TEACHING IN MESSIANIC JEWISH BIBLE SCHOOL IN KIEV

Dan:  It was my privilege in August to teach a series of classes again for Boris Grenshenko in Kiev, Ukraine.  This is probably the largest Messianic Jewish congregation in the world, some 1600 people.  The topic was the last days or eschatology; the classes were very well received.  I have discovered that Boris and I have an amazing accord.  He is a brilliant master builder in the Kingdom of God in a Messianic Jewish context.  I always am so very thrilled to participate with him.

What can the Messianic Jewish world learn from Boris?  First, Boris is a man of clear vision.  He knows where he is going, and takes practical steps to get there.  Secondly, Boris is a man of prayer who has mobilized his congregation into praying beyond any Messianic Jewish Congregation I know.  Thirdly, Boris, his ministries and related congregations are committed to Jewish life, and are also radically Holy Spirit oriented.  The gifts and power of the Holy Spirit are pronounced and real.  Healings, deliverance and supernatural witness are significant.  Fourthly, he is a man of good structure.  He has said that without good structure, you lose the increase the Spirit gives.  This includes the structure of home groups, evangelistic follow up, discipleship patterns, outreach campaigns that are wonderfully organized and more.

I am very pleased that the congregation in Kiev embraces my teaching on the last days, the restoration of the Church and Israel, the unity of the Church, and the growing Messianic Jewish movement.

CONTINUED PROGRESS TOWARDS APOSTOLIC NETWORK IN ISRAEL
 
Patty:  Thank you for all your ongoing prayers concerning our joint effort (Dan, Eitan and Asher) in building our related congregations into a more unified apostolic expression in Israel.  Many have said that to build anything in Israel is like plowing concrete.  In the natural, it often takes three years just to get a house built.  Often there are battles to get the housing plans approved, more battles to get an agreed upon price, and then further battles to find steady workers that do not go on strike.  Also, there are those contractors who run off with the money and you find yourself scrambling to find a new company to work with.  On top of all this are all the Jewish and Arab holidays.  It is a miracle that anything ever gets done here.
 
On the spiritual side, building people together comes with similar challenges.  Support – meaning funding – for most of the congregational leaders and ministers in Israel, comes from abroad.  Therefore, most of them have to travel out for extended periods of time to raise that support.  Then there are trips out to do international ministry, as many churches want to connect with the works in Israel.  As a consequence, it becomes a challenge to have gatherings of leaders in order to build relational unity and cooperation; often there are significant players out of the country during any planned assembly.  So, what would take a year in the States may take three to five years in Israel.  But on the bright side, unless the Lord builds his house we labor in vain.  If God was not in this apostolic restoration we would have given up a long time ago.  Dan and I have been living in Israel since 2004 (at first for six months each year and now eight months) and are now beginning to see the walls of the house go up.  As you know, building a firm foundation takes a long time and often it looks like nothing is happening.  But, now we are walking in greater unity, mutual love and respect than we ever have before!