THE MESSIANIC JEWISH BIBLE INSTITUTE
Spr ing 2017
Meet the Lesmeisters Q&A by Dr. Wayne Wilks
4 | A Holy Assignment from God 5 | The New Look of the MJBI 9 | Life From the Land
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FE ATURED ARTICLE
FOR ZION’S SAKE Nic Lesmeister
some of the incredible depths of her wisdom and insight in a very special piece that I know will bless you.
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hirty-nine years before the State of Israel was born, 66 Jewish families joined together to establish a town on a desolate sand dune on the Mediterranean coast. Wondering what to name this new establishment, the residents looked to the name of a very popular book—Zionist Theodor Herzl’s famous last work, Altneuland (The Old New Land). In Hebrew: Tel Aviv ()תל אביב. The literal meaning of Tel Aviv is “Spring Mound.” It illustrates the picture of an ancient hill of dirt bursting forth with the new life of spring. And bearing true to its name, the modern city of Tel Aviv is just that—a city bursting with new life! Our spring issue of ZEALOUS follows in this example of “The Old New Land.” We are building new on the 20-year-old foundation created by Dr. Wayne and Bonnie Wilks. We start by unveiling the new logo and branding for MJBI. Hot off the press, we have been working on this new design for a few months, and I am very excited to show it to you! You will then have a chance to get to know my family a little more in this issue. Wayne interviews us in the featured article, and my wife also shares
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As a new addition to ZEALOUS, we are beginning a column called “Life from the Land.” This will be a recurring feature where some of my close friends leading ministries in Israel will share what God is doing through their efforts. This month, you’ll hear from native Israeli Moran Rosenblit, who leads a dynamic ministry called Hope for Israel in Jerusalem. Preston Benjamin, a student at The King’s University, writes on the power of the School of Messianic Theology (SMT) from the perspective of a Millennial called to Messianic ministry. Lastly, we share a recap of our fantastic “Steps in the Holy Land” tour from this past December with some testimonies from those who came with us. Spring is truly here—both outdoors and in the ministry of the Messianic Jewish Bible Institute. We thank you for being part of this new life with us!
ZEALOUS Magazine
Nic Lesmeister Editor-in-Chief
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Tara Kieschnick Managing Editor
EDITORIAL Bonnie Saul Wilks Staff Writer
Carol Adams Editor
ART & DESIGN George Estrada Graphic Designer
SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook.com/mjbi.usa Twitter.com/mjbi Youtube.com/mjbiusa Instagram @mjbiusa
For Zion’s sake,
NIC LESMEISTER, PRESIDENT & CEO
ZealousMag.org MJBI.org
CO N TE N TS
Contact Information P.O. Box 610105 Dallas, TX 75261 (817) 864-9300 USAoffice@mjbi.org • mjbi.org
School of Messianic Theology SMT@mjbi.org • SMTenglish.org
The King’s University
Accredited Messianic Jewish Studies Program tali.snow@tku.edu • TKU.edu
International Schools ARGENTINA Argentina@mjbi.org MinisterioBetEl.org
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For Zion’s Sake
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A Holy Assignment From God
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The New Look of MJBI
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Online Schools
Spring 2017
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By Nic Lesmeister
By Tabatha Lesmeister
Meet the Lesmeisters By Dr. Wayne Wilks
Life From the Land By Moran Rosenblit
SMT: A Key Role in Shaping Tomorrow’s Leaders By Preston Benjamin
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Experiences From Our 2016 Israel Tour
RUSSIA Russia@mjbi.org
Dates to remember
ETHIOPIA Ethiopia@mjbi.org
UKRAINE Ukraine@mjbi.org OrHaMashiah.org
April 10–17 Pesach (Passover)
HUNGARY Hungary@mjbi.org
ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe@mjbi.org
April 16 Resurrection Sunday April 24 Yom Ha Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) May 1 Yom Ha Zikaron (Israel Memorial Day) May 2 Yom Ha Aztma’ut (Israel Independence Day) May 14 Mother’s Day
ECFA Accreditation You have invested wisely during your lifetime. Now let these investments make a lasting difference in people’s lives with a gift to the Messianic Jewish Foundation. Your gift will go directly to sharing the Good News with Jewish people and helping strengthen Messianic Jewish congregations and ministry around the world for years to come. Please contact us at 817-864-9300 or Foundation@MJBI.org for more information.
May 24 Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day)
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF SIX-DAY WAR REUNIFICATION
May 29 U.S. Memorial Day May 30 Shavuot (Pentecost) June 18 Father’s Day July 4 U.S. Independence Day July 31 Tisha B’Av (9th of Av)
View this issue online at Zea lo u sM a g .o rg
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A Holy Assignment from God By Tabatha Lesmeister
“For we are God’s coworkers; you are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation…” 1 Corinthians 3:9-10 “Then Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ‘See, I have called by name Bezalel, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, understanding and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make ingenious designs, to forge with gold, silver and bronze, as well as cutting stones for setting and carving wood, to work in all manner of craftsmanship. Also look, I Myself have appointed with him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. Within the hearts of all who are wise-hearted I have placed skill, so that they may make everything that I have commanded.’” Exodus 31:1-6
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n 1 Corinthians 3, Paul teaches us about being co-workers with God. He gives us a picture of the worker as a skilled master builder, laboring as he works with his hands on God’s building. In Exodus 31 there is a similar picture when God calls Bezalel and Oholiab by name. He fills them with His Spirit, ability, intelligence, knowledge and all the skills they will need for the task of making the holy articles for the tabernacle. Like these men, we are all called to leadership within our sphere of influence—whatever that may be. Each of us has a calling to take part in the holy assignment of being co-workers with God. Think of the beauty and meaning this calling places on even the most mundane parts of our day—whether we are crunching numbers on a spreadsheet, answering the same question for the hundredth time, responding to endless
complaints, sweeping floors, washing dishes, or trying every method possible to convince our children not to talk back to us. In the context of your most challenging and wrenching day-to-day tasks, imagine yourself in the following picture: God has you and others on His team, gathered around His extra-large drafting table, studying His master plans. He has filled you with His Spirit and with every ability and special skill you will need. Now He sends each person
“We are all called to leadership within our sphere of influence— whatever that may be.” out to their assigned task. With a chisel and hammer in hand, you come to a huge block of wood, and you are filled with eagerness. How exciting! What an honor to be working on something so
beautiful and important! You devote yourself wholeheartedly to every detail of your project because you desire to be found faithful. The significance of this task is clear. You know the work will soon become long and hard, but you persevere with your chisel and hammer.
constructing “God’s building,” as Paul says. This building is ultimately a part of ushering in God’s Kingdom on earth, to bring glory to Him! And no matter what we are called to– motherhood, business, or ministry- we can take comfort that we build on a solid foundation, Jesus the Messiah.
As a stay-at-home mom, I admit I haven’t usually had the same attitude of reverence and honor towards finding matching socks or teaching my children to share. In light of the picture these scriptures paint, I challenge myself to be deeply grateful and even reverent of the most mundane tasks at hand, rather than to complain. All these small parts weave together to become our very highest honor: to be a part of
TABATHA LESMEISTER is a fif th generation Texan. She gained a large heart for the nations from her godly parents and grandparents. She is the strong and steady anchor of the Lesmeister home.
THE NEW LOOK OF MJBI
U P D AT E S We are very excited to share the updated logo of MJBI! Through donor surveys, research, and thoughtful design, we feel that we have arrived on a new look and feel that both honors the past, but also modernizes MJBI for our future. MORE TO COME In April, you will see a brand new mjbi.org website. We will also update our stationery, mailing materials, and email newsletters. This is yet another way we are moving forward in 2017!
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Meet the Lesmeisters AN INTERVIEW BY DR. WAYNE WILKS M JBI P R E S IDE N T E ME R I T U S
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am so eager for you to get to know Nic and Tabatha Lesmeister more personally. Bonnie and I have had the great joy of walking closely with them over the past six years. They are a dynamic young couple that God has clearly called to lead MJBI into the bright future ahead! I interviewed Nic recently, and am excited to share that with you here.
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Every good story starts with a love story, so how did the two of you meet?
You and Tabatha come from very different backgrounds; tell us about that.
Nic: In 2006, I was living in DFW, attending Shady Grove Church and studying full-time for my Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Arlington. My roommate at the time, Marvin Slaton, told me about this young woman from Tyler, Texas, who he thought I might be interested in. On New Year’s Day 2007, I went to a party at Marvin’s sister’s house – Melissa Herring. Melissa was Tabatha’s youth pastor and friend. I spent most of the night bashfully avoiding Tabatha, as I was too afraid to talk to her. I didn’t think I had a chance in the world with her! Finally, as Tabatha was about to leave, Melissa grabbed me and pulled me in to talk with her. One year later in that same living room, I asked her to marry me. We were married in Tyler on a humid day in June 2008.
Nic: I grew up in a devout Catholic home in a small Western Minnesota farm town. Tabatha was raised in East Texas in an Assemblies of God family. In fact, her grandparents were legendary A.G. missionaries to India and Southeast Asia. As an infant, her father was held and blessed by Mother Theresa! Tabatha grew up in church, knowing Jesus her whole life. I came to faith when I was 19 in a library in Fargo, North Dakota, and had a personal, supernatural encounter with Jesus that radically changed my life. From there, I moved to Virginia and enrolled in a two-year discipleship Bible school. After graduation, I moved to the DallasFort Worth area in the fall of 2005 and enrolled at UTA to finish my bachelor’s degree. Tabatha went to the University of Texas in Austin out of high school,
and then finished at UT Tyler with a degree in education.
tually, I was given partnership in the company. Both my business partner and I had a great heart for missions, When did you first connect with MJBI? and giving to Jewish ministry was always a priority for us. We believe that Nic: Sometime in 2004, when I was in God blessed us with his Genesis 12:3 Virginia at Bible school, MJBI came to promises as we gave away the wealth our church and presented the “to the He so kindly gave us. Over the course Jew first” message with Don Finto. It of seven years, we built, bought and was like scales came off my eyes when sold multiple small businesses. I ended up selling out of the “We have a burning passion for the three major ones I restoration of Israel. We’re burdened to had ownership in from 2013-2014. All teach younger generations of believers along the way, we the truths about God’s covenants with always gave “to the the Jewish people.” -Tabatha Jew first” by giving the Holy Spirit showed me God’s plan to MJBI. I truly believe we were blessed for Israel and the Jewish people. I was because of this. so moved that I started donating $10$15 per month to MJBI. I frequently Tabatha, after Nic sold his businesses received hand-written thank you notes in 2013/2014, you then moved to Jerufrom you (Wayne), and was so im- salem as a family. Why? pressed by this. Later, after moving to DFW and going to Shady Grove, I be- Tabatha: We bought some land outside came even more familiar with MJBI. In of Tyler in January 2013, and built a fact, one of the first real formal dates small house in the spring of 2014. Right that Tabatha and I went on was an after we moved in, we took our first MJBI banquet at the Hilton Anatole in trip to Israel. While there, we felt the 2007! Lord put an opportunity before us to move to Jerusalem so Nic could earn a After you and Tabatha were married, one-year Master’s degree from Hebrew you started a very successful career in University – the “Harvard” of the Jewbusiness. Tell us more about that. ish world. Without the distraction of work, we took a year off as a family and Nic: I took a low-paying job right after loved every minute of it. It just hapI graduated from UTA in the spring of pened to be our seventh year in busi2008. It was a start-up business in the ness, the seventh year of our marriage, financial sector, and I came on as the and a seventh (shemitah) year in Israel! operations manager for a friend of a God connected us with so many great friend. This gentleman and I really hit people in the Land, and we both count it off, and our business grew 2-3 fold many of them as some of our closest as the economy tanked in 2009. Even- friends today.
Something special happened when you were living in Israel. What was that? Tabatha: When we moved to Israel in October 2014, our first born – Naomi – had just turned 3. We wanted to have another child, but the move to Israel really threw our plans into a spin. Right after Nic started classes for his Master’s degree, I found out I was pregnant. The Lord gave us a son who was born in downtown Jerusalem in the summer of 2015. We named him Avi, which is short for Abraham and a very common name in Israel. He was the amazing “cherry on top” of our incredible year in Jerusalem!
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What are some of the books you’re both reading lately? Tabatha: We have slightly different tastes in reading. I’m an avid book reader, while Nic more often keeps up with current events via blogs and long articles online. That being said, his favorite book of the past year was Catch the Jew by Tuvia Tenenbom. It’s a funny, yet blunt look at the Land of Israel and the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. I greatly enjoyed Joel Richardson’s When a Jew Rules the World this past year. It presents one of the best high-level overviews of Israel, the Church and the last days. It’s one I recommend to almost everyone! The journey you’ve both taken has been so inspiring to me. What are you most excited about in this season of leading MJBI? Tabatha: We both have a burning passion for the restoration of Israel. We’re particularly burdened to teach younger generations of believers the truths about God’s covenants with the Jewish people. The opportunity to lead MJBI is something we take very seriously. There is such a beautiful, wealthy heritage that has been built through MJBI’s ministry in the restoration of the Jewish people around the world. It’s our desire to continue to expand this ministry in modern, relevant ways. To be called into Jewish ministry as Gentiles is an incredible honor. We love to say “the best is yet to come” because we truly believe miraculous, amazing days are ahead of us in Jewish ministry!
Dr. Wayne Wilks is the Executive Pastor of Jewish Ministry at Gateway Church. He also continues to serve as an MJBI board member and President Emeritus.
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“Everything that MJBI has accomplished from 1996-2016 has built a foundation that will propel us into even greater ministry in the years to come.” –Nic
Life from the Land By Moran Rosenblit, Hope for Israel Ministries
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he Lord led me to found Hope for Israel Ministries (HFI) in the year 2000. Through humanitarian outreaches, such as helping struggling families throughout Israel, and a dynamic discipleship program, HFI is bringing the hope of Messiah Yeshua back to Jerusalem while investing in the future generation of believers in Israel. We have a threefold vision where we see the lives of young people radically transformed for His glory. Stage 1: Youth Group The first stage of our discipleship begins at “NerYah,” where approximately 90 teenagers from various congregations in Jerusalem meet weekly for fellowship, worship, and Bible study. Living in a culture that is ignorant of and often hostile to their faith, it is vital that the youth have a place to be supported in their faith with fellow believers their age, and receive guidance from youth leaders. We firmly believe in encouraging the youth to cultivate a wholehearted devotion to God that is grounded in a deep knowledge of His Word, His love and His presence in their lives so that they can be bold, bright witnesses to the people of Israel.
STAGE 2: Army Service The second stage of our discipleship vision began in 2009 in order to provide much needed support and love for believers serving in the IDF. The army is one of the most challenging seasons in the life of a believer. Young men and women at the age of 18 are separated from their parents, friends, and congregations. The life for soldiers
can be lonely and full of temptations from the secular lifestyle surrounding them. This is why we pay close attention to our soldiers and shower them with encouragement. We host a bi-weekly meeting for the soldiers where they can fellowship, worship, and study the Word together. Our staff regularly sends encouraging text messages, and four times a year our soldiers receive care packages full of goodies to enjoy.
STAGE 3: Readjustment to Civilian Life In 2010, when the vision for the third stage of discipleship started to form, HFI implemented a scholarship program to bless graduates from NerYah with the finances to pursue higher education. We also began offering one-on-one counseling after their release from the army. These counseling sessions provide guidance in all areas of life – personal, spiritual, and professional. We also recently added a women’s Bible study for young women seeking fellowship and enrichment in their faith. The growth of the Messianic community in Israel has been exciting in the past 17 years. We know that young believers are future leaders in Israel society. It is an honor for us to minister Messiah Yeshua to them in this beautiful Land!
Moran Rosenblit is a native Israeli. He embraced Yeshua as Messiah while in America in the late 1990s. He and his wife, Melissa, live outside of Jerusalem with their three kids. Moran keeps MJBI President & CEO Nic Lesmeister well fed when he visits Israel. ZEALOUS MAGAZINE | 9
A Key Role in Shaping Tomorrow’s Leaders By Preston Benjamin
A EXPLORING THE BIBLE THROUGH JEWISH EYES
s a Messianic Jewish Studies (MJS) student at The King’s University (TKU) Texas campus, I am constantly amazed at the uniqueness of Messianic Jewish theology. For nearly two millennia, the dominant tradi-
bled to be able to serve the MJBI to advance its mission to train Jewish leaders and educate the Church on God’s heart for Israel and the Jewish people.
tions and theologies of the Christian Church excluded our faith’s own Jewish roots. However, in recent decades, a growing movement of Jewish believers in Yeshua have read the words of Scripture and have been awakened to Israel’s irrevocable calling as a priestly nation.
Over the past few months, MJBI has begun migrating the SMT to a new and improved online platform that will be more accessible and easier to use than ever before. It will have unique features that set it apart from similar online schools. With hundreds of hours of video teachings recorded in MJBI’s studio, taught by Messianic theologians from around the world, MJBI has an immense trove of resources to offer the body of Messiah.
With the recent explosion of scholarship on the Jewish context of the New Testament, many believers are realizing that the observance of Torah and the preservation of Jewish heritage are not the snares of Judaizers, but are the expectations of Scripture itself. Wayne and Nic with the Lemba MJBI Zimbabwe school coordinators.
“The ramifications of viewing the Bible through the lens of its Jewish context are world-changing.”
The ramifications of viewing the Bible through the lens of its Jewish context are world-changing. As a result of this small movement, many of the great theologians and reformers of Church history are being re-evaluated, and age old doctrinal disputes are being settled. We are living in phenomenal times, on the brink of a new theological reformation where the Messianic Jewish community is center stage! MJBI’s School of Messianic Theology (SMT) is one of the very few schools in the world that is helping to pioneer the way in Messianic Jewish education. As a young student, I am hum-
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As a young person with a calling to Messianic Jewish ministry, I am very excited that my generation will benefit from the wisdom and scholarship of these pioneering Messianic leaders for years to come. The SMT has a wealth of powerful teachings that will shape the lives of many future leaders in the days ahead! I encourage you to begin your own journey in discovering the Jewishness of your faith. Visit MessianicSchool.com to sign up for a class today! Preston Benjamin is a student at The King’s University in Southlake, Texas, where he is pursuing a Bachelors of Theology in Messianic Jewish Studies.
“My eyes were opened to the promise that Israel is still very much alive as God continues shaping what is His ultimate fulfillment. The black and white narrative is now a colorful and vivid experience, represented by a promised people and Land that I now carry very close to my heart.” Jeremy W.
Experiences From Our 2016 Israel Tour In November/December 2016, MJBI joined with Gateway Church to have our 2nd annual Israel Tour. "Steps in the Holy Land" was our second phase tour, following our "In His Steps" tour in 2015. This past year, we added a second bus of age 35 and under Millennials for a total of 90 people on the tour. It was an amazing multi-generational experience. Here are some of the things our tour members had to say about their experience in Israel.
Missions Pastor
“Visiting the Tel Aviv Prayer Tower was one of the highlights for me. It gave me more of an awareness of how and what to pray for Israel.”
“Traveling to Israel the last two years with MJBI has allowed the stories and teachings from the Bible to come to life through the leadership and guidance of Dr. Wayne and Pastor Olen.” Greg K.
International Businessman
“I felt like part of the MJBI family and made great friendships along the way. I fell more in love with Israel on our trip to the Holy Land!” Laura K.
Wife, Mother and Women's Bible Study Leader
Lyndsey L.
Dental Hygienist
“Traveling to Israel with MJBI was an absolute dream come true! The trip will forever hold a special place in my heart!”
“This trip will make your Bible go from black and white to living color!” Jason & Tami D.
Newlyweds, Project Managers
Darla W.
TKU Graduate, Author, Women's Ministry Leader
“I loved the time we spent in the desert. Just like God speaks to us in the desert times of our lives, I found He had some words to whisper to my heart in the Negev. It was an unforgettable experience and encounter with God.” Leigh-Taylor H.
Nurse, Gateway Church Ministry Coordinator
“MJBI Israel tours are top notch, exciting and extremely informative; you'll never go wrong choosing to visit Israel with MJBI.” Georgianna V.
Architectural Draftswoman
Stay in touch with us at MJBI as we will be releasing the details of our Fall 2017 tour very soon! We would love to have you encounter the beautiful land of Israel with us!
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I N T RODUC I NG
THE NEW LOOK OF MJBI In April, you will see a brand new mjbi.org website. We will also update our stationery, mailing materials, and email newsletters. This is yet another way we are moving forward in 2017!