Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, offering up lessons for effective mission partnerships

The Rev. Dr. Robert Ngugi preaches online to the PC(USA) national staff

by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service

Photo by Valdemaras D via Unsplash

LOUISVILLE — With Kenya Mission Day coming on Saturday, more than 30 members of the PC(USA)’s national staff were privileged to hear a sermon during their online Chapel Service Wednesday by the Rev. Dr. Robert Ngugi, Secretary General of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, as well as musical offerings from Kenyan choirs.

“Sit back, relax and enjoy the worship service,” suggested the Rev. Paula Cooper, Presbyterian World Mission’s regional liaison for East Central Africa. “God bless you all.”

For his preaching text, Ngugi turned to Joshua 6:1-21, the biblical account of how the Israelites took Jericho not by the sword but by employing the Ark of the Covenant, trumpets and their own voices. Much of their success, Ngugi noted, came from the Israelites’ ability to follow instructions.

“We should have the heart of Joshua in doing mission,” Ngugi said. If we do, “we can handle the hurdles that prevent us from moving on.”

Ngugi outlined the environment Joshua created that contributed to the successful siege of Jericho, comparing some the characteristics  to the mission partnerships that have been forged between the PC(USA) and the Presbyterian Church of East Africa:

• To do effective mission, we must have determined leadership. “The heart of Joshua was quite determined,” Ngugi said. “Let us not look back and lose faith just because there are walls and enemies opposed to mission.”
• We must create a community of followers. “If you don’t do what I say, you will abort the mission,” Joshua was telling the Israelites, according to Ngugi. Strict obedience “is what Joshua counted on, and people did exactly what he told them to do. The walls of Jericho collapsed because of their obedience.”
• We must be collaborators. “Joshua collaborated because he realized, ‘I need these people,’” Ngugi said. “Without collaborators, we cannot have effective mission.”
• We must have confidence, something Joshua’s heart was full of, according to Ngugi. The Israelites might have concluded, “These people are armed. How do we bring down the wall?” But Joshua was confident the mission was from God, “irrespective of the walls,” Ngugi said.
• We must have endurance, because without it, “we can’t accomplish the mission God has called us to do,” Ngugi said, adding, “we may have a thousand reasons to abandon the mission, but we decide to stay with it because the mission is God’s. God says, ‘Look for the one reason to endure, to continue on this difficult mission.’”
• Although it’s not included in Joshua’s account, we must allow for Christ’s leadership. For Joshua, it was the Ark of the Covenant that went before the people. “When the Word of God says we do, we do. When it says we don’t, we don’t do it,” Ngugi said. “Let us allow Christ and the Word of God to lead us.”
• Focus on the promise. God promised to give Canaan to the Israelites, “no matter the calamities,” Ngugi said. “How many said, ‘It is undoable.’”

The Rev. Dr. Robert Ngugi

“What is the promise of God as we do mission together?” Ngugi asked. “The PC(USA) and the Presbyterian Church of East Africa — where are we supposed to focus? We focus on Jesus, who said, ‘I will give you everlasting life.’ We focus on what God has told us, and after the mission is accomplished, we shall rejoice.”

“We should not be pushed away from mission because of walls and traditions,” Ngugi said. “Let us focus on what God has for us. We shall overcome, and fight until the end.”

The Rev. Bob Rice, a mission co-worker based in neighboring South Sudan, said he’d traveled to Kenya several times for “rest and spiritual refreshment” and to receive training at places including Africa International University in Nairobi.

“Kenya has offered us many extraordinary gifts,” Rice said. “We are grateful.”