Holy Land Reflections: Gild & Glory

Hopefully, you've been able to keep up with what our team was doing over in the Holy Lands. It was a busy-yet-fruitful time for the four of us to tour and teach. 

The most indelible part of the trip for me personally came during our time in Jerusalem, but not for the reasons one might suspect. A subtle discomfort rose within me after a long day of walking around the Old City. I'm not even sure exactly how to characterize the feeling in my gut other than to say that I was struck by the heaviness of law and ritual.

Holy Lands Update

Hey, friends!

It's our last day in Bethlehem, and we just wanted to give you a little update. On Thursday we had the opportunity to see a few sights in Bethlehem. We went to the Church of the Nativity, which is shared by the Catholic and Orthodox churches, which makes for a hodgepodge-looking church. Each side had people lining up to go underground to view where that church claims Jesus was born. It was kind of crazy!

After visiting the church for a bit, we drove down to the Beit Sahour section of Bethlehem to visit the Shepherds' field where the shepherds may have seen the star that led them to the manger. It was much more peaceful here, and we almost had the place to ourselves. We were able to go into a structure where shepherds kept their flocks around the time of Jesus. The book of Ruth is also set in the fields at Bethlehem, and her grandson, a pretty important guy named David, was also a shepherd in Bethlehem. So although most of the city is developed, we were able to see a few fields where these stories either took place, or close to where they took place.

The last couple of days have been spent either at Melissa and Terri's home teaching, or spending time with the teachers and students at the school. We've really enjoyed getting to see the school and all they're doing. We even got to see the high school basketball teams play! So, I think we're all going to be sad to leave, but today we'll be heading up to see King Herod's summer palace and heading back to Terri and Melissa's for the last day of teaching before departing tonight.

We fly out of Tel Aviv at 12:40 am, so pray for safe travels home!

Anne

Holy Lands Recap of Day 3 & 4

Our recap of our travels continue...

Day 3:
We started out the day riding a camel named Shushi at sea level on our way toward the Dead Sea region. Once we hit the deserts and the Dead Sea region we began at Qumran, the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. There we hiked up to a cave that overlooks the dig site, Anne and I were done about halfway up the mountain but Jason and Steve made it all the way to the top. After that excruciating climb we headed to the national park En Gedi, where David hid from Saul in the caves around the waterfalls. Masada was next on our list. This is where Herod built his summer/escape palace and where over 200 Jews hid when the Romans were capturing the country. After Masada we went to the Dead Sea where Anne and I dipped our feet in and Jason and Steve floated in the water. We ended the day with seeing the Mount of Olives at sunset, which overlooks Jerusalem.

Day 4:
This day was spent touring around all of Jerusalem. We began at the Garden Tomb, that is run by an English trust, which is one of two sites that are believed to be Golgotha where Jesus was crucified and then buried in Joseph of Arimethea's tomb close by. After this we went to St. Peter Gallicantu- "Peter's exile" where Jesus was kept in a pit before his trial began. It is also believed that tis is where Peter heard the rooster crow after he had denied Christ three times. This is also the place where Caiphus' house was. From here we went to the site of the Upper Room where Christ had the Last Supper with his disciples and the site of King David's tomb which are both located in the same complex right outside the city walls of Old Jerusalem. In the Old City there are four quarters which you walk through: The Armenian, The Jewish, The Muslim and The Christian. Once inside the city walls we went first to Cardo which was a Roman shopping center from the 2nd temple period and then on to part of the wall that Nehemiah built which is still preserved in the middle of the Jewish Quarter. After this we went to the Western Wall, the holiest site for the Jewish religion because it is the closest location to where the temple once stood. Where the temple used to stand is now the Muslim Quarter, and on the site there are two major Mosques, one of which is considered the third holiest site for Muslims. From this site we went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which, along with the Garden Tomb, is considered a possibility for the place where Jesus was crucified and buried. Thirteen denominations share the Church that now stands there. It is also the location of the final three stages of the cross. After the church we went backwards through the stations of the cross, going to Dalaraha which is Veronica's church, who is believed to be the woman who washed the face of Jesus, then to the church of Simon of Cyrene, who helped carry the cross, then to the street where Jesus fell the first time, after this we went to the place where Jesus met his mother, lastly came the house of Pontius Pilate and St Anne's church who is believed to be Mary's mother. After we left the Old City of Jerusalem we went to the Garden of Gesthemane where Jesus came to pray as Judas was betraying him. The Garden was our last place to visit and after we had left we rode a bus into Bethlehem where we will be for the remainder of our trip!

I know this was a very quick recap of our time in the Holy Lands thus far but we just wanted to give y'all a little update on everything we've been experiencing! To tell everything would take days, but feel free to ask when we get back! Thank you for loving us and praying for us so far and please continue to do so as now we begin to teach and learn from the students and teachers here!

In Christ,
Alex

Update from the Holy Lands! Days 1 & 2

The synagogue in Capernaum

Shalom Y'all!  We have just finished our whirlwind excursion of Israel and are now settled in Bethlehem for the remainder of our trip. Though we don't have a lot of time right now (another update will be coming soon). I just wanted to give you guys a brief recap into what we saw the past four days of our trip.

Day One:
 We started off our touring with a visit to Caesarea which is right now the Mediterranean Sea. Caesarea is where Herod had his ridiculously large castle and Paul was imprisoned there for 2 years before being sent to Rome. Then we headed to Mount Carmel which overlooks the Jezreel Valley and is mentioned in 1 Kings 18. We got there just in time to see the sun set so it was a beautiful experience. From there we went to Nazareth, the largest Arab town in Israel, and had dinner! After Nazareth we went up to the Sea of Galilee where we stayed at the Kof Ginosaur.

Day Two:
We started our day at Tabgha in Capernaum where they believe that Jesus appeared on the shore three times after he was risen, John 21. After that we went to a fisherman's town in Capernaum where we saw a 1st century synagogue and Peter's house where Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law. From there we went to the Mount of Beatitudes where it is believed that Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 after feeding the 5,000. Then we drove to Caesarea Philippi, North of Capernaum where Pagan worship was known to take place and where the "Gates of Hell"(where demons were said to come into this world) and the Temple of Pan were believed to be. After this we went to Karazim, referenced in Matthew 11:21. From there we went to the Northeastern shore of the Jordan river and then were able to drive by Mount Tabor where Deborah was based. We ended the day in Tel Aviv where we were able to participate in a Messianic Jewish Rosh HaShana at the hostel we stayed at that night.

To be continued...

Heading to the Holy Lands!

Our team of four (Steve Winstead, Jason Seville, Alex Aist,  and Anne Harper) is in JFK airport in New York heading to Tel Aviv.  We will spend the next few days seeing some of the sites of the Holy Lands and then conduct training at a small Christian school for the final few days.  Thanks for your prayers! 

Bethlehem Update

We have been really blessed so far during our time here in Bethlehem.  The conference that we did for the last few days went really well... we spent time with the teachers of JSB (Jersualem School at Bethlehem), some college students, and some of the students.  Both groups were very attentive and engaged during our teaching times and it was obvious in our conversations with them that God was moving.  We are praying that these teachers and students might grasp a vision and passion for disciple-making and that God would use them to radically transform Bethlehem, Israel, and the whole Middle East.

We went to an Arab church this morning and the Pastor was praying, "Lord, thank you for saving us, thank you for sending your Son to be born here in Bethlehem...."  It was striking to say the least, it is still amazing to think that we are in the same place Jesus once was, that we will walk the same streets he did.  Please continue to pray for our time here, for the teachers and students, and for the oppression of the Palestinians.  It has been eye-opening to talk with the students especially and hear what their experience is like living here under Israeli occupation.  So please continue to pray!

View from the top of the Herodium

The Herodium is a mountain built (yes, this crazy, evil man built a mountain) by King Herod in 24 BC. On top of this mountain was his summer palace and many believe the place where the wisemen would have visited him. This is also where Herod is buried.

David's Well

Just up the hill, less than a quarter mile from where we our hotel is David's Well. This is site where David's three mighty men broke through a Philistine garrison to bring him water. "Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem" (2 Sam. 23:15).

A Few Photos from Training in Bethlehem

Teaching in Bethlehem

For the past two days our team has been training two group here in Bethlehem. We have been training the teachers of the Jerusalem School of Bethlehem and the students in a separate meeting. The teachers are amazing and have mentioned that they would love for us to send some of our Emerging Leaders to teach here for a year (really cool opportunity). The teachers love learning about discipleship and are eager to apply what they are learning. The students are great and loving the teaching as well. Overall the team is doing great, please keep the teachers and students here in your prayer. One key prayer request for Larry Watkins (Director of Downline Northwest Arkansas) and his family. Larry's wife has been having some medical issues and Larry returned to Fayetteville yesterday. Please keep Larry in your prayers.

It's Go Time!

"We leave in 2 hours!  So sorry but it is go time.  I am 100% serious."  I sat on the couch in disbelief as I read Steve's text.  I just put laundry in 10 minutes ago which is now soaking wet, I haven't packed yet, I have assignments that are due, I need to print some lessons... my mind continued to run through my now shot to-do list.  Just 30 minutes earlier I had gotten a recording from United saying our flight from Memphis to Chicago for the next morning had been canceled due to weather.  I got on the phone to tell Steve just in case he hadn't heard, so he got on the horn with United to try and find us another flight... sure enough, the man, the myth, the legend did what he does and found an alternative fight.  Although the alternative flight left 12 hours earlier than we had planned.  So we got to work, and by the grace of God our whole team made it to the airport in about 45 minutes.  "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" takes on new meaning in that situation.  All the nice plans and to-do lists and preparations went out the window in about 30 seconds... slowly and surely replaced with confidence in the sovereignty and provision of God.  Looking back even now, the stress and anxiety seem so trivial... yet amidst even the smallest of concerns about all of the things that we probably forgot to bring or do, the Spirit brings rest and security in dependence on the provision and grace of the Father... knowing that "... the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  We are praising God for His sovereignty and provision in our travel, and the ways He is working and will work in our time here in Bethlehem.  Please continue to pray for our team as we begin teaching tonight, and will continue the next two days.

Bethlehem Team

Downline sent a team from both Fayetteville, Arkansas and Memphis, TN. The Memphis folks found out on Monday that their flight had been cancelled and that they would have to leave in one hour. The team rallied to meet at the airport in one hour and catch the flight. Everyone is now in Bethlehem staying at the Alexander Hotel (its on Manger Street). We start teaching at the Jerusalem School of Bethlehem today. Please pray for us as we will be teaching teachers and students in two separate conferences. Also, yesterday we visited the Church of the Nativity where it is believed that Jesus was born.