gospel Walks Into Athens Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/04/when-the-gospel-walks-into-athens Wed, 04 Feb 2026 13:50:41 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/04/when-the-gospel-walks-into-athens

When the Gospel Walks Into Athens

If there was ever a city where the gospel shouldn’t work, it was Athens.

Athens was ancient even by first-century standards—over 4,000 years old in Paul’s day. It was named after the goddess Athena and had once been home to Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Alexander the Great. By the time Paul arrived, it had shrunk into something of a university town, but its intellectual influence still towered over the ancient world.
Athens was deeply polytheistic—there were gods for everything—and aggressively pluralistic—you worshiped your god, I’ll worship mine, and nobody gets to say who’s right. Statues filled the city. One ancient writer quipped that it was easier to find a god in Athens than a man.

And this is where Paul finds himself—alone.

“Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.” (Acts 17:16, ESV)

Luke uses a striking word here. Paul wasn’t mildly irritated. His spirit was paroxyneto—sharply distressed, stirred, provoked. One theologian described it as a spiritual seizure. This was not cultural curiosity. This was holy anguish.

So what does Paul do when the gospel walks into Athens?

The People Paul Engaged

Luke tells us Paul reasoned daily with three distinct groups:

  1. The Jews – Those raised on the Law and the Psalms. They had Scripture but needed to see Christ.
  2. The Devout Persons – God-fearers who respected Jewish belief but had stopped short of full commitment.
  3. Those in the Marketplace – The spiritually curious, philosophically eclectic crowd.

Athens was not irreligious. It was over-religious. And that matters.

Among them were Epicureans—who believed the gods were distant and life’s goal was pleasure—and Stoics, who believed virtue meant suppressing emotion and accepting fate without complaint.

When Paul preached Jesus and the resurrection, some scoffed. Others were intrigued. And eventually, Paul was brought to the Areopagus, the intellectual and legal nerve center of the city—the place where Socrates had once been condemned.

This is where Paul delivers one of the most masterful evangelistic sermons in Scripture.

Three Principles for Reaching a Different Worldview

1. Have Competent Conversations

Paul does something remarkable: he does not begin with Scripture.

Not because Scripture lacks authority—but because his audience had no category for it.

Instead, Paul demonstrates cultural fluency. He quotes:

  • Aeschylus, from The Eumenides, using a rare Greek term to describe their religiosity
  • Epimenides, a Cretan poet, acknowledging humanity’s instinct to seek God
  • A Stoic philosopher, affirming that we are God’s offspring

Paul knew their literature. Their poetry. Their assumptions.

This was not compromise—it was strategy.

If we want to reach people across cultures, we must know how they think without being seduced by what they think. Billy Graham’s team famously studied the culture of a city for weeks before a crusade—not to imitate it, but to engage it intelligently.

Christians often default to extremes:

  • Withdrawal – Retreating into isolation and hoping the rapture comes soon
  • Accommodation – Blending in so thoroughly that we lose any prophetic voice

Paul models a third way: gospel engagement.
In the world, but not of it.

2. Recognize Cultural Contradictions

As Paul walked the city, he noticed something fascinating:

“I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’” (Acts 17:23, ESV)

Athens had gods for everything—Poseidon for the sea, Hermes for speech, Ares for war. But just in case they had missed one, they built an altar to an unknown god.

Paul seizes the contradiction.

“You admit you don’t know everything. Let me tell you what you’re missing.”

Paul dismantles their worldview logically:

  • God is Creator, not confined to temples
  • God is self-sufficient, not dependent on human hands
  • God created all nations from one man, demolishing ethnic superiority

Then Paul presses the implication:

“Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone.” (Acts 17:29, ESV)

Here’s the point: every worldview must answer four questions—

  1. Origin – Where did we come from?
  2. Meaning – Why are we here?
  3. Morality – How should we live?
  4. Destiny – What happens when we die?

Worldviews collapse under their own contradictions.

Atheistic evolution may explain origins—but it cannot justify meaning, morality, or hope. And yet moral outrage persists. Why? Because the law of God is written on the heart.

Islam addresses origin and destiny—but its moral system collapses under injustice.

Paul understood this because he had a biblical worldview, and only a Christian who knows truth well can spot falsehood clearly.

3. Hold the Gospel in Constant Comparison

Then Paul turns.

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30, ESV)

In the intellectual capital of the ancient world, Paul declares their greatest problem is ignorance.

Not ignorance of facts—but ignorance of God.

He centers everything on one man:

“He has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed… by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31, ESV)

That’s the line that splits the room.

Some mocked.
Some wanted to hear more.
Some believed.

Among the converts was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus itself—who would later become the first pastor of the church in Athens.

Today, the Acropolis is no longer the highest point in Athens. A church now stands above it. The gospel outlasted the idols.

Final Word

Paul never softened the gospel to fit Athens.

He studied their culture.
He spoke their language.
He exposed their contradictions.

But when the moment came, he did not hesitate.

He brought every worldview—every idol, every philosophy—face to face with the risen Christ.

Because the greatest problem of any culture is not ignorance of information, but ignorance of God.

And the solution is still the same:

Jesus Christ—crucified, risen, and reigning.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/04/when-the-gospel-walks-into-athens#comments 0 Protests Disrupt Worship Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/01/protests-disrupt-worship Sun, 01 Feb 2026 07:52:08 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/01/protests-disrupt-worship

Protests Disrupt Worship

A Chilling Incident at City’s Church in St. Paul

In a shocking display of activism gone awry, protesters stormed into a worship service at City’s Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18, 2026, turning a sacred gathering into a chaotic confrontation. This event, tied to ongoing ICE raids and immigration tensions under the second Trump administration, has sparked widespread debate about religious freedom, church security, and the boundaries of protest.

As a pastor and host of the Code Red podcast, I sat down with fellow Southern Baptist pastor Adam Page from Amelia Baptist Church to unpack this incident and its broader implications. Our conversation delved into the details of what happened, how the church responded, and what it means for congregations across the country—especially in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).

The Incident: What Happened in St. Paul?

Minneapolis-St. Paul has become a flashpoint for immigration debates, with its status as a sanctuary city drawing both migrants and controversy. Under President Trump’s renewed focus on border security, ICE raids have intensified, leading to protests. On that fateful Sunday, a group of demonstrators—many affiliated with Black Lives Matter and led by activist Nikki Levy Armstrong—entered City’s Church during the service.

According to reports from the church and eyewitness accounts, the protesters didn’t just attend quietly; they rose up, chanting slogans against ICE and demanding action. The church was specifically targeted because one of its elders, David Easterwood, serves as the acting director of the local ICE field office. This connection was apparently “doxed,” turning a place of worship into a political battleground.

Pastor Jonathan Parnell, the lead pastor, handled the disruption with remarkable poise. As Adam and I discussed, he addressed the crowd directly, emphasizing that the service was for worshiping Christ, not political debate. “We’re here to worship Christ. This is not what we’re here for. We can talk later. Not. This is the Lord’s day,” he reportedly said, drawing on what seemed like Holy Spirit-led wisdom in a high-pressure moment.

The church’s official response, posted on their website, was twofold: They expressed outrage at the violation of their sacred space while entering “Shepherd mode” to care for their congregation. Notably, they’ve avoided responding to media outlets, focusing instead on internal healing and protection.

Journalist Don Lemon, who “happened” to be nearby and followed the mob into the church, has been quick to distance himself, but his presence added fuel to the media fire. CNN even drew controversial comparisons, likening the church to “white nationalist” groups—a claim that doesn’t hold up when you look at the diverse congregation in St. Paul.

Broader Implications: Church Security and Religious Rights

This isn’t just an isolated event; it’s a wake-up call for churches everywhere. Adam and I explored how such disruptions could play out in different contexts. In the South, where concealed carry is common, a similar incident might escalate quickly if congregants feel threatened. “If this happened in my church,” Adam noted, “it could probably be very bad if they felt like their kids were scared or people were being threatened.”

We discussed practical steps: lockdown protocols, trained security teams, and even off-duty police presence. At my church, First Baptist Fernandina, we’ve implemented these measures, including armed and unarmed security, to prepare for worst-case scenarios—whether protests, power outages, or active threats.

Legally, this crosses lines. The protesters’ actions amount to trespassing on private property and potentially violate the FACE Act (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act), originally designed to protect houses of worship from intimidation—ironically, a law rooted in protecting African-American churches from Klan violence during Reconstruction. Attorney General Pam Bondi has hinted at invoking it here.

On the SBC front, leaders like Kevin Ezell (North American Mission Board) and Danny Akin have spoken out strongly: “To violate the sanctity of worship service in this way is shocking and beyond unacceptable.” It’s encouraging to see this boldness, especially after past hesitations on cultural issues. However, as Adam pointed out, true progress requires repentance for previous capitulations to “woke ideology” and a return to unapologetic conservatism.

Why This Matters—and What Comes Next?

This incident highlights the tension between protest rights and religious freedom. Protesting is a cornerstone of democracy, but invading a worship service is an “evil act,” as Adam put it, that undermines constitutional protections. It could backfire on the protesters: I predict City’s Church will be “packed to the rafters” this Sunday, with support pouring in from fellow believers.

For pastors and church leaders, it’s a reminder to balance feeding the sheep with protecting them. As Jesus taught, sometimes you carry a sword; other times, you don’t. But in all cases, our ultimate hope isn’t in protocols or politics—it’s in Christ’s return, when “the government will be on his shoulders.”

If you’re concerned about church security, immigration policies, or the direction of the SBC, I encourage you to dive deeper. Watch the full conversation with Adam Page on Code Red at CodeRedTalk.com.

What are your thoughts? Have you experienced similar disruptions in your community? Share in the comments below, and if this resonates, subscribe for more insights on faith, culture, and current events.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/02/01/protests-disrupt-worship#comments 0 Dealing with a Narcissist Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/21/dealing-with-a-narcissist Wed, 21 Jan 2026 13:05:11 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/21/dealing-with-a-narcissist

Dealing with a Narcissist

Biblical Wisdom from the story of Jacob and Laban

Genesis 30:25–31:55 - WATCH THE SERMON

We’ve all been there at one time or another. You feel trapped in a relationship—a friendship, a job, a volunteer role, maybe a family dynamic—that slowly drains the life out of you. Every conversation feels like a battlefield. Facts twist. Blame shifts. Your sanity hangs by a thread. You’ve tried patience. You’ve tried reasoning. Nothing changes.

And sooner or later, the question comes:
How much more can I take?

In our modern vocabulary, we call this dealing with a narcissist—a person consumed by self, blind to the pain of others. But long before psychology labeled it, the Bible dealt with it directly.

Jacob, Laban, and the Mirror of Sin

Genesis 30–31 centers on Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham. At Bethel, God promised Jacob His presence, prosperity, and a future nation. Those who blessed Jacob would be blessed. Jacob then travels to Paddan-aram, meets Rachel, falls deeply in love—and meets her father, Laban.

Laban is one of the most difficult characters in the Old Testament. Through him, Jacob is forced to confront the grotesque nature of his own sin—up close and personal. If you’ve lived long enough, you’ve probably noticed this: the things we despise most in others often mirror what we hate most about ourselves.

Biblically speaking, Laban is a carnal-minded, pride-filled idolater. A modern psychologist would say he’s a textbook narcissist.

A Name Older Than Psychology

In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a man of extraordinary beauty who rejected everyone who loved him. As punishment, the gods caused him to fall in love with his own reflection. Unable to look away, he wasted away and died.

Clinical psychology later borrowed his name.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, narcissism involves a pervasive pattern of:

  • Grandiosity
  • Exploitation
  • Lack of empathy
  • Entitlement
  • Manipulation
  • Hypersensitivity to loss of control

At its core, narcissism feeds on the pain of others. Have you ever met someone who seemed to need your bad day in order to have a good one?

The Myth of Narcissus

In Greek Mythology, Narcissus was a young man of extraordinary beauty, yet he despised and rejected others, including the beautiful Echo. As punishment, the gods caused him to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Unable to possess or look away from himself, he wasted away and died.

Clinical Psychologists have used his name to describe a personality disorder that has equal pull on every single individual. That must be resisted, repented of, and redeemed by the blood of Christ.

The text before us doesn’t just diagnose the problem—it shows us how to respond.

Step One: Wait on the Lord

By Genesis 30:25, Jacob has served Laban for fourteen years. He approaches him respectfully, man to man, and asks to leave peaceably. Laban responds with manipulation. Jacob doesn’t explode. He doesn’t demand justice. He waits. He secures his household. He plans carefully. Do not confront a narcissist until you are secure enough to survive the consequences.

Narcissists retaliate when exposed. Jacob understands this intuitively. A premature confrontation would have led to ruin or violence. Scripture says, “Good sense makes one slow to anger” (Prov. 19:11). Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is pray, wait, and let God work behind the scenes.

Vindication From Above, Not Below

God blesses Jacob exactly as He promised—despite Laban’s schemes. Jacob doesn’t argue his way to justice. He lets God do the vindicating.

“He will bring forth your righteousness as the light” (Ps. 37:6).

Narcissists don’t concede when confronted with facts. They escalate. Jacob avoids that trap by trusting God to settle accounts.

Knowing When It’s Time to Leave

Genesis 31 shows us three indicators that the season has ended.

1. Observation

Jacob hears Laban’s sons turning hostile. He sees Laban’s countenance change. Here’s a word of wisdom: If you want to know what someone really thinks, watch their children.

2. Revelation

God speaks clearly: “Return to the land of your fathers.” Be careful with “God told me,” but understand this—sometimes God makes His will unmistakable.

3. Consultation

Jacob brings the matter to Rachel and Leah. They confirm his discernment.

There is safety in a multitude of counselors. If even a narcissist’s own children agree something is wrong, it probably is.

Enact Boundaries

Notice the language: Jacob doesn’t set boundaries. He enacts them. He doesn’t negotiate reform. He leaves. Boundaries cannot be negotiated with narcissists. They must be enacted. When Laban pursues Jacob, he gaslights him—rewriting history, shifting blame, playing the victim. Scripture shows us this tactic clearly. And yet, Laban is restrained—not by reason, but by God.

A Warning Close to Home

Rachel steals Laban’s household gods. The root problem—idolatry—travels with Jacob’s family. Scripture repeatedly warns us: when confronting the sins of others, watch yourself. The same sin you oppose can attach itself to you. The root of narcissism is idolatry. If you want freedom from narcissism, attack the idol.

When Distance Is the Only Peace

In the end, Jacob and Laban erect a boundary marker. They can’t even agree on what to call it. What was once metaphorical becomes physical. Sometimes wisdom demands distance. As someone once said, “There are some people—if they don’t already know it—you can’t tell them.”

The Man Who Would Not Bow

In the 16th century, Scottish pastor John Knox stood before Mary, Queen of Scots—brilliant, manipulative, and accustomed to control. She wept. She threatened. She accused. Finally she said, “I fear the prayers of John Knox more than the armies of England.”

Why? Because Knox didn’t need her approval. He wasn’t rude. He wasn’t cruel. He was free. He had already bowed his knee to Christ—so no one else could rule him.

There comes a time when you must say:

“I can’t save you from yourself, but I can save myself—and my children—from you.”

Jacob simply stopped standing where Laban could keep hurting him. Sometimes, for the good to begin, the bad must end. And sometimes the boundary you need most isn’t with another person—but with the idol of self.

Until Christ sits on the throne of your heart, someone else will try to.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/21/dealing-with-a-narcissist#comments 0 The Importance of Children's Theology Books Julie Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/21/the-importance-of-children-s-theology-books Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:37:34 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/21/the-importance-of-children-s-theology-books

The Importance of Children's Theology Books

A Follow-Up Interview with Author Jennifer Bosma

Jennifer Bosma recently visited my husband’s podcast studio and had an engaging and helpful conversation on Code Red with Zach Terry Later, he asked me what other questions I would have asked this Christian children’s book author, mother, and grandmother, as a mom and former educator. Questions started flowing out naturally and excitedly, so he said, “Well, why don’t you ask her, and write about it?” So, that’s what I did!
It may seem like no big deal, but passing down a knowledge of God to the next generation begins when children are very young- shaping their presuppositions and their worldview. God’s Word and prayer should be a normalized part of daily conversation and habits in order for children to best understand that God is someone to walk with, trust, and obey- not just a distant Creator they learn about on Sundays.

On that note, enjoy this written conversation between myself and my new friend, Jennifer Bosma:

1- Hi Jennifer! Let’s jump right in. Why is it important to teach deep biblical truth to children at an early age?

“Children should hear Scripture being spoken every day of their life, whether it is in rhythmic text, song, or prayer. Hearing Scripture daily plants the Word in a child’s heart, and they will always feel that they have known Scripture their whole life. Reading Christian books like I Know the Plans and God is Three in One helps to plant Scripture in the hearts of children and their parents. This is why it is so important to fill children’s libraries and homes with Christian texts, songs and media.”

2- So true! One thing that your book includes is lines that happily rhyme. Why is rhyming important in children’s books about biblical truth?

“When reading to children, they love to hear the cadence of a rhyme. It keeps their attention. What’s even better is when they have heard the story multiple times, they can start to finish the sentences, getting them even more engaged with the text. This way with the text of I Know the Plans and God is Three in One, their attention is kept, and they are positioned to hear the Scripture and message that coincides with each page of the text.”
3- Yes, we all know it is easier to remember every word to a song than to any written paragraph! Let’s shift gears a little. Can you tell us more about a child’s connection with illustrations, and how pictures help them understand and remember what they read/are read aloud?

“I love this question, because I feel like my illustrator Beth Snider did an amazing job in both books! When your illustrator is a Christian, she fills the pages with an unspoken text of illustrations. A great example is how Beth illustrated with doves on the pages of God is Three in One . Throughout the book, even on the creation page, she subtly shows by the presence of a dove that the person of the Spirit was present at Creation."

The conversations this book has evoked with my own granddaughters has been exhilarating, especially on the page where the shepherd is holding his sheep across his back. This book takes a long time to read- even though the text is not long- due to the illustrated messages on each page that children pick up!

Then, in I Know the Plans, Beth brings in a muted rainbow on every page within the illustrations to tie in God’s promise on every page. These are the nuances that make the illustrations speak truth on each page, and creates the draw for children to want these books read to them.”

4- Beth’s illustrations are truly beautiful- I love all of the animals! Let’s talk now about children’s books at large. We know imagination and fictional stories are valuable for children, but when reading books with nonfiction concepts alongside fairy tales, how do parents help their children differentiate between the two types of books/stories?

“I love reading fairy tales to kids. Fairy tales actually teach lessons, morals, and problem/solution in an engaging way. As a parent or grandparent, you can also start early by telling the children the genre of a book. For example, ‘This book is non-fiction because it is truth, this book is fiction because it tells a made-up story, etc.’ Nursery rhymes are also fun because of the cadence and sing-song-like reading time. When I read these books to my own children and now grandchildren, we laugh and talk about how silly it is, that the ‘dish ran away with the spoon’.

The best part of reading books to a child from infancy is that it allows the child to enjoy reading books and having quality time with their caregiver. It also rapidly expands a child’s vocabulary because it exposes them to many words and more complex sentence structures than just conversation can do. It also helps them to understand meaning, apply this knowledge to their own vocabulary, and use the words in their own eventual language. Reading books also helps children understand problem and solution.

Good books will evoke conversation, but parents and teachers have to be careful about which books to read to kids. I have stopped reading many books aloud or changed the words (for pre-readers) when the text was beginning to bring in a concept or a fear that my kids were not worried about. If you haven’t pre-read a book, it’s ok to stop mid-read to say, ‘You know, I don’t like this book. We aren’t going to finish it.’ This goes a long way to teach children discernment and that it’s ok to stop something when the Holy Spirit tells you to stop. This is actually a great real-life learning lesson so don’t shy away from it!”
5- Thank you for explaining that so well! I hadn’t thought about what a great lesson parents and teachers give to children by choosing to stop reading a book! Before we go, one more question. How might parents use your books as a guide for explaining other biblical concepts to their children?

“In I Know the Plans, the Scripture that goes along with the text is included on the page, and by children hearing the Scripture after the rhyming explanation is read, the Scripture will start to be memorized and stored in the hearts of both children and their parents. I always struggled with memorizing Scripture if I had to sit and force it, but when I would say it over and over by reading it aloud, Scripture naturally became memorized. It is the same with most people, making the Scripture more genuine and meaningful in a person’s life. The Scriptures in this particular book show young children that God has plans for their lives as they follow Him.

In God is Three in One, I was compelled to write the book, explaining the Trinity, when my granddaughter asked me, ‘Grandma, who is the Holy Spirit?’. Later, when my daughter read the book, I was thrilled when she said, ‘This book will help parents understand the Trinity too, Mom!’ I knew I had to make it understandable from the point of view of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and how to invite the Holy Spirit into one’s life. The way that this book is also written in rhyme is a testament to God’s hand being the true inspiration on every page. How this happened is truly miraculous and He gets all the glory for the engaging rhymic text explaining the Trinity.

Parents who read these books may find help in explaining big, deep concepts with words their children can understand, and can carry this into any other biblical concepts their kids have questions about.

At the back of the book, I also added a ‘for further study’ page which will help parents and children dig into their Bibles to do independent biblical research. I had the help of four pastors who helped me read over and edit/clarify the concepts so young people and parents could begin to understand the Trinity.”

Thank you, Jennifer, for sharing your wisdom! To learn more about Jennifer or order these books, visit JenniferBosma.com.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/21/the-importance-of-children-s-theology-books#comments 0 Maids and Mandrakes: Dysfunction, Departure, and Divine Grace in Genesis 30 Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/14/maids-and-mandrakes-dysfunction-departure-and-divine-grace-in-genesis-30 Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:25:41 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/14/maids-and-mandrakes-dysfunction-departure-and-divine-grace-in-genesis-30

Maids and Mandrakes: Dysfunction, Departure, and Divine Grace in Genesis 30

Exploring the Messy Realities of Jacob’s Family and God’s Unfailing Plan

Passages like Genesis 30:1-24 are the kind that make pastors hesitate when preaching through entire books of the Bible. It’s a raw, unflinching look at family disintegration—a breeding war fueled by jealousy, superstition, and conflict. Think of it as an ancient blend of Dallas (with its scheming oil tycoons) and Sister Wives, but set in the Old Testament. Yet, if we skip over these uncomfortable chapters, we miss profound opportunities: to confront pressing cultural challenges and to witness how God’s remarkable grace can redeem even the most broken family situations.

In this post, we’ll dive deep into the story, unpacking its historical context, theological insights, and practical applications. We’ll see how human folly clashes with divine design, and how grace ultimately triumphs. Whether you’re wrestling with family dynamics, cultural debates on marriage, or simply seeking encouragement in your faith journey, there’s wisdom here from the patriarchs that speaks directly to our modern world.

Setting the Stage: Deception, Marriage, and Early Blessings

To understand Genesis 30, we need a quick recap from the previous chapter. Jacob, fleeing from his brother Esau after stealing his birthright and blessing, ends up working for his uncle Laban. Jacob falls in love with Laban’s daughter Rachel and agrees to serve seven years for her hand in marriage. But Laban tricks him, substituting the older sister Leah on the wedding night. Jacob, undeterred (or perhaps resigned), works another seven years to marry Rachel as well. This polygamous setup—born of deception—sets the stage for the drama ahead.

God, seeing Leah’s unloved status, blesses her with fertility. She bears Jacob four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. These names aren’t random; they reflect Leah’s emotional turmoil and gratitude to God. Reuben means “See, a son,” expressing her hope for Jacob’s affection. Simeon (”Heard”) acknowledges God’s attentiveness to her pain. Levi (”Attached”) longs for marital unity, and Judah (”Praise”) shifts to worship despite the hardship.

Rachel, meanwhile, remains barren—a devastating reality in a culture where children, especially sons, were essential for security, inheritance, and legacy. This infertility ignites the envy and rivalry that drives the chapter.

The Text: A Play-by-Play of Rivalry and Resourcefulness

Let’s walk through Genesis 30:1-24 (ESV) with commentary, as if we’re courtside at a chaotic family feud.

Rachel, desperate and envious, confronts Jacob: “Give me children, or I shall die!” (v. 1). Jacob snaps back in anger: “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” (v. 2). Here, we see a key lesson: Not every hardship has a human culprit. Circumstances aren’t always “someone’s fault”—sometimes they’re just the broken reality of life “east of Eden,” post-Fall. As leadership guru John Maxwell wisely noted, “Everything rises and falls on leadership,” but not everything. Blame-shifting ignores the myriad factors at play, from providence to personal agency.

Jacob’s response, however, errs in another direction. He assumes God is actively withholding children from Rachel, but the text never says that— it simply states her barrenness. This highlights a common theological pitfall: assuming God’s blessing on one implies cursing on another. We must stick to what Scripture reveals, no more, no less.
Rachel’s solution? Surrogacy via her servant Bilhah: “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf” (v. 3). Bilhah bears Dan (”Judged,” as Rachel feels vindicated) and Naphtali (”Wrestlings,” celebrating her “victory” over Leah). Now Jacob has six sons, but the “win” is illusory—it’s a fantasy misaligned with God’s design, and misery looms.

Leah, not to be outdone, counters with her servant Zilpah, who bears Gad (”Good Fortune”) and Asher (”Happy”). The score? Team Leah: 6 sons (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Gad, Asher). Team Rachel: 2 (Dan, Naphtali). It’s like a bizarre sports commentary: “Out of nowhere, the rookie Zilpah scores again!”

The drama escalates when Reuben finds mandrakes during the wheat harvest—plants superstitiously believed to aid fertility due to their root’s humanoid shape.
fs.usda.gov

Solanaceae: Mandrake

(The mandrake root, resembling a little person, fueled ancient myths about its aphrodisiac and fertility-boosting powers.)

Rachel begs Leah for some: “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes” (v. 14). Leah retorts, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband?” (v. 15). They barter: Rachel trades a night with Jacob for the mandrakes. Leah conceives Issachar (”Wages,” rewarding her “hire” of Jacob) and Zebulun (”Honor,” hoping for respect). Then comes daughter Dinah (foreshadowing future tragedy).

Finally, “God remembered Rachel” (v. 22), opening her womb for Joseph (”May He Add”). Later, she’ll bear Benjamin but die in childbirth, completing the 12 tribes.
This isn’t a fairy tale—it’s a mess of manipulation, bartering intimacy, and superstition. Yet, it’s the family God uses to build Israel.

1. God’s Design for the Family: Back to Basics

When chaos reigns, return to fundamentals. Genesis 2 lays out the blueprint: “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (v. 18).

  • One Man, One Woman: Monogamy as the foundation.
  • Husband Leads, Wife Helps: Complementary roles in unity.
  • Be Fruitful and Multiply: Children as a blessing, not a competition.
  • Subdue the Earth: Growing in dominion together.
  • Replicate the Model: Each generation echoes this pattern.

Sin disrupts this with Satan’s lie: “God’s way is boring—mine’s better.” Here, Jacob’s household believes they must “help” God fulfill His promises, echoing Sarah’s impatience with Hagar. As 19th-century commentator Robert Candlish observed, who are these “poor worms of the dust” to plot and scheme for God’s purposes? The Lord, who raised children for Abraham from stones if needed, doesn’t require our indecent haste or rivalries.

In matters of marriage and family, trust God’s timing. Medical interventions like ethical fertility treatments aren’t inherently wrong, but they should follow clear divine guidance, not desperation.

2. Man’s Disastrous Departure: The Polygamy Spectrum

Genesis 30 exemplifies humanity’s deviations from God’s plan, with polygamy at the forefront. It’s not prescribed in Scripture—only described, and always disastrously: rivalry, abuse, favoritism, multi-generational damage.

Yet, polygamy persists in religious and secular contexts.

Religious Arguments:

  • Mormonism: Founder Joseph Smith had up to 40 wives, including a 14-year-old. Successor Brigham Young had 55 wives and 57 children, marrying a 15-year-old at age 42. While mainstream LDS banned it in 1890, Doctrine and Covenants 132 still commands it, and splinter groups practice it.
  • Islam: Muhammad had 11 wives, consummating one marriage at age 53 with a 9-year-old (betrothed at 6). Quran 4:3 permits up to four wives if treated justly. It’s legal in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Yemen, Sudan, Nigeria (Islamic jurisdictions), Afghanistan, and parts of Indonesia/Malaysia.

Bible readers might point to patriarchal examples, but these are cautionary tales, not endorsements. As one humorous illustration goes: A man treating the Bible like a fortune cookie points to “Judas... hanged himself” and “Go and do likewise.” Context matters—Scripture edifies, not emulates every action.

Modern departures include:

  • Polyandry: Multiple husbands, practiced in Nepal and Tibet.
  • Group Marriage: Communal unions, often cultic.
  • Polyamory/Open Marriages: Dating others while married.
  • Cohabitation: Marriage benefits without commitment.
  • Pornography: Virtual infidelity.

These traps promise freedom but deliver bondage. If you’ve strayed, know this: Jesus came to restore, not condemn. Repentance realigns us with God’s path.

3. The Variable of Grace: Redemption from Ruin

Amid the mess, grace shines. This dysfunctional family becomes the 12 tribes of Israel. From Judah (Leah’s son) comes Jesus. God draws straight lines with crooked sticks; His grace exceeds generational sin.

Revelation 21:10-13 paints a stunning picture: The New Jerusalem’s gates inscribed with the tribes’ names—Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin. Why honor this crew? Because Christ’s blood redeems deeper than any drama.

Your family story isn’t final—grace can rewrite it.

Conclusion: An Invitation to Grace

Genesis 30 isn’t just ancient history; it’s a mirror for our lives. If family strife, cultural pressures, or personal failures weigh you down, turn to the God who remembered Rachel. Trust His design, reject departures, and embrace grace.

If this resonates, share your thoughts in the comments. Subscribe for more biblical insights, and let’s journey together in faith.

Pastor Zach Terry

Fernandina Beach, Florida

January 12, 2026
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/14/maids-and-mandrakes-dysfunction-departure-and-divine-grace-in-genesis-30#comments 0 Converts and Conflict Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/converts-and-conflict Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:34:42 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/converts-and-conflict

Converts and Conflict

The First Missionary Journey (Acts 11–15)

Christianity has never advanced on a single front. From the beginning, the Kingdom has moved forward with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other—building while battling, sowing while defending. Jesus Himself framed the work this way: wheat and tares, sheep and wolves, seed and sabotage.

If your idea of church is uninterrupted peace, you won’t last long in the book of Acts. The First Missionary Journey makes that plain.

Setting the Stage: From Tarsus to Antioch

For nearly a decade, Paul lived in obscurity in his hometown of Tarsus. He worked. He waited. He suffered quietly. And then—when most men settle into comfort—God summoned him into the most demanding season of his life. Just 86 miles away, something explosive was happening in Antioch.

Persecution scattered believers after Stephen’s martyrdom, and the gospel crossed a crucial line: Gentiles began hearing—and believing—the message of Christ (Acts 11). Antioch became the first truly multi-ethnic church, and it changed everything.

Barnabas was sent to investigate. He saw the grace of God at work and immediately went looking for Paul. For a full year, they taught together in Antioch. It was here—significantly—that believers were first called Christians. The church was growing. It was generous. And it was ready.

The Church That Sent, Not Settled

Antioch had gifted leaders. Most churches would have clung to them. Instead, Antioch fasted and prayed. And while they ministered to the Lord, the Holy Spirit spoke plainly: “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” This was no symbolic gesture. The laying on of hands meant shared risk. Antioch wasn’t outsourcing missions—they were going with them.

This moment marks the first intentional missionary movement of the Church.

Stop One: Cyprus — Power Encounters and Leadership Shift

The team sailed from Seleucia to Cyprus, Barnabas’s home territory. Two watershed moments occur here:

  • Sergius Paulus, a Roman governor, is converted—the first high-ranking Gentile official to believe.
  • Saul begins using his Roman name, Paul—a strategic move for the Gentile mission.

More importantly, leadership shifts. Luke subtly changes his language from “Barnabas and Saul” to “Paul and his companions.” God was clarifying the call.

Stop Two: Pisidian Antioch — Gospel Clarity, Gospel Conflict

After a grueling inland journey, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch. Here, Paul preached his first recorded sermon—a sweeping review of Israel’s history culminating in Christ, calling hearers to repentance and faith. The response was electric. Then came jealousy.

Religious leaders contradicted Paul publicly, and a decisive line was drawn: the gospel would now go directly to the Gentiles. Controversy clarified the mission.

Stop Three: Iconium — Fruit, Fury, and Flight

In Iconium, the pattern repeated:

  • Strong response
  • Growing opposition
  • Threat of violence

When a lynch mob formed, Paul and Barnabas crossed the border into a new region. Wisdom sometimes looks like retreat—but it serves the advance of the gospel.

Stop Four: Lystra & Derbe — Stones, Gods, and Grit

In Lystra, raw paganism replaced synagogue debates. After Paul healed a crippled man, the crowd mistook Barnabas and Paul for Zeus and Hermes. When Jewish opponents arrived and stirred the people, worship turned to violence.

Paul was stoned and left for dead. The next day, he stood up—and walked 55 miles to Derbe. This is not fragile faith. This is gospel resolve.

The Return Journey: Strengthening, Not Abandoning

Instead of taking the easy route home, Paul and Barnabas revisited every hostile city, strengthening disciples and appointing elders. They returned to Antioch in Syria having traveled over 1,000 miles, most of it on foot.

And then the real theological battle began. The Jerusalem Decision: Grace Without Additions. Some insisted Gentiles must become Jewish to be saved. Paul refused.

The issue wasn’t cultural preference—it was the gospel itself. At Jerusalem, the apostles affirmed the truth: Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No circumcision. No law-keeping. No additions. Unity was preserved without compromising truth.

Why This Journey Still Matters

The First Missionary Journey teaches us enduring lessons:

  • The Church advances by intentional mission, not passive comfort
  • Some doctrines are closed-handed—worth fighting for others, like the name of Saul, could be open-handed.
  • Gospel clarity often emerges through conflict
  • Faithful ministry requires stamina, courage, and conviction

Christianity is not a cruise—it is a battle campaign. And the work continues.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/converts-and-conflict#comments 0 Code Red | From the Army to Audiobooks — Faith, Literature, and the Making of a Voice Actor Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/code-red-from-the-army-to-audiobooks-faith-literature-and-the-making-of-a-voice-actor Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:13:59 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/code-red-from-the-army-to-audiobooks-faith-literature-and-the-making-of-a-voice-actor

Code Red | From the Army to Audiobooks — Faith, Literature, and the Making of a Voice Actor

A conversation with Jake Phillips

Jake Phillips and the Long Road to a Well-Trained Voice

Some lives make sense only when you listen carefully.

Jake Phillips is one of those men whose story unfolds slowly—like a good book, not a headline. You don’t understand him by skimming. You understand him by lingering.

Born and raised outside Starkville, Mississippi—deep in SEC country, red dirt, and thick humidity—Jake grew up in a home where words mattered. His parents didn’t merely educate their children; they formed them. Two daily read-aloud sessions were standard. Laura Ingalls Wilder by day. Pilgrim’s Progress and Ben-Hur by night. Scripture always.
This was not nostalgia. It was preparation.

A Faith Formed Before It Was Chosen

Jake came to faith early, but like many young believers, there was a difference between inherited conviction and owned conviction. By sixteen, Scripture was no longer something read because “Dad thought I should.” It had become daily bread.

That pattern never left him.

Years later—standing in the California desert at Fort Irwin, training for deployment to Iraq—Jake would still open his Bible every day. But there, amid heat, dust, and anticipation of war, a fellow soldier handed him an unlikely companion: Pride and Prejudice.

It was not a military book.
And yet, it was.

Jane Austen’s world—ordered, moral, structured toward marriage, responsibility, and consequence—felt oddly familiar. Wickham’s duplicity was not celebrated. He was exposed. Courtship was serious. Honor mattered.

Jake recognized something many modern readers miss: when a culture is shaped by Scripture, even its fiction carries moral weight.

September 11 and the Call to Serve

Like many of his generation, Jake remembers life before and after September 11, 2001.

That day did not immediately feel catastrophic. He had read history. Accidents happened. But by evening, clarity arrived. He told his father he would join the Army.

This decision didn’t emerge from recklessness. It grew out of a childhood shaped by gratitude—especially toward veterans. If Jake’s father saw a World War II veteran wearing a cap, the boys were taught to stop, look him in the eye, shake his hand, and say thank you.

Heroes were not abstract. They were flesh and blood.

Learning to Be Heard

Jake entered the Army with a strong Southern accent—and discovered quickly that accents can be liabilities.

A platoon sergeant pulled him aside one day and said, bluntly:
“Sir, nobody can understand you. You’re going to get us killed if you talk like that on the radio.”

It stung. But it also awakened something.

Jake realized—perhaps for the first time—that speech is not fixed. It can be trained. Refined. Disciplined. Clear communication is not cosmetic; it is moral. Scripture itself warns that an uncertain trumpet sound in battle leads to disaster.

So Jake listened. He studied. He learned Midwestern diction. He learned to enunciate. He learned to choose his voice.

Without knowing it, he had taken the first step toward becoming a voice actor.

Loss, Memory, and the Power of a Recorded Voice

In 2013, Jake’s father died of cancer—just weeks before meeting his granddaughter.

What remained was a single recording: his father’s voice reading Scripture in a short film about David and Goliath. That recording became a treasure.

And it sparked a question.

Why should voices disappear?

Jake had spent years listening to audiobooks—especially The Chronicles of Narnia, performed by world-class narrators. He knew the difference between reading words and inhabiting them. A great narrator doesn’t perform drunkenness; he performs the attempt to appear sober. He doesn’t recite; he thinks aloud.

So Jake bought a microphone. Then another. He recorded in closets. He learned editing on YouTube. He read texts no one asked him to read.

And slowly, people started asking.

“What would you charge to read this?”

From Closet to Calling

The first paid job paid a hundred dollars. It felt like a miracle.

Jake realized something profound: the market was not paying him to fake something. It was rewarding him for a gift that had been quietly shaped for decades—through Scripture, classical literature, military discipline, loss, and attention.

He leaned in fully.

Community theater followed—not for fame, but for reps. Voice acting, after all, is acting. And acting is truth under pressure.

But Jake also drew lines.

He would not kiss another woman on stage. He would not glory in sin. He would portray brokenness honestly, but never celebrate it dishonestly.

Like Daniel in Babylon, he decided beforehand what he would not do.

The Cultured Bumpkin

In 2018, Jake embraced the name that finally fit: The Cultured Bumpkin.

A Southerner who loves the classics.

A Christian who believes beauty disciplines the soul.

An introvert whose voice reaches thousands.

Ironically, most of Jake’s paid work uses no accent at all. Clients want clarity. Neutrality. Trust. But the Southern voice remains part of who he is—something he can dial in or out, like a well-tuned instrument.

In an age of AI voices and synthetic narration, Jake has learned this: people don’t just want sound. They want presence. Interpretation. Humanity.

They want a voice that has lived.

Why His Story Matters

Jake Phillips is not famous.
He is not loud.
He did not chase relevance.

He paid attention.
He honored tradition.
He disciplined his craft.
He walked faithfully through obscurity.

And now—whether reading Scripture, narrating literature, or lending his voice to stories that matter—he reminds us of something we are in danger of forgetting:

Words shape worlds.
Voices carry values.
And formation always precedes vocation.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/code-red-from-the-army-to-audiobooks-faith-literature-and-the-making-of-a-voice-actor#comments 0 Loved Like Rachel Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/loved-like-rachel Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:08:07 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/loved-like-rachel

Loved Like Rachel

A New Year’s Reflection on Being Seen by God

As we step into 2026, many of us are brimming with resolutions—promises to ourselves about fitness, career goals, or personal growth. But beneath the optimism lurks a quieter fear: What if we pour our hearts into this year, do everything “right,” and still end up overlooked? In a world obsessed with highlights and achievements, it’s easy to worry that our efforts will go unnoticed, that we’ll fade into the background while others shine. This fear of being *unseen* isn’t new; it’s as old as humanity itself. Drawing from the ancient story in Genesis 29-30, we find a powerful reminder: We may feel like the overlooked Leah, but in God’s eyes, we are loved like the cherished Rachel. Let’s explore how this biblical narrative can transform our approach to the new year.

The Fear That Haunts Us All

Most of us live with a quiet fear we rarely name. It’s not that we’ll fail spectacularly—it’s that we’ll succeed quietly and still be overlooked. A Gallup study on employee engagement reveals that 60-70% of workers feel undervalued or unseen, leading to disengagement not from failure, but from unrecognized effort. This isn’t just a workplace issue; it permeates marriages, families, and friendships. Humans don’t measure worth objectively—we compare ourselves to others, seeking validation in how we’re perceived.

A wife doesn’t just want to hear she’s attractive; she wants to be the “lily among thorns,” uniquely cherished. Men, if your partner asks, “Do you think I’m pretty?” and you reply with a simple “yes,” you’ve missed the mark. What she’s really seeking is, “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” It’s about being seen for your unique value.

This fear of being unseen—that someone prettier, smarter, or easier to love will take the spotlight—can leave us waking up to a life we never wanted. As we enter 2026, perhaps this is the year to confront it head-on.

Identifying Ourselves in the Story

Scripture offers volumes of insights, but for this reflection, we must choose a perspective: Who are *we* in the passage? The story of David and Goliath shifts when you realize you’re not David slaying the giant—you’re one of the trembling soldiers on the sidelines, watching God’s anointed win the victory on your behalf.

Genesis 29 isn’t a fairy-tale romance; it’s a cautionary tale. It’s not primarily about Jacob or Rachel—it’s about Leah. And if we’re honest, it’s about us. We’re a world full of Leahs in a Rachel-obsessed culture, haunted by the fear that things might not work out. Yet, the text reveals a secret: We can feel like Leah but be loved like Rachel. As we stand on the precipice of 2026, this story invites us to shift our gaze from comparison to divine love.

The Context: Jacob’s Journey to Haran

Jacob, fleeing his brother Esau’s wrath after deceiving him, encounters God in a dream. Yahweh reaffirms the covenant promise to Abraham and Isaac: Despite Jacob’s scheming, God will bless him with descendants. Faithful even when Jacob is faithless, God sets the stage for redemption.

Arriving in Haran, Jacob spots a well—a sign of civilization—and shepherds watering their flocks. He inquires about his uncle Laban and learns that Laban’s daughter Rachel is approaching with her sheep.

> Genesis 29:1–12 (ESV): Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it... Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” ... “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!”

If this were a movie, the camera would zoom in on Rachel—hair flowing, epic music swelling. Jacob, typically more homebody than hero (think HGTV enthusiast in beige), summons superhuman strength to roll the massive stone from the well and water her flock. He kisses her, weeps, and reveals he’s her cousin. Laban welcomes him warmly, and after a month, offers wages for his work.

Laban has two daughters: Older Leah with “weak eyes” (perhaps not fitting cultural beauty standards), and younger Rachel, “beautiful in form and appearance.” Beauty varies by culture—tan skin might be prized in one, scorned in another. Trust God with your appearance; you’re knit together for a purpose. Don’t obsess over norms.

Jacob loves Rachel and offers seven years of service for her hand. Laban agrees, and those years fly by in Jacob’s lovesick haze—dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine clouding his judgment during negotiations.

The Wedding Deception

The wedding feast lasts seven days, culminating in the marriage tent. Amid music, drink, and torchlight, Jacob consummates the marriage... only to wake up beside Leah.

> Genesis 29:25 (ESV): And in the morning, behold, it was Leah!

Furious, Jacob confronts Laban: “What have you done? I served for Rachel!” Laban replies, “We don’t give the younger before the firstborn”—a custom Jacob overlooked. Irony abounds: The deceiver is deceived, echoing his trickery of Isaac.

Laban proposes: Finish Leah’s bridal week, then marry Rachel for another seven years’ service. In a week, Jacob has two wives: Beautiful Rachel and ordinary Leah. He loves Rachel more, serving the additional years.

Scripture uses “love” and “hate” to denote preference: Isaac loved Esau, Rebekah loved Jacob; God loved Jacob but “hated” Esau (Malachi 1:2-3).

> Genesis 29:31 (ESV): When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

In this culture, children were security and legacy. Barrenness was devastating. God sees Leah’s plight—not complicit in the deception, yet unloved—and blesses her with fertility.

Leah’s Sons and Shifting Focus

Leah bears Reuben (”seen by the Lord”), hoping Jacob will love her. No change.

She bears Simeon (”heard by the Lord”), hoping to be heard. Still unseen.

Levi (”attached”), hoping for connection. Yet, she remains invisible.

Have you been there? Efforts unrecognized, never “enough”? Jim Carrey once said, “I wish everyone could get rich and famous... so they could see that it’s not the answer.” In our affluent coastal Florida community, many live the American Dream yet battle depression. If you feel unseen in spite of your deliveries, your heart is fertile for a “Judah.”

> Genesis 29:35 (ESV): And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah.

Judah means “praise.” Leah shifts from seeking Jacob’s approval to praising Yahweh—not generic “Elohim,” but the covenant God of relationship. No longer naming her pain, she names her God.

God is drawn to the broken, not the “Rachels” of the world:

- Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted...”
- Isaiah 57:15: “I dwell... with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit.”
- Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all who labor... for I am gentle and lowly in heart.”

Isaiah 42:3 prophesies of Jesus: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench.” Christ prefers the bruised and smoldering—He can use Rachel, but He’s really into Leah!

If life humbles you, congratulations—it’s sweet perfume to God. Romans 5:3-5 reminds us suffering produces endurance, character, and hope, poured out through the Holy Spirit.

A New Year’s Invitation to Praise

Praise amid difficulty breaks comparison’s cycle. Leah, once unwanted, becomes Jesus’ ancestor—the Lion of Judah. By turning to God, she’s woven into redemption’s story.

As 2026 unfolds, we are Leah, but loved like Rachel. Stop sideways glances: Do they see me? Affirm me? Look to God, who loves with everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). This year, name your God, not your pain. Let praise be your resolution—turn focus heavenward, and watch God shape your story into something amazing.

If this resonates, share your thoughts below. How will you embrace being “loved like Rachel” in 2026?
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/loved-like-rachel#comments 0 Such a Strange Way to Save the World Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/such-a-strange-way-to-save-the-world Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:03:04 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/such-a-strange-way-to-save-the-world

Such a Strange Way to Save the World

The Greatest Invitation to the Most Ordinary of Places

One of the blessings of serving as a Southern Baptist Pastor in Florida is that the North American Mission Board has entrusted the evangelization of Cuba to the state of Florida. As a Pastor in this state, I can relatively easily visit Cuba on a religious visa to conduct mission work. There are many disadvantages to doing work in a communist country, one being that they throttle the internet. They tell you what you can see and when you can see it.

In Havana, Cuba, there were only certain places at certain times you could get online. That means that you get a week’s worth of emails in about 15 minutes. As I was scrolling through dozens of emails, some important, many junk, I glanced at one whose subject line in all caps said, HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL - OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT.

My first thought was - one of those jokers back at First Baptist Fernandina is about to get me into serious trouble with Castro playing a prank like that - they ought to know better.
But I stopped and read more carefully. It turns out that a friend of mine, Rick White, gave my name to his friend, Dr. Jay Strack, who happened to be on President Trump’s Spiritual Advisory Council. And I was to present myself at the East Wing Entrance of the White House at 10:30 AM on October 9th.

The wording of the letter did not read like an invitation; it read more like a summons. The Vice President and key Cabinet members would brief a group of about 100 Pastors, and I was honored to be one of them.

NOW - for a boy from Dembo Hollow, Alabama, that was a big deal. As soon as I got back to Jacksonville, I told Julie, “I need to buy me a new suit, and I don’t mean one of those men’s warehouse suits like I normally wear, I need a real suit, tailor-made.” They measured me every which way a man could be measured, and I have to say, in the words of cousin Eddie, “It looked real nice”.

When I arrived at the East Wing Entrance, I was greeted there by Secret Service, all well armed with automatic weapons, some with body armor - one had a Belgian Malinois attack dog.

The first thing they wanted to do was verify my identity. I had to show my driver’s license and my passport. Then, after being thoroughly patted down and scanned in every which way, I placed my cell phone, wallet, car keys, and everything else in a sealed bag, which was then locked in a lockbox. They then escorted me into a particular parlor where several other Pastors were gathered. I tried to carry on like I had been there a hundred times.

From there, we were escorted into a theater-style briefing room. After another 30 minutes of waiting, a hush fell over the room, officials began scurrying around, and out walked the Vice President of the United States. We all stood and applauded.

He spoke for about 10 minutes, told us how much our work means to the country, posed for a photo op, and then we were politely dismissed.

Since that time, I’ve had similar grand experiences. Once with One More Child, Julie and I visited with the President and First Lady of Guatemala - again, all the pomp and circumstance, all the security, only there because I knew the right person and the right time, I had to turn my cell phone in, etc, etc. Bought a new suit for that one also.

Our own Representative Bean gave me the distinct opportunity to open a session of the US Congress in prayer - similar vibe, Secret Service, private escorts, certain places we could go, certain places I could not go. In fact, before they put this boy from Dembo Hollar, Alabama, in front of the microphone of the US Congress, they wanted to see exactly what I intended to say - can’t say that I blame them for that—got a new suit for that one also.

But all of those opportunities have certain things in common:

  1. You had to know somebody important
  2. You had to present yourself a certain way
  3. You had to understand the protocol
  4. You had to go to a very important city and the most critical place in that city
  5. And to be honest, you wondered the whole time if you were supposed to be there, or if there had been some grand mistake along the way.

I tell you all of that to show you how different it was for the shepherds on that first Christmas.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/such-a-strange-way-to-save-the-world#comments 0 The Library of Mankind Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/the-library-of-mankind Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:59:35 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/the-library-of-mankind

The Library of Mankind

On Building a Personal Canon and Company with Discernment

From the dawn of written language, culture and understanding have advanced because some, never all, chose to preserve what they had learned in words. Each generation added its volumes of hard-won insight, believing, rightly or wrongly, that such knowledge was worth passing on. Thus, enabling the progress of humanity, each new generation standing upon the shoulders of all previous generations.
Thus libraries were formed: repositories of accumulated thought, where each new generation might test what had been received, discard what proved false, and add what it had learned. Knowledge progressed not by accident, but by inheritance and careful contribution.

A particular man (or woman, and I am not good at shifting pronouns, so please assume I mean both unless otherwise specified) of any given generation is endowed with a particular combination of gifts and skills. His personal library, therefore, ought to lean heavily in the direction of those particular gifts. It is neither necessary nor useful for a great musician to master all that is known of astronomy; yet he must steep himself in Bach and Beethoven if he hopes to add anything of lasting value to the musical canon.
Life is brief. One does not have decades to arrive at this realization. If a man scatters his attention indiscriminately across every subject, he will have little time or strength left to pursue better ideas deeply enough to develop them. To dabble endlessly is to arrive nowhere.

Scripture, and the light shed upon it by faithful commentary, is essential. Philosophy, rightly handled, enriches every discipline. Beyond these foundations, one must exercise discernment when venturing further afield. To read everything is to read nothing well. To listen to everyone is, in truth, to hear no one at all.

Let great men keep company with great minds, that their learning may be accelerated and their gifts refined for the good of many. Do not demand the time of wise men unless you come as an equal or as a genuine disciple - prepared to enrich, correct, or learn rather than to interrupt.

Do not cloud the waters of knowledge with endless chatter. Suppose a trivial dispute or local rumor is settled, will the fool not simply turn his attention to the next piece of empty gossip? He will not develop a taste for deeper things unless they are presented to him with care, beauty, and gravity.

Then, and only then, might he lose his appetite for the silly, the mundane, and the common, and go forth discerning what is good. And if God grants it, he may yet contribute a new volume of insight to the library of mankind, and many will benefit.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/the-library-of-mankind#comments 0 Cleansing the Palate Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/cleansing-the-palate Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:51:30 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/cleansing-the-palate

Cleansing the Palate

How Humiliation Prepares Us for True Honor

In Boethius’s timeless work The Consolation of Philosophy, Lady Philosophy reminds the imprisoned and despairing author that life’s bitter experiences often pave the way for deeper sweetness. She speaks of remedies that may taste bitter at first but prove nourishing to the soul. This idea echoes through ancient wisdom: bitterness sharpens our appreciation for what is truly sweet.
Scripture takes this further, linking humility directly to honor. As Proverbs declares:

Before destruction, the heart of man is haughty, but humility comes before honor. (Proverbs 18:12, ESV)

The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor. (Proverbs 15:33, ESV)

Humility acts like a cleanser of the palate. It clears away the residue of pride, self-sufficiency, and entitlement, allowing us to savor honor properly—and to attribute it rightly to its ultimate source: The Almighty.

A few centuries before Boethius, King David lived this truth in one of the darkest moments of his life.

As David fled Jerusalem during his son Absalom’s rebellion—betrayed by his own flesh and blood, stripped of his throne—a man named Shimei emerged from the shadows. A relative of the deposed King Saul, Shimei saw his chance for revenge. He followed David along the road, cursing him vehemently, throwing stones, and kicking up dust at the king and his entourage.

One of David’s loyal warriors, Abishai, had seen enough. “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” he fumed. “Let me go over and take off his head!”

But David restrained him with words of profound humility and faith:

“Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.” (2 Samuel 16:11–12, ESV)

David refused to silence the curses by force. Instead, he received them as possibly permitted by God Himself—for discipline, for refinement, or simply as part of the bitter cup he had to drink. He submitted to the humiliation, trusting that the Lord could transform even venomous words into future blessing.

And indeed, God did repay David with good. Absalom’s rebellion collapsed, David returned to his throne, and his kingdom was restored. The bitterness of that roadside cursing prepared the way for a sweeter restoration—one David could enjoy with a cleansed heart, free from vengeance and full of gratitude to God.

We often resist humiliation, seeing it only as injustice or attack. Like Abishai, our instinct is to strike back, defend our honor, and silence the critics. But David’s example—and the wisdom of Boethius and Proverbs—invites us to pause.

What if the stones thrown at us today are clearing the way for honor tomorrow? What if the curses we endure are cleansing our palate, removing the dulling effects of pride so that God’s eventual vindication tastes all the sweeter?
medievalkarl.com

Reason, Freedom, and Animality: Boethius, Consolation 2: On Reason ...

In our own lives—whether facing betrayal, public criticism, failure, or undeserved scorn—humility opens the door. It teaches us to say, with David, “Let it be; perhaps the Lord will turn this to good.”
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2026/01/08/cleansing-the-palate#comments 0 The Mystery of Christmas Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/22/the-mystery-of-christmas Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:47:00 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/22/the-mystery-of-christmas

 The Mystery of Christmas

Unwrapping the Mega Mysterion

As Christmas Day dawns, we gather around trees, exchange gifts, and celebrate traditions that span generations. But beneath the twinkling lights and festive cheer lies a profound mystery—one that has puzzled theologians, inspired hymns, and transformed lives for centuries. Drawing from 1 Timothy 3:16 (ESV), let’s explore the “great mystery of godliness”: God manifested in the flesh. This isn’t just a theological puzzle; it’s the heart of the Christmas story, a gift far greater than we could have imagined.

A Personal Christmas Surprise

The year was 1984, and I was 8 years old. I was so excited for Christmas morning—I had asked Santa Claus for a “Go-Kart.” A Go-Kart was the closest thing to freedom an 8-year-old boy in Lawrence County, Alabama, could own.
I woke up Christmas morning, tearing open the presents, and I opened a big square present, which inside had a really cool helmet. It seemed promising... I looked at my dad and said, “Why on earth did Santa bring me a helmet and nothing to go with it???” Dad said, “Well, maybe Santa had to leave the rest of it in the garage... that was it, Santa couldn’t get my go-kart down the chimney, we didn’t even have a real chimney... we had a gas fireplace, but that’s beside the point... I made my way to the garage, flung the door open, and did not see a go-kart... I saw this....

That, I discovered, is a Suzuki Quadrunner 250cc, an all-terrain vehicle.
The first words out of my mouth were, “Why the heck did Santa bring me something you are obviously not going to let me drive by myself?”

It became the stuff of Christmas legend. In fact, when our kids were around the same age, guess what Santa brought?
Ended up being, probably, the best Christmas gift I ever received. I had so many adventures on that 4-wheeler, but at first it was simply a big orange mystery.

The first Christmas wasn’t so different—the gift we got was not the one we expected: God in the Flesh.

And the first one to wrestle with the concept of the incarnation was Mary herself, who raised a question in Luke 1:34 (ESV): “And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’”

Even Paul, the greatest mind the church has ever produced, had the same concern in 1 Timothy 3:16.

Context and the Hymn of Mystery

Paul is writing a personal letter to his young protege in the faith, Timothy. He has a fair amount of instruction and basic reminders, the things a man might say to a friend, for example—

1 Timothy 3:14–15 (ESV)
14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

But then something happens: it is as if the Holy Spirit gripped Paul’s heart a bit tighter, the illumination grew even brighter, and, in a flash, Paul quotes the words of a hymn sang often by the early church. The lyrics of this hymn reveal the inexpressible depths of the reality of this Mega Mysterion we call Christmas.

1 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)
16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He (that is Christ) was manifested in the flesh…

Mega Mystērion. The word Mystērion is used frequently by Paul because he finds several aspects of Christian doctrine to be somewhat mysterious. But then there is this phrase, Mega Mystērion; this combination of Greek words is rarely employed. In fact, it is only used one other time in the scriptures in a similar context. So, in other words, this is not one mystery among many—this is the mystery.

  • John stated the nature of the mega mysterion plainly in John 1:14 (ESV): 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

No man may see God and live—this is self-evident, at least to those faith-filled readers of Moses, yet Paul, and many others like him, beheld “that him in the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” Colossians 2:9–10 (ESV)

How can these things be? The consideration of the incarnation of Jesus Christ left the learned Paul, who sat under the tutelage of the Rabban Gamaliel, utterly stupefied.

And not only Paul, but his tribe of bewildered compatriots is immense.

  • Homo - meaning altogether.
  • Logo - to speak.
  • Umenōs - adverb meaning “as it is.”

So, in other words, Paul is saying, “WE ALL AGREE, this Mega Mystery simply is as it is.”

The Bewildered World: Struggles with the Incarnation

What is this concept that Paul confesses leaves the entire world bewildered?
1 Tim. 3:16b: He (that is Christ) was manifested in the flesh…

Illustration: Larry King said, when asked, “If you could interview anyone from history, who would it be?” he said, “I would want to interview Mary, the mother of Jesus, because if I could understand how God became a baby, I would be a Christian.”

For both the Jews and the Greeks, the incarnation was a tough pill to swallow for a few reasons:

  1. The Struggle of Gnosticism - The Gnostics believed that all physical matter was inherently evil; to say that God, in all of His holiness, could take on flesh was blasphemy to the Gnostic.
  2. The Struggle of Docetism - From the Greek word “Dokeo” meaning “to seem”. The Docetist argued that Christ only seemed to take on flesh, but it was simply excellent CGI, not an actual body.
  3. The Struggle of Judaism - The Jews would wrestle with the incarnation simply because to them it seemed like Idolatry. You see, the second commandment prohibits making a “thing” that looks like God. Thus, how could God Himself violate the second commandment? But Christ did not claim to be a representation of God, but rather the very God of very God - in the flesh.

  • Just as God revealed Himself in the burning bush (Exod 3)
  • The pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night
  • Or the Shekinah glory filled and enveloped the tabernacle

That same manifest presence of God was veiled in the tender flesh of a baby on that first Christmas morning.
youthpastortheologian.com

Where Was Jesus Born: A Barn, Cave, or House — Youth Pastor Theologian

  1. But, perhaps the greatest struggle was one found in each of us, namely the Struggle with Logic - It is simply an equation we cannot solve.
    • Truly God
    • Truly man
    • One Person
    • Two natures
    • Without confusion (not mixed into a third thing)
    • Without dilution (God did not in any way stop being God or become less God)
    • Without division, there was not a human Jesus and a divine Jesus

How can these things be true at the same time and in the same way? It appears to violate the law of non-contradiction.

Yet, incarnation and ultimately redemption required such a paradoxical contradiction.

You see,
If Christ is not fully God, He cannot REDEEM.
If Christ is not fully man, He cannot RELATE.
If Christ is not God/Man, He cannot RESTORE.

1. If Christ is not fully God, He cannot REDEEM.

Redemption is not merely sympathy or example—it is atonement.

A price must be paid.

Illustration: Italian Jurist Cesare Bonesana was onto something when he suggested that for there to be faithful Justice, the severity of the penalty must be in direct proportion to the grandeur of the station of one offended.

In other words,
  • If I lie to my dog, the penalty may be that he doesn’t trust me the next time I offer a treat.
  • If I lie to my wife, the penalty may be that I sleep with my dog.
  • If I lie to a State Trooper, the penalty may be that I sleep in a jail cell.
  • If I lie under oath to the Supreme Court of the United States, I may never sleep in my bed again.

If Bonesana is correct, that for there to be faithful Justice, the severity of the penalty must be in direct proportion to the grandeur of the station of one offended.

The only fair penalty for offending the Almighty is an eternal penalty.

This logic is in keeping with that of the Apostle James, who wrote - James 2:10–11 (ESV)

10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

In other words, it is not about WHICH law you broke as much as it is about WHOSE law you broke.

You have broken the law of Almighty God and stand justly condemned as a transgressor.

10 Even now (John the Baptiser has said) the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Matthew 3:10 (ESV)

What hope do you have of being absolved of so great an offence? What sacrifice can be made on your behalf? You cannot mitigate an eternal wrath with a temporal adjustment to your behavior, or the blood of a mutilated lamb.

The only chance you have of atonement is that God Himself can somehow resolve the Mega Mysterion and pay the penalty on your behalf.

Isaiah 43:11 (ESV)
11 I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.

Boethius reminds us that “Song is the Handmaid of Philosophy”, thus it is often to the psalmist we turn for answers to such mysteries - and a lyric is readily available this time of year, “Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th’ incarnate Deity!”:

2. If Christ is not fully man, He cannot RELATE.

Perhaps we would be satisfied, had God chosen to redeem us at a distance. Could you blame him? We have defiled ourselves. We know what our eyes have seen, our ears have heard, and even our lips have spoken. We know the depths of our own personal depravity - those things we have done, or that we would have done if we could. Besides all of this, we sit in judgment over others as if we were somehow superior.

Would you blame Him? If he ordained that our redemption be a distant one? It would be redemption nonetheless; we would be able to take hold of eternity.

Yet, this was not his approach.
  • The LOGOS uttered gibberish like any ordinary baby.
  • He whose words hurled galaxies into existence learned to say “imma” and “abba.”

Yes, He chose to be a relatable redeemer.

Illustration: Job in the pits of his despair after having lost everything - his success, his authority, his family, his friends, even his health… sits on a pile of ashes reasoning with this mystery to which Paul refers…

Job 9:25–35 (ESV)
25 “My days are swifter than a runner; they flee away; they see no good. 26 They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey. 27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and be of good cheer,’ 28 I become afraid of all my suffering, for I know you will not hold me innocent. 29 I shall be condemned; why then do I labor in vain? 30 If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, 31 yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me.

AND HERE IS THE PROBLEM:
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. 33 There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both.

Do you grasp what Job is suggesting? I stand utterly condemned before God, and I can’t understand Him, and He cannot understand me. IF ONLY THERE WERE AN ARBITER, who could somehow lay a hand on both of us… fully understand God in all of His POWER and fully understand Job in all of His Pity…

Paul speaks into the past to Job and into the future to us - and says, “You aren’t going to understand this completely… it is a mega mysterion.. but such a mediator has arrived.

Consider the tensions Scripture holds without apology or even an elaborate explanation:
  • He knows all things (John 16:30) — yet grows in wisdom (Luke 2:52)
  • He upholds creation (Col. 1:17) — yet needs His mother’s milk
  • He commands the winds — yet sleeps from exhaustion
  • He is immortal — yet He truly dies

In the words of the writer to the Hebrews 2:17 (ESV):
17 …He had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

3. If Christ is not God/Man, He cannot RESTORE.

The ultimate point of the Bible is the drama that began in Eden, finding its full and complete resolution in a new Heaven and a new Earth - that is far grander than if the fall had never occurred.

For that to happen, we not only need a redeemer but also a leader. We need someone untouched by original sin to step into time and space and lead us into a better future.

We need the transcendent to become imminent.

We need the prophecy of Isaiah to be fulfilled - Isaiah 9:6–7 (ESV):
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

Isaiah, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit anticipates the question of Mary, the question of Paul, and perhaps your question this Christmas season… how can these things be….

He answers in 7b - The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Not only can Christ the GOD/MAN build a new Heaven and Earth - he can rebuild you, and your family, and your legacy. He can step into your reality and show you the way home.

Hebrews 2:18:
18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

I do not consider myself to have the gift of counseling as some people do, but this I can do: when someone presents me with their scenario that is weighing heavily on their shoulders, I race through everything I know about Jesus Christ, and say, “How can He relate to this?” I’ve yet to stump Him.

Conclusion: An Invitation to the Mystery

Have you been betrayed?
He has as well — by His closest companions.

Have you been accused?
So has He — falsely, publicly, and without recourse.

Have you been misunderstood?
He was — even by His own family.

Have you been abandoned?
He was — left alone when it mattered most.

Have you been mocked?
He endured ridicule, sarcasm, and public shame.

Have you been treated unjustly?
He faced a rigged trial and an unjust sentence.

Have you suffered physical pain?
He knew hunger, exhaustion, beating, and crucifixion.

Have you been overwhelmed with sorrow?
He wept — openly, deeply, and without apology.

Have you prayed and felt unheard?
He cried out in agony. Heaven was silent.

Have you faced temptation?
He did — without yielding.

Have you carried a responsibility heavier than you could bear?
He carried the weight of the world.

Have you faced death itself?
He’s been there, my friend.

  • Because Jesus Christ is fully God, He CAN REDEEM.
  • Because Jesus Christ is fully man, He CAN RELATE.
  • Because Jesus Christ is God/Man, He CAN RESTORE.

This Christmas, you may not comprehend the gift, but it may turn out to be the best gift you’ve ever received.

If this reflection resonates with you, consider sharing it with a friend or reflecting on it in your own quiet moments. Merry Christmas—may the mystery of the incarnation fill your heart with wonder and peace.

]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/22/the-mystery-of-christmas#comments 0 Paul's Preparation for Ministry Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/17/paul-s-preparation-for-ministry Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:03:37 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/17/paul-s-preparation-for-ministry

Paul's Preparation for Ministry

How a Zealous Persecutor Became Christianity’s Boldest Defender, and Lessons for Your Faith Journey Today

Nearly every single week, I sit down with someone who says, “I like what Jesus said, but I can’t handle Paul.” It’s a common refrain. Paul’s clear teachings on sexuality, morality, and the implications of Jesus’ work rub many people the wrong way in our modern world. But here’s the thing: dismissing Paul means redefining Jesus Himself. Paul wasn’t just an add-on to Christianity; he provided commentary, applications, and deep dives into what Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection truly meant. As long as we see Paul as a faithful messenger on par with the Old Testament prophets, the message of Christianity remains crystal clear.

This isn’t a new attack. Paul’s ministry has been under fire since the beginning. Yet his story—especially the early days after his dramatic conversion—reveals a man with no motive to fake anything. He was at the top of his game in Judaism: trained by the eminent Rabbi Gamaliel, surpassing his peers, and even leading the charge against Christians. Life was good for him. To admit defeat, to confess that his entire ideology was wrong? That was the most humiliating decision he could make. But Paul did it, and his transformation gives us profound lessons for our own faith journeys today.

In this post, we’ll dive into Galatians 1 and Acts 9 to unpack Paul’s early days. We’ll see how he became active in his new faith, became associated with the early church, and came to know God in a season of obscurity. Along the way, we’ll outline practical applications—such as why you should share your faith right away, plug into a community, and embrace solitude. His story defends his apostleship and offers timeless wisdom for us.

Why Paul Had Every Reason to Hate Christianity

Let’s start with Paul’s background. Before his conversion, he was Saul of Tarsus—a rising star in Judaism. As he writes in Galatians 1:13-14, “For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.” He had no inherent motivation to entertain Christianity. In fact, switching sides was a massive downgrade: from respected Pharisee to persecuted outcast.

The early critics didn’t accuse him of making up stories about Jesus. Instead, their main charge was that his Gospel was second-hand, borrowed from the “real” apostles. Paul pushes back hard in Galatians 1:11-12: “For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” He’s saying, “This came directly from Jesus—not from Peter or James.”

And in verses 15-16: “But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles.” Paul was saved and called into ministry at the same time. But did he rush to Jerusalem for apostolic approval? No. He went to Arabia first, then back to Damascus, and only three years later visited Jerusalem briefly to meet Cephas (Peter) and James. He swears he’s not lying about this independence.

This sets the stage: Paul’s Gospel was original, divinely revealed. But how did a latecomer like him grasp it so clearly?

Paul Entered Late, But Grasped It Clearly – Why?

The Gospel didn’t start with Paul. In 1 Corinthians 15:7-9, he admits: “Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” Paul came into the kingdom late and was different from the others.

So why did he understand the Gospel’s depths? How did he learn it in Damascus? How did he rise to prominence? The only explanation is something extraordinary: his personal encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. We covered that in detail in the last Pauline post, but what happened next adds even more credence.
Imagine the scene: Blinded by a heavenly light, Saul hears Jesus’ voice and is forever changed. This wasn’t a hallucination—it propelled him into immediate action.

No Waiting Around: Paul’s Bold Start in Damascus

After his conversion, Saul didn’t sit idle. Acts 9:19-20 tells us he stayed in Damascus for several days, fellowshipping with the disciples, and “immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’” This title—“Son of God”—was explosive. It echoed Jesus’ own claims in John 10:30-36, where He said, “the Father and I are one,” prompting blasphemy charges from the Jews.

Paul, who once hated this doctrine, now preached it passionately. The people were stunned: “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name?” (Acts 9:21). He grew stronger, “confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ” (v. 22). “Proving” here means lining up Old Testament prophecies with Jesus’ life—logical, scriptural apologetics, much like he’d do later in Acts 17:2-3.
From there, Paul journeyed to Arabia for about 18 months (Galatians 1:17), likely learning from the Lord and preaching. He stirred up trouble, as 2 Corinthians 11:32-33 hints at the king’s ethnarch guarding Damascus to seize him. Back in the city, the Jews plotted his death, but his disciples lowered him in a basket through the wall at night (Acts 9:23-25). Already, he had “his disciples”—his ministry was bearing fruit!

Paul got active right away. And you should too. Were you saved last week? Whom have you told about Christ this week? You don’t need fancy training—just share what you know. It takes the same measure of understanding to trust Christ as it does to share Him.

From Outsider to Insider: Barnabas’s Role in Paul’s Acceptance

Next, Paul headed to Jerusalem, trying to join the disciples. But they were terrified: “They were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26). Imagine the courage it took for Paul to face the widows and orphans of those he’d persecuted. Why go? Jerusalem was the mother church, ground zero for the Gospel. He needed their blessing to preach.

Enter Barnabas, the “son of encouragement.” He took Paul to the apostles, vouching for his vision on the road and his boldness in Damascus (v. 27). Soon, Paul was moving freely, speaking out boldly (v. 28).
I pray you meet a Barnabas soon after coming to faith—someone fresh and encouraging, not jaded. Think of new Christians: One girl walked into church, saw lyrics on the screen, and said, “Cool karaoke!” Another, Ray, asked about an Easter song called “Were You There?” and replied, “No, dude, of course I wasn’t there—how was it?” They’re joyful, clueless, and love Jesus. But without a Barnabas, they might grow miserable like some veterans. Barnabas saw potential in Paul and supported him.

Plugging in is crucial. God makes us complete in Christ yet interdependent in the body. A local church needs you, and you need it. It’s more important than football, hunting, or work. It’s Jesus’ idea—worthy of your commitment, investment, and service. What if your hand skipped work or your foot went hunting? The body suffers. Report for duty!

Ten Years in Obscurity: Paul’s ‘Wilderness University’

But Paul’s boldness led to more plots. He argued with Hellenistic Jews, who tried to kill him, so the brethren sent him to Caesarea and then Tarsus (Acts 9:29-30). The next 10 years? Unrecorded. From age 36 to 46, Paul was in obscurity in his hometown.

He needed “Wilderness University” to develop. You enter the wilderness at God’s direction, experience it by His design, and exit ready for His destiny. Faith grows in the dark, like film in a darkroom. As Steve Wagners says, light that would damage undeveloped film later brings out its beauty. Dr. H.B. Smith adds: “Faith is like film: IT ONLY DEVELOPS IN THE DARK!”

During this time: His conversion story spread (Galatians 1:21-24). Shipwrecks happened. He suffered losses (Philippians 3:8)—maybe disowned by family or lost a wife. Five times he received 39 lashes (2 Corinthians 11:24), synagogue discipline. He had a vision of heaven (2 Corinthians 12:1-4) and received his “thorn in the flesh” (v. 7) to keep him humble.
answeredfaith.com

The Transformative Journey of Paul: Trials, Teachings, and Impact

It wasn’t until 46 that Paul planted churches or did recorded ministry. Why? He got three things right: active, associated, and alone.

Do you get along with God? Solitude is key to Christian life. Find a place, read a few verses, pray, and reflect throughout the day. It’ll revolutionize you.

Paul’s Three Keys and a Call to Action

Paul was a true apostle—his words are God’s Word. He succeeded by getting active (share immediately), associated (plug in), and alone (develop in obscurity). In a world questioning biblical authority, his story defends the faith.

Apply it: Tell someone about Christ this week. Join a church community. Carve out solitude. Try it—find time alone with your Bible today. If this resonated, share the post and subscribe for more biblical insights.

When you read Paul, you’re reading divine truth. Let it transform you as it did him.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/17/paul-s-preparation-for-ministry#comments 0 Shaping Identity Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/17/shaping-identity Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:57:14 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/17/shaping-identity

Shaping Identity

Lessons from Jacob’s Ladder in Genesis 28

Imagine you’re at a lively party, and the host hands you a name tag that says, “Hello, I am...” followed by a blank space. But here’s the twist: instead of scribbling your actual name, you’re instructed to write something that truly describes or identifies you. It’s a game to break the ice and help everyone get to know each other on a deeper level. What would you put down? One word, one phrase—what’s the essence of who you are?

Most folks might jot down their job: “I am an entrepreneur,” “I am a doctor,” or “I am a teacher.” Others could lean into politics: “I am a Republican” or “I am a Democrat.” Some might go with their worldview: “I am a conservative” or “I am a liberal.” Then there are those who define themselves by where they’re from, a tragedy they’ve endured (”I am a widow,” “I am homeless”), their struggles (”I am an alcoholic,” “I am an addict”), or their achievements (”I am a college graduate,” “I am an athlete”). And sadly, some carry labels imposed by others—words spoken early and often that stick like glue.

At the heart of it all is your core identity, that central hub from which everything else in your life radiates, like spokes on a wheel. As Proverbs 23:7 puts it, “As a man thinks within his heart, so is he.” Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar echoed this:

“It is impossible to perform consistently in a way that is inconsistent with how you see yourself.”

Your identity isn’t just one thing about you—it’s the truest thing. Other labels might describe aspects of your life, but they flow from that core.

One of the Bible’s grand themes is that God wants your ultimate identity rooted in who you are in Christ, with everything else branching out from there. Everything flows from our core identity, after all.

Jacob’s Messed-Up Identity: A Case Study

If anyone embodied a fractured sense of self, it was Jacob from the Book of Genesis. His very name meant “deceiver” or “liar”—imagine being cradled by your mother as she coos, “Oh, there’s my little liar.” Names in ancient cultures carried weight, and this one shaped him deeply. As the second-born twin, he was culturally destined to serve his older brother Esau, the rightful patriarch. This fueled his schemes: manipulating Esau out of his birthright and even dressing up as him to steal their father’s blessing. Jacob was a grown man pretending to be someone else just to feel valued—talk about identity crisis.

But God wasn’t done with Jacob. In the chapters ahead, we see divine intervention reshaping his self-view. God knew Jacob couldn’t live consistently if his identity remained warped. We pick up the story in Genesis 28:10–17, where Jacob is on the run from Esau’s murderous rage, heading to Haran to lay low with Uncle Laban.

The Turning Point: A Dream in the Wilderness

Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there that night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.

The Bible is usually precise about locations, but here it’s vague: “a certain place.” It had no name yet—that would change. Alone in the middle of nowhere, Jacob uses a rock for a pillow. Why? Because he had nothing else—no cloak, no backpack. He was homeless, broke, stripped of family, friends, and security.

This sets the stage for God’s three-step process to reshape identity:

1. The Removal of Faulty Foundations

God often starts by stripping away our crutches—those things we lean on instead of Him. For Jacob, everything familiar was gone: no doting mother, no blessing father. Biblical examples abound:

  • Joseph learned this in the pit and prison.
  • Moses on the backside of Midian.
  • Elijah fleeing Queen Jezebel.
  • Even Jesus was tested in the desert after 40 days of fasting.
  • Job’s deepest encounters with God came after losing everything.

As Chuck Swindoll notes, God removes crutches for three reasons:

  1. They become substitutes for Him—turning to people or abilities before God.
  2. They offer only temporary relief, leading to frustration as we hop from one to another.
  3. They keep our focus horizontal, like Peter sinking in the waves when he looked away from Jesus.

Isaiah marked his greatest vision with, “In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord.” Sometimes, loss clears the way to see God clearly.

2. The Revelation of Divine Access

In his dream, Jacob sees a ladder (or stairway, like a ziggurat) reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending.

Dreams aren’t always from God—Ecclesiastes 5:3 says they often come from “many cares.” But this one was revelatory. If God’s speaking, you’ll know—no divine speech impediments.

Jesus references this in John 1:45–51, calling Nathanael “an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit” (no Jacob-like trickery). He promises greater things: “You will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Jesus declares Himself the ladder—the direct access to God.

Here, separated from all he held dear, Jacob encounters the divine.
3. Reorientation to God’s Promise

The Lord stands above the ladder: “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac.” He doesn’t call Jacob by name yet—faith had been his ancestors’, but now it’s personal. God promises land, countless offspring, blessings for all families, and His presence: “I am with you... I will not leave you.”

Jacob awakes in awe: “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it... This is the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

God shifts from “the God of Abraham and Isaac” to “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Identity isn’t forged—it’s received through encounters with Him.

Think of Rocky admitting he can’t beat Apollo but wants to “go the distance” to prove he’s not a bum. Or Paul post-Damascus Road: no atheist could shake him because he’d seen the Lord, transforming from persecutor to evangelist.

At chapter’s end, Jacob sets up his stone pillow as an altar, vowing a tithe if God keeps His word. The deceiver becomes a giver, the schemer a worshiper.

Jesus does the same with Peter in Matthew 16:13–18. Asking, “Who do you say I am?” Peter declares, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responds: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” Focusing on Christ’s identity reveals our own.

As 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”

Who Names You? Three Options

When it comes to your ultimate identity—the truest thing about you—you have three paths:

  1. Look Outside: Culture Names You. It’s subtle but pervasive. Students, ever been asked, “What sport do you play?” They’re sizing you up, labeling you.
  2. Look Inside: Name Yourself. The modern mantra: “I’m trying to find myself.” It’s a search for self-defined identity.
  3. Look Up: Christ Names You. Christianity says focus on Him. As you discover His identity, you uncover the truest you.

Focus on Him... and find yourself in the process.

What about you? Who do you say He is? Your answer might just redefine everything. If this resonates, share your thoughts in the comments—let’s discuss how identity shapes our lives.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/17/shaping-identity#comments 0 Ememy to Ambassador Zach Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/17/ememy-to-ambassador Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:53:18 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/17/ememy-to-ambassador

Enemy to Ambassador

The Conversation of Saul of Tarsus

If you were asked to list the most critical moments in world history, the resurrection of Jesus rightly stands alone at the top. But the moment we’re looking at today may sit in the runner-up position. Because when Saul of Tarsus hit the dirt on the Damascus Road, God didn’t just save a sinner—He unleashed a force that would shake empires, plant churches, and write the letters that disciple us to this very hour.

Luke must have sensed the magnitude of it. He retells Saul’s conversion three times—Acts 9, Acts 22, Acts 26. In fact, over 1/12 of the book is devoted to this one individual’s conversion.

He gives more space to this single event than he does to the ascension of Christ. This isn’t a footnote in Scripture; this is a hinge of redemptive history.

And Saul’s story is not merely descriptive—it is instructive. What Jesus did in Saul, He still does in every true conversion. And if these elements are missing in your story, friend, it is not that you are backslidden; it is that you are lost.

Context

In Acts 8, we see the martyrdom of Stephen and the crowds laying their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. This was significant in that it showed both approval and perhaps responsibility fell at the feet of Saul of Tarsus, as 8:1 points out.

Luke’s attention turns in chapter 8 toward the ministry of Phillip and the conversion of a Eunuch from Ethiopia. We will say more about that in a moment. Then chapter 9 returns our attention to Saul.

Text: Saul’s Persecution and the Damascus Road Encounter

Acts 8:3 (ESV) 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

That same Greek word was used for what the animals did to humans in the Colosseum.
Acts 9:1 (ESV) 1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord…

Try for a moment to see the perspective of this young Pharisee. In his mind, he was following in a noble and godly tradition.

  • He saw himself as an Elijah who called for the execution of the prophet of Baal.
  • He saw himself as a Phineus who, in zeal for the Lord, killed the sinners.
  • He saw himself like the Maccabean Rebels who rebelled against Antiochus Epiphanes.

We have no indication that Saul was under any distress about his persecution of the church. So many have the idea that the sinfulness of sin lies in a person’s visceral response to committing sin.

However, it is quite possible to sin and never feel bad whatsoever. I’ll go further than that—it is possible to sin and feel as though you are NOT sinning, in fact doing God a favor. His biggest problem was that he didn’t realize how utterly lost he really was.

Acts 9:1–2 (ESV) 1 But Saul...went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Damascus was an ancient city and the capital of the Roman Province of Syria, just north/northeast of Galilee. It was some 150 miles from Jerusalem. Apparently, word had come to Jerusalem that many of the Christians who were scattered in connection to Stephen’s death had taken up refuge in Damascus.

According to Chuck Swindoll, “Saul devised an aggressive plan to storm the city, capture the infidels, and drag them into court. Thankfully, God had a different plan.”

Imagine it if you will—Saul with the fury and hatred of a Hitler is storming toward Damascus on a Mission. Then imagine if you will another standing from the right hand of the Father, also on His way to Damascus for a Divine encounter with Saul.

Acts 9:3 (ESV) 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.

Paul himself indicates in Acts 26:13 13 at midday, ...I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun.

Can you imagine a light so bright that it eclipsed the burning of the Middle Eastern midday sun? Such is the revelation of the Shekinah Glory of the risen Savior.

NOW WE HAVE SAUL THE CHIEF OF SINNERS FACE TO FACE WITH JESUS THE FRIEND OF SINNERS…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_of_Paul_the_Apostle
I want us to look at three METHODS Jesus employed to lead Saul to Salvation—these are three WEAPONS in YOUR arsenal. You should master them, you should wield them. And you should expect them to fall with a significant effect on the lost soul.

NOW—I need you to focus—I need you to ask yourself, are these three things true of your story? Can you at all relate? If not, friend, you are not backslidden; you are utterly lost. Here they are—

1. Conviction of Sin

Acts 9:4–5 (ESV) 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

Take note for a moment that our Lord’s attention was fixed on Saul. Twice he calls his name—“Saul, Saul” as in his earthly pilgrimage, he said to his friend, “Martha, Martha”. What of Saul’s comrades? His traveling companions? Their name is not uttered, at least not on this occasion. Jesus came after one man; one man must hear his voice, one man must respond. Saul, Saul was that man.

  • As in the day he called for Lazarus from the grave, with a specific, effectual—“Lazarus come forth” he calls for Saul from the grave of his sin.
  • As he summoned Zacchaeus by name to “come down from the tree”, he called, “Saul, Saul”.

There is a call that goes out to all men. A drawing that goes to the masses. John 12:32 (NASB95) 32 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” That calling is broad in its scope; it brings all men into accountability to God.

This is a universal calling, but oh friend, don‘t despise the more specific calling—the effectual calling of our Lord. For you see, Saul’s comrades heard something—but it was muted, murky, like a burst of thunder that accompanies a storm.... But Saul heard his name.

Don’t despise the words of our Lord in Matthew 22:14 (NASB95) 14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” You may not understand that statement, but don’t hate that statement. You may not comprehend those words, but allow yourself to love them. Love them as you love John 3:16, for they are given of the same Lord.

May I ask you a question? Have you personally sensed a calling from the Savior? Has there been something beyond head knowledge in your experience with Christ?

There is no salvation apart from this calling. Oh, I’ll get saved when I get good and ready, someone says—friend, let me remind you of the words of Jesus.

John 6:44 (NASB95) 44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

You will get saved when the Father draws you to get saved, or you will not get saved at all. That is why we take what happens here VERY seriously.

I appeal to you as God’s workman, knowing the fear of God, I persuade you to come to Christ—But God’s call is different, as High King of Heaven, he issues a Divine Summons.

NOW—Have you sensed such a personal, divine calling to salvation?

  • OH, I desire for my son that he knows more than facts about his father’s God.
  • I desire for my daughters that they know more than trivia concerning scripture.

I want them to feel as though their names have been called.

There is an assurance that comes from personal experience, which nothing else can give you.

  • What can an atheist say to Saul?
  • What sway does a skeptic have on this man?
  • What demon can make this man doubt?

Faith is not merely theoretical for Saul; it was experiential.

There must be a personal calling...

2. Confession of Lostness

5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

This word for Lord can simply be the equivalent of our term, “sir,” but it can also be a word to refer to divinity. In our case, it is almost certainly the latter.
This was an honest confession that Saul had come face to face with God, and he did not know Him.

He has come to that blessed place of actual, realized lostness. Nothing is more pitiful than a lost man who thinks he is saved. The greatest favor God can do for some people is to get them lost. Then and only then can He get them saved.

And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,

Saul was struck with the realization that Jesus Christ so associated himself with His people that for a man to persecute a follower of Christ, he was persecuting Christ himself.
Apparently, Jesus meant it when he said, Matthew 25:40 (NASB95) 40 “... ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

In Acts 26:14 Paul gives us another quote from our Lord on this occasion. 14 “... It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

Goads were 8ft long sticks used by ox drivers; one end was sharp and pointed, the other was flat for cleaning the plow. The driver would point the Ox Goads toward the business end of the animal, and from time to time, in ignorance, the Oxen would kick back against the goads, only increasing their pain and delaying the inevitable.

Jesus said, “Saul, that’s what you are doing”. It was reminiscent of the advice of Saul’s rabbi, Gamaliel. Who warned the Jewish leaders not to battle against these disciples lest they be found battling against God himself.

What a kind statement this was from our Lord—Saul, the path of life you have chosen has only produced pain, and it will increasingly produce pain till you repent.

Illustration of Kicking Against the Goads

Recently, I heard of a young man who has chosen to give himself to partying and drunkenness. The pain he experiences now is mild compared to what is coming. Now there are a few hangovers if he’s fortunate. But oh, I’ve been 49 trips around the sun, and his pain will increase—he’s played with something that plays for keeps. It will be hard for him to kick against the goads.

I met a lady recently at a restaurant, and we invited her to church. He said she’s been away from Church for a long time and that she was feeling the pain. It has been hard for her to kick against the goads.

I met a man last week who lost his marriage after 15 years because of his own sin and rebellion. Friend, it is hard to kick against the goads.

But you need to know it is the kindness of God that has designed life such that the normal pain of life is only increased by rebellion.

Have you come to a place where you realized—you don’t know God? Have you sensed a calling toward salvation?

There must be a personal calling…A Realized lostness…

3. Commitment to Transformation

Jesus goes on to say—6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.

What a difference, minutes earlier, proud Saul was charging into Damascus, ready to put an end to this Christian heresy... now he is being walked in, someone holding his hand.

9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

From there, the Biblical camera focuses on the home of a man named ANANIAS— 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,

For he is praying...why do you think that it is mentioned here? Saul was a Pharisee. The Pharisees took great pride in their abilities in prayer. They prayed long prayers, loud prayers, public prayers. But here it points out the fact that Saul is praying. You see, when you really meet God, it is as though you have never prayed before. All other prayers were uttered from a proud heart—but now Saul is praying as if for the first time.

12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”

NOW—why did Jesus not simply heal Saul of the scales upon his eyes right there on the Damascus road? Simply because the Lord refuses to fulfill a commission he has given to us. He will not divorce you from the process of saving sinners.

  • He could write it in the sky.
  • He could recruit an army of Angels
  • But he has chosen to use you to reach them.

13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

Swindoll, in his book on Paul, captured some of what Ananias was feeling. He writes, “Imagine that it’s 1940. You live on the outskirts of Vienna, Austria. The Nazis have occupied your city, and you are Jewish. Most of your relatives have vanished, and you are planning to escape the city by night, when just before your planned escape, you are awakened by a strange presence in your bedroom. Out of the darkness, a voice commands you, ‘Arise, go to a street named Wickenburg, just to the west of the University of Vienna. There you’ll find a home owned by Franz Kaiser. When you enter, you’ll find a man of Upper Austria named Adolf Hitler. I have appeared to him, and now he is praying. Go touch him; he will regain eyesight, and he will save your people.’” This terrified Ananias.

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

Saul was chosen—that was the end of the discussion. No more “Whys?” No more “what-ifs”. God chose Saul. I wonder how many times we find it difficult to embrace forgiveness or to accept the conversion of others. When God calls someone, the discussion is over.

17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul,

“Brother Saul, this is not the thoughtless title that we often employ in a Christian context—Bro. Brandon, Bro. Chip… but this is a thoughtful theological declaration of the sufficiency of the blood of Jesus to cleanse the sins of the hater of the Church. Saul, you were once a hater of God’s people, but now, because of Jesus, I declare you BROTHER SAUL.

Ananias goes on to say—the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened.

Three Instant Evidences of True Conversion

A. Baptized in Obedience
Baptism is the biblical declaration of your faith. It points to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Saul was associating himself with that story.

LISTEN TO ME CAREFULLY—While I don’t believe baptism saves you. I am convinced that when we get to heaven, everyone who had the opportunity and the biblical teaching concerning baptism will have been baptized.

It makes no sense at all for a person to say I BELIEVE IN JESUS—I believe faith in Him will wash my sins away, I believe him enough to save my soul for ALL eternity. But I don’t believe him enough to get in a tub of water. What kind of faith is that?

Not only was he baptized...

B. Bonded with Believers
19b—Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus,
John said it best, we know we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.

Sheep flock.

If you don’t flock, it begs the question—are you a sheep?

The Bible says Jesus is the Head and the Church is the Body. Now, can you imagine someone coming to the marriage altar and saying, “Preacher, I just want to marry her from the neck up?” I love her head, but I don’t love the rest of her. That’s ridiculous. If you love the head, Jesus, you will love the body, the church.

C. Bold in Proclamation
20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

The mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart—the rebel heart of Saul had been arrested. He was now a slave to Christ. His same passion that burned in opposition now burned in service to the King.

Conclusion

What about you? Have you had a personal encounter with Jesus?

Saul didn’t walk away from that encounter and “try religion.” He didn’t negotiate. He didn’t tinker with self-improvement. The man who had been breathing threats was now breathing prayers. The persecutor became a preacher. The wolf became a shepherd. That is what happens when a man meets the risen Christ.

And the same Christ still calls sinners by name. He still confronts. He still convicts. He still transforms.

So let me ask you plainly, the way the text demands: Has Christ ever confronted you? Has He ever convicted you? Has He ever changed you?

If not, you don’t need a new commitment—you need a new heart. You need what Saul found on that road: a Savior who stops you, saves you, and sends you.

When Saul met Jesus, everything changed. If you’ve met Him—everything changes. If nothing has changed, you haven’t met Him.

If this post stirred something in you, hit that subscribe button below for more biblical insights. Share your thoughts in the comments—what part of Saul’s story resonates most with you?
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/17/ememy-to-ambassador#comments 0 Surprised by C.S. Lewis Julie Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/04/surprised-by-c-s-lewis Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:56:59 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/04/surprised-by-c-s-lewis

Surprised by C.S. Lewis

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

-C.S. Lewis
Besides our visit to Canterbury Cathedral, another highlight of our recent trip to England and Scotland was visiting the places where novelist, scholar, and broadcaster C.S. Lewis worked, worshipped, and was buried. A student of philosophy who spent thirty years teaching English Literature at Oxford University while authoring 41 books in various genres, Lewis’ relatively quiet life packed a major impact. Even now, over 60 years after his passing, his thoughts continue to challenge, enlighten, and inspire an untold number around the world.
Perhaps Lewis’ superpower was his discipline to not only study, analyze, and think…but to write down what he was learning, how he was processing, and even how God’s Spirit worked inside of him. This has become a passion of my husband’s, capturing the wisdom and insight God provides for future generations by writing things down, recording important conversations, and even reformatting truths from his sermon study for platforms like this one ( zachterry.com ). I am trying to follow in his footsteps, albeit slowly!
As our children were growing up, we enjoyed Lewis’ fictitious work, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe’ by reading it aloud together. Thankfully, we live in a time where we even got to watch a movie inspired by the book as a special reward at the end of the reading! At the University of Oxford, we were shown the place where Lewis walked out of a conversation about Christianity with his friends (one of them being J.R.R. Tolkien) and saw three things that inspired ideas for characters for that beloved story. He saw a lion on the door of a pub (Aslan), some strange figures on each side of the door (Mr. Tumnus), and a lamppost (entrance to Narnia).
Later, we sat in the church where Lewis faithfully attended and served for thirty years. It was inspiring to me to see how he continued to live a quiet life, excelling in his strengths of study, thinking, and writing, though his voice was popular and well known across his country after his beloved radio broadcasts during World War II.
Interested in learning more about the life and work of C.S. Lewis? I would start with reading or listening to one of his books! But if you’d like an overview, I enjoyed a free online course called “C.S. Lewis on Christianity” from Hillsdale College. You can sign up here.
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/04/surprised-by-c-s-lewis#comments 0 The Classroom of History Julie Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/04/the-classroom-of-history Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:51:48 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/04/the-classroom-of-history

The Classroom of History

“History is a classroom, not a prison.”

- Zach Terry
In our family, we value travel as a spice of life that adds beauty, understanding, and adventure. Visiting a place means not only appreciating its beauty through a lens, but also experiencing the vastness of a mountain range, the smells of a city, and most especially, the culture and personality of a people. Zach and I recently had the opportunity to lead a historical reformation tour of much of the United Kingdom. We began in London, England, and flew home from Edinburgh, Scotland, stopping along the way at various towns, cathedrals, castles, and museums.
This was our first trip to the UK, and I am so grateful to be married someone who prepares for experiences like this by studying key people in history from that place, and encouraging me to do the same! The people and historical moments I delved into prior to the trip were the ones that came to life most clearly upon seeing them in person- Thomas Becket and the 12th century Church in England, and the life and work of C.S. Lewis. Today, I’ll be sharing about the life and impact of Thomas Becket.
Thomas Becket was the Archbishop of Canterbury who was violently murdered on December 29, 1170. His last words were,

“For the name of Jesus and the protection of the Church, I am ready to embrace death.”

Becket had been appointed Archbishop by his close friend, King Henry II, in an attempt to control the Church. However, once in office, something changed in Becket, and his loyalty changed over from his friend, to his God and God’s church. King Henry’s frustration with Becket was overheard by a group of his knights, and they took it upon themselves to rid their King of his adversary by killing him.
The Church condemned the murder and Becket was venerated as a martyr and enshrined inside Canterbury Cathedral, which became an important pilgrimage location for over 300 years, and there were many reports of miracles there. Then, in 1540, King Henry VIII ordered the destruction of Becket’s shrine and the obliteration of his name because he had been a “traitor” who defied royal authority. The king’s men dismantled and looted the shrine, even burning the bones of Thomas Becket. His name was officially banned and the pilgrimage to his shrine was outlawed! Today, there is only a lit candle and small sign marking the location of Becket’s former shrine, but his legacy continues to inspire. 
As we were observing the place where Becket had served and had been killed, learning about his impact that continued for hundreds of years after his murder…my mind drew parallels with the recent tragic murder of Charlie Kirk.

Already, Kirk’s death has brought about the largest evangelical event I remember in my lifetime- his own memorial service, where 90,000 attended and some 20 million watched around the world, and the gospel was declared clearly and passionately. What’s more, there is a boldness and clarity in the aftermath among the Christian community that was so needed, but that had been lacking. We hear of young people and families attending church for the first time, reaching out to Christian friends and on social media with questions about God, heaven, and the Christian life. We even heard about revival sweeping across England among young people and huge memorial services there honoring Charlie Kirk! Only God can know, but in 300 years, wouldn’t it be beautiful if Charlie Kirk’s boldness, gospel witness, and courage are still inspiring young people around the world.

Canterbury Cathedral served as a beautiful and effective classroom for exploring the history of Thomas Becket. Next time, I’ll delve into the life and legacy of C.S. Lewis — stay tuned!
]]> https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/04/the-classroom-of-history#comments 0 What Does God Really Want from Me? Julie Terry https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/04/what-does-god-really-want-from-me Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:47:36 +0000 https://zachterry.org/blog/2025/12/04/what-does-god-really-want-from-me

What Does God Really Want from Me?

A Lesson from Micah 6:8

Dear friends,

As my husband has been preaching through the Minor Prophets at our church, I’ve been diving into these books during my personal devotion time. Let me tell you, it’s like finding a treasure map in an old, dusty attic! When I got to Micah, something leapt off the page that I hadn’t quite seen before, and I just have to share it with you.

In Micah 6:6, the prophet gives voice to a question that’s probably crossed all our minds at some point: “What should I bring before the Lord when I come to bow before God on high?” I mean, doesn’t that hit home? Here we are, overwhelmed by God’s grace—His free gift of salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice—and we’re left wondering, “Lord, what can I possibly give You that measures up?”

It’s like trying to pick a gift for someone who has everything. A fruit basket for the Creator of the universe? A gift card to Heaven’s coffee shop? (Okay, I know, Heaven probably has better coffee than we do!) But seriously, we want to offer something big, something that shows we get the magnitude of what He’s done for us.

Micah’s people had the same urge. They wondered if God wanted burnt offerings, year-old calves, thousands of rams, or even “ten thousand streams of oil” (Micah 6:6-7). They even asked if they should offer their firstborn—yikes, talk about going all-in! But here’s the thing: God isn’t after a one-time, show-stopping gesture. He’s not waiting for us to sell the family minivan and donate the proceeds to prove our devotion. Nope, He’s playing the long game.

So what does God want? Micah 6:8 spells it out beautifully:

“Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Paul puts it another way in Romans 12:1, urging us to offer our bodies—our everyday, coffee-spilling, laundry-folding, carpool-driving lives—as a living sacrifice. That’s our true worship. Not a one-and-done deal, but a daily “Here I am, Lord, use me.”

Now, I’ll be honest: sometimes I think it’d be easier to write a big check to the church once a year and call it a day. Wouldn’t that be simpler? But the longer I walk with Jesus, the more I see that what God wants from us is really what He wants for us. He’s not after our stuff—He’s after our hearts. And here’s the best part: Jesus Himself says that living this way leads to complete joy (John 15:10-11). Who doesn’t want a slice of that?

So, what does this look like for us as Christian women living in 2025, juggling family, work, church, and the occasional Costco run? Let’s break down Micah 6:8 into practical, everyday steps—because God loves to meet us in the ordinary.

Act Justly

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary (yes, I’m that nerd who loves old dictionaries!) defines justice beautifully- in short, as giving everyone their due with honesty and integrity. For us, this might look like:

  • In marriage: Treating your husband with fairness—keeping your word, respecting him (Ephesians 5:33), and resisting the urge to “gently nudge” him into doing things your way. (Guilty, anyone?)
  • In parenting: Being consistent with your kids—fair rules, steady consequences, and honest praise when they finally clean their rooms without being asked. (Miracles do happen!)
  • In the workplace: Keeping your commitments, being fair in business dealings, and paying others what they’re owed—whether it’s money or respect.
  • In community: Standing up for those who can’t stand for themselves—the widow, the orphan, the struggling mom at the grocery store (Proverbs 31:8-9).

Justice isn’t just for courtrooms; it’s for our kitchens, our cubicles, and our neighborhoods.

Love Faithfulness

Faithfulness is all about loyalty, honesty, and sticking to your promises. For us, this could mean:

  • In marriage: Staying true—emotionally, physically, and even on social media. Feeding your mind with encouragement toward faithfulness is key!
  • In parenting: Putting your kids’ best interests before your own, even if it means more time/challenge.
  • With friends and church: Being the friend who forgives fast, includes the newcomer, and shows up with a casserole when someone’s hurting. Colossians 3:12-13 calls us to put on kindness and patience, forgiving as Christ forgave us.

Faithfulness is showing up, day after day, even when it’s not glamorous. It’s being the steady one in a world that’s anything but.

Walk Humbly with Your God

Humility is freedom from pride, a deep sense of our need for God, and a willingness to say, “I’m not perfect, but I’m Yours.” Practically, this looks like:

  • In marriage: Owning your mistakes, being quick to repent, and submitting to your husband’s leadership out of trust in God’s design (not because it’s always easy!).
  • In parenting: Praying without ceasing for your kids, trusting God to work in their hearts in ways you can’t.
  • As a homemaker: Weaving prayer into the daily grind—whether you’re folding laundry, running errands, or scrubbing dishes. (Pro tip: Praying while cleaning makes it feel 10% less like torture.)

1 Peter 5:6 reminds us, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.” Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less and God more.

The Joy of the Long Game

Here’s the beautiful truth: God doesn’t want our grand gestures because He’s after something better—us. Our ordinary lives, surrendered to Him, become extraordinary acts of worship. And the best part? Living out Micah 6:8 doesn’t just please God; it fills us with the joy Jesus promised.

So, let’s keep it simple. Let’s act justly in our daily dealings, love faithfulness in our relationships, and walk humbly with our God, one step at a time. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it. And who knows? Maybe we’ll even find joy in the middle of that next pile of laundry.

With love and a smile,

Julie, A Pastor’s Wife Learning to Live Micah 6:8

P.S. What’s one way you’re living out Micah 6:8 this week? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your story!

Dig deeper into Micah here: Ancient Idols in Modern Trappings
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