Sivan - Tammuz 5764
NO END TO STUDY...AND OTHER "STUFF"
St. Petersburg Theological Seminary and the Netzer David International
Yeshiva, which is associated with it, held its nineteenth commencement
and graduation just yesterday. Once again, it was a real encouragement
to see students, whose lives we've been able to impact, move on
to other phases of activity for God. One of the new administrators
at the seminary is a man who just retired from the public school
system. He was one of our earlier graduates and now heads up alumni
relations for the seminary. He reminded both of us how deeply our
classes had impacted his life, not only as he taught school, but
also as he served as head elder in his church. One of our 2004 graduates,
who serves as an associate pastor in a local church, preached yesterday
morning just before the graduation exercises on people who impact
the lives of others. He used the two of us as the chief examples
of people who had helped bring about major transformation in his
own life. Still another of yesterday's graduates wrote us a note:
"I have enjoyed the opportunity to take your classes. I
feel I have grown since I first arrived in 1998 for the B.A. program.
I have appreciated all of the Jewish and Messianic information
I received in my classes; they have enriched my Christian faith."
Yesterday, she graduated with an M.S., her second degree from the
seminary.
Even though the classes are over for the summer, the process of
education and study continues. Our weekly radio programs continue
on Sunday afternoons. Although we don't often hear from our listeners,
occasionally someone writes or calls. Or, someone receives a CD
of several of our programs from a friend, in this case one of our
synagogue members :-). One of those recipients wrote back to his
friend:
"It was VERY good and quite informative. It's obvious why
you attend services there. I particularly liked the explanation
of Acts 10. It's funny how one part taken out of context can have
such an effect. I also found it interesting that something such
as dietary laws can set people apart as holy....Let me know when
you get the next installment."
From yet another "educational/study" perspective, we
wrote you several months ago about the publication of the book HOW
JEWISH IS CHRISTIANITY? (Zondervan Publishing), to which John had
contributed a couple of chapters. We received a copy of a review
of the book that appeared in the magazine of the LCJE (Lausanne
Consultation on Jewish Evangelism) International. The reviewer,
a leader of a Messianic congregation in Atlanta, wrote:
"What a breath of fresh air it was to read...Part of the
Counterpoint series, books that pit varying theological positions
in a dialogue with one another, HOW JEWISH IS CHRISTIANITY? stands
out as one of the best in the series....John Fischer taught me
some new ways to explain some of the convictions that I hold dear."
:-)
And, speaking of books... In response to all the commotion and
misunderstanding about the movie "The Passion," we did
a seminar in March called "Why All the Passion about 'The Passion'?
or, What's So Good about Good Friday?" We had a great response
from the community, as well as a surprise. Because he was in town
visiting that weekend, the director of Lederer Publications and
Messianic Jewish Resources sat in on the seminar. He was so excited
by the seminar that he asked us to write up the seminar into a book!
However, in order to reach the summer conference market, we needed
to have the book written before the end of April!!! Well, we did
it--with a lot of help from God and from those praying for us! The
book not only deals with the movie, but more importantly, it addresses
the number of far more significant issues which the movie surfaces.
The book should be available in July. Its title is THE DISTORTION.
On another frong, Ellis and Ingrid started attending our Messianic
synogogue periodically several months ago. (Ellis is Jewish.) They
even sat in on one of John's seminary classes. Then a number of
weeks ago, Ellis came up to us after one Sabbath service and told
us that he had just accepted Yeshua as his own Messiah. In fact,
he publicly demonstrated his new faith by going through the mikvah
(baptism--yes, that's originally, and currently, a Jewish custom)
on Easter! As Ellis put it in our most recent conversation:
"This is a special congregation, and you are special people.
We really love it here!" [The credit for that obviously goes
to God.]
By the way, Ellis and Ingrid will be getting married in several
months, and we get to do the ceremony!
Don Brown, a Messianic Jew, recently started coming to our synagogue
as well. When he first visited, he said: "I feel like I've
come home again!" A couple weeks later, Don and his wife Maria
talked with John in his office. They talked through a number of
questions and issues related to the synagogue and to Messianic Judaism.
Afterward, they both inquired about how to become members of the
synagogue. Please pray for them. They have just completed moving
from one house to another. The whole process has sapped their energy
and has taken up their "spare time." As a result, they
have had a lot of difficulty getting out for services. They would
make wonderful additions to our synagogue family.
Well, the summer is here! And, with it come a whole new set of
opportunities; but more on that in our next letter.
However, the summer also brings with it a drastic drop in contributions
to Menorah Ministries, which in turn severely hampers our efforts
and activities. In addition, as we mentioned in our last letter,
Patrice's job at the college has now come to an end. With its end
comes a further decrease to our "income" and the loss
of health benefits. So, please pray about how God may lead
you to help out at this very crucial time for us.
Thanks so much for being such a strategic part of this ministry
we share together. Your prayers and contribution enable us to carry
on in these very significant ways.
Love in our Messiah,
John and Patrice |
