John Stanko | On July 29, 2015

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

“Indeed, of Zion it will be said, ‘This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High himself will establish her'”

– Psalm 87:5

In the Old Testament, Zion was the place where God resided in Israel’s mind for it was in Jerusalem and close to where the Temple stood. Even while they were in Babylonian exile, the Jews talked, sang, wrote and dreamed about Zion. God’s people were ‘born’ there, for that is the place where they communed and met with God. There is still a romantic notion of God living in a place, and some are still captivated by the thought that there is geography special to God. There is not. Today, God doesn’t reside in a place or territory, He lives in and with His people:

“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God'”

– Revelation 21:2-3

Are you fascinated with holy geography or holy living? Are you infatuated with end time fables, or are you fixated on living out a holy life and helping spread the gospel to all nations and people groups?

Today’s reading – Psalms 86-90

John Stanko

John Stanko was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Duquesne University where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics in 1972 and 1974 respectively.

Since then, John has served as an administrator, teacher, consultant, author, and pastor in his professional career. He holds a second master’s degree in pastoral ministries, and earned his Doctor of Ministry from Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh in 2011.

John founded a personal and leadership development company, called PurposeQuest, in 2001 and today travels the world to speak, consult and inspire leaders and people everywhere. From 2001-2008, he spent six months a year in Africa and still enjoys visiting and working on that continent, while teaching for Geneva College’s Masters of Organizational Leadership and the Center for Urban Biblical Ministry in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most recently, John founded Urban Press, a publishing service designed to tell stories of the city, from the city and to the city.