Send us Fan Mail

Preaching: Rev. Dr. Stephen M. Fearing

Text: 2 Kings 22:1-13; 23:1-4, 24-27

A book goes missing in God’s own house and when it turns up, it changes everything. We sit with the story of King Josiah from 2 Kings 22–23, where a routine temple cleanup turns into a spiritual reckoning: the book of the law is found, read aloud, and the king responds not with excuses, but with grief, honesty, and reform. That rediscovery becomes a clear metaphor for any church or believer who has drifted from the heart of the covenant and needs a reset grounded in Scripture, repentance, and public recommitment.

We also name a tough truth that the text refuses to soften: sometimes doing the right thing does not change the outcome. Judah still heads toward exile, yet Josiah chooses faithfulness anyway. We talk about what leadership looks like when it is not driven by optics, quick wins, or control, but by integrity and a simple question: what does faithfulness look like right now? For anyone worn down by slow progress in ministry, justice work, or everyday discipleship, this is a steadier way to measure a life.

Then we challenge the “hero narrative” we have been trained to expect from politics, movies, and even church life. Real change rarely arrives through a single savior figure. Drawing on the movement narrative highlighted by David LaMotte, we connect Josiah’s story to the kind of long-term organizing that actually sustains social change. Yes, leadership matters, but movements matter more and committees are often the unglamorous engine that keeps courage alive over time.

Subscribe for more biblical preaching and practical faith, share this with someone who is tired of waiting for a hero, and leave a review if this reframed how you think about leadership and change. What’s one “right thing” you feel called to keep doing this week?

Follow us on Instagram @guilfordparkpresbyterianchurch
Follow us on Facebook @guilfordparkpc
Follow us on TikTok @guilfordparkpreschurch
Website: www.guilfordpark.org