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Kingdom Heroes
Copyright 2021 by Tony Evans
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97408
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
ISBN 978-0-7369-7661-9 (Hardcover)
ISBN 978-0-7369-7662-6 (eBook)
ISBN 978-0-7369-8175-0 (International Edition)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Evans, Tony, author.
Title: Kingdom heroes / Tony Evans.
Description: Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, [2021] | Includes bibliographical references. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2020056269 (print) | LCCN 2020056270 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736976619 (hardcover) | ISBN 9780736976626 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Bible. Old TestamentBiography. | Heroes in the Bible. | FaithBiblical teaching. | Trust in GodBiblical teaching.
Classification: LCC BS579.H4 E93 2021 (print) | LCC BS579.H4 (ebook) | DDC 221.9/22dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020056269
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020056270
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I want to thank my friends at Harvest House Publishers for their longstanding partnership in bringing my thoughts, study, and words to print. I particularly want to thank Bob Hawkins for his friendship over the years, as well as his pursuit of excellence in leading his company. I also want to publicly thank Kim Moore and Jean Bloom for their help in the editorial process. In addition, my appreciation goes out to Heather Hair for her skills and insights in collaboration on this manuscript.
CONTENTS
T he overriding feeling that life isnt working and its not even worth trying anymore has begun to pervade society at large, causing many people to live with a profound sense of hopelessness and despair. Furthermore, this sense has led more and more of them to throw in the towel on life itself. When nearly 40 million people lost their jobs during the onset of the pandemic-based lockdown in America, suicide rates rose. In fact, during the early months of physical distancing, more people died from suicide in the state of Tennessee than died from COVID-19. Add to that, the overwhelming social, economic, political, and racial unrest we experienced in our culture caused both confusion and insecurity to arise in the hearts of people nationwide.
My phone nearly rang off the hook during the initial stages of these multiple pandemics due to my congregants seeking counsel from me as their pastor. They just couldnt take it anymore. It seemed like each day brought a new worry, fear, or concern to all of us, and my emotions rode the same ever-changing roller coaster of uncertainty everyone elses did.
On top of that, I was at the beginning season of mourning the loss of my wife, ministry partner, and best friend of 49 years, Lois, and I was additionally mourning the loss of my dad, who had passed away just a month before she did. The previous months had also brought the loss of my sister, her husband, my brother, and two nieces. People were calling me to help them through their pain while I was treading my own painful waters.
So much had suddenly changed in my life. Social situations were different not only because of the loss of so many family members but because of the loss of friends and church members who had passed away. My career routine changed through the temporary closing of our church premises due to the mandatory Dallas County shelter-in-place rulesI stopped preaching to congregations and began preaching to two cameras. Interviews increased as network after network contacted our ministry asking for my perspective on the virus and its social impact, race relations in America, the 2020 election, and more. I stopped traveling to speak at churches, conferences, and events due to being in the high-risk category for COVID-19 based on my age and having had a bout with walking pneumonia at the onset of the pandemic.
Nothing resembled the normalcy Id once known, lived, and experienced for so long. Nothing at all.
Except God.
In the midst of the chaos of constant change, pounding like waves crashing against breakers set to hold their wrath at bay, Gods constancy was calming. And better yet, it remained calming. His power prompted my internal praise. His peace soothed my heart so I could speak comforting truths to the many who looked to me during this strange season we were all sharing as a nation and around the world.
Living by Faith
As each week and month progressed into what seemed like a continual cycle of uncertainty, one day I spoke with my good friend and fellow pastor Jim Cymbala. Hed been away from his church in New York City during the height of the pandemic there, and as was true for so many of those in ministry, his heart was heavy. When he told me a large percentage of pastors in California and New York were considering leaving the ministry due to the difficulties they were facing (at one point, California had even made it against the law to sing in church), the gravity of the reality we were in hit me hard.
Knowing so many were contemplating quitting in the midst of this trial reminded me of those mentioned in Hebrews who had also considered throwing in the towel, hanging up the gloves, and moving on. Im sure abandoning the faith and going back to the worlds ways crossed their minds in hopes that it would lessen the difficulties they faced. Perhaps they even wondered if the Christian faith was worth the effort, because it just didnt seem to be working for them anymore.
