Adventist Podcast Network

Who really leads the church—the pastor, the conference, or the congregation? Explore how the unique relationship among all three in the Adventist structure creates a powerful system for mission, not control.

Read Exodus 4:18–31. How do we understand this strange story, and what lesson can we take from it?

Bible students are shocked when they read that, after Moses obeyed the Lord and started his journey back to Egypt, the Lord “was about to kill him” (Exod. 4:24, NIV). From the context of the story, it is evident that the issue was circumcision. His youngest son was not circumcised, as the Abrahamic covenant demanded (Gen. 17:10, 11).

Moses, as the leader of God’s people, needed to show his perfect submission and obedience to God, in order to be qualified to lead other people to be obedient. He had to be a model of that total surrender to God. His wife, Zipporah, was a woman of action and circumcised her son in order to save the life of her husband. She touched Moses with the “bloody foreskin,” and this blood represents atonement, life, and the sealing of the covenant. The fact that it was done so quickly added to the drama of the situation.

An important lesson can be learned from this episode: never fail to do what we know is right.

“On the way from Midian, Moses received a startling and terrible warning of the Lord’s displeasure. An angel appeared to him in a threaten­ing manner, as if he would immediately destroy him. No explanation was given; but Moses remembered that he had disregarded one of God’s requirements . . . he had neglected to perform the rite of circumcision upon their youngest son. He had failed to comply with the condition by which his child could be entitled to the blessings of God’s covenant with Israel; and such a neglect on the part of their chosen leader could not but lessen the force of the divine precepts upon the people. Zipporah, fearing that her husband would be slain, performed the rite herself, and the angel then permitted Moses to pursue his journey. In his mission to Pharaoh, Moses was to be placed in a position of great peril; his life could be preserved only through the protection of holy angels. But while living in neglect of a known duty, he would not be secure; for he could not be shielded by the angels of God.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 255, 256.

What should this story say to you if you are indeed guilty of neglecting what you know you should be doing? What changes do you need to make, even right now?

The gospel brings freedom from sin and transforms lives, yet preaching this message often comes with unexpected costs and opposition from established religious systems.

• Wes Vi discusses his complicated relationship with the church as an institution
• Understanding the "dark night of the soul" as a spiritual experience where God feels distant yet remains present
• Finding confidence in ministry through seeing the gospel transform lives
• How preaching changed when Wes began trusting the Spirit rather than perfectly planned manuscripts
• The controversy that arose when Wes partnered with Love Reality for evangelistic outreach
• Opposition growing through misrepresentations and accusations about Wes's theology
• Discovering that official church doctrinal statements actually aligned with his gospel teaching
• Making the painful decision to leave a church community he deeply loved
• Finding God's blessing and continued ministry opportunities in a new setting
• Learning that the gospel provides resilience through suffering without becoming bitter
• Baptizing sixteen people on his final Sabbath as evidence of gospel transformation

"You can stay and I'll bless you, or you can go and I'll bless you." When you walk in freedom, God remains faithful no matter where your journey leads.

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Exodus — The Burning Bush — Four Excuses

Join us as we study the Bible Study Guide for the third quarter of 2025 called Exodus. We are studying the lesson for week 2 called The Burning Bush.    

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