East vs. West: The Moral of the Story Is...

The following is part of a series to examine differences between the East and the West. Particularly based in my experience with and travels to the Eastern world. I apologize in advance for any Western notions that affect or creep in on my analysis. Stories... we are all captivated by them. I recall sitting on my dad's lap as a young child asking him not to read me a story book but rather to tell me a story. There is something special about a story that is told, from memory, imbued by one's own experience. I waited eagerly for my…

September 23, 2007  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

East vs. West: The Unknown Word

The following is part of a series to examine differences between the East and the West. Particularly based in my experience with and travels to the Eastern world. I apologize in advance for any Western notions that affect or creep in on my analysis. In any classroom in the West you can expect to see students seated in rows of desk or perhaps if the teacher is daring and unconventional they will be in clusters of desk. The occasional horseshoe style classroom can also be found. But, in general, the students are all seated and quietly listening to the teacher…

September 22, 2007  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

An Unlikely Disciple

Dusty Followers of Jesus, This week we took a look at Paul and Timothy. Paul was like a father to Timothy and it is that father-son language that points us in the direction of rabbi-talmid relationships. Who, in your life, has been a spiritual father/mother, a rabbi, to you? Are you a spiritual father/mother to those around you? As you consider Paul's choice of a disciple, reflect on these questions: 1. Why did Paul go into the countryside of Galatia to proclaim Jesus? 2. Why did the people of Lystra react as they did to Paul and Barnabas? (See Acts…

July 30, 2006  |  Permalink   |  Comments (1)   |  TrackBack (0)

Learning to Walk Like Jesus (Paul’s Journey to Rome)

Fellow Disciples, I was greatly encouraged and challenged by your renewed committments that you made to God with repentant hearts. I echo your cry to God for forgiveness and committed myself to walk in the footsteps of Jesus with all my heart, all my soul and all my might! We looked at how Paul repented and turned to God. He learned a new way to interpret the Hebrew Bible and then he went to the ends of the earth. As you consider Paul's renewed committment and the steps that he took, reflect on these questions: 1. How would you describe…

July 23, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

Run, The Passion of Elijah

Be strong! You are completed with one half of the course. It has been a wild ride so far. We have learned more about who Jesus was and what His disciples experienced as they spent time with this rabbi. This week we looked at the stadium games that the Greek and Roman culture knew. The familiarity with the games was used by the apostles to communicate the zeal that God has as well as the zeal that He wnts us to have. As you consider the passion that great men of faith had, reflect on these questions: 1. What was…

July 16, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

The Very Words of God

Grace and Peace from Our Lord Jesus the Messiah. This week in the In the Dust of the Rabbi series you saw how the Apollo Temple had an oracle that claimed to speak on God's behalf and give the people the Very Words of God. We also have been given an oracle but we know this oracle to be the acutual words of God and not the ramblings of a hallucinating woman. As you consider how fortunate we are that we have been given God's very words, reflect upon these questions week: 1. What was your impression of the Temple…

July 09, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

Living Stones

Shalom from Israel! I have been thinking of you often as I walk in the footsteps of Jesus and the disciples. I have had many hours of reflection as I hike in the hot sun and I am convicted by the Spirit because of my lack of zeal for God. This week in the In the Dust of the Rabbi series you saw how Jesus, our master stone craftsman, is chisselling away at you as well as so many other living stones. You are being built into a house from the presence of God. Look back on your life…

July 02, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

The Presence of God: A Counter Cultural Community

Grace and Peace from Israel! I miss you all and long for the time when we can be together again. God has been faithful and I look forward to sharing what God has been teaching me. You can view pictures from my trip if you are interested in seeing more. This week in the In the Dust of the Rabbi series you looked at one of the building blocks of discipleship, community. As you journeyed with the disciples in Asia Minor where they lived as a community, much like they did in Galilee, you were able to see some…

June 25, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

Go, Make Disciples Teaching Them to Obey

As we complete the second week of In the Dust of the Rabbi we saw how Jesus sent His disciples out to do as He did, to make disciples. They had spent three years following in His footsteps learning how to walk as He walked and now He sends them out to "the ends of the earth" or what they knew as Asia Minor at the time. As you wrestle with the Text and God speaks to you about where He is sending you to make disciples, consider these questions: 1. How committed are you to carry the yoke Jesus…

June 18, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

Come, Follow Me

In the first week of In the Dust of the Rabbi we explored what it meant for Jesus to enter first century Palestine and make disciples. We saw what it took to be a disciple, the building blocks of community, the Text, and the passion within your soul to be like the Rabbi. We also saw how Jesus departed from the tradition of the day and He chose His disciples. I pray that your heart would be stirred to action as you consider these questions this week: 1. Are you part of a community that is focused on the Text…

June 11, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)

In the Dust of the Rabbi

There is a saying recorded in the Mishnah, a collection of sayings from ancient sages, that says, “May you be covered in your Rabbi’s dust and may you thirstily drink his words.” This paints a beautiful word picture of how closely a disciple wanted to follow his rabbi—so closely that he would be covered in the dust of his rabbi. In September of 2005, I experienced what it meant to be covered in the dust of the rabbi as I traveled with Ray Vander Laan, founder of That the World May Know Ministries, and a group of 49 other…

May 25, 2006  |  Permalink   |  TrackBack (0)