As most of you know, I have the distinct privilege of leading biblical study trips to Israel and Turkey. It’s an unbelievable experience being able to teach the events of Scripture at the very sites where they took place. It’s as if the text leaps off the pages as you see and touch and take in the actual surroundings. For many the text becomes real for the first time. Everything you have read and heard for years becomes alive in front of you. It’s an incredible experience.

Ideally, I would love for everyone to experience a two-week trip to Israel or Turkey or one of the other biblical lands. For some, they’d love to, but haven’t been able to yet. For others, they’ll never have the opportunity to go for various reasons. So what can we do? We can bring a bit of the experience from “there” to “here.”

This is what this teaching series is intended to do. It is intended to usher us back into the first century world of Jesus through pictures, maps, and contextual teachings that help us better understand Jesus’ life and ministry. For this series, we’ll be focusing on the question, “Why did Jesus choose Galilee as the primary location for his ministry?”

The teachings will be 90-minutes in length and will have much more of a “classroom” feel, in that you will be able to ask questions at any time and it will have more of an informal feel to it (rather than a formal Sunday feel). This is intended to be an interactive learning environment we journey through together, rather than just a lecture or teaching you sit through.

Hope you can make it!

Here’s the info: (you can download the flyer by “right-clicking” on the image and then saving it - or - click HERE to visit SP's site for a higher res image)

To get my weekly dose of Rabbi Sacks, I am subscribed to Covenant & Conversation, his weekly article on the Torah portion for the week, and inevitably I glean something incredibly significant from each article. If you are interested in subscribing as well, click Here. If you would like to access the archives and other articles, click Here.

Last night I began, To Heal a Fractured World, and I came across one of those riveting quotes that you simply have to share because it is remarkable and challenging and compelling and you want as many people as possible to read it. I hope it stirs you as much as it stirred me (and you may have to reread it several times – it’s that good). Enjoy!

“We are here to make a difference, to mend the fractures of the world, a day at a time, an act at a time, for as long as it takes to make it a place of justice and compassion where the lonely are not alone, the poor not without help; where the cry of the vulnerable is heeded and those who are wronged are heard. ‘Someone else's physical needs are my spiritual obligation’, a Jewish mystic taught. The truths of religion are exalted, but its duties are close at hand. We know God less by contemplation than by emulation. The choice is not between ‘faith’ and ‘deeds’, for it is by our deeds that we express our faith and make it real in the life of others and the world.”

[Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, To Heal a Fractured World, pg. 5].

MINISTRY UPDATE
In January, I was hired as the Lead Teaching Pastor at Solomonʼs Porch Church (Jenison, MI). SP is a wonderful community that wants to make a difference in the world. Needless to say, I am really enjoying this community. Beginning October 2nd, weʼre launching into an 8-month series on the book of Exodus (I canʼt wait). If youʼre interested in following the series, you can find the teachings on the SP website at www.theporchonline.org.

2012 STUDY TRIPʼS UPDATE
There are 2 trips slated for next year - one to Turkey and one to Israel. Information on the Turkey trip has been finalized, and the Israel trip will be finalized in early October. If you are interested in studying the Text in the land and culture with which it emerged, I canʼt recommend taking one of these trips enough. These trips absolutely change EVERYTHING! For new testimonials, pictures, and all necessary information on next yearʼs trips, please visit www.walkingthetext.com/trips.

As I ascended the steps from the basement into the main level of our home, my modus was sheer focus. A quick stop into the bedroom to grab a light jacket, a few minutes in the kitchen to down breakfast, and my family and I would be out the door.

However, I only made it through step one before it happened. I grabbed my jacket, and as I was emerging from the bedroom into the hallway, I heard my wife announce, "Here she is."

Through the doorway at the other end of the house appeared my baby girl, parading in the most adorable light green dress, beaming ear to ear. She was dressed for a special occasion, and she knew it. I had seen her in numerous outfits of the most adorable nature before, but this was on a different level entirely. Here was my little baby girl in the most beautiful dress I had ever seen on her. Overcome with the moment at hand, and a vision of my little girl doing the same fifteen years later for prom, my heart melted and I dropped to my knees.

But what came next was even more unexpected.

In a split second, her whole persona changed. She went from being radiant to reserved … from being proud to concerned. Did I miss something? What changed? In the most innocent and concerned look a seventeen-month-old could muster, she set her eyes on me. Clearly God was assisting my discernment because without a moment’s break it registered. Here was my precious baby girl, so proud of how she looked, but that didn’t matter one bit in light of the comparison. What she wanted to know above all else was, “What does daddy think of me?” Before the tears had a chance to stream forth, I fixated my eyes on her and in the most affirming voice I could formulate, I said, “Aryah, you are absolutely beautiful! You look unbelievably adorable in that fabulous dress! I love you, and you have my approval.”

Overjoyed with affirmation and satisfaction, she ran toward me, pausing only for a moment to make sure her bow was still in place, and then dove into my arms. Daddy approved, and to her that was all that mattered.

And that's how my Resurrection Sunday began this year.

"Sureal. All of the hours. All of the practices. All of the games. And here we were ... on the cusp of achieving our goal from day one. The school had never been to national tournament, and yet here we were, the number one seed taking on the number two seed in the National Championship. The stage was set, and the two best teams were squaring off. It was one of the most incredible games I've ever witnessed. The game was decided with three seconds remaining in overtime. The horn went off, and the pandemonium began. We were the last team standing. We had just won the National Championship. We had just accomplished the most coveted prize in NAIA D2 college basketball. It was a feeling unlike any other feeling I had had before. It was the feeling of realizing we did everything we could and it was enough. Our seniors ended their careers with a "W." What a way for them to go out!

It has been twelve years. As I look back on that memorable season, I smile because we won it all, but I smile even bigger because the journey was so much fun. It was my freshman year, and as all college freshmen players will admit, college ball is a lot different than high school. The learning curve is steep. The intensity is amplified. The competition is significantly tougher. But I loved almost every minute of it - our loss to Calvin and the subsequent track meet practice we had following that dismal performance comes to mind as one of those not-so-happy times. The reason I enjoyed the journey so much was because of the players on that team. I chose Cornerstone University because of the guys on the team. I knew I could trust them, and I knew they trusted each other. And where there is trust and some good ball players, you have the chance of achieving something very special. Additionally, we had the coaches who knew how to push us and get the most out of us. We had the talent. We had the drive. And we also had the coaching guidance. We knew it was going to be a great ride. And what a ride it was, not only because we won, but because of who we got to experience the ride with!"

Dwight Pryor has probably been the best-kept secret in all of Christianity with respect to Christian scholars and teachers in the world. One of my mentors called Dwight the “Michael Jordan of Jewish Roots.” Yes, Dwight was that good. Over the last three decades, Dwight has been one of the major pioneers in the movement for recovering the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Most Christians have not heard of Dwight Pryor, but I would venture a guess that many of them have been served indirectly by his work.

For me, Dwight has been one of the most significant voices in my life over the past five years. Everything he’s written, I’ve read. Every book he’s recommended, I’ve read. And nearly every teaching he’s done over the last five years, I’ve either watched or listened to. Over and over and over again, Dwight’s insights and discoveries would make every bone in my body dance. He just had this incredible knack for making connections and illuminating the biblical story in the most helpful of ways. I can’t even begin to describe how instrumental Dwight has been in shaping my understanding of the biblical story.

For the last several years, I had wanted to attend one of his conferences, but couldn’t swing it. One year was the graduation ceremony from seminary. Another year I was in Israel. And on and on the conflicts abounded. However, I finally had the chance to attend a conference. It was this past August, and what we now realize was his last conference. I had the chance to not only meet a man I greatly admired, I had the opportunity to spend significant time talking with him about life, teaching, etc. A dream had come true for me. When everyone asked me whom I most wanted to meet in the world, my response was always this: I wanted to meet Dwight Pryor. Well, I got my wish and needless to say, I was not disappointed. He was the real deal. I don’t throw too many people on a pedestal, but he was one of them. And he stood well.

Dwight left behind a wife and son, and thousands of students who are going to miss him dearly. We ache because he’s gone, and we rejoice because he’s gone. As his wife, Keren, remarked this past week, “[Dwight is now] free of pain ... free to jump and run, to dance and sing at the top of his lungs.

Rest in shalom, Dwight. You ran an incredible race!

To learn more about Dwight Pryor or to purchase his teachings, DVDs, etc., please visit www.jcstudies.com.

How often do we say, “No” long before God says “No?” How often do we shut down opportunities because we cannot see beyond our current situations to envision a new reality that may be hovering right above our heads? How often do we fail to consult God or others on possibilities that could change everything, but our lack of imagination wins the day? How often do we miss out on seeing God show up in unexpected ways because we because we have closed the box before even seeing what was inside?

I heard about a gentleman just this week that for a long time has wanted to go on a biblical study trip. The hiccup, as it nearly is for everyone, was finances. He simply didn’t have the funds to make this dream come true. When asked by a friend, “Hey, are you finally going to go this year?” his response was, “No. I don’t have the finances.” To which his friend replied, “If God has not yet said 'No', then neither should you." He took his friend’s advice, gave God some space to work and guess what, he’s going on that trip he’s always wanted to go on.

Now, God may not always say, “Yes.” In fact, God may say, “No.” But at least give God the chance to say one way or the other. Whether it is a biblical study trip, applying for a new job, going back to school, trying out for team, adopting a child, or whatever, don’t make the mistake of saying, “No” before God says, “No.” You may be missing out!

Thirteen books and letters of the New Testament were written to Turkey - that’s nearly half of the New Testament. Among those letters not written to Turkey, a number of them were written from Turkey. In a nutshell, without Turkey, there is no New Testament as we know it!

Two letters that were written to Turkey that stand out are the gospel of John and the book of the Revelation. Have you ever wondered why the gospel of John is so radically different than Matthew, Mark, or Luke? It has everything to do with who John’s audience was. Of the gospel writers, only John was writing to the land of Turkey (it’s ancient name is Asia Minor). John is using stories from the life of Jesus to connect to a particular people in a particular land. As one begins to understand the world of Asia Minor, one better understands the gospel of John.

Unquestionably, the most debated, cryptic, and confusing book of the New Testament is Revelation. Revelation was written to the people of western Asia Minor. Although most people see Revelation as an apocalyptic, end times account that will only become certain in the future, most fail to recognize that it was originally a letter of encouragement written to a persecuted people who would have understood the contents of the letter at the time they received it, not at some undisclosed time two thousand plus years later. In order to better understand Revelation, one has to better understand the land of Asia Minor. Also, since the letter of Revelation was written to the people of western Asia Minor, the seven churches mentioned in chapters two and three are, of course, in present day Turkey.

The early church of Antioch (on the Orontes), where the people were first called Christians, is in modern day Turkey.

Paul grew up in Tarsus, a strategic, bustling, commercial city, world-renowned for its school of philosophy, along the southern coast of Asia Minor – present day Turkey.

All three of Paul’s main missionary journeys were through the land of Turkey.

Furthermore, because of Asia Minor’s strategic location between Rome and the rest of the world, it was of utmost importance to the Roman Empire (hence, why it became the Eastern Roman Empire in the Byzantine Period). The Empire pumped an unparallel amount of resources into making the land of Asia Minor serve its purposes well. So the ruins in Turkey are large, impressive, and they provide the best picture of the Greco-Roman world. As many have said, “If you want to see the Greco-Roman world, don’t go to Italy, don’t go to Greece, go to Turkey.”

So, why Turkey? Why not?

Why? Because I had never heard such a lengthy section from the Word of God spoken from memory like that. Sure, I had a verse here and a verse there, sometimes a paragraph. But chapters, now that was a new experience, and one that would change me forever. 

Never before had I understood the power of the spoken word. Never before had the very words of God catapulted off the pages and crashed themselves into my soul. All of a sudden the passage from Hebrews (4:12) made sense, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” 

The example was set, and I wanted to follow. I wanted to begin ingesting the very words of God. And so I did, hoping that at some point, I would be able to do for others what was done for me.

Well, I have been blessed with that opportunity a number of times. One of those times was yesterday. I had the privilege of teaching at Solomon’s Porch, a church in Jenison, MI that I have been affiliated with for almost a year now. We began a series on Colossians, and part of my teaching yesterday included the reciting of the letter. 

The responses after the service were unbelievable, and yet believable. Comment after comment included phrases and statements such as, “that was incredible,” “I have never heard Scripture like that,” “it was so powerful,” “that was absolutely amazing,” etc. What had happened to me a number of years ago had just happened to many of them. One lady approached me, and with tears streaming down her eyes said, “Other than hearing my kids tell me they love me, those were the most powerful and loving words I have ever heard. I have never experienced anything like that!”

I share all this not because I want you to know about the responses that were generated during my teaching. I DID NOT generate those responses. The Spirit of God did with the very words of God! Many people could have done what I did yesterday. I share all of this because I was once again reminded that the words of God are more compelling and more powerful than what we think or imagine. They are not just black letters on a white page. They are alive, active, and life-changingly powerful.

And they are just waiting to be unleashed!

He’s the younger one, although his height and stature would make most people think otherwise. He’s 6’4’’ and a good 230 lbs of solid strength. He’s a horse. Now, I am not necessary lacking in the strength department, but my college nickname on the basketball team was “squirrel.” Yet, I received the nickname more so because my last name is “Gray,” and my teammates liked calling me “gray squirrel.” However, in a game situation, “gray squirrel” was a bit lengthy to yell, so it was simply shortened to “squirrel.” Anyhow, you get the point. Since I am 5’9’’ and roughly 160 lbs, my brother and I are quite different in size.

My brother is amazing. I couldn’t imagine having a better brother. We grew up doing everything together. Every now and then, I would pick on him. However, there was an instance when I was twelve that would drastically deter me from picking on him again in the future. We got into a heated wrestling match in the living room and my head ended up under his elephant-sized hind end (his booty is much more proportionate to the rest of his body these days). I couldn’t move. I thought my head was going to explode like a water balloon someone is sitting on. In that moment, I had two choices. I could give up and kindly request the elephant to find another place to sit, or I could end up like a soaked, deflated balloon. Well, I chose the former, and that pretty much ended my days of picking on my newly bigger brother.

One of the greatest highlights of our growing up days is that we had the opportunity of playing two years of high school varsity basketball together, as well as one year of college basketball. How many brothers get to do that? It was an amazing blessing.

I love my brother. I am proud of my brother. We’re the best of friends. He was the best man in my wedding and I am getting to be the best man in his … because I got a call from my brother my last. It came later in the evening, and since I was a bit privy to his aspiration for the week I was expecting to hear some rather profound news. I wasn’t disappointed. Upon answering I heard three glorious words packed with giddiness and excitement, “I AM ENGAGED!”

Now because I love my brother so much, I want the best for him. I don’t want him to settle for just anyone. I don’t want him having a marriage where he just survives rather than thrives. I want him to have a solid, loving, compassionate, risk-taking woman who is as deeply committed to him as he is to her. Well, he’s getting that kind of a woman. He’s getting the best. She is an incredible individual, of whom my wife and I have loved from day one. We couldn’t be happier or more thrilled with the news we heard last night. A wedding is coming and I get to be the best man!

Doug and Val, we love you and we are celebrating with you. Congratulations!!!

I was tucking my nearly three-year-old boy into bed. He was a bit wound up, likely due to his stubborn refusal to nap during our three and half hour journey in the car, in the rain nonetheless. Who can’t sleep to the sound of rain? He gets that way at times. It makes for a long ride. However, the trade off is he falls asleep rather quickly, allowing us the mental rest of not having to worry about what he’s throwing into his little sister’s crib.

He’s bouncing all over the bed. As I am attempting to tuck him in and harness the energy of his legs under the blankets, his mood suddenly shifts. I am startled. Did he hit his head? Are we at that moment when his tears haven’t caught up to the pain and are about to emerge from the ducts of his bright blue eyes? But I didn’t hear anything. He couldn’t have hit his head. Did something startle him? What happened? In less than two seconds, I have processed five potential scenarios. Yet I was mistaken on each one.

What triggered the shift, I don’t know. What I do know is that my boy then tightly snuggled his little arms around my neck and in the most affectionate of voices said, “You’re a good dad.”

Stunned. Speechless. Grateful. Curious. But then not caring about the reasons, I simply embraced one of the most meaningful gifts a father could ever receive – affirmation. My boy loves me and he believes I am doing a good job.