Dear Friends,

I met Gordon Cameron while pastoring in Seattle. He was as unassuming as Clark Kent. Gordon was a retired investment banker with an infectious smile. He was also a Spirit-born evangelist who had honed the skill of sharing the Gospel. At our first meeting he gave me a self-published booklet he used as a way to start conversations. It was called The Great Sting Operation: How Satan is Conning You Out of Your Birthright. It was brilliant.

Still moved by his passion 35 years later, I am telling you about Gordon for two reasons. First, the very structure of the Bible encourages his kind of entrepreneurial creativity. Second, the same Spirit that inspired Bezalel’s team to build the Temple is at work in me and you for the sake of others.

A Crucial Construct from Yeshua’s Bible

Tanakh is an acronym that describes the inspired arrangement of the Hebrew Scriptures: T = Torah, N = Nevi’im, and K = Ketuvim. Notice how the Prophets (Nevi’im) start with Joshua. Israel con-tinues to tell the Story of God in their prophetic history. They are on a quest to be faithful in worship and mission. To understand this next bit, we need to set aside our religious spectacles and use our imagination.

The redeemed people walked after the divine Presence in every generation. Out of their pilgrim- age came the Ketuvim (Writings). This library of treasures includes stories like Job, Ruth, and Esther. Poetic prayers and praise in the Psalms. Wisdom literature like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Even more of their prophetic history is told in Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. My point is this: the faithful remnant glorified God by expressing their faith innovatively. These were fresh ways of re-telling and reliving Israel’s collective memories of salvation. They still are when approached this way.

The Spirit of Wisdom on Mission

Did Jesus learn spiritual creativity from the Ketuvim? Think how unique and captivating his use of parables was in proclaiming God’s messianic Kingdom. The Hebrew word for parable is mashal, which translates as “proverb” in the Old Testament (see Prov 1:6). Our Lord’s visionary use of language helped people hear the Good News of God. That was his goal: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world” (Mtt 13:35, Ps 78:2); Whoever has ears, let them hear (Mtt 11:15).

The heart of my meditation is this. Be free, be curious, and be creative, in Jesus, as you live the good works that bring God’s Word to others. That is what Dwight did when he pioneered JC Studies and what Gordon did as he shared the faith. All glory, honor, and praise to the great Creator—from we, who are His handiwork! Amen.

Community News

• A new episode of Tom Guilliams Book of Acts study, Witnesses to the Ends of the Earth, is posted every month. Click here to find all the ways you can listen to them.
• Look for our 2026 bookmarks in my year-end letter coming to you in December.
• Read Doug’s article for this newsletter, Counting the Generations in Luke 3

May the God of peace equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Messiah Jesus.

Immanuel! James