The Jericho Effect: What if We Tried it God's Way, for a Change?

When Joshua was leading God’s people into the Promised Land, he suddenly saw a man with a drawn sword. "Are you one of us, or one of our adversaries?" Joshua asked. "Neither," the man replied, "but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." As Joshua and the people of Israel would soon learn, the question wasn't whether the commander of the Lord's army would be on Israel's side, but whether Joshua and the people would choose to be on God's side. Would they be willing to do things God's way as they entered the land of Canaan? So begins The Jericho Effect, a new book about the unexpected ways in which God calls us to obedience. Like the story of Jericho itself, it’s not only about the unconventional nature of God’s instructions—for example, marching around Jericho for seven days rather than attacking it head on—it’s also about the many walls of separation that we can help bring down if we choose to follow God’s way. Case Van Kempen, author of previous Bible study guides on Daniel (Daniel: Daring Faith in Dangerous Times) and I, II, and III John (1, 2, 3 John: Living in the Light of Love), divides the twelve chapters of this book into two parts. In the first part, each chapter covers a different area of obedience: Obedience to the Word of God, Obedience with My Family, Obedience with My Neighbor, Obedience at Work, Obedience in Prayer, and Obedience in Private. In Part Two, the author examines the ways that obedience in each area can bring down walls: Bringing Down Walls Between Me and God’s Word, Bringing Down Walls Between Family Members, Bringing Down Walls Between Neighbors, Bringing Down Walls Between Co-workers, Bringing Down Walls Between Me and God, and Bringing Down Walls Between Me and My Secret Self. Each chapter also includes the ongoing story of a daring congregation that was willing to try six weeks of Jericho-style obedience, culminating in a Jericho Sunday march around their church—seven times—and an opportunity to let many different walls come down.With a very readable and almost novel-like style, The Jericho Effect can be read for personal learning and enjoyment, or it can be used as a resource for study groups. Each of the 12 chapters ends with thoughtful discussion questions, and 43 daily devotions—designed for a six-week reading experience—are also included.Could God be calling you to a kind of obedience you’ve never tried before? The subtitle says it all: What if We Tried It God’s Way, for a Change?