October 2005
Shalom Friends -
There are so many things that we are celebrating this month! We hope you will rejoice with us, whether you are near or far away. The first is that at sunset last night the New Year began (5766) according to the Jewish calendar, which is commemorated by the feast of Rosh HaShanah. If you have a shofar, don’t forget to blow it! Other things we are celebrating include:
• The successful installation of all seven Living Water units in Africa
• The publication of En-Gedi’s new book, New Light on the Difficult Words of
Jesus, by David Bivin
• The appearance of David Bivin at our Fall Pastor’s Breakfast, Fellowship
Dinner and Book Signing Event
• The upcoming Sukkot Festival in Dayton, OH, Oct. 28-29
• A wonderful week of study for Pastors Nov 14 – 18:Thru Messiah’s Eyes II
with Dwight A. Pryor
• Walking the Land on En-Gedi’s Israel Study Trip May 20 – June 2, 2006
Final Success of Living Water Project
In our last newsletter we told you that Bruce had successfully installed 6 water purification systems in sites in Uganda, and was going to Kenya next to put in one last unit. (These are village-size purification systems that will make contaminated water safe for 3000 – 5000 people, answering a critical need for those who have no uncontaminated water to drink.)
The last unit in Kenya proved to be the most dramatic story of all. It was installed at the Ololtoto Hope Center, in western Kenya, among the Masai people. They are the tribe who still dress in colorful traditional garments and beads, live in thatched huts and carry staffs and war clubs. This site is the neediest of all that received a water system. The only source of water is a contaminated river over a mile away. Every day, women and children walk over an hour to gather water, hefting jerry cans that weigh up to 40 pounds on their backs, secured by a rope around their foreheads. They also greatly needed a pipeline to bring the water from the river because that area is inhabited by lions and elephants that have attacked and killed people. The villagers have been very excited about having drinkable water safely available - indeed, most have never seen clean water in all their lives.
The team encountered a nightmare of problems for several days after they first arrived – machinery would mysteriously break, the pumps burned out, the pipeline came apart, and everyone was very discouraged. When the time was almost gone, several friends of En-Gedi gathered and prayed for the situation, and that same day we experienced a breakthrough when they finally were able to get the pump running. Bruce decided to extend his trip another week, and was able to get the pipeline fixed and water purification unit installed. There was amazing rejoicing among the Masai people! Children were squealing and playing in the water, and women were running back and forth from their huts to fill every container that they had. Please pray for the continued success of this project and that many lives will be won for the Lord through the gift of Living Water in his name!
And, we were overjoyed to have Bruce, our Executive Director, come home after two months on this project. If you would like to read his daily reports with pictures, go to the Letters from Africa page at En-Gedi. He has fascinating stories to tell.
Once again, you may ask, why does a ministry that studies the Jewishness of Jesus do these things? Because the first lesson we learn is that Jesus was a rabbi whose goal was to raise up disciples. A disciple committed himself to learning to live his life according to his rabbi’s teachings and imitate his ways. Jesus lived to serve others, and if we are his followers, this is our call too. (Several articles in our new book are about rabbis and disciples, if you want 
to learn more.)
En-Gedi’s new book by David Bivin now available – Publishers Pre-release Sale
We are also celebrating the publication of En-Gedi’s third book, New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus: Insights from His Jewish Context by David Bivin. Bivin is the founder and editor of Jerusalem Perspective, a magazine (now online) that explores the Jewish context of the Gospels. He has traveled and spoken internationally for more than 25 years, and written dozens of important articles on Jesus’ life in JP. We’ve taken some of the very best of his writing from JP and edited it for a general audience. To see the table of contents and read the foreword written by Dwight Pryor, see this link at En-Gedi.
Marvin Wilson, author of Our Father Abraham, Professor of Biblical Studies at Gordon College, writes about the book:
“In Jerusalem, David Bivin has interacted for decades with some of the best Jewish scholarship in the world. This book displays many of the brilliant Hebraic gems the author has mined that help illuminate the pages of the Gospels. Clearly written and very readable, Bivin shows why Christians need rabbinic sources if they intend to know and understand Jesus in his first-century Jewish setting. New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus is a valuable resource for every serious student of Scripture.”
The book is now available online through our bookstore. (If you are part of a bookstore interested in carrying this book, please contact us for wholesale pricing.) The book will be released nationally November 1, but we are offering a publisher’s pre-release special of $2 off until then – instead of $12.95, the book will be $10.95 (plus shipping).
If you are in the area and would like to pick the book up locally, it is also available exclusively at Baker Book House at the Cedar Village Mall, 716 Chicago Drive, in Holland, MI. Join us Saturday, October 8th between 11 – 1 PM when Bivin will be signing his books at the Baker bookstore.
Upcoming book: New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus,
by David Bivin
We are delighted to give you an early glimpse of a book that will be published by En-Gedi this fall, called, New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus: Insights from His Jewish Context, by David Bivin. Bivin is the founder and editor of Jerusalem Perspective, a magazine (now online) that explores the Jewish context of the Gospels. He has traveled and spoken internationally for more than 25 years, and also authored the book Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus: New Insights from a Hebraic Perspective – which has been widely popular since it came out 20 years ago. (The book is available in our online store.)
Since then, Mr. Bivin has written dozens of important articles on Jesus’ life in Jerusalem Perspective that have been foundational for us and others who teach in this field. This summer En-Gedi chose about three dozen to edit for a general audience.
Some of the book’s themes are:
• Jesus’ ministry as a first-century rabbi and his expectations of disciples
• Insights on his teachings from understanding their rabbinic context
• His main message about the Kingdom of Heaven, and our place in it
See these links to read the flyer and the Table of Contents and the Foreword written by Dwight Pryor. Marvin Wilson, author of Our Father Abraham, Professor of Biblical Studies at Gordon College, writes about the book:
“In Jerusalem, David Bivin has interacted for decades with some of the best Jewish scholarship in the world. This book displays many of the brilliant Hebraic gems the author has mined that help illuminate the pages of the Gospels. Clearly written and very readable, Bivin shows why Christians need rabbinic sources if they intend to know and understand Jesus in his first-century Jewish setting. New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus is a valuable resource for every serious student of Scripture.”
The book is currently at the printer, and will be available for order ($12.95) through En-Gedi after October 1. (If you are part of a bookstore interested in carrying this book, please contact us for wholesale pricing.)
Events with David Bivin, October 6 & 7, 2005
David Bivin, from Jerusalem, Israel, will be in western Michigan this fall for two public events with En-Gedi to celebrate the release of his new book, New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus. This will be at the beginning of his U.S. speaking tour, so En-Gedi’s distant readers may be interested in attending one of his weekend seminars in another city. He and his wife Josa will also be in Birmingham, Houston, Tulsa, and Garden City, CA. Please see the Jerusalem Perspective website calendar for details.)
Pastor’s Breakfast – Thursday, October 6th
On Thursday, October 6th, David Bivin will be speaking at En-Gedi’s Fall Pastor’s Breakfast at 7:30 AM at Providence Church (821 Ottawa Ave, Holland, MI – note location change). Along with introducing his new book, he’ll speak on one of the topics that the book addresses:
Jesus' Technical Terms About the Law
What did Jesus mean by, "I came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it?" Several of his sayings contain technical terms and idioms used by other rabbis of his time, like "abolish," "fulfill," "bind," and "loose." Understanding these can shed light on what Jesus' sayings about the law would have meant to his first-century listeners.
We invite all pastors and seminarians to join us – all we ask is that you RSVP by email or by phone (616 355-2200) so that we can plan for food and make nametags. There is no charge - a free-will offering basket will be available.
En-Gedi Fellowship Dinner, Friday October 7th, 2005
Please come and celebrate with us the debut of this new book that we hope will be a blessing to many. On Friday, October 7th, David Bivin will be speaking at En-Gedi’s Fall Fellowship Dinner, at 6:30 PM at Providence Church (821 Ottawa Ave, Holland, MI – note location change). Along with introducing his book, he will give an after-dinner talk entitled:
How Kosher was Jesus?
How observant was Jesus of the rulings of other rabbis of his day? Did he reject their teachings? A closer reading shows that he lived within the laws and traditions of his time. Knowing more about the Jewish practices that Jesus observed can help us understand him much better.
Certainly David will be able to sign copies of his book at the dinner. (Please be sure to meet his wife Josa, a dear friend of ours too.) Once again, it will be potluck-style, and free-will donations will help with expenses - this is not a fund-raiser. We just ask you to bring a dish to share - we will provide tableware and beverages. We also ask that you RSVP by email or phone (616) 355-2200 and give each of the names of those planning to come.
Join us on Saturday, October 8, 11 – 1 PM to meet David and have him sign your book! He’ll be happy to chat more with you there.
Join us for the Sukkot2005 Festival in Dayton, OH, October 28-29
We’d also like to invite those of you within driving distance of Dayton, Ohio to join us for the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) Celebration that is being held by the Church of the Messiah on Friday and Saturday, October 28-29. En-Gedi’s directors Lois and Bruce will be leading one of the workshops, called “Listening to God’s Word through Jesus’ Ears,” where we will be talking about reading the Bible more Hebraically. We will have En-Gedi’s materials available for sale there.
Even if we weren’t speaking, we’d encourage you to go – 
for many years we’ve driven seven hours each way just to attend. We are always amazed at the fabulous Hebraic worship on Friday and Saturday nights, and excellent teaching at the Saturday sessions. This year will be especially good because Dwight A. Pryor, President of the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies, will be teaching three sessions on Saturday. He is an incredibly wise and gifted presenter, and just a day of study with him will be worth the travel.
For further information or registration call 937 374-0147or see www.churchmessiah.com. (En-Gedi is not involved in conference administration.) The conference brochure is available as a pdf at this link.
Pastors' School of Discipleship: November 14 – 18, 2005
En-Gedi is honored and excited to co-host a week of intensive Hebraic study 
for pastors and seminarians led by Dwight A. Pryor, president of the Center for Judaic-Christian studies. In March of 2004 we hosted our first seminar of this kind, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Dwight Pryor is an internationally-known speaker who combines a thorough knowledge of Hebraic studies with a enormous depth of wisdom for how it can impact the church today. More information and a registration form are available at this link.
Thru Messiah's Eyes II
Renewing the Christian Mind,
Recovering the Church's Hebraic Heritage
Dwight A. Pryor,
President
Center for Judaic-Christian Studies,
Dayton, OH
November 14-18, 2005
Prince Conference Center · Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI
We invite you to join us for five days of study with Dwight Pryor, a powerful communicator who will be sharing key Hebraic insights relating to Jesus, his Jewish life and atoning death and resurrection. We will grapple with how understanding Christ in context relates to our lives and his ambitions for the church. We will also look at how it impacts us as pastors and leaders as we walk before our flocks as godly shepherds. We will also gain some vital insights into the ministry and writings of Paul in his Jewish context, and look at how these connect to the teachings of our rabbi, Jesus.
See link for more information and registration.
Come with us to the Land!
Israel Study Trip May 20 – June 2, 2006
Start thinking now about whether you would like to join En-Gedi’s directors on a study trip to Israel next May, called “A Study in New Testament Backgrounds.” Our guide will be Dr. Steve Notley, who lived in Israel for 16 years and taught at Jerusalem University College, where he was chair of New Testament and directed student land study programs. Now at Nyack College in New York, he is one of the most knowledgeable scholars around on Jesus' Jewish context. From living in the land and taking hundreds of trips with students, Dr. Notley will show us the important, "non-touristy" places that you can't see with others.
The cost of the 14 day trip will be $2,900 from Grand Rapids or $1550 for just the land portion of the trip, for international participants – arrangements can be made to travel from elsewhere in the U.S. too. (Costs are still subject to confirmations.) This is an outstanding value, and our guide will be one of the best. Travel arrangements will be made by Emmaus Educational Services, who is partnering with En-Gedi to sponsor this trip. For more details, see the www.emmausonline.net website, specifically the May 2006 En-Gedi Study Trip.
We hope all of you are praying for the victims of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and finding ways to reach out and care for those people. Once you understand Jesus in his Hebraic context, you see that as a rabbi, his main interest was in raising up disciples who would be followers and imitators of him. Jesus poured out his life in loving service to others, and therefore we must do so as well.
Lois Tverberg & Bruce Okkema
Directors, En-Gedi Resource Center