We originally designed this series in November 2020. Back then the world was very different. Working together as 3 pastors from 3 sister churches, we had planned to each lead our own congregation in regular Sunday services throughout 2020: as usual, like normal. But with COVID-19 few things are normal. It seems almost everything has changed. So, as your pastors, we want you to see the unique way we’re partnering together too: very different to what we'd imagined back in November last year!

Every week one pastor will preach for all three churches: Brad in week 1, Pete in week 2, Dave in 3 and so forth. We have written this growth group book for all three churches. We're sharing resources together like our songs on video for Zoom, prayers on Facebook, sermons on YouTube and other online resources. Our churches are praying for each other too.

Daniel is an ancient book of the Old Testament. Its setting is around 600 years before Jesus walked this earth. It’s set not in Israel like many other books of the Bible, but in Babylon: the heartland of God’s enemies. In Daniel, God’s people are foreigners and exiles, living in a time of persecution.

Now, as your pastors we’d chosen Daniel to equip you for oncoming persecution, perhaps ahead in our own time and place (although much milder than in Babylon).

Our big idea for this series is: Despite our fears in our apparent circumstances, God is in control. So, like Daniel, we can live wisely in a hostile world because of the victory of King Jesus.

With hindsight we can see it’s pandemic rather than persecution that has come our way in 2020. So, during April we’ve talked at length about whether to proceed with this series. Should we, or shouldn’t we? After prayerful reflection we decided Daniel is actually ideal for our current circumstances. And our big idea still works, despite COVID-19! For as we learn from the Apostle Peter in the New Testament, heaven is our only home. We Christians remain foreigners and exiles in this world:

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:11-12)

As Christians we live this side of the resurrection of Jesus, almost 2000 years after he walked this earth, and we wait patiently for his return. In the meantime, God calls us to live wisely today as foreigners and exiles too. So, we have much to learn from the ancient wisdom of Daniel and his 3 friends.

We commend this series to you. As strangers living in a strange world in a very strange season, now is the time to pray, prepare and discipline ourselves to make the most of this series in our local church family. Below are some simple but challenging ways to do so. May God bless us together.

Your brothers in Christ Jesus.
This series has been put together by three pastors from three churches of the Southern Darling Downs: Stanthorpe, Rose City and Goondiwindi - Pastors Peter Evans, Dave Bailey and Brad Dewson.