Podcast Summary: The Wake-Up Call – "Stand in the Gap for Someone Today"

Host: Andrew Forrest
Date: February 11, 2026

Overview

This episode centers on what it truly means to stand in the gap for someone—a lesson drawn from the story of Moses' leadership and intercession for Israel after the golden calf incident (Exodus 32:30–32). Andrew Forrest explores godly leadership, self-sacrifice, and the call for listeners to intercede on behalf of others, drawing compelling parallels between Moses and Jesus.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Tone – Personal Reflection and Community Invitation

Andrew opens by sharing about his mornings as a pastor and author, relating the challenges of leadership to everyday life.
He references his new book, Love Goes First, emphasizing reaching out to people who are different or even hostile toward us.
- Quote [00:50]: “Everybody wants to say that they're right all the time… But just telling them they're wrong is not the way to reach people, which is obvious as soon as you think about it.” – Andrew Forrest

2. Scripture Focus – Exodus 32:30–32

The central scripture recounts Moses offering himself on behalf of the sinful Israelites after they worship the golden calf.
- Scripture Read [02:42]:
  "The next day Moses said to the people, you have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the Lord. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin..."
Andrew poses the reflective question: “Can you stand in the gap for someone today?”
- Quote [03:40]: “A true leader stands in the gap for his people, which is what Moses does here.”

3. Leadership Contrasts – Moses vs. Aaron

Andrew contrasts Moses’ self-sacrificing leadership with Aaron’s weakness during the golden calf incident.
- Moses refuses God’s offer to start anew with just him, instead choosing solidarity and advocacy for his people.
- Quote [04:43]: “Aaron is a model of weak, cowardly leadership. Whereas Moses shows us what godly leadership is like—a leader sacrifices himself on behalf of his people.”
Moses’ growth as a leader is highlighted, alongside the lesson that true leadership involves bearing with difficult people and interceding for them.

4. Moses as a Christ-Figure

Moses’ willingness to be “blotted out” for his people foreshadows Christ’s ultimate act of standing in the gap for humanity.
- Quote [05:30]: “In this way, he is a forerunner of Christ who dies on behalf of a rebellious and idolatrous people.”

5. Call to Action and Prayer

Andrew invites listeners to consider who they can intercede for today, drawing from Moses’ example and Christ’s sacrifice.
- Quote [05:52]: “For whom can you stand in the gap today?”
Leads a prayer asking for increased devotion so listeners can give of themselves for others.
- Quote [06:00]: “Increase our love and devotion so that we can give ourselves for others today through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

6. Reflection Questions

Andrew offers thought-provoking journal prompts to foster deeper contemplation:
- Why does God accept Moses’ intercession?
- Is there a connection between Moses/Israel and Abraham/Sodom?
- What does Moses’ leadership journey teach us about spiritual growth and sacrifice?

7. Leadership Insight

Notes that leaders, then and now, will always face resistance and difficulty—the role demands sacrifice and steadfastness.
- Quote [07:05]: “Men and women who are in leadership will constantly find the people to be stiff necked complainers. But that's the job... the most beautiful act of leadership is when a leader sacrifices himself or herself for the people.”

Memorable Moment: The Hymn "And Can It Be"

[07:45–09:28]

Andrew leads the singing of “And Can It Be” (hymn 569 from the Seedbed Hymnal), highlighting its rich theology and its link to the episode’s theme of divine self-sacrifice.
- Quote [09:28]: “Now, that is a hymn, everybody. Isn't that a good one?”

Notable Quotes With Timestamps

“Just telling them they're wrong is not the way to reach people, which is obvious as soon as you think about it.” – Andrew Forrest [00:55]
“Can you stand in the gap for someone today?” – Andrew Forrest [03:40]
“A leader sacrifices himself on behalf of his people.” – Andrew Forrest [04:44]
“In this way, he is a forerunner of Christ who dies on behalf of a rebellious and idolatrous people.” – Andrew Forrest [05:30]
“Increase our love and devotion so that we can give ourselves for others today through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” – Andrew Forrest [06:06]
“The most beautiful act of leadership is when a leader sacrifices himself or herself for the people to stand in the gap, so to speak. I kind of love that image.” – Andrew Forrest [07:15]

Episode Flow Highlights

[00:03] – Personal greetings, setting the Wednesday routine, and book reference.
[02:42] – Reading of Exodus 32:30–32.
[03:40] – Reflections on standing in the gap and the nature of godly leadership.
[07:45–09:28] – Communal singing of “And Can It Be.”
[09:28] – Final encouragement, theme reiteration, and sign-off.

Final Takeaway

Andrew Forrest calls listeners to consider whose burdens or failings they might stand in the gap for today, reminding us that sacrificial love is at the essence of Christ-like living and leadership. Each breath, he reminds us, is proof that “God is not finished yet”—and every day is an opportunity to intercede for and serve others in love.

Transcript

A (0:03)

Well, good morning Sower Nation. It is Wednesday, February 11th, in the year of our Lord 2026. I am Andrew Forrest and this is your wake up call. Well, it is Wednesday, everybody. It's gonna be a good day. Wednesdays start early for me here at Asbury Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where I am the senior pastor. I'm also the author of Love Goes first, which is a new book out from seedbed about how to reach the people who don't think like us, vote like us, agree with us, maybe the people that hate us. One of the things in the book is about how everybody wants to say that they're right all the time and use more facts to say I'm right about this or that and those people are wrong. Okay, My point is, well, what's your plan to reach the people who think you're wrong? How are you going to reach them? Isn't it obvious, everybody, that just more facts and more arguing don't reach people? Now I believe in facts. I believe in the truth. And it's because I believe in facts and believe in the truth that I want to reach the people who are wrong. But just telling them they're wrong is not the way to reach people, which is obvious as soon as you think about it. So that's what the book is about. So you should really kind of dig into it, get a group, start talking through these things and start arguing about it. And I think you'll like kind of where the book goes. It's pretty simple. Very short book I wrote for ordinary church people like you and for me. I mentioned on Wednesdays they start early. So we're here doing this super early. And then at 7:15 in our chapel. Every Wednesday I lead a Holy Communion service, just goes for a half hour. We sing a hymn a cappella like we do here at the close of our wake up call times. I'll give a little Bible study, usually about what I'm preaching that Sunday, talking through things. And then we have Holy Communion, short and sweet. And we actually, we bring in chick fil A sandwiches. So everybody has a chick fil a Chick Fil A chicken biscuit on their way out the door. I mean, does it get better than that? So it's Wednesday, It's a good day. The very fact that we have breath in our lungs is proof that God is not finished yet. I'm excited to spend this time with you here this morning. So Lord, thank you for taking us out of Egypt. Now Lord, please take Egypt out out of us. Let's go, baby. Wake up sleeper. Rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you. Jesus, I belong to you. I lift up my heart to you. I set my mind on you. I fix my eyes on you. I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice. Jesus, we belong to you. Praying in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Our scripture reading for the day is Exodus 32. 30, 32. Hear now the word of the Lord. The next day Moses said to the people, you have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the Lord. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin. So Moses returned to the Lord and said, alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now if you will forgive their sin. But if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written. The word of the Lord. Can you stand in the gap for someone today? The first part of Exodus is about the Lord taking the people out of Egypt. The second half is the beginning of how the Lord is going to get Egypt out of the people. But it isn't easy. The people are stiff necked, rebellious complainers. God has a lot of work to do. So in Exodus 32, Moses is up on the mountain with the Lord while the people, under the leadership of Moses's brother Aaron, are waiting down below. But they get tired of waiting. And as a result of their demands and Aaron's cowardly leadership, a golden calf is made and the people start to worship it. This means that at the same time that Moses is up on the mountain with the Lord, the people are brazenly committing idolatry. Below, the Lord tells Moses what has happened and declares his intention to destroy the people and start over again with just Moses and himself. Moses, however, pleads with the Lord to spare the people and remember his commitment to Abraham. The Lord has brought Moses into the problem. How do you remain faithful to sinful people? I think in some ways Moses here passes the test. Rather than abandon the Israelites and take the Lord's offer to strike out on his own, Moses commits himself to the people. He has grown so much since his early days leading the people in Egypt. Aaron is a model of weak, cowardly leadership. Whereas Moses shows us what godly leadership is like, a leader sacrifices himself on behalf of his people. The incident concludes with Moses asking for the Lord's forgiveness and putting himself forward in the place of the people. But now if you will forgive their sin. But if not, please blot me out of your book. That you have written Exodus 32. 32. Moses here totally identifies with the sinful people. A true leader stands in the gap for his people, which is what Moses does here. In this way he is a forerunner of Christ who dies on behalf of a rebellious and idolatrous people. For whom can you stand in the gap today? Lord, we thank you that you have given yourself for us. Increase our love and devotion so that we can give ourselves for others today through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Some journal prompts to get you thinking. One, why does the Lord not destroy the people after the incident with the golden calf? Why do you think the Lord accepts Moses intercession for the people? Do you think there is a connection between Moses intercession here and the Lord's discussion with Abraham about the destruction of sodom in Genesis 18? Moses has grown a lot. We've seen in Exodus, you know, he at first is a very reluctant leader of the people, but ultimately he embraces the role. And the people are not easy to leave, not easy to lead. I should say, by the way, not a whole lot has changed. You know, leadership is hard. Men and women who are in leadership will constantly find the people to be stiff necked complainers. But that's the job. That's why leaders are held to such a high standard, because it's such a difficult job. But I think Moses shows us that the most beautiful act of leadership is when a leadership sacrifices himself or herself for the people to stand in the gap, so to speak. I kind of love that image. Today we will sing and can it be hymn 569 from the seedbed hymnal, Our Great Redeemer's Praise. This is one of the all time great Methodist hymns. It's well, almost 300 years old and it is absolutely just thick with theology and meaning. This is, this is the kind of hymn that's worth seeking your teeth into. We're going to sing it together. We probably won't do all the verses, although they're all great today. 5, 69. And can it be that I should gain. Let's sing it together.