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If you have ever watched a “trailer” for a movie, you know that the point of the preview is to pique your interest to get you to watch. They never show the most boring scenes, they always show something dramatic or dangerous or funny. What if the Revelation of Jesus Christ was made into a movie? What would be on the two-minute promotional video? There are people that would put the ideas found in Revelation in the genre of science fiction or religious fiction.

What comes to your mind when you see that word? If the complete destruction of the world, darkness and smoke comes to mind you have either watched too many science fiction movies or you may simply have a more modern definition of the word. If the unveiling of Jesus for who He is and His plans to reign over the earth in righteousness came to mind, you are thinking Biblically. The title of the last book of the Bible is “Revelation.” The Greek word is “apokalupsis.” It means “disclosure, manifestation or revealing.”

I’ve read more books on leadership in 2025 than I have in the past few years combined. Partly because my “coach” assigned them and partly because I need help. Leadership is complicated and the larger our church becomes the more complicated it is. Our mission is easier to talk about than our vision because our mission is assigned by Jesus. We might word it differently than other local churches, but we all exist to make disciples, or, as we like to say, “To Develop Followers of Jesus for Life.”

That’s the title of a book by J.B. Phillips that I found by accident one day. I don’t remember where I found it, but the title grabbed my attention and drew me in. It was published the year I was born, 1961. Its relevance has not diminished with time. Mr. Phillips outlined some of the destructive and inadequate views of God that are held by people both in and out of the church. Then, in the second half of the book, he described how God has made His true Self known to mankind.

Some of my best artwork has been achieved by connecting the dots. Seriously. It’s a fun way to draw because if you can follow numbers, you can draw a picture. It won’t win at Art Prize but at least it will be recognizable. Sometimes Bible Study is like drawing with the dots. One must connect one place to another place until a clearer picture is obtained.