Key Scripture
Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
The book of Joshua opens with a defining moment: Israel stands at the edge of the Jordan with the towering legacy of Moses' leadership behind them. As a newly formed nation being shaped into "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6), they have witnessed the visible presence, provision, and power of God throughout the wilderness years. Now before them lies the land God promised, a land flowing with milk and honey — and a journey that will require courage, obedience, and unwavering trust. God's call to Joshua, "Arise, go… be strong and courageous… as I was with Moses, so I will be with you," becomes the anchor for his leadership and the banner over the people, inspiring them to step out of what is familiar, into what God has spoken, and toward what He has prepared.
In many ways, Calvary Church stands at a similar threshold. As we step into 2026, we remember with gratitude the enduring legacy of our late Senior Pastor Prince Guneratnam. For over five decades, Senior Pastor — together with Sister Petrina, our overseer — led Calvary through seasons of growth, sacrifice and impact, taking us from a small congregation to a missions-minded, Spirit-filled, multi-generational church with a global footprint. Standing on this rich and entrusted legacy, we now press on to take hold of the greater things God has prepared for Calvary — "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" (1 Corinthians 2:9). We step out not in our strength, but in the assurance that the same God who went before Joshua — and faithfully led our late visionary Senior Pastor — goes before us still, and He will be with us wherever we go.
Monthly Sub-themes
UPWARD — Anchored in God
INWARD — Set Apart for God
OUTWARD — Advancing God's Mission
Walking TogetherThrough the New
Join us as we journey upward in worship and devotion, inward through spiritual renewal and transformation, and outward in love and mission to our community and beyond.
Joshua 1:2-3 (NKJV)
2 Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.
“Arise and go” is God’s invitation to move forward with courage and actively take hold of the abundant life and purpose He has prepared for us — as individuals, families, and as a church. He has already given us every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), grace for every assignment (2 Corinthians 9:8), and authority to overcome the enemy (Luke 10:19).
Like Israel, we must leave the familiar, step out of our comfort zones, break free from our “Egypt,” and release past successes to embrace God’s promise. Israel had to cross the Jordan to enter Canaan. What “Jordan” stands between your present reality and God’s promise? Bring it to the Lord at the onset of the year.
Joshua 1:8
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
As Israel prepared to take possession of the promised land, God commanded Joshua to meditate on His law continually and obey it fully. The Hebrew word hagah for “meditate” conveys the idea of actively pondering, murmuring, and even “growling” like a satisfied lion devouring its prey. It paints a picture of passionate, intense, and persistent engagement with God’s Word—so deep that it shapes our thoughts, attitudes, and behaviour.
When we hagah the Word, we gain godly wisdom to make sound decisions and accomplish all that God intends for us. When was the last time you hagah God’s Word? How might your life look different if you intentionally make God’s Word your pursuit in 2026?
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
God told Joshua four times in one chapter to be “strong and courageous.” The repetition is not redundant but profoundly intentional. Israel was crossing the Jordan at flood stage (Joshua 3:15) and stepping into uncharted territory.
Ahead of them stood giants like the Anakites and hostile nations such as the Jebusites, Hivites, Amorites, Perizzites, and Canaanites—fortified cities, brutal armies, and immense, humanly impossible obstacles. God was prescribing the antidote to fear before panic and competing voices could drown out His assuring presence. What voices are speaking loudest to you—fear, doubt, despair, failure, worldly opinion? Turn up the volume: Immanuel — God is with you. Let every other voice be silenced.
Joshua 1:16-17
16 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you.”
Israel’s bold pledge of loyalty to Joshua reflected genuine desire, yet their later choices revealed how quickly wholehearted obedience can become selective when the cost is high. Years of gruelling battles with no immediate reward, the strength of their enemies, the lure of plunder, and cultural pressures slowly eroded their resolve. Fear, fatigue, discouragement, and a lack of spiritual vigilance shifted their posture from God-dependence to self-reliance.
What sustains wholehearted obedience is not willpower, but relationship. The more we trust God’s heart, the more our obedience flows from devotion, rather than duty. Is obedience becoming a pressure for you? Return to relationship — let God rekindle your heart.
Church Sub-themes 2026 – Stepping Out
| Upward — Anchored in God | Inward — Set Apart for God | Outward — Advancing God's Mission |
|---|---|---|
January – Arise and Go (Joshua 1:2-3) | May – The Consecrated Life (Joshua 3:5) | Sept – Completing the Unfinished Task (Joshua 13:1) |
February – Staying Anchored in the Word (Joshua 1:8) | June – Realign Your Heart (Joshua 7:11, 13) | October – Advancing the Kingdom Together (Joshua 18:3-4) |
March – Stepping Out in Courage (Joshua 1:9) | July – Remembering His Faithfulness (Joshua 4:6-7) | November – Serving the Lord Faithfully (Joshua 24:14-15) |
April – Obeying Whole-heartedly (Joshua 1:16-17) | August – Walking in Covenant Identity (Joshua 5:9) | December – Leaving a Legacy of Faith (Joshua 23:14) |