Continuing the Conversation
The Book and the Bench is a blog from CWI (N America) that sets forth principles from the Book and conversations from the Park-Bench in the world of Jewish mission.
Blog #2 Continuing the Conversation
One of the questions I regularly have to consider in my ministry with Christian Witness to Israel (N America) is ‘How can I keep the conversation going?’
On a recent ministry trip to South Florida, God enabled me to speak to many different Jewish people, from the streets of Delray Beach, or within my father’s retirement complex. I was also privileged to speak to South Florida churches about the fact that they providentially have over a half-million Jewish unsaved people right in their neighborhood. Both among my Jewish friends, and in the churches, our ministry is in it for the long haul. We need to continue the conversation.
Swimming against the current
I recently had a conversation with Ingrid, who is a 90+ Jewish woman from Europe who was a teenage Olympic swimmer in the 1930’s. Some of her family died in the camps during the Holocaust. Surprisingly she did not shun me when I told her that I was a Jewish believer in Yeshua who lives to tell other Jewish people that Jesus is the Messiah of the Jews as well as the rest of the world. I have seen her at the pool at my dad’s retirement complex over several years now, and she knows me as a kind soul (her words). Pray for Ingrid and our continued conversations about Jesus, that she may come to know her Messiah!
Another family that I met at the pool were the Jacobs from Belgium. The father, his young adult son, and daughter were all here visiting their grandmother while mom held the fort back home in Belgium. I starting talking to his son at the pool not knowing who his dad was and kidded with him to be careful because Heisenberg (Walter White, the protagonist and main character from ‘Breaking Bad’) was sitting beside him. He not only told me that was his dad but that Breaking Bad was his favorite show. We then spoke about how much he and his dad loved American football opposed to soccer. So in this ‘conversation’ I truly had an ‘in’. We covered many subjects, not least of course Jesus! I stated that I firmly believed that He was their Messiah. Pray for the Jacobs’ family to seek their Messiah, as they are now back safely in Belgium. May the conversation continue!
Weaving our web of time
I was taking my nightly walk on the path on the property when a Russian woman, Helen, came to me to tell me about a gigantic spiderweb right in the middle of the path. I asked her to take me to it. It amazing to look at but it led into a conversation of the fine tuning of the universe and the intelligent design that it took to create these marvelous creatures. Before I knew it Helen said that she grew up an atheist in a very secular Jewish family but had been thinking about the existence of God lately especially visiting her elderly Jewish mother who was not doing well health wise. I asked Helen if we could pray for her mom before we parted ways. She surprised me by quickly responding definitely yes, please do! After praying I told Helen that I was a Jewish believer in Jesus which intrigued her to want to know more. We walked and talked for another twenty minutes as I shared my testimony and my faith in Jesus. It was a wonderful conversation that had to end but we both promised to continue talking at another time. Pray that we will continue that conversation soon and that Helen and her mom meet their Messiah!
Another day I was sharing the Gospel with a couple of young black gentlemen. I also noticed another young gentleman in the corner of my eye listening to our conversation. After the two men left he said he wanted to talk and ask some questions. Joel asked me how does a Jewish person come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah? Wow, what a question and opening for a great conversation. I immediately asked Joel if he was Jewish. He said that his mother is Jewish and his father grew up Catholic but considers himself an atheist now. I told Joel about my Jewish parents: my Jewish mom who had a Catholic dad; my Jewish dad who grew up Orthodox but now calls himself an atheist.
Joel was fascinated to hear my testimony and told me that he had been going to a twelve step program at a church for a few months. He said that a couple of the guys shared the Gospel with him but no one had ever explained the Jewish roots of Christianity to him. We spoke for another thirty minutes about the Jewish Messiah, and I gave him a messianic New Testament. At the end of the conversation we exchanged contact information and promised to continue the conversation.
Conclusion
Our ministry is one of sowing seeds, and watering with the Word. Conversations MUST continue. Ultimately it is God who shall give the increase.
‘…always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.’ (1 Peter 3:15).
~MITCH TEPPER
