Daniel Rose: The Pastor Next Door

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:01:45 -0400

#Wordle 1,817 2/6*

🟩🟨🟩⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

The #OldGal finally takes an L!

Wordle 1,817 4/6

⬜🟨🟩⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜
⬜🟩🟨🟨🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 “😏 dumb mistake”

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 22:06:10 -0400

Finished reading: Isles of the Emberdark by Brandon Sanderson 📚

The Cosmere is just so much fun. This book, particular struck a chord. The idea that only a story can hold a god, whew.

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:31:13 -0400

We often overcomplicate evangelism, thinking we need a PhD in theology or a flawless sales pitch. But John’s Gospel shows us a different way: we aren’t called to be the sun—just the moon reflecting its light. 🌙✨

Stop trying to be the center of the story and simply share what you’ve seen.

Read more on the latest blog post: Sent to Point

Sent to Point

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:29:19 -0400

To listen to the full unabridged audio, listen here: Sent to Point

We are diving into the Gospel of John, specifically looking at the prologue in John 1:6–9 and verse 15.

To understand where we are, it helps to look at how the Gospel of John is structured. It can be broken down into four distinct parts:

The Light Dawning (The Prologue)
The Signs of Life (The Book of Signs)
The Glory of the Cross 4. God’s People Restored for Mission (The Epilogue)

As we look at the prologue, we are introduced to a central figure who sets the stage for Jesus’s ministry: John the Baptist.

“There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world… John testified concerning him. He cried out saying, ‘This is the one I spoke about when I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.”’” — John 1:6–9, 15

There are a few incredibly interesting theological and historical insights packed into these verses that completely reframe how we view our own lives and faith.

1. The Missing Title: Why Just “John”?

If you read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, this man is always given a title: John the Baptist. But in John’s Gospel, he is simply referred to as John.

Why the omission? The author of this Gospel is the Apostle John (the son of Zebedee). Because the author thought so humbly of himself, he never uses his own name in his writing, instead referring to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Because the author completely removes his own name from the narrative, there is no risk of confusing the two Johns. John the Baptist can simply be known as John.

2. “The Math Ain’t Mathing”: The Pre-Existence of Christ

In verse 15, the author includes a parenthetical commentary where John the Baptist cries out: “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.”

On the surface, that makes absolutely no sense. If you remember the Christmas story, John the Baptist was born to Elizabeth, Mary’s older cousin. John was physically born before Jesus. In the ancient world, birth order dictated family hierarchy—the older cousin held more authority than the younger.

Yet, John the Baptist completely flips the cultural script and submits himself to his younger cousin. Why? Because he was tapping into a profound theological reality: Jesus is not simply a human being. He is divine. Even though Jesus was born after John in an earthly sense, He pre-existed John because He is God.

3. The Power of a Play on Words

The text notes that John was a “man sent from God.” The word “sent” shares its root with the word apostle—meaning a “sent one.” He was a regular guy with an extraordinary, divinely appointed mission: to be a witness.

In verse 7, the English translation says, “He came as a witness to testify…” While that is an accurate translation, it loses a beautiful play on words found in the original Greek text: Martyrian Hina Martyrese. Literally translated, it means he was a witness who was witnessing. His entire identity and action were fused into one singular purpose.

Moving Beyond “Nerd Facts”: The Two Mistakes We Make

These insights are great for looking smart at a theology party, but what do they actually mean for us today?

This passage highlights two major errors that the modern, Western church frequently stumbles into.

Error #1: We Make Too Much of Ourselves

We have a bad habit of centering ourselves in God’s story. We see this even in the worship songs we choose, where the lyrics claim that while Jesus was dying on the cross, He was thinking about us above all else. But when Jesus was on the cross, His mind, heart, and spirit were fixed on His Father.

When we make faith all about us, we try to act like the sun. We want to be the center of the universe, burning with our own light. But when we do that, we end up putting our own flawed flesh on display.

We are not the sun; we are the moon. The moon has no light of its own. Its only job is to reflect the light of the sun back into the darkness. When the world looks at us, they should see the character of Jesus reflected clearly. If we are mean, angry, rude, or short-tempered, the world assumes that is what Jesus looks like. We must step out of the center and let Him shine.

Error #2: We Overcomplicate Witnessing

The moment someone mentions “evangelism,” people start to squirm. We assume it means knocking on doors, handing out pamphlets, or getting a PhD in apologetics to argue people into the kingdom.

But John was simply a witness. Think about it in legal terms: if you witness a crime at a local store, you don’t need to go to law school to take the witness stand. The prosecutor doesn’t ask you for a legal dissertation; they simply ask, “What did you see?”

That is our only job. We are not sales representatives or marketers for Jesus. We are called to be a people who can give a reason for the hope we have. When you walk through a dark, painful world with peace, joy, and kindness, people will notice. And when they ask how you do it, your testimony is simple: “Jesus loves me, Jesus saved me, and Jesus gives me hope.”

The Ultimate Question

If you feel like you have nothing to say, it forces a hard, uncomfortable question: Have you actually encountered the living Christ in your life? If you have experienced His grace, forgiveness, mercy, and compassion, then you have a story. You don’t need all the answers. You just need to tell your story. When you are a witness, the focus is never on you—it’s entirely on the one you are testifying about.

This Week’s Challenge

I am not challenging you to go out and aggressively pitch Jesus to five strangers this week—that’s sales.

Instead, I challenge you to spend time reflecting. Recall the ways you have encountered Jesus. Remember how His light first hit your life, and consider how that light is reflecting off you today. When you sit with a friend over coffee who feels weighed down by a hopeless world, be ready to simply and gently share where your hope comes from.

A Prayer for the Week: Heavenly Father, fill our hearts, minds, and souls with the memory of how we have encountered You. Remind us of our story and the grace we have received. Help us to step out of the spotlight so that we can be simple, faithful moons—reflecting the true Light of the World to a dark and hurting society. Amen.

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 06:02:12 -0400

#Wordle 1,816 5/6*

🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛
⬛⬛🟩⬛⬛
⬛🟨🟩⬛⬛
🟨⬛🟩🟩⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

My poor week continues. The #OldGal however, got it together!

Wordle 1,816 4/6

🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:58:20 -0400

#Wordle 1,815 5/6*

🟨⬛🟨⬛⬛
⬛⬛🟨🟩⬛
🟩🟩⬛🟩⬛
🟩🟩⬛🟩⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

A case of the Mondays for the #OldGal and I.

Wordle 1,815 5/6

⬜🟩🟨⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩⬜🟩⬜
🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 06:29:07 -0400

#Wordle 1,814 4/6*

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
⬛⬛🟩⬛🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

The #OldGal starts the week with W…

Wordle 1,814 3/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟩⬜🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:13:06 -0400

#Wordle 1,813 4/6*

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
⬛🟩⬛🟨⬛
⬛🟩🟩⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

The #OldGal also posted 4 today.

Wordle 1,813 4/6

🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:24:44 -0400

#Wordle 1,811 4/6*

🟩⬛⬛⬛⬛
🟩⬛⬛🟩⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

A tough L today to the #OldGal…

Wordle 1,811 3/6

⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:30:44 -0400

#Wordle 1,810 3/6*

⬛🟨⬛⬛⬛
🟨🟩⬛🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

The #OldGal continues on her heater! I think it’s because she has had a lot of grandkid time with Ethan and Libby home.

Wordle 1,810 3/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟨🟩⬜🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:02:57 -0400

A new season of The Pastor Next Door is coming soon! In season two, I will be exploring deconstruction. You can check out all the ways to subscribe right here:

https://danielmrose.com/categories/podcast/

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:50:43 -0400

It is an absolutely perfect Michigan day. This coffee shop, Cafe Brûlée in Swartz Creek has a wonderful patio space to sit and read and think.

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:20:41 -0400

Moving from Amos to start a massive 20-week journey through the Gospel of John!

We’re diving into John 1:1-5 to see why we must stop domesticating Jesus, why discipleship is face-to-face, and how His light is completely unstoppable.

Listen here: danielmrose.com/2026/06/02/unstoppable-light.html

Unstoppable Light

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:05:11 -0400

To listen to the full sermon you can listen here: Unstoppable Light

After working our way through the gritty, prophetic text of Amos, we are shifting gears to embark on a new 20-week journey through the Gospel of John.

If you are expecting something light, easy, and straightforward… I apologize in advance. The Gospel of John is a magnificent, profound piece of literature. It is arguably the height of the literature found in Holy Scripture, and it operates very differently from the other accounts of Jesus’ life.

What Makes John Different?

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels. They work together, tell many of the same stories, and follow a similar historical rhythm.

Mark is fast-paced and action-driven (perfect for short attention spans because his favorite word is “immediately”).
Luke offers an orderly, historical account.
Matthew is deeply theological but still firmly rooted in the sequential history of Jesus.

John, written much later (around 90 AD to a church facing severe hardship and persecution), does something entirely different. While Matthew and Luke begin with genealogies to root Jesus in human history, John bypasses the earthly timeline altogether and launches straight into eternity past:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John’s primary goal is to buoy the faith of a struggling church by hammering home one undeniable truth: Jesus Christ is fully divine.

The Roadmap Ahead

To help navigate this book over the coming weeks, it helps to understand its overarching structure. John’s Gospel beautifully breaks down into four distinct parts:

The Light Dawns: The Prologue (Chapter 1)
Signs of Life: Traditionally known as the Book of Signs (Chapters 2–12)
The Glory of the Cross: Traditionally known as the Book of Glory (Chapters 13–20)
Restored for Mission: The Epilogue (Chapter 21)

Throughout this journey, we will encounter seven primary signs (from turning water into wine to the raising of Lazarus) and seven brilliant “I Am” declarations (such as “I am the bread of life” and “I am the true vine”). Together, these signs and statements point to the ultimate reality of who Jesus is.

Looking closely at the opening verses of John 1:1-5, we can pull out three massive truths about the Christ we follow.

1. Stop Domesticating Jesus

We live in a culture where we love to create Jesus in our own image. If you look at church art throughout history, Jesus miraculously always looks like the culture painting Him. Turn on social media, and shockingly, Jesus always seems to love the exact same people we love and hate the exact same people we hate.

We have so thoroughly domesticated Jesus that we treat Him like a well-behaved dog on a leash, directing Him wherever we want Him to go. We talk about Him as our buddy or our pal—and while He loves us deeply, we forget that He is also the sovereign, transcendent God of the universe.

The brilliant author Annie Dillard captured this perfectly when she wrote:

“On the whole, I do not find Christians outside of the catacombs sufficiently sensible of conditions. It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church. We should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares. They should lash us to our pews.”

When we gather, we are entering the presence of the Creator of all things. We cannot control Him. His love is vaster, His grace is more overwhelming, and His embrace is far bigger than our small categories allow.

2. He is the Face-to-Face Life Bringer

John tells us that “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” Jesus came so that we might have life, and have it abundantly.

But we must understand the difference between happiness and joy:

Happiness is fleeting. It’s like sitting down with a delicious slice of cheesecake. It feels great in the moment, but it ends when the plate is empty.
Joy is deeper. Joy is knowing the person who baked the cheesecake, sitting across from them, sharing stories, and building a lasting relationship.

Jesus brings us an abundant life marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. And He did not offer this transformation from a distance. God could have simply spoken our redemption into existence with a single cosmic word. Instead, He chose to save us by becoming face-to-face with us—by stepping into the neighborhood, taking on flesh, and entering into a relationship with us.

3. The Light Overcomes the Darkness

John is a master of language, and in verse 5, he uses a brilliant Greek double entendre: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

The Greek word used here is kattelabon. On one hand, it means to comprehend or understand—meaning the dark, rebellious world fails to perceive or recognize the light of Christ. On the other hand, it means to overpower, extinguish, or defeat.

When Christ hung on the cross, the world literally went dark. Evil thought it had won. But the darkness could not extinguish the light. Through the resurrection and ascension, the light remains active, unstoppable, and ongoing.

This is a vital reminder for us today because darkness is still very real. We see it in:

Economic anxiety: Sky-high prices, dwindling bank accounts, and hard decisions between buying groceries or putting gas in the car.
Physical pain: Failing bodies, chronic illness, and the heavy grief of looking at an empty seat where a loved one used to sit.

Platitudes and “good vibes” don’t pay the grocery bill or take physical pain away. But the light of Christ offers us a rooted, unshakeable hope that these hardships are merely temporary. There is an eternal season coming where sickness, sorrow, and want will be no more.

Two Challenges for the Week Ahead

As we begin this walk through John’s Gospel, challenge yourself in two specific areas:

Evaluate your picture of Jesus. Have you created a customized Jesus who aligns perfectly with your political, economic, and personal biases? Or do you worship the transcendent, pre-existent God who fundamentally disrupts your comfort zones?
Bring your hard seasons to the community. Many of us love to be the helper—to write the check, offer the tool, or provide the answer. But we absolutely hate being the one to admit, “I need help.” If you are walking through darkness, bring it to the body of Christ. The church exists to hold each other up, to weep with those who weep, and to reflect the unstoppable light of Christ into one another’s lives.

Revelation 13 - Seduction, Symbols, and Self-Destruction

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:54:04 -0400

To listen to the full unabridged audio you can listen here: Seduction, Symbols, and Self-Destruction

We are heading into the home stretch of Revelation, and things are getting, well… wild. Chapter 17 drops us right into a vision filled with monsters, cosmic entities, and graphic imagery that definitely wouldn’t clear censorship for a kids’ bedtime story.

If you’ve ever felt a bit shocked or confused reading this section, you’re in good company. But behind the jarring descriptions is a profound message about power, corruption, and how the people of God are called to live in a compromised world.

Moving Beyond the Literal Decoding Ring

When we read about a woman dressed in purple and scarlet riding a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns, our modern temptation is to grab a dry-erase board and try to map out a precise chronological timeline. We want to decode exactly which historical figure or modern nation matches each horn.

But we have to remember our core interpretive rule: everything we are reading here is a tapestry of signs and symbols. Even when the angel offers to “explain” the secret, the explanation itself is deeply symbolic. In the first century, references to “seven hills” and “Babylon” were clear code words for the oppressive, imperial system of Rome. But Rome remains illustrative. Babylon represents any empire or evil system throughout human history that uses dominating, oppressive power to pull people away from the way of Christ—whether that’s Nazi Germany, Stalinist Russia, or even corners of our own modern Western culture.

Interestingly, modern translations tend to sanitize this chapter. Where the NIV uses the word “prostitute,” more exact translations lean into the jarring Greek word: whore. It’s meant to be gross. It’s meant to shock the system because the reality of institutional corruption is inherently destructive.

Why Use Such a Shocking Image?

Theologian Tom Wright outlines four powerful reasons why John uses the explicit imagery of a whore to describe Babylon:

The Ultimate Parody: Throughout scripture, the church is described as the faithful Bride of Christ. Because evil powers constantly parody the things of God, the polar opposite of a faithful bride is a compromised, unfaithful entity.
Old Testament Roots: This isn’t new imagery. The Old Testament prophets frequently described Israel’s idolatry as “whoring after other gods.” Think of the prophet Hosea, who was commanded to marry a prostitute as a living illustration of how unfaithful the people had been to God.
Cultural and Sexual Brokenness: Historically, as imperial power structures become more corrupt, that corruption translates into widespread societal and sexual brokenness. When self-fulfillment and lust become idols, human relationships and boundaries quickly disintegrate into an idolatry of self.
The Seduction of Safety: Oppressive systems rarely take over by brute force alone; they lure you in. They whisper, “Align with us, and we will keep you safe. We will make you prosperous.” They wiggle their way in, making compliance look highly attractive.

The Trap of the Golden Cup

“Once you take the golden cup offered by Babylon, you have to drink it down to its dregs.”

John was writing to early Christians who were about to face terrifying persecution. The temptation they faced wasn’t necessarily to become entirely evil overnight. It was to compromise just a little bit. The empire would say, “Just say you support the Emperor publicly to keep your job and your safety. What you do in your private life is up to you.”

But John warns that the world’s corrupt systems are never satisfied with a little bit of your allegiance. They want it all. You cannot straddle the fence; you are either hot or cold.

We see this “glitzy but rotten” dynamic alive and well today. Think of a place like Las Vegas or Atlantic City—stunning architecture, world-class entertainment, and beautiful lights. But right beneath the surface of that glossy exterior lies a heartbreaking underbelly of addiction, financial ruin, and exploitation. The world promises you everything, but silently drains your soul.

The Monster Eats Its Own Tail

One of the most fascinating parts of Revelation 17 is the ultimate fate of the woman and the beast: the monster and the horns eventually turn on the whore, destroying her.

This is a historical constant: evil eventually cannibalizes itself.

We don’t need wild timelines to see this pattern in action. Look at the history of the United States in the mid-1800s. The nation was committing the horrific atrocity of chattel slavery long after much of the civilized world had abolished it. What did it take to bring that evil to an end? A brutal Civil War. The country literally collapsed in on itself because of its own deeply embedded institutional evil.

When a society or system becomes entirely corrupt, it eventually turns inward and destroys itself. God frequently allows the natural, broken consequences of evil systems to become their own judgment.

Living as an Alternate Society

So, where does that leave us? As followers of Jesus, we should never find ourselves in total, comfortable alignment with the dominant culture or political systems around us. The church is always called to be an alternate, subversive society rooted in the way of Jesus.

This doesn’t mean we become obnoxiously disrespectful, self-righteous, or scream at people online to get attention. Look at Jesus: He spoke publicly and challenged systemic corruption, but He did so with perfect righteousness. We can strongly disagree with our culture while maintaining deep respect and grace.

When election cycles roll around and people get consumed by anger, fear, or triumphalism, our job as the church is to step into the middle as peacemakers. We extend mercy, we stand firm in love, and we point people back to a Kingdom that doesn’t collapse under its own weight. The victory has already been won on the cross—our job is simply to hold fast and refuse to drink from the golden cup of compromise.

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:44:55 -0400

I love sitting in the coffee shop and hearing the conversations that are taking place. There is a deep longing for connection. I am grateful for third spaces that allow for some of that connection to take place.

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:49:23 -0400

The tale of two games.

#Wordle 1,809 6/6*

🟨⬛🟨🟨⬛
🟨🟨⬛⬛🟨
⬛⬛🟨🟩🟩
⬛🟩⬛🟩🟩
⬛🟩⬛🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

The #OldGal with massive stroke of genius!

Wordle 1,809 2/6

⬜🟩🟨🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:10:37 -0400

#Wordle 1,808 6/6*

⬛⬛🟩⬛⬛
⬛⬛🟩🟨⬛
🟩🟨🟩⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

The #OldGal got me today.

Wordle 1,808 5/6

⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜
🟩⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Sun, 31 May 2026 06:43:32 -0400

#Wordle 1,807 4/6*

⬛⬛⬛⬛🟩
⬛⬛⬛⬛🟩
⬛⬛🟩⬛🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

The #OldGal also drops a four today…

Wordle 1,807 4/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩
⬜⬜🟩⬜🟨
⬜⬜🟩🟨🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Sat, 30 May 2026 16:02:06 -0400

We saw RoboCop today in Detroit’s Eastern Market.

Sat, 30 May 2026 07:01:45 -0400

#Wordle 1,806 4/6*

⬛⬛🟩🟨🟩
🟩⬛🟩⬛🟩
🟩🟨🟩🟨🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

The #OldGal with the victory this morning!

Wordle 1,806 3/6

⬜⬜🟩🟨🟩
🟩🟨🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

@wordle@piefeed.com

Fri, 29 May 2026 13:15:33 -0400

Finished reading: Dungeon Crawler Carl: Deluxe Edition by Matt Dinniman 📚

An absolute joy to read and it made me laugh out loud multiple times!

Fri, 29 May 2026 12:04:31 -0400

#Wordle 1,805 2/6*

🟨🟨⬛⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

The #OldGal takes an L!

Wordle 1,805 4/6

⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟩⬜⬜🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

@wordle@piefeed.com

Thu, 28 May 2026 15:39:41 -0400

Some days are better than other days. This is one of those some days.

Thu, 28 May 2026 14:30:33 -0400

“The churches are disappointing, even for most believers. If Christ brings us new life, it is all the more remarkable that the church, the bearer of this good news, should be among the most dispirited institutions of the age. The alternatives to the institutional churches are even more grossly disappointing, from TV evangelists with their blown-dry hairdos to California cults led by prosperous gurus ignored in India but embraced in La Jolla.”

Walker Percy, novelist