Osborne - Thriving in Babylon : why hope, humility and wisdom matter in a godless culture

To William, Katie, and Emma.

You are growing up in Babylon.

May you embrace it with Daniel-like

hope, humility, and wisdom.

Jeremiah 29:7

Contents

DANIELS STORY

Famous but Unknown

How Big Is Our God?

How Bad Can It Get?

Why God Sometimes Lets the Bad Guys Win

PREPARED FOR BATTLE

The Problem with Counterfeits

Counterfeit Faiths Most Convincing Traits

How Trials Prepare Us for Battle

HOPE: WHERE COURAGE IS BIRTHED

Beyond Wishful Thinking

Lessons from My DVR

How Input Determines Outlook

The Curse of Conspiracy Theories and Catastrophizing

Myopia and Amnesia

The Problem with Politics and Bandwagons

Humility: How Credibility Is Earned

The Forgotten Path

Breaking Down Walls

The Problem with a Spiritual Warfare Model

Wisdom: The Power of Perspective

Some Things Arent Worth Dying For

When Fear Takes Over

Mercy Trumps Sacrifice

Why Faithful Is More Important Than Successful

The darker it gets,
the brighter our tiny light shines.

THRIVING IN BABYLON

Published by David C Cook

4050 Lee Vance View

Colorado Springs, CO 80918 U.S.A.

David C Cook Distribution Canada

55 Woodslee Avenue, Paris, Ontario, Canada N3L 3E5

David C Cook U.K., Kingsway Communications

Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 6NT, England

The graphic circle C logo is a registered trademark of David C Cook.

All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced, scanned, resold, or distributed by or through any print or electronic medium without written permission from the publisher. This ebook is licensed solely for the personal and noncommercial use of the original authorized purchaser, subject to the terms of use under which it was purchased. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The author has added italics to Scripture quotations for emphasis.

Some names have been changed to protect individuals and their stories.

LCCN 2014948804

ISBN 978-1-4347-0421-4

eISBN 978-0-7814-1327-5

2015 Larry Osborne

The Team: Alex Field, Karen Lee-Thorp, Amy Konyndyk, Tiffany Thomas, Karen Athen

Cover Design: Nick Lee

Cover Photo: Veer

First Edition 2015

DR. LARRY OSBORNE has served as a senior pastor and teaching pastor at North Coast Churchone of the ten most influential churches in the countrysince 1980. Pastor Osborne holds both a master of divinity and a doctorate degree from Talbot Theological Seminary. He is the author of numerous books, including Accidental Pharisees . Pastor Osborne and his wife live in Oceanside, California. They have three grown children.

Visit DCCeBooks.com for more great reads.

What people are saying about

Thriving in Babylon

Thriving in Babylon is right on the money! While much of the church has been fumbling around trying to find the right biblical example, Larry Osborne cuts to the chase, showing us precisely how to let our witness cut through the culture for the greatest impact of the gospel.

Ray Bentley, senior pastor of Maranatha Chapel, San Diego, California

A provocatively inspiring guide, this book provides a brilliant template, helping us answer the proverbial question of What would Jesus do? I absolutely loved it. Simply brilliant!

Bishop Dale Carnegie Bronner, author, founder, and lead pastor of Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral, Atlanta, Georgia

This book is for all of us who are serious about having significant influence in our modern-day Babylon. The fresh applications that Larry draws from the life of Daniel are as relevant as todays headlines, challenging us to reconsider some old worn-out tactics.

Chris Dolson, senior pastor of Blackhawk Church, Madison, Wisconsin

Thriving in Babylon is an utterly refreshing take on the culture wars much of American Christianity seems to be obsessing over. With biblical insight and practical wisdom, Larry Osborne reminds us of what it takes for a community to flourish in exile. I highly recommend this book.

Mike Erre, lead pastor of Fullerton Evangelical Free Church, Fullerton, California

Trust me; this book will bless you! While many lament how Western culture and the churchs place within it have changed, Larry is a welcomed and much-needed voice. He offers a clarion call of hope. God doesnt just want us to survive. He wants us to thrive.

Daniel Fusco, lead pastor of Crossroads Community Church, Vancouver, Washington

How Larry writes with such brutal honesty and, at the same time, inspiring hope amazes me. These pages drip with keen analysis, practical insight, and gospel hope. A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the current state, and possible future, of the church.

J. D. Greear, PhD, author of Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary and Jesus, Continued

Thoughtful and inspiring, Larry Osborne provides a fresh perspective on how we can live with bold faith in a post-Christian culture.

John Lindell, pastor of James River Church, Springfield, Missouri

Larry has an extraordinary gift for relating Scripture to our everyday lives. We are indeed living in modern-day Babylon. Every Christ follower should read this!

Shawn Lovejoy, pastor of Mountain Lake Church, Cumming, Georgia

It is obvious why God chose Larry Osborne to be such an effective pastor in the local church. He has the ability to take the complex and often misunderstood ideas and communicate them in a way that is practical and applicable in a crooked and depraved generation.

Joby Martin, pastor of The Church of Eleven22, Jacksonville, Florida

In reading Thriving in Babylon I was led to thank the Lord again for Larry Osborne. His wisdom in bringing Gods Word to bear upon our world is immense. Reading this book will answer many of your questions about living for Christ today and set you on a path to greater joy and victory in your Christian faith.

Dr. James MacDonald, senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, Chicago, Illinois, and Bible teacher on Walk in the Word

Awhile back I listened to a message by Larry Osborne entitled, Thriving in Babylon. Honestly, it was one of the best messages I have ever heard in my life. When I learned that he was putting the content of that particular message in a book, to say I was pumped would be an understatement. Larry takes us on a journey with Daniel and shows us how, against incredible odds and in overwhelming circumstances, he was able to thrive in a culture that was as pagan as any of us have ever seen.