DL Podcast - Ep 18 - Navigating the Season We Live In: Helen Burnard on A Journey Through the Landscape

Was there a moment in your life and in your ministry where you just realized, I have to write this book?

Brad, being in missions for me personally 45 years and still working across the globe, Mike and I have had the privilege to speak in many churches, and we have many contacts with so many believers.

And the need to write this book comes from not just from a good idea, but while sitting in a rocking chair, folding my hands, not being involved, Certainly, it's not that.

It has been through our interaction and our observation.

And secondly, you know, we often speak of a perfect storm when so many bad things happened at the same time or in a short space of time.

You know, we observe so much, and I just want to elaborate on this a little bit, because I think it will help the listeners also to understand not only why this book, but why they are feeling what they're feeling at the moment.

You know, in 2013, a proxy war broke out in Syria that lasted almost 13 years.

And it was not just a war in Syria, but the world was drawn into this conflict.

And people across the globe had opinions which they voiced on social media.

You know, and 35 nations were drawn into this war in Syria.

So it actually became a third world war.

Then on 5 March 2020, the first case of COVID is reported in South Africa.

You know, what I started to notice is how people were emotionally pulled in all directions, especially when it came to decisions to either have the vaccination or not.

And a lot of disinformation and fear-mongering, you know, was the flavor of the day.

And all of a sudden, every second person had a medical opinion.

You know, and sadly, COVID was dressed up as a faith issue.

And the body of Christ, you know, in my opinion, had never been so divided and so confused as with COVID.

And then on top of that, the current war in Gaza and Israel started in October 2023.

Yeah, and I think I do not even need to elaborate on the situation except for saying that never before in the history of the global church has it been so exposed and so divided due to this very war.

Hate speech, condemnation is the flavor of the day between brothers.

Sadly, the local church is divided by the interpretation of the Bible.

Believers are disillusioned about how they see others behave.

And war has entered the church, sad to say.

And then I think to top all of this in January 2025, Donald Trump is elected for his second term in office.

And I think never before has the world experienced a statesman who without wavering weaponizes his words to dehumanize people and nations.