Final Two Days of Convention in Jerusalem

Wednesday Morning

Last night the session was really enjoyable. It included a dramatic musical history of the people of Israel (The Covenant). Being here has given me a much greater understanding of the people of Israel -- an appreciation for the people, their history, their culture, their faith and their perseverance. Visiting the Holocaust Museum yesterday deepened these sentiments. Furthermore, the rich Biblical history is exciting and rich and creates strong feelings that are difficult to describe. There is the threat of a transportation strike which could effect our travel home, but this may not be an issue at all (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3429205,00.html).

We are now looking forward to going home, but first we will spend time in Jerusalem along the Via Delorosa and visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Here is an interesting "cultural photo" of a few Israeli soldiers:

Tuesday

Last night Jack Hayford spoke at the main session of convention. The message could best be described as an “anointing” service. It concluded with the distribution of small vials of oil and small group prayer. Overall it was a good time of ministry and probably the most balanced message of the convention. I appreciated the prayer time more than anything. Besides last night’s session, the highlights of the day included the worship services and a short tour of the Mount of Olives. It was amazing to see trees that date back to the time of Christ and to see the route Jesus likely traveled on Palm Sunday.

This morning I went for a run within the walls of Old Jerusalem. It was facinating being able to explore the small streets and alleys before the crowds came out. My routed passed by the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (the site where according to tradition, Jesus died, was buried and rose). We also found the “best” coffee in Jerusalem. Heidi, Steve Mickel, and Ted Vail and I enjoyed coffee there before making our way to convention. There are no Starbucks here. Instead there is a company called “Aroma Coffee”. They have an excellent selection of specialty coffees.

This morning there are two sessions followed by an afternoon of touring. Tonight we will be seeing a musical/drama called “The Covenant”. During our afternoon tour we will be going to the holocaust museum. I believe that this will even better help me understand the people of Israel.