Detroit Church of Christ - Articles
INVITATION LETTER TO THE JERUSALEM MISSION TRIP
Allan Aubert
This past summer, the Holy Land Churches of Christ were honored to be able to host the 2005 Jerusalem Mission Trip. For our small congregation, the fellowship of disciples from around the world was a blessing and a time of mutual edification. We were pleased to host lectures, seminars, sermons, and tours of the Holy Land. We prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, shared communion near the tomb where Jesus was buried and resurrected on the third day, worshiped at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and fellowshipped on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Juan Rojas wrote about his experiences on the Mission Trip after returning to his home in Nashville , Tennessee. He writes, "Months back our brothers and sisters in the city of Jerusalem began to bring to life a dream that had lived long in their hearts: to be able to bring disciples of Jesus Christ from all over the world to fellowship, to evangelize, to train, to visit that land which is so special to us in our hearts, and ultimately to glorify God. Months and months of planning, sacrifice, commitment, and much faith began to shape what we now know as the Jerusalem Mission Trip. Our brothers and sisters from Jerusalem invited us to be with them anywhere from two weeks to a month. Some decided to stay longer, and a few even decided to move there! Being in Jerusalem was special to me for many reasons, with spiritual reasons being at the top. The experience as a whole helped me to be so much more appreciative of the friendship I have with Jesus. My personal experience in Jerusalem showed me a land where Judaism is a God, where traditions are the norm, and where being with God is more of a duty or a point system than a relationship and a friendship. Through this trip, I now appreciate more having a God who desires to have a personal relationship with me, and having that relationship radically changed my life forever
On the trip, God blessed the city of Jerusalem with disciples from Mexico, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Russia, Ukraine, South Africa, Nigeria and maybe even more countries. Many different races, backgrounds, colors, and ways of life were represented. We had disciples who were widows, married, mature singles, younger singles, campus students, and teens. We were united, sold out for the Lord, ONE in Heart, ONE in Mind, and ONE in Spirit. We shared, inspired, corrected, cried, and sympathized with one another. We learned about each other's congregations, and saw that God had chosen us to stir the nations. Together, we went to the cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem and evangelized -- sharing our faith, sharing the powerful message of Jesus Christ, of forgiveness in a land that is fed hatred and separation God blessed us with much fruit. At each of our services, we went out in faith and boldness and shared the message. At our meetings, we had Jews, Arabs, Atheists, and Orthodox Christians from all parts of the city. They came to our bible talks and they had dinner with us. We build deep friendship we received great training. We learned much about Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Brothers who were former Jews or Muslims shared with us about Judaism and Islam. We talked with a Rabbi and a Sheik. Other brothers taught deeply of scripture, the Bible, and science. There were stimulating discussions. As we went visiting biblical sights, our leaders shared powerfully from the Word, relating it personally to the experiences we were living. They did not allow us to just be tourists. There was and is a spiritual message, to transform our lives, and to win the world over in each one of those locations.
We witnessed Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, the temple, the gates of Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee, Tiberius, the Jordan River, the Mount of Transfiguration of the Dead Sea, the Judean desert, Masada, and many other places. We were also witnesses of what true servant hood means. Our brothers and sisters in Israel defined sacrifice. While we were there, they did not stop serving in every single capacity, from before the sun came out to the late hours of the night. They sometimes even went without sleep. Our time there was also to serve the people there. We had a chance to serve kids brought by the Red Cross on a couple of occasions. Also, we were involved with an elderly center in the Old City, painting houses, cleaning homes, walking with the elderly and encouraging them. In short, this incredible experience will have a piece of my heart for the rest of my life. Because of this experience, I desire even more to be a part of building God's Kingdom. I long to share with my brothers and sisters around the world more and more. I long to take the gospel to places that have not heard. I long for those of you who are reading to experience what this is like brothers and sisters. We are all part of this fight. We can and must sacrifice so much more to see God's dream come true, and in doing so to enjoy the fruit that comes from the Father, in saved souls, deep relationships, and unforgettable experiences. I invite you to Jerusalem 2006." Although these words are not ours, they express the heart of the Holy Land Churches of Christ. God has glorified Himself through the experiences and friendships that have grown out of the summer 2005 Jerusalem Mission Trip. It is therefore with great excitement that we echo Juan's words: "We invite you to Jerusalem 2006!"
The churches in the Middle East are few and far between: often there are only one or two disciples per country, so with this trip we hope to encourage the churches in the Middle East and refresh the faith of disciples around the world. As we undertake this large project, we ask
for your heartfelt prayers. We also invite you to join us between July 15 and August 15 for the summer 2006 Jerusalem Mission Trip! Disciples will have the opportunity to come for one month or for two weeks. There may also be an additional option of taking a two day trip to one
of the neighboring countries. Registration deadline is March 20.
MORE INFORMATION
Go to our website www.missionsworldwide.org or email us at missionsworldwide@gmail.com. In the meantime, we challenge you to ask yourself, "What is your mission?"
Allan Aubert