December Update - 2018

Welcome to the final Romans 15:8 blog of 2018! As I have met with Church leaders and shared about the Romans 15:8 network during 2018, there has been some significant interest. It is especially good when this interest turns into action - especially people joining the network. I hope to make available early in 2019 the full list of those who have joined- please consider adding your name to this. You can join now on line, simply by filling in the form on this webpage.

I am convinced that it is very important that those of us who share core ministry values regarding Israel and Jewish mission make ourselves known to each other and wherever possible unite to encourage each other and find practical ways of expressing these core values. The Romans 15:8 network is a useful tool in this regard.

May I wish you a very joyful Advent and Christmas - and may I thank you for your part in the Romans 15:8 network.

Shalom, Alex

Teaching reflection of the month

For this month’s teaching input I invite you to listen the teaching I shared at Christ Church, Jerusalem. I had the privilege of preaching on Sunday 2nd Dec (Advent) and I spoke of the links between the Patriarchs, Prophets, John the Baptist and Mary (the mother of Jesus). This teaching in part was based on my CMJ book - Prepare the Way! This book is an ideal study resource for Advent. All the recent sermons preached at Christ Church are available on Soundcloud.

The staff at Christ Church Jerusalem also generate extra teaching on the Yeshiva teaching resources page. A number of leaders have said how useful they have found the teaching resources and study materials freely available here. I warmly recommend a Yeshiva visit!

Ministry news update

I was back in Israel for the CMJ International Conference (25th Nov - 2nd Dec) hosted at Beit Immanuel in Jaffa/Tel Aviv. It was good to be able to meet up with many CMJ colleagues from around the world. After this I travelled up to Jerusalem for meetings and preached at Christ Church on Advent Sunday. While in Jerusalem I was able to visit colleagues and had a ‘prayer day’ based in the garden tomb site and later at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

This month I am visiting Christ Church Cockfosters (9th Dec) and speaking at the Messianic Fellowship in Edgware (15th Dec). On 6th January I will be preaching at Stamford Hill United Church. Also this month the final News and Views of 2018 be distributed along with the next Olive Press research Paper. This paper by Dr. Teresa Newell explores the ministry and theological writings of Jacob Jocz. Jocz is arguably the key Jewish–Christian theologian and mission practitioner of the twentieth century. Don’t forget - you can read and download for free all the previous Olive Press research Papers from this website- simply click on the resources page.

Book News

This month, I would recommend a book published by Destiny Image entitled The Jewish Jesus- reconnecting with the truth about Jesus, Israel & the Church. The book is written by David Hoffbrand who is a Jewish Believer in Jesus and an associate pastor at CityCoast Church, Brighton.

Monthly Memory Verse

“For I declare that Messiah has become a servant to the circumcised for the sake of God’s truth, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs.”

(Romans 15:8 – Messianic Jewish Family Bible).

Posted on 10 December 2018.