November 2004
Chesvan 5765
THE FALL "RUSH" IS ON!
First, we want to thank all of you who have been praying
for our financial situation, and all of you have contributed financially.
We appreciate you standing together with us at this crucial time
for us. We are deeply grateful for this and especially for you;
and it serves as an encouraging reminder that we are all part of
a team, working together to accomplish God’s work among the
Jewish people. The financial situation has improved, but we are
not "out of the woods" as yet. (We are still $3,200 short
to meet our current expenses.) For those of you not already doing
so, we would ask you to prayerfully consider contributing financially
on a monthly, or other regular, basis. Thank you.
Now that it’s fall, we’ve rushed into
the busy schedule that comes with this season. The Jewish holiday
season was great, bringing with it all the opportunities it usually
does. So we’ve got some new people considering whether a Jewish
approach to God through Yeshua is what they want for their lives.
Please pray for them.
And, we’re also back to teaching classes both
at the seminary and at Sunday schools for churches in our area.
In fact, the adult Sunday school series on the Older Testament that
Patrice is teaching for a church is drawing "rave reviews,"
and has gotten people interested in doing even more studying.
Meanwhile, Barb, our associate and trusted office
manager, is also busily involved in speaking and teaching. She recently
taught a couple of sessions on early Messianic Jewish history for
a seminary Church History class, and then also led a discussion
on the exodus for another seminary class on the Torah.
In addition, John just received a phone call from
a former student—literally "just," as right in the
middle of writing this letter. She is a Sunday school teacher at
a church nearby. She called to say thank you and added:
You know, a lot of people in
the church are clueless about the importance of Jewish roots to
their faith and to their lives. I’ve incorporated that aspect
into all my teaching, and people are very interested. I’ve
really been inspired by you.
It’s always an encouragement to hear things
like that. And, that kind of impact is what you make possible by
your prayers and contributions. Thank you!
Then, just this week, we received our copy of the
international Messianic Jewish newspaper, The Messianic Times. It
included a review of our new book on the movie "The Passion
of the Christ" and on the issues the movie raises. The reviewer
writes:
The Distortion by Drs.
John and Patrice Fischer is a much-needed response to Mel Gibson’s
highly acclaimed film "The Passion of the Christ." With
patience and clarity the Fischers explain that Gibson’s version
of the Gospel story is not as authentic as many claim. The Fischers
demonstrate how Gibson’s version stands firmly within the
centuries-old tradition of European passion plays. "The Distortion"
seeks to clarify the events as they are actually portrayed in the
Gospel writings themselves.
Others have commented on the book as follows:
"…biblically sound,
historically accurate, and deeply relevant."
"…words that can
bring healing between Christians and Jews, and Jews and Messiah."
"…an important
and perceptive book. It should be widely read."
Also, someone who had just read the book called and
said he felt that the book was "a very useful evangelistic
and apologetic tool." In addition, the Union of Messianic Jewish
Congregations is offering the book free to the leaders of their
congregations.
We’re encouraged and grateful for the positive
responses we’ve heard. We just pray that the book will, in
fact, be something that God can use effectively in many lives.
Finally, we promised you a report on John’s
teaching and speaking trip to South Africa. Here’s his report
in his own words.
"Two years ago I had the wonderful opportunity
to spend two weeks in Cape Town, South Africa. I had been invited
there to speak at the annual conference of the Messianic Jewish
Alliance of South Africa. Another purpose of that trip was to teach
an intensive yeshiva (Jewish seminary) course, "The Gospels
in their Jewish Context." Both events were very well received.
"Apparently, they were so well received, that
I was invited back this summer! So, I traveled to Cape Town in the
latter part of August. For South Africa, this is the end of their
winter and the beginning of their spring season, so the weather
was delightful. But then, so were the people! The trip was very
encouraging, and quite tiring, but mainly because of the long flights.
It took 34 hours of traveling time to return home!
"Approximately 100 people attended the conference
of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of South Africa. I was told that
they had come from all over South Africa, some having traveled 12-13
hours just to be there. (South Africa is one of the larger countries
in the world.) We had half a dozen sessions together, and the interaction
was very insightful and stimulating. It was a wonderful time of
renewing old acquaintances and beginning new ones.
"After a break of a couple of days, we started
the intensive yeshiva course for this trip. This time I was asked
to teach "The Epistles from a Jewish Perspective." The
coordinator, Rabbi Herschel Raysman, my good friend and colleague,
had prayed to have 20-25 students attend this course. (Two years
ago we had approximately 35 students.) By the time we were done
registering the students, there were over 60! And, one of the more
exciting things was that three leaders from the half dozen Messianic
fellowships in Zambia came down especially for this course. Truthfully,
that is an encouraging, but also quite humbling, experience. As
it was two years earlier, so it was again, a very exciting time
of teaching and learning. When I returned home two years ago, I
had commented that, of all the places I had taught in America, Europe
and Israel, the students in South Africa were more eager and hungry
to learn than anywhere else. Once again I felt the same way. I had
never taught a more enthusiastic group of students anywhere."
By the way, one of the students who attended the class
and conference two years ago was featured on the front page of The
Messianic Times. He started Zambia’s first Messianic congregation.
Now he helps oversee nine such congregations! Three of the students
at this year’s conference and class are some of the leaders
who work with him. We are always amazed at the often unexpected
international impact God allows us to have.
Thanks so much for being such a strategic part of
this ministry that we share together. Your prayers and contributions
enable us to carry on in these very significant ways.
Most warmly in our Messiah,
John and Patrice
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