Last Sunday morning’s Scripture, Luke 4:14-19, placed us in the village of Nazareth, a small town in Jesus’ day located in the region of Galilee. As Jesus explained God’s Word to the people gathered for worship in His hometown, they first marveled, then grew angry. The miracle He performed there was to walk through the mob of worshipers who intended to throw Him to His death from the cliff at the edge of town. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus never returns to Nazareth after this rejection.

You should know that Jesus has indeed returned to Nazareth. In fact, this year marks the 100th anniversary of Baptist work in that city! The Association of Baptist Churches in Israel, which has long maintained close ties with our Baptist General Convention of Texas, is headquartered in Nazareth, now a bustling center of agribusiness and technology. One of the ministries of the Association is the Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary, also known as NETS. The training of church leaders is essential to reaching Israel and the rest of the Middle East with the Good News of Christ. The young Baptist pastors who study at NETS are, for the most part, Israeli Palestinians. Others come from their own countries, such as the Sudan, to hone their skills for ministry.

Dr. Bryson Arthur, President of Nazareth Evangelical Theological Seminary, will be speaking in the Great Hall this Wednesday evening, April 6, at 6:15 p.m. about the work of NETS. You’ll enjoy his Scottish brogue—but you’ll love his passion for Jesus and the work to which God has called him. As part of their ministry, NETS students provide the “Nazareth Village” experience for visitors and tourists. This incredibly accurate re-enactment of first-century Nazareth was one of the most spiritually moving parts of our “Footsteps of Jesus” tour of Israel last fall—we plan to spend additional time there when we return next March!

Our Missions Committee invites you to participate in a church-wide effort to provide books for the library of NETS. One of the greatest needs of the seminary is the acquisition of quality research and ministry materials. Our church can make a significant positive impact on what God is doing in the Middle East through simply providing the 146 books requested by NETS as their highest library priorities. You’ll be hearing more about that opportunity in the days ahead.

I look forward to seeing you Wednesday, April 6, in the Great Hall to hear Dr. Arthur from 6:15-7:00 p.m.

I’m proud to be your pastor,

Jerry