September 2003

Shalom Friends!

You know, the rabbis used to say that study is the highest form of worship. To Westerners, that doesn't make a lot of sense, because study is usually facts and theories that have nothing to do with devotional life. Study as Jesus would have done it, though, would both challenge the mind and draw the heart toward God. Our ministry of En-Gedi wants to do that as well - to study the Bible in its context in a way that enriches our faith and helps us grow in love for the Lord.

Please think about joining us in this unique form of worship this fall. We have an esteemed scholar, Dr. Randall Buth, visiting from Israel, who is both an expert on biblical languages and cultures, and also a devoted follower of Christ. His study of the language and cultural context of the Scriptures will allow him to share in two different ways - by teaching about the words of Christ in their first century Jewish setting, and also to give us the important tool of the Hebrew language. Hebrew was the language of the Bible of Jesus, and even though the New Testament was written in Greek, it was written by Jews who thought in Hebrew patterns and images. Many doors will start opening when you have this new set of keys!

Here some details:

Fellowship Dinner on Rosh Hashana, Friday, Sept. 26

En-Gedi will be starting its year on the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana! We will host a Fellowship Dinner with Randall and Margret Buth on Friday, September 26th, at 6:30 PM. After a lovely meal together, Dr. Buth will explain some of the traditions and significance of Rosh Hashana. The traditional text read during this festival is Genesis 22, Abraham's near sacrifice of Isaac, the perplexing story that foreshadows Christ. Dr. Buth will give a talk after supper entitled:

Isaac, the Sacrificial Son
What does this story mean?

Note: As is our tradition, the dinner will be potluck style, like the other En-Gedi Fellowship Dinners. We just ask you to bring a dish to share - we will provide tableware and beverages. There is no admission, but there are freewill offering baskets. It is not a fund-raiser, just an enjoyable evening to share food and learn together. 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. Location: Zeeland Community Center, 14 S Church St., Zeeland, MI.

En-Gedi Workshop, Saturday, Sept. 27:

Jesus and the Rabbis

En-Gedi will be holding a half-day workshop with Dr. Randall Buth on Saturday, September 27 from 9 AM to 2 PM. He has written numerous articles in regard to understanding Jesus within the Semitic languages and culture of his day. Dr. Buth will discuss some sayings of Jesus and suggest some explanations from first century rabbinic culture that shed new light on his words. Some examples of topics he will discuss are:

Jesus, the Rabbis and the Kingdom - Jesus often used the phrase, "to enter the kingdom of heaven". What does it mean? "The kingdom of heaven" occurs many times in rabbinic literature but "to enter the kingdom of heaven" never appears. Why? Some texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls may give us an answer.

Do Christians need Rabbinic Literature to Study the New Testament? - What is the relationship between New Testament writers, rabbinic literature and the "stories and endless genealogies" of 1 Timothy 1:4? Some scholars and conservative Christians question the use of rabbinic literature. What is the discerning believer to do?

Jesus, Judgment and Salvation - Who then is saved? A discussion of the rabbinic context of the parable of the wheat and the tares, the judgment of the sheep and goats, and being "not far from the kingdom of God." What are Jesus' attitudes and his instructions for us and the church?

Time and Location: Saturday, September 27, 9 AM - 2 PM Zeeland Community Center, 14 S Church St., Zeeland, MI. We are asking a $45 donation to contribute toward Dr. Buth's travel expenses, and for coffee, snacks and lunch, which will be provided. Register Online by September 23rd to attend this excellent seminar, or call (616) 355-2200, or email egrc@egrc.net.

En-Gedi Class, October 6-10:

Hebrew for Beginners: A New Approach

The Bible is full of wordplays and poetic imagery that come through in translation, and even a limited knowledge of the language can unlock much of its beauty and power. We would like to invite you to take one week of evenings, October 6 - 10 to join us in studying Hebrew!

Hebrew for Beginners: A New Approach is designed for the absolute beginner. This course takes a new approach to learning Hebrew, using the latest research in language learning, which finds that the most efficient methods are also the most enjoyable. We will be immersed in Hebrew -- listening, singing and praying in the language of the Bible Jesus read. Pastors will also enjoy this refresher course.A goal will be to say and act out, with comprehension, part of the Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, the "pledge of allegiance" that Jesus would have said as an observant Jew.

The class will be at Zeeland Christian School, 334 W Central, Zeeland, MI, from 6:30 - 9:30 PM each night. For 15 hours of a very fun, effective Hebrew class, the cost is $90. If you would like more details or to sign up, visit this page.

Water from the Rock - New Series on Parables

Next Monday (Sept. 22) we will be beginning a new month-long series in our daily devotional, Water from the Rock. We will be talking about parables, and devotional insights we can get on them when we understand them in their context. We hope that if you haven't seen the devotionals yet, you will check them out and become a regular reader. If you want to read articles from earlier months on Prayer or Hebrew words, see the link at the bottom of the Water from the Rock page.

We hope that this month, some of you will also consider writing and allow us to share your ideas with our readers. We even made a place to write an article and send it to us, if you are interested! Please join us, or at least check the article each day when you turn on your computer.


Upcoming En-Gedi Speaking Engagements

The En-Gedi staff will soon be starting our own speaking series. On October 5th, we will be giving a sermon presentation at First Christian Reformed Church in Zeeland called A Faithful Life in the First Century, which will be the lead presentation for a 4 week adult education class called Walking with Jesus and His Disciples. The church is at 15 S Church St. in Zeeland. See the En-Gedi calendar for times and dates.

If you live on the east side of Michigan, we will be giving a talk from 7:00 - 8:30 PM at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, 27475 Five Mile Rd, in Livonia, MI on Monday, October 20. We will give a presentation called, The Biblical Feasts: A Picture of Christ. If you are in the area and can come, we'd love to meet you!

Through all of these programs and events, we hope to worship God through study and teaching. We hope you will plan to join us in that.

Blessings -

Lois Tverberg, Director
Bruce Okkema, Executive Director

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The En-Gedi Resource Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is solely dependent on your tax-deductible contributions. We very much appreciate your support.