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LCJE CONFERENCE ATTRACTS 20/20 ATTENTION
The Lausanne Consultation for Jewish Evangelism's annual North America conference got the attention of ABC's 20/20 staff when the consultation met in Atlanta March 13-15. According to 20/20 producer Steve Brandt, ABC was particularly interested in the Southern Baptist Convention's resolution on its commitment to present the Gospel of Jesus to Jewish people and SBC's prayer campaign for Jewish people last Fall.
Jim Sibley, SBC's Coordinator for Jewish Ministries, was a speaker at the LCJE conference on a panel with two other denominational leaders of ministries involved in Jewish evangelism. An ABC news crew taped the panel members' talks and interviewed several Southern Baptist leaders in Atlanta as well. Brandt said that 20/20 will air the report on Jewish evangelism sometimes in May or June.
Over seventy conferees participated in the 3-day conference which featured 19 speakers from the United States, Denmark and England. For the first time, a special pre-conference session was held for young Jewish evangelists. LCJE International President, Tuvya Zaretsky, and LCJE International Coordinator, Dr. Kai Kjaer-Hansen of Denmark facilitated "The Up-and-Coming NeXt Generation of Jewish Evangelists" session. The group of fourty young evangelists (including a group of 12 Jewish believer collegians on their way to a Florida beach ministry trip) exchanged lively questions, shared their stories, and encouraged each other with creative ideas for future ministry.
Also present were Messianic congregational leaders from around the country. Russ Resnik of Albuquerque, NM, General Secretary of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations (UMJC), spoke on "Engaging Postmodern Jews in the Study of Scripture." Josef Koelner, leader of Temple Aron Kodesh, Lauderdale Lakes, FL, gave an update on Messianic congregations in Latin American with which his congregation has worked.
Atlanta's Light of Messiah Ministries, led by Murray Tilles, provided worship music throughout the conference. Special evening programs featured a piano concert by Alyosha Ryabinov, a Russian Jewish believer who directs Song of Israel Ministries in Ormond Beach, FL., a dance/mime by Lucy Lincoln to music from the opera "David and Bat-Sheva" by David Loden of Israel, and an Evening Prayer Service led by Dr. John Fischer of Menorah Ministries, Palm Harbor, FL.
Dr. Mitch Glaser, Director of Chosen People Ministries, New York City, reported on the number of Russian Jews who have come to the US in recent years and how effective ministry is being done among them. By providing a profile of this best-educated group of American immigrants, Dr. Glaser focused on ways to answer the Russian Jews' deepest questions and spiritual needs.
Susan Perlman of Jews for Jesus, San Francisco, CA, brought the year's media update, including video clips from CNN's Larry King Live's January 12 show which featured David Brickner, Executive Director of JFJ, Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, and two rabbis asking the question: Is Jesus the Jewish Messiah?
Dr. Arthur F. Glasser, emeritus dean of Fuller's School of World Mission, Pasadena, reviewed and recommended the first volume (of three) of Dr. Michael L. Brown's apologetic Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus newly published by Baker Books. Dr. Glasser also reported on a current work by more than thirty scholars from Europe and North America which will result in a three-volume record of the history of Jewish Christians from antiquity until today. The first volume is expected to be in print by Summer, 2002, Glasser noted. Drs. Oskar Skarsaune and Reidar Hvalvik of the Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology, Oslo, will edit and oversee this comprehensive history project.
The next LCJE-NA conference will be held March 12-14, 2001 in Los Angeles, California.
Copies of all papers given at LCJE-NA 2000 will soon be available on LCJE-NA's web site or print copies can be ordered by email (ROCKOFISRL@aol.com.) or phone (1-800-722-7625). For information on LCJE-NA, see www.hometown.aol.com/lcjena/myhomepage/
Theresa Newell
LCJE-NA Coordinator
LCJENA@aol.com