THE BUILDING PROJECT

Funds now on hand enable the church to continue until early or mid February and preparations are now being made to discontinue until further funds are available

First Court Decision

Yad Le’Achim (YL), a semi-official anti-Christian organisation, is partially funded by the Government and receives extensive governmental support. YL has filed charges against Grace and Truth Christian Congregation (G&T) and against the local Be’er Tuvya municipal authority. The charges are that G&T had been granted an illegal building permit, obtained by deceit, and is constructing a missionary centre in the industrial area of Kanot, which is under the Be’er Tuvya municipal jurisdiction. The municipality has affirmed that no deceit was involved in obtaining the permit. Both defendants insisted that the permit was legal and that the charges were utterly unfounded. They therefore requested the court to dismiss the charges out of hand.

On January 17, Judge Giladi, Deputy President of the Regional Court in Be’er Sheba, rendered his decision. He declined to dismiss the charges. Now the three parties will need to present their respective arguments for and against the charges. The judge did not set a date for the next proceeding. Meanwhile, Grace and Truth continues its building project. Funds now on hand enable the church to continue until early or mid February and preparations are now being made to discontinue until further funds are available. Meanwhile, the site will need to be protected from Orthodox-inspired vandalism. The shell is now completed and the system piping is being installed. Some $1,930,000 is still needed to complete the project.

THE CHURCH

Ready for Death

Andrei and Gosya Shkolnam (pseudonyms) are in their 70’s. The celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary six months before they were baptised and are now faithful members of the deaf community at Grace and Truth. Andrei (who will be 77 this summer) is dying of leukemia, losing his sight and is extremely weak so much so that he finds is difficult to walk from his bed to the living room. But his spirits are high. Alex and Baruch paid them a pastoral visit, accompanied by Natali, our worker among the deaf.

Following prayer, we asked about Andrei’s health and, hearing of his declining state, responded: - God is apparently preparing you both for his next sovereign act in your life. Andrei, you are clearly dying. Will you allow us to talk with you about this from scripture, and to discuss some practical arrangements you need to make?

Cheerily, they both nodded. We turned to Paul’s words in II Cor. 4 and reminded ourselves of the certitude of eternal life for those who are in Christ. We spoke of the sacrifice of Christ, of faith and repentance, and of trust in God. We considered the glorious transformation of death on behalf of the redeemed by the death and resurrection of Christ. We then spoke about eternity. Gosya turned to Andrei: Andrei, we will have new bodies! We will be able to see and hear everything. God will be revealed to us in new, fuller ways. We will be pure and Jesus will be near. You behave yourself, there, you hear - Remember, I’m coming shortly after you and don’t want to be embarrassed

Both of their faces lit up with joy and expectation. Their hopes were fixed on God. Although new Christians, they had a clear understanding of the Gospel and rested in the hope of the glory of God. They had already made all the necessary arrangements which is uncommon among Israeli Jews, where death is feared and all talk of it carefully avoided. What a difference Christ makes in the lives of his beloved!

Andrei is now in the hospital, awaiting the inevitable with a quiet fortitude. Gosya is home, coping with the loneliness and seeking to sustain Andrei in his dying days. Many remember them, and those who seek to succor them in this time of trial.

The Road to Unnecessary Difficulties is Often Paved with the Best Intentions

Sagi is a relative newcomer to our church and to the Young Adults Group, enthusiastic, open, serious- minded and very faithful. He has little prior church experience, and no experience in taking initiatives, shaping directions or offering suggestions. Where he came from, such things were simply not done unless you were invited by the brothers to share in the burden of responsibilities.

Over the last 3-4 months, he participated in the activities organised by the young adults. He was thrilled with the spirit of openness and with the opportunity accorded all and any to suggest improvements, offer criticism and share initiatives. One day he approached Baruch:

- Baruch, may I talk with you about the Young Adults activities?

- Of course.

- Well, I think we should bring in some improvements.

- Uhuh.

- You know, we young adults are a church within the church. We should function as such. I think our Sabbath meetings should take on more of the nature of a regular church service. We should also study more from the Bible and take a more active role in the life of the church.

The Young Adult Group is lead by Baruch, assisted by two of the older young adults, Fred and Kova (pseudonyms) whom Baruch is training to assume fuller leadership. The Group meets every Thursday for study and prayer, and on alternate Sabbaths, following the church service, for fellowship.
God has been working among the young people. There is an earnest and growing desire to pray and study the scriptures. Sometimes the prayer meetings last well over an hour, with earnest prayers being offered by most of those present. A sense of godly fear and warm love for Christ are very evident. Obviously, Baruch was concerned that none of this be lost.

- Sagi, have you talked about this with Fred and Kova about this?

- Well, yes, I did, but they wouldn’t listen.

- Would they not listen or did they disagree?

- They disagreed.

- Did they tell you why?

- Not really.

- Well, Sagi. Let’s see what is the best way to deal with this. First, you need to understand that the Young Adults are not a church within a church, as you put it. There is no such thing. The Young Adults are part of the church, which is made up of people of all ages, aptitudes, races and backgrounds. Second, you really need to talk with Fred and Kova, hear what they have to say and consider their concerns. Only then would it be right to talk with me.

- And if they disagree?

- That is their privilege. But they better have good reasons for their disagreement, and they will undoubtedly explain these to you. They might also choose to bring some of your proposals up for discussion at the Young Adults meeting. Certainly they will share your concern to increase the amount of Bible study and will want to talk with the group to find the best way to do this.

- OK. Thanks. If they bring it up for discussion, can I say that I have talked with you, and that you agree?

- No, Sagi. As I stated, I don’t quite agree with all you said. What is more, you need to be able to present a case for your views, not to hide behind my back.

With that, the conversation ended. A few days went by. Then, the troubled mother of Slava, one of the male members of the Young Adults Group, called Baruch to inform him that there was 'a disturbance' among the young adults, with 'some ill feeling'. Baruch called Kova and asked what was going on, who described what had happened. Sagi tried to talk with Fred and Kova. Fred was not available and Kova was preoccupied, so he did not give Sagi a fair hearing and, when Sagi insisted on his views, lost his temper. Frustrated, Sagi called a number of the members of the group to complain and to propose that they use the next Young Adults meeting to discuss his proposals. Baruch was not scheduled to be present at that meeting. Among those called were Sorka, Slava and Tamar.

- Right, Kova. This is what we will do. I intend to be present at the meeting tonight, but will have to arrive late due to another engagement. Open the meeting with a time of prayer, and I will come and take over. Please do not enter into any discussion on the activities past, present or future of the Young Adults Group until I arrive.

Baruch then spoke over the telephone with Sorka, who immediately called Sagi and explained to him that he had caused a storm among some of the young adults. She suggested that he call Baruch. A few minutes later, Sagi was on the telephone, talking with Baruch.

- Baruch, I don’t understand what has happened and am concerned.

- To be honest, Sagi, so am I. You have the best of intentions, but even the best intentions can wreck havoc. Our goodwill must always be directed by the word of God and by a sense of mutual respect. You’re talking with others about your preferences, then calling for a meeting, and your complaints about Kova have created unnecessary tensions. Imagine what it would be like if, at work, you did not agree with your manager, so you talked with the other staff members about him, presented to them your proposals, and then called for a workers’ meeting. What would your employer think about that?

- But, it’s not the same thing! Eh, er. Oh, I get it now! It is the same thing. I have done something terrible! Really, Baruch, it was not my intention. I’m terribly sorry. What should I do? I would not want God’s blessing to be taken from us because of my stupidity.

Baruch assured him that God delights to bless the unworthy and encouraged him to respond to the grace of God with humility and kindness. A short while afterwards, Sagi called Kova, apologised profusely, assured him that he had no conscious desire to undermine the leadership of the group and offered to do all that is necessary to make good his mistakes. Kova was gracious, apologised for probably driving Sagi to take the course of action he had taken by not giving Sagi a fair hearing. Together, they agreed that the evening meeting would only be given to prayer and to study. Following the time together, Fred, Sagi and Kova would sit, listen to each other and arrive at some proposals that could be presented to Baruch and to the Eldership.

That evening’s meeting was a smashing hit. All shared a sense of mutual forbearing and commitment to the service of God, and prayer was particularly earnest. Many were touched by the manifest goodwill between Kova and Sagi, as well as by their sense of wonder at God’s loving grace.
Following the meeting, the three young men met, talked and came to agreed proposals:

* In co-ordination with the church evangelist, Sagi would lead the young adults’ evangelistic program .
* Still more time would be given to Bible study.
* None of the meetings of the Young Adults would take on the nature of a church service.

Fred and Kova learned again how important it is to listen, prayerfully consider each proposal, and never adopt a defensive attitude. After all, some people just might have brighter ideas than you could ever come up with! Leaders must be eager students, ever attentive to the people they lead.

Sagi learned that even the smallest organ of the human body can cause an awfully great conflagration, and that it is best to treat one’s leaders with a measure of respect and goodwill, as the word of God teaches us. He was further reminded how important humility can be in human relations.

On the following Sabbath, Sagi accosted Baruch just before the worship
service: 'Baruch, I’m such a fool, and God has been so good to me.' Baruch could not help thinking, 'Now, isn’t that true of us all?!'

MISCELLANIOUS NEWS ITEMS

New Website

Visit us at our newly designed website at http://www.graceandtruthbulletin.org Pictures of the building site are available for downloading. We will soon be carrying sermons (text) in English, Hebrew and Russian, and are looking into the possibility of audio for those who are interested in this medium. As ever, comments, suggestions and criticisms are all very welcome. Please tell others about our site and be sure to visit us from time to time.

Book on Messianic Judaism

This is now in the hands of the publisher and is expected to be published by June 2002. Churches and organisations: it is not too late to submit pre-publication orders at the reduced price of 5.50 GBP (US$9.00) for orders of up to 15 copies and 4.50 GBP (US$7.50) for orders of 15 and more (including post and packing). A sample chapter is available on the site.

The Future of the Work

Following the latest MaozNews, the leadership of CWI has entered into discussion with Baruch, his fellow workers in Israel and the Israeli Council of Management. Radical changes are being considered so as to enable the work to continue with minimal upheaval, while making the church a focal point of the ministry. This will resolve many of the difficulties. Your prayers are earnestly sought. We hope to be able to report to you on this matter in our next issue of Maoznews.

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