In what ways can we implement Jehoshaphat's example in our church today?

◄ How can we apply Jehoshaphat's example? ►

Jehoshaphat’s Strategy in Focus

• 2 Chronicles 17:8–9 records that the king “taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD.”

• A hand-picked team of officials, Levites, and priests carried the Scriptures into every town.

• The reform was Word-centered, leader-mobilizing, and wide-reaching.

Translating the Pattern into Congregational Life

1. Elevate Scripture as Our Supreme Curriculum

• Read, teach, and apply the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).

• Build every ministry—children, youth, small groups—around systematic Bible exposition (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

2. Mobilize a Teaching Team, Not a Solo Teacher

• Jehoshaphat sent officials, Levites, and priests; we can train elders, deacons, and gifted lay members (Ephesians 4:11-12).

• Implement a “2 Timothy 2:2 pipeline”: faithful people teaching others also.

3. Take the Word Beyond the Building

• The king’s team went “throughout the towns.”

• Encourage neighborhood Bible studies, nursing-home devotions, workplace lunch-hour groups, and street evangelism (Matthew 28:19-20).

4. Put the Book in Every Hand

• They traveled “with the Book of the Law.”

• Provide affordable or free Bibles, reading plans, and digital resources; include Scripture memory challenges (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).

5. Integrate Multiple Generations in Learning

• Levites and priests spanned age and experience; involve seniors mentoring youth (Titus 2:1-8).

6. Cultivate an Atmosphere of Reverence

• Jehoshaphat’s reforms produced “the fear of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 17:10).

• Begin gatherings with public reading of Scripture (Nehemiah 8:1-8), emphasize holiness in worship, and highlight testimonies of life change.

7. Pray and Expect Corporate Blessing

• After the teaching program, Judah enjoyed peace and security (2 Chronicles 17:11-12).

• Trust that obedience to the Word brings God’s favor and unity (Psalm 133:1-3).

Next Steps for Leadership Teams

• Audit every ministry for biblical depth.

• Identify and train three new teachers this quarter.

• Schedule monthly outreach studies off-site.

• Launch a church-wide Bible reading plan starting next Sunday.

Encouragement from Other Reformers

• Ezra “had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD and to do it and to teach” (Ezra 7:10).

• The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42).

• Follow their example, and Jehoshaphat’s, and watch the Word transform the body.