I didn’t watch the video. The news was sickening enough of the latest atrocity by ISIS. Why the title, then? Glorious beheading? Because the executioner, no doubt, is being celebrated in many quarters today. He is seen as a glorious man. He sees himself this way. Let me explain.

In the ancient world, what constituted manhood and glory was very different from our world. Thomas Cahill, in his book, Desire of the Everlasting Hills, says:

“Where modern historians count the casualties and detect cruelty and inhumanity, the ancients saw only glory. Public action – that is, by war and conquest – was the most dangerous and, in consequence, the most noble of all human endeavors.” Using Alexander as an example, Cahill continued, “If Plato was the measure of all subsequent philosophy and Phidias of all attempts to carve a man in marble, Alexander was, therefore, ‘the Great,’ the greatest man who had ever lived … the measure of man himself.”

Alexander was the man who, upon taking command of his deceased father’s armies, slaughtered the inhabitants of Thebes, pulled down the city, and enslaved any survivors because they did not want him to reign over them. I’m sure many people were beheaded. It was a glorious endeavor for Alexander – although, of course the Thebans would not have agreed. Then, after settling this “dispute” about who was in charge, he set out to conquer the world because … well … that is what real men do.

It is this type of thinking that controlled the executioner – visions of nobility and glory. It is this type of thinking that pervades ISIS. It is a holdover from the ancient world and wedded to Islam, which, according to its founder, has as its goal the forcible takeover over the world by the sword if people will not submit, which, by the way, is what the word “Islam” means. Islam is ancient thinking.

This is what makes the message of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of the Kingdom, so remarkable. In a world entrenched with a wrong vision of manhood and glory, even among his own people, Jesus pointed to a new destiny and walked a new path. It undercut, completely, the dominant worldview and vision of every nation in his day, including his own. Predictably, both Roman and Jewish rulers did not like his message and executed their worldview against Jesus, literally, by nailing him to a cross. So much for humility, so much for servanthood, so much for mercy, so much for going the extra mile and praying for those who oppress you. Jesus’ new vision of glory and manhood was obliterated … until the third day when God raised him and enthroned him at his right hand as the true Lord of heaven and earth.

The way of thinking that led to the beheading of James Foley will be with us until the better idea of manhood and glory takes hold deep within the hearts of people and nations. It must change underlying worldviews and ideas of destiny and glory. Cahill concluded that the wrong way of thinking continues “to infect the brains of all those who take up weapons of destruction in what they believe to be a noble cause. Indeed, down the whole course of history, the invincible warrior with raised sword has been the archetypal hero of the human race.”

The world needs a new kind of hero and a better idea. That “better idea” we call The Gospel of the Kingdom. And it is more than an idea. It is embodied in Jesus of Nazareth, the true Lord of heaven and earth. This is the message we are supposed to preach. This is what the early church preached. They proclaimed that Jesus was Lord which meant that Caesar was not Lord. That’s why they got into trouble with the authorities. You can check it out in Acts 17:5-8. Our message is primarily not a wimpy message of “pray this prayer so you can be sure of going to heaven when you die.” If that is all the early church preached they would never have been persecuted. Although that point is true, it falls far short of the historic Gospel.

Our message is that there is a true Lord of heaven and earth who has come to reign over all. He summons the nations to obey him, to follow his path, and to seek true glory and true humanity. It is the message ISIS needs to hear, the entire Arab world needs to hear, and for that matter, the message every nation needs to hear for all are still infected – to varying degrees – by the disease of wrong ideas of glory and manhood.

The only way to change deeply entrenched ideas is with stronger, more powerful, more imaginative, more compelling ideas. The Gospel of the Kingdom provides this, the Gospel that points to the one who lived it and who overcame all adversity, the Gospel that proclaims Jesus is Lord of all.

When God closed the door to India for our friends, Mike and Su Keator, he opened another door for them – the very needy land of Nepal. Mike and Su are working with pastors and leaders throughout this country to multiply groups that will train people to share the Gospel with the needy millions in this land.

Word of God, Speak is very pleased to assist Mike and Su in their amazing ministry through prayer and in giving. We are now able to assist them with the Stories of the Master radio program and CDs of the stories to distribute in the land! We will sign a contract with Trans World Radio this week to translate and produce our program in this language. In addition to purchasing radio time in Nepal, we will produce CDs of key stories and use other technologies to mass distribute the good news of Jesus.

We thank God for a special person whose generosity made this possible and for your continued support. Join with us in prayer for Mike and Su and for the translation and production of Stories of the Master in Nepalese.

The NRB is exhilarating. One interacts with all kinds of Christians, learns about all kinds of ministries, and meets people from all over the world. Every now and then someone famous walks by, like Charles Stanley, or scoots by in a motorized wheelchair like Joni Erickson Tada. Sometimes someone is standing beside us and we would never dream about their greatness.

Freda Tell was a volunteer. She stood beside our booth and directed traffic. How great could a volunteer be?

With Freda Tell at the NRB

She was saved in her mid-30s when her daughter convinced her to attend the Baptist church across the street from their home. For decades she lived the “normal Christian life”, quiet, unobtrusive, serving in the church and occasionally sharing her testimony. Four years ago a restlessness grew within her and morning devotions took on a new intensity. She read Matthew 9:36-38 where Jesus challenged the apostles to pray for God to send workers into his harvest. Could he send her? “Lord, show me how I can work with you to glorify your name in the world.”

A year later a friend said, “Freda, God wants to use you. Can you write?”

“Yes, I can write.”

“There is an organization that uses writers to create stories from the Bible. Can you write something on Esther?”

Freda said “yes” but still wondered. Who were these people? Was this a scam? What will they do with her writing? Could she really write?

“Lord, if you want me to do this you must affirm it. If you want me to write about Queen Esther in Persia, show me!”

A few days later she noticed a young woman selling sun glasses in a mall. She had lovely, smooth olive skin, bright, even, white teeth, jet black hair and eyes. Freda asked where she was from – “Persia.” Freda thought, “Persia, just like Esther!”

A few days later a guest speaker in her church unveiled an ancient scroll. It was the book of Esther! That was enough for Freda. She started writing her drama on the book of Esther, and it was accepted by a missionary organization that reaches out with stories from the Bible in 32 countries.

She now works on other stories, and God is using her to reach people in faraway places like Mongolia and Indonesia with a gift Freda did not know she had until a few years ago.

Freda says, “I want to do exceptional things for God, but I think the Lord’s plan is that we be exceptional in the ordinary things. I did not choose to be a writer. God said ‘I have chosen you.’  When God calls you, don’t try to change the course, he will do with you what he never did before.”

This is Freda Tell, our friend, our sister in Christ, and a woman of faith who is reaching people by her story writing because she prayed and dared to follow God! An example for us all!