On the night he was betrayed, Jesus stood on the threshold of the greatest personal crisis any human being would ever face. John's account of that night not only records for us the events of that evening, but also offers a remarkable profile of One who not only is mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared for the cosmic storm raging, but who uses his last supper with his disciples as a seminar to equip them for the inevitable life crises they will face as his followers. Crises afflict the lives of nearly every believer, soNavigating Your Perfect Storm looks at five anchors and two admonitions Jesus put in his disciples' grasp to pull them through life—like kedge anchors once deployed on sailing ships on windless days. While the anchors offered to the disciples are significant, Jesus also admonishes his disciples, first by framing the crises of life with an eternal perspective—the reality of an unseen eternal kingdom—that will provide peace when the material world is in upheaval. Second, Jesus warns that those who follow him should not be so foolish or proud as to think they are exempt from the storms. Navigating Your Perfect Storm is not a series of sermons or a how-to self-help book, but a set of reflections, insights, and illustrations for those who seek to follow Jesus today in a turbulent world.
For twenty-seven years, Dr. Bob Wenz (DMin, Bethel Theological Seminary) served as Lead Pastor in churches in Michigan, New York, California, and Washington, DC, before becoming vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals. At the end of 2005 he stepped from that role due to the challenges of a chronic lung disease. He now serves as adjunct professor of Bible, apologetics, Christian thought, and philosophy; and under the banner of Renewing Total Worship, he serves as a consultant to Christian ministries and a coach to pastors. He has been married to Suellen for 34 years and has two children and one fabulous granddaughter.