April 2005

Shalom Friends -

In our area, it looks like we live in a different world from a month ago – green grass and budding trees instead of snow and icicles. We have a new book “budding” this month, and plans for an upcoming Fellowship Dinner and Pastor’s breakfast, so please read on!

Pre-release sale! -
Listening to the Language of the Bible: Companion Bible Study

Ever since Listening to the Language of the Bible was published, people who have wanted to learn to study their Bibles hebraically have been asking us to publish a Bible study guide based on the book. Now, in just a few weeks, the Companion Bible Study will be released.

Listening to the Language of the Bible contains many brief devotional articles on rich Hebrew words and Jewish cultural concepts that deepen our Bible study. The Companion Bible Study is a very helpful expansion of that book. Each lesson explores a Hebraic concept more fully in several additional scripture passages, and then asks thought-provoking questions as to what the Scriptures might be saying from their own cultural perspective.

We believe that the two books in combination will be an excellent Bible study for a personal study time, or a small group or adult education class. A section of the author’s suggested answers is included at the end for a leader’s reference, and a beginning point of discussion. You will greatly enrich your faith by studying your Bible from Jesus’ point of view!

The books are being printed at this time, and we are having a sale to celebrate finishing this project. 

Listening to the Language of the Bible:
Companion Bible Study

By Lois Tverberg

Regular price $6.99 - But during this introductory offer from now until May 2, order them for just: $5.49 with free shipping!

(Also, if you order both Listening to the Language of the Bible & the Companion Bible Study,

get the set for just: $14.99 with free shipping*

Order now at the En-Gedi Bookstore

(Free shipping on US orders only during this sale – orders will ship after May 1)

We hope that as you think about your summer or fall Bible study plans, you’ll think about studying hebraically!

Spring Pastor’s Breakfast, Thursday May 19, 7:30 – 9 AM

We are continuing our four-year tradition of breakfast seminars, and invite all pastors and seminarians to join us! We typically have 20-25 at each breakfast, and pastors from over 60 churches have attended. There is no charge - a free-will offering basket will be available.

Once again, it will be at the Zeeland (Howard Miller) Community Center, 14 S Church St, Zeeland, MI. Please RSVP by email (egrc@egrc.net) or by phone (616 355-2200) so that we can plan for food and make name tags.

We are very enthusiastic about our presenter, Ruth Berghorst, a woman from Zeeland with a fascinating story:

The Journey Home: A Pilgrimage of Faith through Orthodox Judaism

Ruth Berghorst grew up in a conservative family in an Assemblies of God church. Having struggled with faith, she shocked her parents by deciding to marry a Jewish man, and then going through the rigorous process of study, interviews and mikvah to become a Jew. Ruth immersed herself in her new-found faith and worked for both an Orthodox Rabbi and later a Hasidic Rabbi, becoming intimately involved in the life of the synagogue. After several years, tragedy caused her to re-examine her life. Hearing about Christ with new ears, she returned to the faith she grew up in, only now in a Reformed setting.

Ruth has told her story to several audiences, and has a fascinating perspective on Christianity through Jewish eyes, and Judaism through a Christians’ eyes. She has personal experience with what it is like to be a practicing Hasidic Jew, including experiencing anti-Semitism herself. She is well-read in the literature of each group, and can answer questions about their beliefs. We hope you can join us to learn from the amazing journey that the Lord has led her on to bring her to today.

Along with the presentation, we will be introducing the Companion Bible Study to Listening to the Language of the Bible and discussing how to use it in adult education classes. All who attend will receive a copy of our new book as a thank you. If you are in ministry but have not met the En-Gedi staff personally, we especially encourage you to join us! Once again, please RSVP.

Upcoming Fellowship Dinner, with Rev. Dr. Timothy Brown
6:30 PM, Thursday, June 2, 2005

We are also pleased to announce our final Fellowship Dinner for this spring! Once again, we hope all of you who live in the area can join us for an evening of food and fellowship.

Along with sharing our homemade dishes in a wonderful feast, we will hear from very gifted pastor, Dr. Timothy Brown, who is Professor of Preaching at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI. Dr. Brown has a love for Hebraic studies and often shares with his seminary students the richness of Eastern, Jewish thinking and how it impacts preaching of God’s word. A wonderful communicator, he is well-loved in the western Michigan area. His talk is called:

Israel’s Songs for our Soul

What was the spiritual life of the people of ancient Israel like? What were their struggles, and how can their prayers relate to the experiences of our lives? Dr. Brown will walk through Psalm 135, looking at it as an excellent illustration of the way the ancient Hebrew worshipper expressed his faith. He will share how it can still speak with rich wisdom to us today.

Once again, our dinner is offered at no cost and will be potluck-style - free-will donations will help with expenses for the facility and speaker. We just ask you to bring a dish to share - we will provide tableware and beverages. We also ask that you RSVP by email (egrc@egrc.net) or phone (616) 355-2200 and give each of the names of those planning to come to help us plan for seating and make name tags. Location: Zeeland’s Howard Miller Community Center, 14 S Church St., Zeeland, MI.

New Books in the En-Gedi Bookstore

Besides the Companion Bible Study, we recently added 4 new books to the bookstore that we highly recommend:

· Jesus, the Jewish Theologian, by Dr. Brad Young, goes through the life and teachings of Jesus as they would have been understood in his first century Jewish context, and shows how understanding Jesus' Jewishness is crucial for interpreting the New Testament.

· The Parables: Jewish Tradition and Christian Interpretation also by Brad Young, is a discussion of Jesus’ teachings in the light of other rabbinic literature.

 

· Paul, the Jewish Theologian, also by Brad Young, clarifies Paul by looking at his words in their Jewish context.

 

· Gospel Parallels: NRSV Edition, by Burton Throckmorton – A classic since 1949, Gospel Parallels presents Matthew, Mark, and Luke printed side-by-side for easy and enlightening comparative study.

Passovers Past and Future

Because of church history, our celebration of Holy week and Resurrection Sunday does not coincide with the present Jewish Passover. This year illustrates the great gap between Christians and Jews, in that a full month separates the holidays. Holy Week was three weeks ago, and Passover is not until April 24th.

During Holy Week this year, En-Gedi led two Passover Seders, and both were very rich experiences. On Maundy Thursday, March 24, we were at Monroe Community Church in downtown Grand Rapids. We went through the current celebration of the Passover Seder and showed how Jesus used the elements to point toward himself as our redeemer. The presentation is part of a larger series the church is doing on Ancient Worship – studying the biblical feasts to examine Christianity’s roots and better understand the New Testament.

On the evening of Good Friday, we celebrated the Passover with over 300 people of Haven Christian Reformed Church! It was moving to hear the children ask the traditional questions and the church elders re-tell the story of God’s redemption of his people from Egypt. Even more moving was to pause at the Cup of Redemption, the third cup which Jesus held up after supper and he called his blood, shed for our sin. We held it up with the matzah, the unleavened “bread of affliction” that was his body, and we shared communion, meditating on Jesus’ last evening and great sacrifice for us.

For those who still would like to experience Passover and learn from a Jewish source, Congregation Ahavas Israel will be hosting a Passover Seder Experience for the Christian community Sunday, April 17th at 7 PM at the synagogue (2727 Michigan NE, in Grand Rapids , MI). Call the synagogue at (616) 949-2840 to sign up. The cost is: $25 per person, $40 / couple, with children under 12 free – this also will have the elements, but not a dinner. There are a limited number of seats and it sells out quickly, so call soon.

As always, we pray God’s blessings on you, our friends.

Lois Tverberg & Bruce Okkema
Directors, En-Gedi Resource Center