“A minister may fill his pews, his communion roll, the mouths of the public, but what that minister is on his knees in secret before God Almighty, that he is and no more.”
John Owen (17th Century)
May 20, 2012
May 05, 2012
March 30, 2012
Israel 2012 Day Seven
It is Friday afternoon here in Israel and the Sabbath is just beginning. As a result we are back at our hotel earlier than normal and I have some time to post again. We arrived to Jerusalem yesterday (Thursday) and spent the afternoon viewing the city from some high spots such as the Mount of Olives. Jerusalem is a very complex and ancient city and the overview is always helpful.
This morning we began our day by entering the "Old City". We walked through some of the city and visited first the Church of the Holy Sepulchre built over the area where many believe the cross of Jesus Christ stood.
We then went to the Western Wall (often called the "wailing wall") and had the opportunity to walk up to it. Here is a picture of Chris Fink, LaRue Short and Jim Grube standing near it:
From here we visited the Rabbinal Tunnels (an excavation along the Western Wall deep below ground level). Here we are well underground with our host for this part of the tour:
After our time in the "Old City" we traveled to the Israel Museum to learn from a huge model of Jerusalem as the city was in the time of Jesus. Then we spent some time inside viewing some of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Here's a picture of some of our group at the Jerusalem Model:
We enjoyed some other stops as well today. Tomorrow we walk the footsteps of Jesus on His final day including the Upper Room (what it looked like), the Garden of Gethsemene, the house of Caiaphas, and the Garden Tomb where we will celebrate the Lord's Supper together.
Everyone is doing fine here. It's been a great group!
March 27, 2012
Israel 2012 Day Four
We began today with another great breakfast! The food has been spectacular so far on our trip as have been the hotel accomodations. We will leave our Tiberias Hotel in the morning as we travel south from the Sea of Galilee area to the far south where the Dead Sea is located. On the way we'll make several stops.
After breakfast this morning we traveled north into the Golan Heights and stopped at one of the 300 or so still operating "kibbutzs" in Israel. The one we stopped at produces Naot Shoes. So a little shopping was either enjoyed or endured by all!
We then traveled to the Tel Dan Nature Preserve which is located near the northern border of Israel with Lebanon. There is much Biblical history here related to the reign of Jeraboam, the first king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
Later we stopped at Ceasarea Philippi, an ancient center of pagan worship. This is where Jesus took His disciples on their first trip away from Sea of Galilee area. The story is recorded for us in Matthew 16 which I had the priviledge of sharing with our group.
We traveled the day throughout the Golan Heights learning about the spiritual, political and economic aspects of this region. The Golan is a unique area. At one time we were only 40 miles from Damascus, Syria (a long ways from home)!
Thank you again for praying for us! We're looking forward to tomorrow!
March 26, 2012
Israel 2012 Day Three
At the risk of being redundant, today was another phenomenal day for our group in Israel. Here are just a few highlights and pictures of the 203 pictures I just downloaded from today:
- We began our day by traveling to view what is referred to as the "Jesus Boat". This 2,000 year old boat was discovered and excavated close to shore in the Sea of Galilee. It literally dates to the time of Jesus. Here's a picture of it:
- After some time in a souvenier shop (at least for some) we took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. This time was replete with scenery, singing and teaching. All aboard I am sure will tell you this was a very meaninful and emotional time. Here's a picture of the group:
- Next we traveled to several others sites around the Sea of Galilee. These inculded the Mount of Beatitudes, the excavated town of Korazin, the excavated town of Capernaum, and also the excavated church of Kursi.
- And then we concluded our day with a baptism service in the Jordan River. A total of 17 from our trip were symbolically lowered under the waters of the Jordan River as Jesus was 2,000 years ago. The water was quite cold, but the experience will be warm for those involved forever!
That's it for now! Tomorrow we travel to the Golan Heights, Ceasarea Philippi, and several other places. What a blessing!
March 25, 2012
Israel 2012 Day Two
We've had a great Day Two today! While the weather was a bit overcast, we were able to experience several great sites and locations. Here are a few highlights before I call it a night:
- We traveled north from our first night hotel to Ceasarea by the Sea. This complex, including a palace, was built by Herod the Great before the time of Christ. It has been excavated and is rich in history. Here's a shot of our group in the theater at Ceasarea:
- Later we traveled to Mount Carmel, where the Prophet Elijah stood for God against 450 false prophets of Baal. The view was hazier than I have experienced in the past, but here's a picture from our teaching area.
- Soon we were at the ancient city of Meggido. This city has been destroyed and rebuilt 20+ times, creating a small mountain (or Tel). Here are working out way down into the waterway that serviced the city secretly when they were under seige.
- Our day also included a visit to Nazareth. This city, now 100,000 people, is far larger than its size of 30-40 families in Jesus' day. The Nazareth of today is always a surprise to our groups to Israel.
I could post another 100 pictures easily if time permitted. For now though please know our New Hope group is having a great time and experiencing so much. Thanks for remembering us!
March 24, 2012
Israel 2012 Day One
On Friday, March 23, many from our group gathered at New Hope's North Campus to board our transport bus. Others will meet us at the airport in Detroit and some others at our international departure point in Philadelphia. Here is a picture of those who met at the North Campus:
At 10:00 Saturday morning Ohio time, after almost 24 hours of travel by bus and plane, we arrived to our hotel on the Mediterrean Sea outside of Tel Aviv, Israel. Here is a view from one of our rooms:
Tomorrow morning we head north up the coast of Israel to Ceasarea, Mount Carmel, Nazareth, and several other sites. We're looking forward to a great day!
