Winter 2009 Vol. 33 No.

3

Dallas Theological Seminary’s mission
is to glorify God by equipping godly
servant-leaders for the proclamation
of His Word and the building up
of the body of Christ worldwide.
KINDRED SPIRIT
Winter 2009
Vol. 33, No. 3
ISSN 1092–7492
© 2009. All rights reserved.
Published three times a year
by Dallas Theological Seminary
3909 Swiss Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75204
Dr. Mark L. Bailey, President
Dr. Mark M. Yarbrough, Vice President
of Communications
Sandra L. Glahn, Editor-in-Chief
Keith D. Yates, Director of Creative Services
and Publications
Dr. Roy B. Zuck, Copy and
Theological Editor
Debbie J. Stevenson, Production Manager
Kelley M. Mathews, Copy Editing Service
Israel photos from iStock
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Unless noted otherwise, Scripture
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Used by permission of Zondervan
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2 Dallas Seminary
F r o m t h e P r e s i d e n t
The Gospel and
the Jewish People
I
n our last issue of Kindred Spirit we considered God’s
heart for the Arab people and promised to follow that
discussion with a look at God’s heart for Jewish people.
The issue you hold in your hands explores that very topic.
A boy inserts a prayer
Several months ago I joined a number of other
request into the Wailing Wall
evangelical leaders in considering what Scripture reveals in Jerusalem.
as God’s heart for the Jewish people and how evangelicals
should view Jewish-Christian relations. In the end I joined an esteemed group
of leaders in signing a public statement prepared by the World Evangelical
Alliance. Here’s what we affirmed:
As evangelical Christians, we want to express our genuine friendship
and love for the Jewish people. We sadly acknowledge that church
history has been marred with anti-Semitic words and deeds; and that at
times when the Jewish people were in great peril, the church did far less
than it should have.
• We pledge our commitment to be loving friends and to stand against
such injustice in our generation. At the same time, we want to be
transparent in affirming that we believe the most loving and scriptural
expression of our friendship toward Jewish people, and to anyone we
call friend, is to forthrightly share the love of God in the person of Jesus
Christ.
• We believe that it is only through Jesus that all people can receive
eternal life. If Jesus is not the Messiah of the Jewish people, He cannot
be the Savior of the world (Acts 4:12).
We recognize that it is good and right for those with specialized
knowledge, history, and skills to use these gifts to introduce individuals
to the Messiah, and that includes those ministries specifically directed
to the Jewish people (1 Corinthians 9:20–22).
• We deplore the use of deception or coercion in evangelism; however,
we reject the notion that it is deceptive for followers of Jesus Christ who
were born Jewish to continue to identify as Jews (Romans 11:1). 
• We want to make it clear that, as evangelical Christians, we do not
wish to offend our Jewish friends by the above statements; but we are
compelled by our faith and commitment to the Scriptures to stand by
these principles. It is out of our profound respect for Jewish people
that we seek to share the good news of Jesus Christ with them, and
encourage others to do the same, for we believe that salvation is found
only in Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world.
This is just one of many examples of the church reaffirming her
commitment to her own roots.
As my friend, the late Dr. Harold Hoehner, said, “The gospel is
for all—Jew or Gentile. We want Jews to see the Messiah has
come to save them from eternal separation from Him and to
enjoy Him forever.” God’s heart for Israel is the same as His heart
for all people: that they might know Jesus Christ and make Him
known. n
—Dr. Mark L. Bailey
 C ONTENTS
Winter 2009 VOL. 33, NO. 3

God’s 4 God’s Heart for Israel

Heart for Listen in as DTS president Dr. Mark Bailey,
the late Dr. Harold Hoehner, and Jewish
the Jewish Christian Dr. Darrell Bock discuss Jewish
evangelism and a biblical perspective on
People the nation of Israel.

“God has not

rejected His 10 Embracing the Jewishness in
your Congregation
people, has He?
Jewish Christian Steven Ger talks about
May it never be!”
ways the church can celebrate the contin-
—Romans 11:1 ued existence of the “remnant of Israel” as
a wonderful example of God’s grace and
faithfulness.

14 AAnJewish
Uncommon Friendship
teen and a middle-aged Gen-
tile living in Israel describe their journey
together as friends and ultimately as
brothers.

Kindred Spirit Online www.dts.edu/ks

Coming in December: Also Coming in December:
“My Advice This Christmas” Link:
by Dr. Charles R. Swindoll To the DTS Dialogue on Jewish Evangelism
Today
Article:
“Coping with Grief,” by Dr. Roy B. Zuck

Coming in January:
Book Excerpts:
“To the Jew First in the New Millennium,”
from To the Jew First, by Dr. Arnold
Fruchtenbaum

“Coming to Terms with Faith and Values,”
from Your Intercultural Marriage: A Guide
to a Healthy, Happy Relationship,
by Marla Alupoaicei

Coming in February:
Article:
“Israel: Encounter God as Storyteller II,”
by Sandra Glahn

Kindred Spirit 3
God’s Hear Last year before Dr. Harold Hoehner’s untimely
death, DTS president Dr. Mark Bailey sat down
with him and Dr. Darrell Bock to talk about God’s
heart for Jewish people. The conversation included
a discussion about Jewish evangelism as well as
having a biblical perspective on the nation of Israel.
Dr. Hoehner served on the board of Jews for Jesus.
Dr. Bock, who is of Jewish descent, served—as he
continues to do—on the board of Chosen People
Ministries. Both organizations focus on reaching
Jewish people. The complete conversation is
available in audio on the DTS website. Here are
some highlights of that discussion.

4 Dallas Seminary
t forIsrael
Dr. Bailey: Some people believe the Jews do not
need to be evangelized. Why is that?
Dr. Hoehner: Part of it goes back to the
Holocaust. People wonder, “What right do you
have to try to tell us about Jesus when you did
such a terrible thing to us as a Jewish people?”
The second factor is the era of pluralism.
Dr. Bailey: So from the Jewish perspective,
they don’t think they should be, or need to be,
evangelized by Christians. In a Christianity Today
article Rabbi Yeheil Poupko is quoted as saying,
“The basis of interfaith conversation must be
mutual, sacred rejection—a clear understanding
of the irreconcilable differences between the faith
communities.” Yet in terms of pluralism some
recent movements are saying we don’t need to
evangelize the Jews.
Dr. Bock: Some try to give a theological
explanation, saying God made a dual-covenant
commitment with His people. First, God made
the original covenant with the Jews, put in place
permanently as reflected in the Mosaic Covenant,
and feeding back into the Abrahamic Covenant of
Genesis 12. Second, there is the outreach to the
Gentiles through Jesus Christ.
The attempt is to keep these separate. This is a
popular view in a lot of European theology. Also
when it comes to Jewish matters, a shadow of
the Holocaust hovers. There is a large collective
guilt—and, I might say, a justified guilt—over how
a largely “Christian” Europe handled the Jewish
people. There’s a desire to avoid repeating the same
mistakes, so out of respect, people have backed off
proselytizing in Jewish communities.
Dr. Hoehner: Dr. Ottfried Hofius at Tübingen
University doesn’t like the dual covenant because
it looks like a “special way.” But he says, “What we
have to realize is that all Israel will be saved in the
future,” based on Romans 11:26. “Therefore, we
don’t need to witness to them today.” I call his view
not the “special way” but the “special day” view.
It’s the idea that we’re not responsible to witness to
the Jews. Yet I would argue that it’s not that we’re
singling them out. Every person, of whatever nation,
needs to be evangelized.
Dr. Bock: Right. No single group is being “targeted.”
We all need what Jesus has to offer. The gospel goes
to all nations, Jew and Gentile included. What’s odd
about the dual-covenant view is that if it were really
held by the early church, why did Paul enter cities
continued
Kindred Spirit 5
 and go straight to the synagogues? He could’ve just
headed to the agora and evangelized all the non-
Jews.
Dr. Bailey: One of the ironies of history is that at
one time the question was whether one could be
a Gentile and be a Christian. Now the question is
whether one can be a Jew and be a Christian—
even asked by some who hold to dispensational
theology. One preacher in Texas out of love for the
land of Israel believes that friendship with Israel
politically is more important: “We don’t want to
offend them by witnessing to them, because we
want to be their friend.”
Dr. Bock: If we eliminated all the books of the New
Testament that refer to Christ being preached to
the Jews, I’m not sure we’d have much of the New
Testament left. The view we’re describing stems
from the fact that we have a historical disconnect
from the real roots of Christianity, which came out
of Judaism and said Christ is Israel’s Messiah.
Dr. Hoehner: Acts 1:8 says, “Jerusalem and Judea
first.” If the Jews didn’t need the message, why go to
Jerusalem, Judea, and then Samaria and then to the
uttermost part of the earth? You’d think they’d say,
“No, go first to the Gentile nations. They need
Christ; we don’t.”
Dr. Bailey: Jesus thought Nicodemus needed to be
born again; as a Jew he needed regeneration.
Dr. Bock: In one sense you could say witnessing
to a Jewish person is an act of intolerance if you
believe it’s inappropriate for anyone to say one
religious expression is more beneficial than
another. And that is generally the way our society
tends to view intolerance. But the flipside is that
Golan Heights at Hachula Valley
6 Dallas Seminary
God has revealed through Jesus Christ a way for
all people. Jesus is nondiscriminatory. He reaches
out to all nations and all people. As a result the
gospel goes to anyone and everyone who will
respond. There are no special recipients of the
gospel.
Dr. Bailey: Both of you work with organizations
that focus on Jewish evangelism. Is there a
place for Jewish culture in a believing Jewish
community, or do Jewish converts to Christianity
need to abandon that culture to act more like
other Christians?
Dr. Bock: This is where the Book of Acts helps
us. The earliest church was a deeply Jewishly
oriented community in Jerusalem. James led
there. And even in a decision like that of the
Jerusalem Council, instructions were sent out
to all the churches to be sensitive in contexts
where predominately Jewish populations could
be affected by the way evangelism was done.
The New Testament allowed for more freedom in
form; we tend to want to homogenize everyone.
Also, if a Jewish person wants to reach Jewish
people by living in a way that honors his or her
Jewish roots while sharing Christ, I don’t think the
Bible suggests there’s a problem. In other areas we
have African-American congregations and Korean
congregations—minorities at a sociological level
seeking to retain their own ethic identities. These
congregations, of course, should not become
excessively separate or fail to identify with the rest
of the body of Christ.
Dr. Hoehner: First Corinthians 10:30
admonishes us not to offend the Jew, the
Gentile, or the church. This verse refers to Jews
and Gentiles who don’t know Messiah, and the
church is composed of believing Jews and Gentiles.
It’s not that a cat becomes a dog or a dog becomes a
cat, but that a cat and a dog each becomes a horse.
It’s a whole new person. That’s not to say, as Dr. Bock
has mentioned, that they’re homogenized—that there
are no distinctions. We should honor these as long as
people don’t try to foist practices on other Christians,
saying they have to follow that group’s practices.

Dr. Bock: There’s an important principle about the

church here that dispensationalism offers: In this new “One mistake is to equate
community that Christ has formed, Jew and Gentile are
reconciled. Anyone who knows the history of Jews and the modern secular state
Gentiles in the Second Temple period knows hostility
existed between the two groups. That a societal structure of Israel with Israel, the
could exist in which enemies function alongside one
another under God made a terrific public statement people of God. For those
about the reconciliation God creates. Some of the
most enjoyable events on our DTS campus happen
with this point of view, no
when international communities plan chapel services
in which minority groups worship in their own styles.
matter what Israel does,
It’s informative and refreshing to see different styles of it’s considered OK. Yet on
engagement with God.
this we all agree: If the
Dr. Bailey: If someone wants to keep a kosher kitchen
and traditions, when does that violate doctrine—or present nation of Israel
does it?
isn’t the nation to come,
Dr. Bock: The question is why? Scripture allows two
standards. One comes out of a missionary concern, and it’s the foundation for it.
the other is the principle of the individual conscience,
when a person says, “I’m a Jewish Christian, but if
The account of the valley
I exercise freedom, my conscience doesn’t feel I’m of dry bones in Ezekiel 37
honoring God.” Paul talks about this, and he doesn’t tell
the weak person to be strong. He says if you can’t do that describes Jews who are
in good conscience, then don’t do it.
alive physically but not
continued
spiritually. The text says
they will come to life as
a miraculous act of God.
We’ve got the bones—we
just need the Spirit.”
—Dr. Eugene
Merrill,
Distinguished
Professor of Old
Testament Studies
at DTS

Kindred Spirit 7
Dr. Hoehner: Often this is more difficult Jesus is the Messiah.” He said there has always
for a Jewish person than for a Gentile. God been a godly remnant, which includes himself. If
commanded the Jews to be circumcised, to God is finished with Israel, what of the prophecy
keep the Sabbath, and abstain from eating that Israel will be saved?
pork—and all of a sudden in the new era He
says, “No, don’t call eating pork unclean.” This is Dr. Bock: The view you mention is sometimes
something Gentiles may not have to face. Yet Acts called replacement theology—the idea that the
15:3–5 records that some Pharisees who became church has replaced Israel because Israel forfeited
Christians said it was necessary for the Gentiles to her place by rejecting Messiah. Replacement
be circumcised. theology has a variety of expressions. But I think
all would say everyone should be evangelized.
Dr. Bailey: So we would say it’s fine for a Yet many who hold this view tend to step back
Jewish Christian to keep one’s Jewishness for from Jewish evangelism. They think, “They’re
a testimony, for cultural identification, and for like everyone else, so we won’t be particularly
cultural heritage and appreciation? concerned about them, but we also know they
had their chance and blew it.” Interestingly
Dr. Bock: And even for a sense of one’s identity. If some advocates of replacement theology read
a person says, “I’m a Jewish Christian”—and both Romans 9–11 just as Dr. Hoehner did. There is this
of those words count—“and that’s how I express expectation that God will someday finally draw
my faithfulness to God,” if they do it in good masses of Jewish people to respond, and Paul’s
conscience, recognizing there’s nothing “saving” hope of that is expressed clearly in Romans 11.
about it, it’s perfectly appropriate.
Dr. Hoehner: Replacement theology has been
Dr. Bailey: How would you speak to those who carried out by the Nazis. They said to the Jews,
believe Israel’s opportunity has passed? “You are the Christ-haters. God is through with
you.” Jewish people sometimes say, “Look at
Dr. Hoehner: You see it already in Romans. what you Christians did with the Holocaust.” Yet I
Paul said in Romans 9:3, in essence, “I’d rather certainly think the Nazi party could not be called
have one Jew”—himself—“in hell than all my “Christian”! Also in the present day a prominent
kinsmen in hell.” What a pastoral concern Paul church here in Dallas had a seminar on Romans
has for these people! He knows they’re being that covered Romans 1–8 and 12–16. But they
disobedient, thinking “just like I was disobedient. completely left out Romans 9–11.
Not until the Damascus Road did I finally realize

8 Dallas Seminary
Dr. Bock: Of course there is a history to some
of this. There has been a tendency as the church
moved away from its Jewish roots after the later
second century and even in the Reformation
period to ostracize the Jewish community, which
led to the rise of anti-Semitism. The church is
guilty; it’s something we need to face up to. You
can read it in some of the most prominent of the
Reformers. I was in the birthplace of Martin Luther
in a German museum dedicated to his life when I
came to a section dedicated to his writings against
Jews. I read some of what he wrote, and I thought,
“If he said that on the radio today, we’d have
action by the Anti-Defamation League and a few
others.” That kind of thinking is the poison that led
to the Holocaust.
Dr. Hoehner: I could not agree more. Christians
have not had a good record on their treatment of
Jews. I think of the medieval times, the Inquisition,
the Crusades. We’ve had a bad record in that way.
Dr. Bailey: It’s important in our conversations to
admit that, and in essence to voice repentance on
behalf of previous generations of Christians.
Dr. Bock: Another way to get at it is this: When
you share Christ and a Jewish person asks, “Why
are you sharing with me, knowing what my faith
is,” our response would be, “I’m not sharing with
you anything different from what I’d share with
any other person. It’s what changed my life, and I
share it because my love for you is so great.”
Dr. Bailey: How do we as theologians challenge
other Christians? Just because we believe God
has a purpose for the Jews, that doesn’t mean
we support everything the modern state of Israel
does. How do we keep the biblical and theological
discussion on track without it getting hijacked by
the contemporary political conflicts in the Middle
East?
Dr. Hoehner: Israel’s government as a whole is
secular. When Israel does something wrong, when
there’s an injustice, it is wrong. If a person in Gaza
does an injustice, that’s wrong. If an American
does an injustice, it’s wrong too. The Jews are
God’s chosen people. Yet God does not say, “Since
you’re My people, you can do anything you want.”
Historically when they sinned, God sent them into
captivity in Babylon. Wrong is wrong, no matter
who does it. So while we may be loyal to Israel as a
nation, that doesn’t mean everything Israel does is
right.
Dr. Bock: The Bible says God is no respecter of
persons. When we look at the Middle East, the
ethical standards God desires are applied equally
to everyone. Our standard should be to pursue
justice and righteousness, which God expects of
everyone.
Dr. Bailey: God didn’t call us to support all the
political agendas. He did call us to be a blessing to
all nations. And one of the best ways to bless the
descendants of Abraham is to share the gospel. n
Sea of Galilee
Kindred Spirit 9
Embracing the
in Your Congre
By Steven C. Ger

A
Jewish person’s Jewishness is, by definition, conferred by circumstance of birth. For
most Jewish believers, to ignore this God-given distinction is to disparage the rich
heritage God has bestowed on us to share with the world.
While the church consists of believing Jews and Gentiles together in a new
creation (Gal. 6:15; Eph. 3:6), most Christians think of today’s church as existing of only Gentiles.
So when friends in the church speak of Jewish believers assimilating into the larger “Christian”
culture, they usually mean a “Gentile” culture.
Rather than downplaying the Jewishness of fellow believers, the church should celebrate
the continued existence of the “remnant of Israel” as a wonderful example of God’s grace and
faithfulness. We should revel in our distinctions because our unity is that much more captivating to
the observing world. How interesting is a monochromatic tapestry?
So, what can our churches do to embrace Jewishness? Here are some suggestions.

• Pray for the salvation of the Jewish people.
• Activate programs and creative ideas for
Jewish evangelism. The Jewish community
in America and abroad is still a largely
unreached people group, despite their
historic and cultural nearness to the
gospel.
• Support Jewish missions and teaching
ministries.
• Go to Israel and invite fellow church
members to join you. Experiencing the
land promised to the chosen people can
greatly enhance a believer’s love and
concern for the Jewish people.
• Celebrate the messianic fulfillment of a Jewish
festival such as Passover or Tabernacles. Host
a Passover seder.
• Encourage the Jewish believers in your
congregation. These believers often feel “out
of sync” with their Gentile siblings. They are
often a tiny minority of one or only a few and
perceive themselves as living between two
worlds.
• Create and implement a bar mitzvah/bat
mitzvah celebration within the church
for Jewish believing thirteen-year-olds.
Confirmation catechisms and the like need
not substitute for following the biblical
customs of our ancestors.

10 Dallas Seminary
 Jewishness
regation
T he liturgy of most church
traditions, of “high” or
“low” orientation, is replete with
substitutions, equivalents, and
copies of traditional Hebrew
customs and ceremonies. If
the ancient Jewish customs are
shadows of things to come and
they all have their essence in
Christ Himself (Col. 2:16–17), their
enactment can only be of benefit
to the church (Eph. 4:12–13).
A great example of God’s
historic and ongoing faithfulness
is to be found in the preservation
of a believing remnant. From the
times of the patriarchs through
the coming future tribulation,
God has sovereignly preserved a
remnant of Jews who trust in Him
to keep His promises and bring
His program to completion (Rom.
9–11). The enduring, organic, and
growing remnant of Israel, the very
Israel of God, shines as a luminous
beacon of God’s faithfulness
throughout history, past, present,
and future. n
Steven Ger (ThM, 1994), a
Jewish Christ-follower, is director
of Sojourner Ministries, whose
vision is to explore the Jewish
heart of Christianity.
Among the
Remnant
M
y grandparents were
orthodox Jews from
Russia and Hungary,
emigrating to America around 1900.
I was born in Los Angeles, and as a boy I went with my
grandmother to synagogue on Yom Kippur.
It was a conservative synagogue, and I was taught
we were waiting for Messiah. Like most Jewish boys and
girls, I went through three years of training for my bar
mitzvah at age thirteen.
As I grew, I continued to excell in athletics,
eventually co-captaining the 1966 UCLA Rose Bowl
championship team. But as a young boy my mom said
I could stop studying at the synagogue with the rabbis,
and she would bring books for me to study at home. She
did, but I didn’t get into those books till ten years later.
In college I received a Bible and learned of Isaiah 53
and how Jesus had to die for sin. Two things solidified
the decision for me. First, Jesus said He died and offered
forgiveness as a free gift. In everything I’d ever wanted—
sports, future grad school, marriage, family, promotions
—I had to be good enough. If I was not good enough,
I would not get it. But this was different. This was free.
Second, I had the offer of everlasting life. Jesus said He
would never leave me or forsake me.
I went home and found the material a Jewish
evangelist had given me eight years earlier. I read it and
got down on my knees. I said, “OK, Jesus. I believe you
are the Jewish Messiah. You died for me. And I accept
you as my Lord and Savior.” I knew it was true.
That was forty-three years ago, and I still know.
—Dr. Barry Leventhal (ThM 1972; PhD, 1982), former
professor at Dallas Seminary and current dean of
Southern Evangelical Seminary.
Kindred Spirit 11
 Among the
Remnant
I
was born in 1943 in Siberia,
Russia, after my Jewish
father—falsely accused
of being a Nazi spy when he
fled Poland from Hitler—was released from a
Communist prison. With the help of the Israeli
underground in 1947, our family escaped from
behind the Iron Curtain to Germany, where we
were confined to British Displaced Persons camps.
There I received Orthodox Jewish training from
my father before the family emigrated to New
York in 1951. Before our release, however, we were
befriended by a Lutheran minister. This contact
eventually led me and my mother to the New York
headquarters of the American Board of Missions
to the Jews (ABMJ). Five years later at age thirteen,
I placed my faith in Jesus the Messiah.
—Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum (ThM, 1971),
directs Ariel Ministries, “a worldwide ministry
proclaiming the gospel to the Jew first and also
the Gentile.”
Dr. Ronald B. Allen recommends these
books for people visiting Israel:
• 1 and 2 Samuel and the Gospel of
Matthew
• The Source, by James Michener
• The Haj, by Leon Uris
• My Country, by Abba Eban
• O Jerusalem, Collins and LaPierre
Dr. Eugene Merrill’s favorite Israel
guidebook: The Holy Land: An Oxford
Archeological Guide.
Numerous faculty members recommend:
DTS PhD student Todd Bolen’s ten-CD
set of Holy Land pictures, available
through bibleplaces.com.
12 Dallas Seminary
Dr. Merrill Digs Israel
After nine years of being unable to
excavate Khirbet el-Maqatir because
of its location near Palestinian cities
in Israel, the Associates of Biblical
Research has resumed work on the
site under the direction of Bryant
Wood. Wood believes that the site may
be the city of Ai destroyed by Joshua
in the Israelite conquest of the land
(Josh. 7–8). Efforts this past summer
focused on the west, south, and east
walls, and several structures inside
the fortress. On the east, our own Dr.
Eugene Merrill discovered a pavement
that may be a section of a ring road
that circled the site inside the fortress
wall. One of the guest volunteers
working in Dr. Wood’s square found
a large section of a pithos (a large
storage jar) rim and neck, which
can be accurately dated to the 15th
century B.C., the time of the Conquest.
Coping with Grief
The death of a loved one is a
horrendous jolt. No one welcomes
the demise of a wife, husband, child,
parent, or sibling. The absence of a
person with whom you have shared
many years of life is excruciatingly
painful; it is difficult to describe and
hard for others to understand. And yet
death is inevitable. “Man is destined to
die” (Heb. 9:27). And as Moses wrote
poetically, our years “quickly pass and
we fly away” (Ps. 90:10).
My wife, Dottie, died fourteen
months ago. Trying to adjust to life
without her, after fifty-four years of
married life, has been exceedingly
difficult. If you have lost a close loved
one, you know how that person’s
absence has created an indescribably
lonely void. In my tract, Coping with
Grief, I suggest nine steps I encourage
you to follow as you seek to live with
your grief. You can find it at www.dts.
edu/ks.
—Dr. Roy B. Zuck, editor, Bibliotheca
Sacra, and Senior Professor of Bible
Exposition Emeritus at DTS
 Campus NEWS
visit www.dts.edu/tours
JOIN DTS FOR THESE EVENTS
Travel with Dallas Theological Seminary
• English Reformation and Early Church History Tour
May 18–June 1, 2010
• Holy Land Tour
March 4–19, 2011

Conferences from the Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership

The Electronic Gospel: How Technology Shapes Our Faith
Learn to engage technology with discernment, creativity, and purpose
as you articulate the gospel in a digital age.
Keynote speaker Shane Hipps is pastor of Trinity Mennonite
Church, a missional, urban, Anabaptist congregation in Phoenix. Shane
is the author of Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Your Faith.
Three breakout sessions will
feature John Dyer, Director of

Among the
DTS Web Development; Scott
McClellan, Editor of Collide

Remnant
Magazine; and Bill Buchanan,
Communications Director at
Irving (Texas) Bible Church.
The conference will be held

February 8, 2010, at DTS. The $85
cost includes lunch.
Connections and
Conversations: Exploring Life
Together as Ministry Wives
The 2010 Wives of Men in Ministry
Retreat will feature Susie Hawkins,
who has served as Director of
Women’s Ministry at Prestonwood
Baptist Church in Plano, Texas,
and has taught Bible studies for
business women. Susie is the
author of From One Ministry Wife
to Another.
This conference will be held
April 11–13, 2010, at the Pine Cove
Conference Center in Tyler, Texas.
The $160 price includes lodging,
meals, and an optional counseling
or mentoring session. After March
22, the fee increases to $185.
Visit www.dts.edu/ccl for more
information and to register for
these conferences.
I
can’t be anything other than
a Jew. I am part of a people,
even if many of my people
choose to disassociate with
me. My grandparents were from the same shtetls in
Europe as other Jews. My parents were as observant
or nonobservant as other New York Jewish families.
It’s true that I was raised to believe that Jesus
was not part of the “Jewish experience.” But Jesus
became part of my experience. As a result I find
it possible to be both Jewish and Christian. I still
don’t have a Christmas tree in my home and I don’t
hunt for Easter eggs. But my Jewish celebrations
have been expanded to include the New Testament
teachings. When I have a seder, I incorporate the
belief that Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world. When I fast on Yom Kippur, I do
so knowing that my name is already written in the
Book of Life—the Lamb’s book of life.
—Susan Perlman, DTS board member and
Associate Executive Director of Jews for Jesus.
The Lusanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism
provides an index of 2009 papers, including a
media summary by Susan Perlman. You can read
it at www.lcje.net/papers/2009.html

Kindred Spirit 13
An Uncommon In the past ten years New Age festivals
have sprung up in Israel offering
a variety of religious expressions
from Hare Krishna to Shanti to Jesus.
The festivals have provided the
National Evangelism Committee
(NEC)—the evangelistic arm of
messianic congregations in Israel—
opportunities to set up a shop in
which to offer the New Testament
and other books. At one such festival
David* received a New Testament. Later he met “Noam” Hendren (ThM, 1980),
a friend of his teen-aged daughter. Here David and Noam tell the story of the
uncommon friendship that developed.

David*: I was called over to a stand by a
bearded fellow with a heavy accent, whom I
heard calling, “Friend! Come over and have a
free book!” When he handed me a copy of the
New Testament, I tried to resist. He insisted on
giving it to me for free, and by the time I heard
him read me John 1:1–14, I was thinking, “How
many guys have ever read the New Testament
in Hebrew?” I took it out of interest in religion,
philosophy, and the desire to do or touch
something new.
Noam: A regular visitor to our home, David
occasionally asked me questions about the
New Testament. Within a couple of months his
questions turned more serious, and four years
ago we began to meet weekly for several hours.
We started by focusing on the plan of
God using the Old Testament only, but David
also had other, more philosophical questions.
It quickly became clear that he was serious,
asking the kinds of questions that get to the core
objections that concern Jews. One of David’s
first questions was, “I don’t know what to do
with this business of Jesus being God. I don’t
see how that fits in with being a Jewish person.”
That is probably the fundamental stumbling
block for any Jewish person considering the
*Not his real name.
gospel. I took David through the Old Testament,
showing how it presents the Messiah as God
coming in human flesh.
We met for about two months. As we worked
through these topics, it became clear that David
really understood the gospel. He was no longer
raising common objections. He was satisfied that
we were talking about the truth.
David: Noam and I sat mostly at the same spot
in a small city park. Our meeting grew longer
from one sitting to another, and we found many
books, movies, stories, and ideas in our common
interests. We would spend two or three hours
going through the Old Testament, and then
another couple hours talking about other things.
Apart from being a teacher or mentor, Noam
became a friend as well.
Three things attracted me to Noam as a mentor.
First, he answered my questions. Second, he
seemed to know a lot—I mean a lot—and I
appreciate that. That sort of knowledge attracts
me, especially when it is dispensed in the way
Noam does it. He does not presume to know so
much. Third, the friendship that grew between us
was also a factor for me. Noam invited me into his
home, and with his family he has shown me true
care, welcome, and love.

14 Dallas Seminary
on Friendship
Noam: I could see that David was leaning toward
faith in Yeshua, so I knew I needed to warn him.
“David, before you make any decisions, you
need to know that, here in the Land, putting
your faith in Yeshua is not going to score you
any points. It could bring a lot of problems with
family, rejection from friends, and people will
think you’ve joined a cult. You really need to
count the cost, because there could be negative
ramifications.”
He looked at me and said, “I’m sorry, it’s too
late. I already believe that Yeshua is the Messiah!”
David: After every sitting with Noam, I would
end up sitting with a friend over a game of chess
discussing what I’d just learned. We spent the
time trying together to batter down the ideas
and notions Noam introduced. I played both
“batterer” and defender, and we found it harder
to batter down those ideas—whether ideas
concerning God or ideas concerning science and
thought.
Noam’s family also had an influence on my
decision. In spite of what they believed, they
seemed “sane.” And they were much more than
that—they really had a light in them that was
shining in my face. In them there was the kind of
testimony that people often teach about—that
someone will look on a believer and say, “There’s
something different about you. I want to have
what you have.”
Noam: After serving in the army like all Israeli
high school graduates, David now helps lead the
youth group at our messianic congregation. We
continue to meet to discuss questions and issues.
He’s a natural student, so he pursues knowledge
on his own. He’s like an adopted son.
David: After finishing my three-year service to the
country, I’ve signed up this year for studies at the
Israel College of the Bible [where Noam teaches]
for the one-year program, with the intention of
moving on to one of the country’s universities
next year. I hope to study history, Hebrew, or
perhaps even archaeology, and then go back to
my real interest, which is Bible and theology.
I’m grateful for Noam being my mentor
and for God’s work in intentionally putting us
together. From early on I too desired to become
a teacher and help others understand more,
and see their hunger and thirst for truth grow.
I’ve had a huge privilege (which I realized
only later, when people expressed their envy)
of spending three years as Noam’s “private
student.” I’ve learned a lot from him, and not
just from what he said verbally. n
Ken “Noam” Hendren
(ThM, 1980)
A s a junior high student,
Ken Hendren came to
faith in Jesus. The unbelief of
his mostly Jewish classmates
spurred his desire to share the
Lord with Jewish people. He
eventually pursued ancient Near
Eastern civilization studies at UCLA, which included
a year at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He
returned home, met Joan—a Jewish believer—and
married the following year. They moved to Dallas
to complete Ken’s education at DTS, and upon
graduation nearly thirty years ago, they moved to
Israel and began their ministry there. The Hendrens
became Israeli citizens in 1982, and their two
daughters were born in the Land.
Ken, now known as Noam, serves as co-
chairman of the National Evangelism Committee.
He teaches at Israel College of the Bible and is
involved in discipleship and evangelistic leadership.
He pastored a congregation for fourteen years,
during which time many Israelis—native-born and
immigrants—came to saving faith in Yeshua as
Messiah. He is the author of HaIsh HaHu (“That Man”)
on the life of Yeshua in its Jewish context. Published
in both Russian and Hebrew, it is used widely in
evangelistic follow-up and discipleship. You may
contact Noam at noamhen54@gmail.com.
Kindred Spirit 15
New Resources from the Seminary Family
• The Facts on the Bible
• The Facts on the Masonic Lodge
• The Facts on the Mormon Church
• The Facts on Roman Catholicism
• The Facts on World Religions
Dr. John Ankerberg, Dr. John Weldon,
and Dillon Burroughs (ThM, 2002)
• Your Intercultural Marriage: A Guide
to a Healthy, Happy Relationship
Marla Alupoaicei (ThM, 2002)
• A Workbook for Intermediate Greek
Dr. Herbert Bateman (ThM, 1987; PhD,
1993)
• The Historical Jesus: Five Views
Dr. Darrell Bock** (ThM, 1979), contrib-
uting author
• Three Views on the New Testament Use
of the Old Testament
Dr. Walter Kaiser, Dr. Darrell L. Bock**
(ThM, 1979), and Dr. Peter Enns
• Transforming for a Purpose
Anita Carman (MA[BS], 2002) with Dana
Wilkerson
• From Anger to Intimacy: How Forgive-
ness Can Transform Your Marriage
Dr. Gary Smalley and Ted Cunningham
(MA/CE 2001)
• Breakthrough: The Return of Hope
to the Middle East
Tom Doyle (MA[BS], 1983)
• 2012: The Bible and the End of the
World
• Cashless: Bible Prophecy, Economic
Crisis, and the Future Financial Order
Dr. Mark Hitchcock (ThM, 1991; PhD,
2005)
• Living with Confidence in a Chaotic
World
Dr. David Jeremiah (ThM, 1967)
• A Dad-Sized Challenge: Building a
Life-Changing Relationship with Your
Son
Jeff Kinley (ThM, 1986)
• Introduction to the Old Testament
Historical Books
Dr. Israel Loken** (ThM, 1996; PhD, 2001)
** Denotes DTS faculty member
16 Dallas Seminary
Some intercultural and interracial marriages in the
Bible:
Joseph and Asenath
Moses and Zipporah
Samson and Delilah
Boaz and Ruth
David and Bathsheba
Solomon and the Shulamite woman
Ahasuerus and Esther
—Marla Alupoaicei, Your Intercultural Marriage
People are most comfortable with others who look
like them, act like them, and think like them. That’s
all well and good if you are surrounded by people
who are just like you, but what if you’re not? What
about those times and places where you’re dif-
ferent from the others? Do you ever feel like your
community or culture is constantly playing a game
of “one of these things is not like the others,” and the “one” they
always pick out is you?
—Anita Carman with Dana Wilkerson, Transforming for a
Purpose
One young leader in Israel’s West Bank says, “If
you work in the Middle East and you want to bring
Jesus to Muslims, fear cannot be a part of your vo-
cabulary. If you live in fear, you cannot serve Christ
there.” I believe that to be true. That’s why I am
thrilled and hopeful about the church in the Middle
East. The “no fear” attitude is everywhere.
—Tom Doyle, Breakthrough: The Return of Hope in the Middle East
While it is essential to understand as much as we
can about Bible prophecy, we must never get so
focused on the future and end-time events that we
lose sight of today’s Christless society. Every person
who is a Christian needs to pray for open doors of
opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with
others and the boldness to seize those opportuni-
ties. In difficult times many people who otherwise might be
closed to the truth about Jesus might suddenly display a surpris-
ing openness to spiritual issues. May the Holy Spirit energize us
and awaken us to be sensitive to the open doors all around us.
—Mark Hitchcock, Cashless: Bible Prophecy, Economic Chaos,
and the Future Financial Order
In a recent book evangelical pastor Dr. David
Jeremiah looked at ten biblical evidences related
to Christ’s second coming. His new book, Living
with Confidence in a Chaotic World, was released
in October bolstered by live rallies and a pres-
ence on social networking sites. When asked by
Publishers Weekly, “What’s changed in the world
since your last book?” Dr. Jeremiah answered, “I think what’s
happened more than anything else is that the average person has
totally lost confidence in the things they used to hold themselves
together. There’s an awful lot of angst, anxiety, concern, and
some fear. There’s an awful lot of anger, too. This is the most un-
usual experience I’ve had, and I’ve never seen anything like this.”
 • Archaeology and the Bible
In virtually every recorded encounter of Jesus and a • Middle East Conflict: What You
woman, He broke tradition and violated the customs Need to Know
and laws of His day. How radical Jesus must have been! • Reasoning from the Scriptures
As far as we know, He told only two people that they with the Jehovah’s Witnesses
had great faith—and one of them was a non-Jewish
Dr. Ron Rhodes (ThM, 1983; ThD,
woman (see Matt. 15:21–28). Did you know that it
1986)
was women who financially underwrote the ministry
of Jesus, making it possible for the disciples to travel, eat, and lodge
• Teach Us to Number Our Days
(see Luke 8:3)? And some of these loyal female followers of Christ
were there at the cross, following Him all the way to the end. Risking David Roper (ThM, 1961)
ridicule, imprisonment, and even death, they were not ashamed to be • Jesus Nation
publicly identified with Him…. Some of these women were the first to Dr. Joseph Stowell (ThM, 1970)
see Jesus risen from the dead (see John 19:25; 20:11–17). Do you see a
message here? A pattern? This clearly demonstrates how Jesus viewed • Creative Crossings: Navigating
women in the context of an oppressive culture. 21st Century Contextualization
—Jeff Kinley, A Dad-Sized Challenge: Building a Life-Changing Dr. Florence Tan (MA[BS], 1986; ThM,
Relationship with Your Son 1990; DMin, 1992)
• Praying from Exodus and
Based on Genesis 40, where Joseph interprets two
prisoners’ dreams: Leviticus
Lord, may I act graciously to all people, even if they • Praying from Numbers and
are not grateful to me. Deuteronomy
Lord, I believe the predictions (prophecy) You have • Praying Genesis
given concerning the coming of Christ and the destruc- • Praying for Your Second Chance •
tion of the earth. Help me to live righteously • Praying Your Way Out of Bondage
because Jesus is coming back again. Dr. Elmer Towns (ThM, 1958)
Lord, remind me to be grateful to all those who do kind deeds for
• Nuggets for the Golden Years
me.
Lord, I thank you for the example of Joseph who did right even Dr. Gordon Van Rooy (ThM, 1949;
when people around him lied and were ungrateful. PhD, 1964)
—Elmer Towns, Praying Genesis
• This Strange Jesus
Dr. Daniel B. Wallace** (ThM, 1979;
“Therefore he is able to save completely those who
PhD, 1995) and Ed Komoszewski
come to God through him, because he always lives to
(ThM, 2000)
intercede for them” (Heb 7:25, NIV)…. Would you like
to have a faithful prayer warrior pray you through your • Connected: You and God
trials? Here is one who knows all your struggles, sor- in the Psalms
rows, sufferings, and frustrations. Even your thoughts. Peter Wallace (ThM, 1984)
Christ lives to intercede for us, His brothers and sisters.
Because of His complete work on the cross, we are saved. Because of • The Contribution of the Speeches
His continuous intercession for us, that finished work is always up to of Elihu to the Argument about
date. Our connection to Him is doubly ensured and assured. Suffering in the Book of Job
—Gordon Van Rooy, Nuggets for the Golden Years Dr. Larry Waters ** (Ph.D., 1998)
• The Cambridge Introduction
Elihu encouraged Job to respond in faith and accept
the fact that God knew what was going on in his life. to Biblical Hebrew, with CD-ROM
Job’s suffering was his opportunity to glorify God. Elihu Dr. Brian L. Webster **
also affirmed that God will deal justly with the wicked, • You Were Born for This
but He often delays punishment because He desires the
Dr. Bruce Wilkinson (ThM, 1974)
redemption of all people. It is not Job’s prerogative to
question God’s use of prosperity or adversity in the lives • The Speaker’s Quote Book, Revised
of human beings. Elihu had brought Job to a place where the ques- and Expanded
tions he thought were so important became insignificant in the light Dr. Roy B. Zuck** (ThM, 1957; ThD,
of the presence of God. 1961)
—Larry Waters, The Contribution of the Speeches of Elihu
NEW TRACTS
• Coping with Grief
• Is the World Coming to an End?
Dr. Roy B. Zuck** (ThM, 1957; ThD,

Kindred Spirit 17
Follow the
FACULTY Members of Dallas Theological Seminary’s full-time faculty

Taking the Word around the World

will minister at these locations in the months ahead.

For a complete listing of faculty travel go to www.dts.edu/ks.

Midwest Church, Charlotte, North Theological Seminary, West

Dr. Daniel Wallace Carolina Dallas, Texas Dr. Ronald B. Allen Nov
Dec 18–19 The Gospel Dr. Stanley Toussaint Dr. Hall Harris Dec 2 26–29  Thanksgiving
according to Snoopy Feb 13–19 Word of Life First United Methodist Conference, Cannon
Text-Criticism Seminar, Conference, Hudson, Church, Garland, Texas Beach Conference
Full-Proof Ministries, Florida Dr. Robert Lightner Center, Cannon Beach,
Joliet, Illinois; Feb 27 Dr. Daniel Wallace Feb 15–19 Piedmont Oregon
Eden Prairie Assembly Jan 6–9 Central Baptist Baptist College and Dr. Daniel Wallace
of God Church, Eden Seminary of Virginia Graduate School, Jan15–17 Apologetics
Prairie, Minnesota Beach, Virginia Beach, Winston-Salem, North Conference,
Virginia Carolina University of Oregon,
Southeast Dr. Ramesh Richard Eugene, Oregon; Feb
Dr. Mark Bailey Dec 20 Southwest Jan 31 Missions 19–22 Apologetics
Fellowship Bible Church Dr. Ronald B. Allen Jan Conference, Dallas Bible Conference, Bend,
of Northwest Arkansas, 24 Cornerstone Bible Church, Dallas, Texas; Oregon
Rogers, Arkansas; Jan Church, Lubbock, Texas Mar 1 Senior Leadership
10 First Baptist Church Dr. Mark Bailey Dec Symposium, Dallas International
of Marco, Marco Island, 6 Irving Bible Church, Baptist University, Dr. Ronald B. Allen
Florida Irving, Texas; Dec 12 Dallas, Texas Mar 8–21 Bible
Dr. Stephen Bramer David Dean Fellowship Dr. Stanley Toussaint Teacher, Israel Study
Jan 10 Bayside Dinner, Dallas, Texas; Mar 7–12 Bibleville Bible Tour, Cannon Beach
Community Church, Jan 17 Faith Bible Conference, Alamo, Conference Center
Tampa, Florida Church, DeSoto, Texas Texas Israel Study Tour, ISRAEL
Dr. Steve Strauss Feb Dr. Reg Grant Jan Dr. Daniel Wallace Dr. Stephen Bramer
28 World Missions 19–22 Spiritual Life Jan 29–30 The Gospel Mar 7–21 Tour of Israel,
Conference, Calvary Conference, Dallas According to Snoopy Insight for Living,
Text-Criticism ISRAEL
Seminar, The Dr. Tom Constable
Church at Dec 1–4 Word of Life
Lake Mead, Bible School, Toalmas,
Henderson, HUNGARY
Nevada Dr. Reg Grant Mar 7–21
Dr. Timothy Dramatic Presentations,
Warren Fridays, Tour of Israel, Insight for
7 a.m., Men’s Living, ISRAEL
Bible Study, Dr. Ramesh Richard
Activities Center Mar 7 Grace Church,
Conference Tirana, ALBANIA;
Room, Cooper Mar 10–14 Pastors
Aerobics Center, Conference and
Dallas, Texas; evangelistic events,
Fridays, 12 Tirana, ALBANIA
Give thanks to the p.m., Sparkman Dr. Daniel Wallace
Library, Baylor Mar 7–21 Tour of Israel,
LORD, for he is good; University Insight for Living,
his love endures forever. Medical Center, ISRAEL
Dallas, Texas
1 Chronicles 16:34

18 Dallas Seminary
 F r o m t h e C H A N C E L L OR

Thinking on Things to Come

L
ong-time Dallas Seminary professor Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost
accepted an invitation to speak at a rather small church. They
asked him to speak on prophecy. He said he would. But along
with five sermons on prophecy, he planned specifically in the middle of
the series to give a message that he titled, “The Loveliness of Christ.” It
was to focus on the historical events that led up to the death of Christ.
The five nights “Dr. P” spoke on prophecy, the place was packed. The
event planners even arranged for loud speakers outside so people could
sit in the cool of the evening and at least hear. Yet the night he spoke on
the loveliness of Christ, the church was only about half full. All meetings
received equal publicity and encouragement to attend, but the people
were more interested in the future happenings than in the One the events
are meant to point to.
Later in his book Prophecy for Today he wrote this: “We have
“A short time ago, I took occasion to go through the New
Testament to mark each reference to the coming of the Lord missed
Jesus Christ and to observe the use made of that teaching
about His coming. I was struck anew with the fact that al-
the purpose
most without exception, when the coming of Christ is men-
tioned in the New Testament, it is followed by an exhortation
of prophecy
to godliness and holy living. if it does not
“While the study of prophecy will give us proof of the
authority of the Word of God, it will also reveal the purpose
conform us
of God and the power of God, and will give us the peace and
assurance of God. We have missed the whole purpose of the
to the Lord
study of prophecy if it does not conform us to the Lord Jesus Jesus Christ.”
Christ in our daily living.”
“Part of what prophecy tells us is that God still has a future in mind
for Israel. Yet an exploration of God’s heart for Israel is incomplete if we
fail to ponder the apostle Paul’s conclusion when addressing the same
subject:
“God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have
mercy on them all. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowl-
edge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond
tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his
counselor?’ ‘Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?’
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the
glory forever! Amen” (Rom 11:32–36).
Our merciful, wise, all-knowing, just, perfect, glorious God holds
the future of Jews and Gentiles in His hands. Do you believe He’s good?
Does your life demonstrate that you trust Him? Does your
knowledge of “things to come” drive you to your knees in
worship? You know how the story ends. Is that knowledge
changing your life? n

—Chuck Swindoll

Kindred Spirit 19
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Olive tree, Garden of Gethsemane

How much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen. —Romans 11:24, 33–36