Our April Update

 

 

 

 

Old and New

Building and Re-building in KC

Our trip from Israel to Kansas City was memorable and successful -- flying through Moscow with an infant and 8 carry-ons for a total of 36 hours can only happen with the grace of G-d!

Now that we've gotten situated and adjusted to the reverse culture shock (sort of) we're turning our attention to the reason the L-rd called us back to Kansas City -- to establish a Messianic Discipleship Bible School. There is much to do: working with a designer to create a logo that captures the essence of the school; creating a website with original and informative content; maintaining our current financial support; raising the additional funds necessary to launch the school; and developing curriculum and projects for the discipleship school. The L-rd continues to confirm and encourage us as we are now on track for accreditation with a dynamic university that offers a complete Messianic Jewish Studies degree (more details soon)!

One of the key elements of the school is imparting a Holy Spirit-empowered Hebraic worldview. In order to do this we are praying specifically for our leadership team -- teachers, musicians, intercessors, and shepherds. We're praying for people who have the spiritual and physical gifts necessary to impart the foundations of the faith while also helping each student realize their specific gifts. Please pray that the right people, location, finances and curriculum will come together to launch this fall!

If you missed our last newsletter, with an overview of our ministry in America, click right here!

Yeshua's Passover

Join us for a Seder on the First Night of Passover

Throughout winter in Israel there are always flowers and plants growing, because it doesn't get as cold as it does in the midwest. Back here, though, the first little green buds push their heads through the ground to show us that spring is on its way -- and we all rejoice! The new life we see in the springtime reminds us that Yeshua is the Resurrection and the Life.

One thing we learned from our time in Jerusalem is that not only are the seasons different, but each family does their Seder differently. Last year, in keeping with Persian tradition, we hit each other with green onions! This year we're excited to celebrate the faithfulness of G-d and the ultimate sacrifice of His Son Yeshua with our family and friends in Kansas City. We're inviting you to join us for a Seder on the first night of Passover, Monday, April 14th at 6 PM. Because the evening involves a special meal we are suggesting a minimum donation of $15. Space is limited so please RSVP by Friday, April 11th, at the latest. Please Email Leah at leah@remember-jerusalem.org for more details and to reserve your place at the table. We look forward to seeing your faces as we taste and see that the L-rd is good! 

Financial Need

Before we moved to Israel we sold our van and our home, sure of His call on our lives. While we were in Jerusalem He blessed us with a wonderful apartment and a great location near the train. Public transportation is very convenient within the city. KC is very different from Jerusalem because public transportation is not very accessible. We quickly realized we needed a car in order to do basic daily tasks and ministry. After much searching we found a reliable used van to accommodate our growing (hopefully) family! Please consider donating money specifically toward our vehicle as we still need about $5,000 to pay for the van. We know that He will continue to take care of our financial needs as we move forward with establishing the Messianic Discipleship Bible School. 

Break Bread With Us

Throughout the last two years the L-rd used you, our faithful supporters, to allow us to be in Jerusalem -- studying, connecting and spreading the love of Yeshua. We need your continued support as well as many more partners who believe in the importance of discipleship and Israel. Our plan is to meet with all of you to catch up on life -- a lot has happened for all of us -- and to impart more of the vision of our school. There's nothing like sitting down to a meal, or a cup of coffee, and sharing life together and we're looking forward to it. So let's set up a time  -- we have Tuesday and Thursday evenings specifically set apart for breaking bread (or not if you're gluten free)-- and other times if these nights won't work. Please send us an email or give us a call soon!

Tom -- tom@remember-jerusalem.org 913-645-8814
Leah -- leah@remember-jerusalem.org 913-645-8108

We want to say a huge THANK YOU! Our time in Israel was blessed because of your support and encouragement. And our next step is very exciting! If you haven't yet partnered with us we would also love to sit down and share more of the vision for our school so you can share in what G-d is doing. Join with us in rooting lives in the Truth of the Living G-d and His Son, Yeshua!

Upon returning to America...

Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision the people perish" (KJV). G-d has put a vision and an excitement in our hearts about the future ministry He has for us --starting a Messianic Discipleship Bible School with a three-fold focus:

1. Discipleship
2. Accredited Bible Teaching
3. Outreach to Israel, Including a Biblical Tour of the Land
 

After we returned to Israel last fall we felt that our season in Israel was coming to an end. We revisited a vision the L-rd had given Tom the previous spring about developing a dynamic school. With prayer, prophecy, and counsel throughout these last several months we've realized that the L-rd is opening the doors for us to make the Messianic Discipleship Bible School come to life upon our return to Kansas.

Starting a school is a natural progression in our life journey and calling. The experience and knowledge we've gained from our season in Jerusalem; our involvement in the Messianic movement; the dramatic story of our sons and subsequent testimony; and our gifts of teaching and discipling -- G-d has used all of these to prepare us "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14). We realize we will be most effective back in our hometown utilizing the incredible support system that helped to sustain us and bring us through so many good and difficult times. Here is a brief overview of our vision:

As Billy Graham said, "Salvation is free but discipleship costs everything." At this time in history there is a great need for serious discipleship to prepare the body of Messiah for the great tribulations that are to come while emphasizing the importance of standing with Israel. The vision for the school is to have a holistic program that imparts into the students the foundations of the faith taught from a Biblically Hebraic worldview. We will focus on helping the students gain the tools necessary to walk out their faith in the real world, while unlocking and cultivating their spiritual gifts for the glory of the Kingdom.

The vision for the school also involves offering some of the Bible classes for academic credit (these classes will also be available to people outside of the discipleship program). This will allow the students the advantage of participating in the discipleship school but also receiving academic credit that can be applied toward an accredited degree. Rarely do Biblical academia and discipleship come together and yet this combination has the potential to dramatically impact the Kingdom of G-d.

We envision a multifaceted trip to Israel whereby the student will connect with and serve the local Messianic Jewish body AND also participate in a guided Biblical tour of the Holy Land. The L-rd has given us relationships with local Messianic believers which will allow us to plan opportunities to appropriately serve the Messianic Jews in Israel. Connecting the students with the Land itself brings the stories of the Bible to life and will forever enhance their relationship with the L-rd.

There will be different ways to become involved with the school -- as a full-time student, an evening class attendee, a prayer warrior, a financial partner, and as a host family to the incoming students. We hope you are as enthusiastic as we are about the vision the L-rd has for us. Just as moving to Jerusalem was only possible through prayers and financial support, we know that launching this school will require your continued prayers and financial support. We are pleased that many of our financial and prayer partners will reap the fruit of their labors through our teaching ministry and the planting of this school.