As the weather cools, our year is warming up. We have news about an upcoming Fellowship Dinner, an update on our new book, and the Pastor's breakfasts for this season.

Fellowship Dinner - Thursday, September 16th, 2004

We begin our year again with dinner with our friends, and once again, like last year, we will be together on Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year! We hope that you can join us on Thursday, September 16th at 6:30 PM at the Zeeland Community Center. We will have a special guest speaker, James Whitman, executive director of the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies. James works closely with Dwight Pryor to develop biblical resources that reflect the Hebraic perspective of God's Word and Word incarnate, Jesus. With his work for the ministry as well as the experience of 15 years as a pastor, he has much to say about the the implications and application of Christianity's Jewish Roots. He lives in Dayton, Ohio with his wife of 14 years and their four children, and serves as teacher at Church of the Messiah in Dayton. Like Dwight, he is an excellent speaker. His presentation will be:

Walking in Rhythm
The Art of Being and Making Disciples from the Hebrew Scriptures

James writes: Dear traveling companions, Like you, my family and I desire to be found faithful and so exercise ourselves to bring glory to God our Father--every day! Come discover with me how Yeshua used the Hebrew Scriptures as the textbook for discipleship not only in word but in form. With the Lord's help we'll discuss--from a Hebraic perspective--some profoundly simple and practical ideas that will move you towards the Spirit's desire, to "Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us."
(Psalm 62:8) Shalom, James Whitman

Once again, our dinner will be potluck-style, 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 (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. A map is available at this link.

Note: We will have our new books for sale at the dinner, and can sign and personalize them for you there.

Update on our new book: Listening to the Language of the Bible

Our first book, called "Listening to the Language of the Bible: Hearing It Through Jesus' Ears" is now available through En-Gedi and at area stores. It is about the confusing words and phrases in the Bible that become much more meaningful when we understand them in their original culture. It has many short, readable essays on Hebraic ideas, biblical images, and word pictures with rich insights on how they can impact our lives today.

This fall we plan to be giving talks based on the book on how to empower your Bible study to dig for the riches of Scripture. Let us know if you would like us to come to your church, and we will consider these requests as our schedule allows. Look for more information about workshops we will be leading this fall. On October 7th, from 4-7 PM, we will be at The Bookshoppe (139 E. Main) in Zeeland, MI for a book signing and will speak about it there, so please stop in to support us, and we will be happy to sign your copy!

Halvor Ronning is a biblical scholar who teaches many third world Bible translators about the languages and setting of the Bible in his work as the Director of the Home for Bible Translators in Jerusalem, Israel. He recently read through the book and graciously gave it the following review:

Listening to the Language of the Bible is outstanding in its ability to communicate biblical concepts like nuggets of gold. Each article is succinct, and yet penetrates deeply with its precious insights. Using another simile, one can compare each of these short articles to the tip of an iceberg which gives a glimpse of a huge looming reality to be discovered. Whole doctoral theses have been devoted to some of these biblical concepts which are so attractively and enticingly presented. This book presents short, pithy, hard hitting insights in just the right doses for our television mentality of limited attention span. Highly recommended for those wanting not only deeper intellectual understanding, but wanting to grow into more joyful and deeper discipleship. This is a HOW TO manual for following our Lord Jesus in a more genuinely and biblically true way.

You can order the book at from our Online Bookstore for $9.95 plus shipping, with discounts for 10 or more. Other ministries will also be carrying the book - you will able to order it online from the following websites within a few weeks:

Jerusalem Perspective - www.jerusalemperspective.com
Center for Judaic-Christian Studies - www.jcstudies.com
Amazon - www.amazon.com (Note: If you enjoy our book, it would be wonderful if you could write a review!)

If you live in western Michigan, it is also available at the bookstores of Hope College, Calvin College & Seminary, Western Theological Seminary, and Cornerstone College. It is also at Baker Books and Family Christian Stores in the Holland/Grand Rapids area, and secular bookstores too. See this link for a list of other stores in the area.

 Pastors' Breakfasts this fall

Please let your pastor know about the following events, which are excellent ways to learn new things and get to know others with like interests. We typically have 25-30 pastors and seminarians at each breakfast, and over the years, pastors from over 60 churches have attended. We are starting our fourth season - details are available at www.egrc.net. Once again, the breakfasts will be at the Zeeland Community Center, 14 S Church St, Zeeland, MI. (Click here for a map.) Please RSVP by email (egrc@egrc.net) 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.

Friday, September 17th, 7:30 – 9 AM

Walking in Rhythm:
Fresh Insights into Discipleship from the Hebrew Scriptures
Rev. James Whitman, Executive Director of the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies, Dayton, OH (see above) A discussion of how Jesus used the Hebrew Scriptures as the textbook for discipleship, finding in it simple and practical ideas for making and being true disciples.

Thursday, October 28th, 7:30 – 9 AM

Sprinkling Living Water on Your Dry and Dusty Hebrew
Lois Tverberg & Bruce Okkema, Directors of the En-Gedi Resource Center

En-Gedi’s directors will share some rich, preachable insights from Hebrew word studies from our recently published book, Listening to the Language of the Bible. We will also share some resources for pastors whose language skills have waned, but would like to use Hebrew word studies in preaching.

Advanced Notice: Stay tuned for more information about another Pastor’s School of Discipleship with Dwight Pryor, February 7 – 11, 2005, at the Prince Conference Center in Grand Rapids. (See this link for a description of last year's conference.) The tentative subject is Paul in his Jewish context, an important and timely topic. Last year’s conference had responses of strong enthusiasm from all 35 participants – this one should be powerful too.  

En-Gedi and the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research

En-Gedi is now formally affiliated as official Alliance Partners with the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research (www.js.org), which is an academic organization of Jews and Christians who study Jesus in the light of first century language and Jewish culture, in the context of the land of Israel. All of us are deeply in debt to the discoveries and scholarship by the members of this organization that have opened to us the world of Jesus. We often cite research articles published by them on the website of Jerusalem Perspective (www.jerusalemperspective.com).

September Website Update

We appreciate all of our readers who are too far away to attend local events, and thank you for your patience in reading about them. In fact, to date, we have friends who have signed up for our mailing list from 20 countries around the world. Our website continues to have the largest outreach of anything we do, and we are continuing to enhance it by putting more and more resources at your fingertips. This month we have added new poems to the Poetry section, and recently we have added links to more articles on other sites. The Water from the Rock devotional series has a new devotional every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, currently on Lessons from the Land, insights on the Bible that come from walking in the land of Israel. Our next topic will be Hebrew Words, which never ceases to expand our appreciation and love for the Bible text.

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Please continue to support us with your financial gifts, they are deeply needed. But most of all, please lift us up in prayer as often as you think about us -- we appreciate that so much. Our prayer is that our work will always help you grow closer to, and more in wonder of our God!

Warmest blessings -

Lois Tverberg & Bruce Okkema
En-Gedi Resource Center Directors

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea. Habakkuk 2:14

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©2004 En-Gedi Resource Center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
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