Bob's Blog

CE National has recently made available Joel Rosenberg's books on the End Times, which are now on loan from their Lending Library. If you are interested in current and future events that are happening in the Middle East, then Rosenberg's End Times Series is a must for you to read. He also has a non-fiction work that came out a few years ago called Epicenter. This book gives his insights on current political events that connect with biblical prophecy. I wasn't very aware of his books until my recent trip to Israel. He was the keynote speaker at a conference in Jerusalem and many people on our tour were already familiar with his writings. Once I came home, I purchased his first book, The Last Jihad, and I couldn't put it down. I'm now into his second book (The Last Days) and can't wait to read the next three. I hope you take advantage of CE's Lending Library. They have a great volume of Christian literature for the whole family.

Once you've been to Israel, you'll never read your Bible the same. A friend who had traveled to Israel a few times told me that before I took my first trip over to the country. I wasn't sure what he meant, but once I arrived, I understood immediately. That was over ten years ago and I just returned from my second trip from the land of David, the Prophets and Jesus. Israel is a beautiful country with its Mediterranean lifestyle and diverse people. Farms that produce some of the best tasting fruits (bananas, pears, oranges) and vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes) cover the land. And there is no better place to eat bread and cheese than Israel.

What separates Israel from other places is, of coarse, Israel itself. For such a small Middle Eastern country, Israel is the center of the world in politics and religion. That's a lot to say for a country that is no bigger than New Jersey. It is the land and people that God has chosen that make Israel so special. As you travel through the country, you can't help but have a better understanding of Scripture. To see the places that Abraham and David lived and walked gives you a fresh perspective when reading the Old Testament. As you ride a boat on the Sea of Galilee, you imagine yourself almost two thousand years back, sailing with Jesus and His disciples.

I just returned from my trip into Israel. This was my second visit in the Holy Land and one that was special for me because I went with my mom. She always wanted to go and when we heard that Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque was going (she's a big fan of pastor Skip Heitzig), we signed up to head on over with the church.

I'll have more to share and hopefully some great pictures of my experience in Israel, and I'll share some thoughts on a conversation I had with Nick Crespo, Albuquerque's college pastor and worship leader. If you've never experienced or had the opportunity to visit this amazing land, you need to go. There is no place in the world more important politically or spiritually for those of us who call ourselves Christians. You won't regret going. Shalom.

Years back, I was involved in a small group at the church were I was a youth pastor. I liked it because there was no one under the age of eighteen, and I didn't feel that I had to lead or even participate in the discussion. It was sort of a "hangout with the adults while others lead" time for me. When you put in 70+ hours a week with high-octane hormonal teens, you need a breather occasionally. So, small groups was a time to be with friends, eat munchies, and listen while others talked...and talked...and talked.

Lately, I've been researching twenty-somethings' ideas of what they like in small groups. Even the name "small group" seems out of date and boring. I've heard names like Life Transformation Groups, Clusters, Growth Groups, and whatever you can think of, just as long as you don't call them "small groups." And other than implying that it's small and there is more than two of you, what exactly do we mean by term "small groups"?

Jesus hung out with a small group, a handful of men (and some women) that traveled together, sharing life and connecting with the world around them. I try to imagine what that might have looked liked. Jesus was a leader, and the group didn't seem to have a problem with that. That seems very different from postmodern Christians, where young people like to lead by consensus. Everyone has input because everyone's voice is seen as having equal value. Can you see Jesus leading a twenty-something group today? "Uh...Jesus, you seem to be monopolizing the conversation tonight. Remember, we all have our points of view and no one answer is more important than another." Maybe it wouldn't be that bad.

So, I'm gathering information and working through this "small group" thing. There's a lot of material out there on small groups and I've accumulated plenty of insights from my friends and other twenty-somethings. Now, it's just putting it together and sharing my observations on how college-age and post college-age like to "do" small groups. I keep thinking about Jesus and His small group. Do you think there was someone in the group that didn't say much, enjoyed the munchies, and was just happy to be there?


I'll be out of the office for the next two weeks on a trip to Israel. I look forward in sharing with you my trip of the land and people of Israel.