The summer holidays are almost over. Students at Bethlehem Bible College (BBC) are getting ready to begin their new term of Autumn 2014. It has been such a long and hot summer; the students have been on holidays for three whole months; whilst teachers have spent some of our time preparing lectures. There will be new faces, new courses and […]
His Spirit is with us – June 2014
“When you strip it of everything else, Pentecost stands for power and life. That’s what came into the church when the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost.” – David Wilkerson, The Cross and the Switchblade Two events gave a fresh and powerful impetus to the disciples of Jesus after their Master had died on the cross. The […]
Holy Fire – April 2014
It is Saturday afternoon. Crowds are waiting, eyes are anticipating, hearts are eager to receive the light or “the Holy Fire” as it has been traditionally called. We are in a place no other than the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem. You can barely find a room for one’s feet to step in. In fact, people seem to be on […]
Hopes and dreams – January 2014
It was the penultimate day before Near Years’ Eve and people had already started posting their greetings and comments on Facebook: “Happy new year!” “A few hours till 2014” and “What a terrible year this has been!” someone moaned. Others were posting advertisements encouraging people to listen to a radio programme hosting an astrologer. Presumably he would try to answer […]
Christmas prayer – December 2013
Grace will write her next blog for January, but sent us some quick emails (and a photograph!) which we thought we’d share with you: 9/12: Bethlehem is seeing lots and lots of visitors! Unbelievable! Great atmosphere! Most visitors are from abroad, things are quiet at the moment so more and more people are visiting which is really good! May the […]
Lesson from the olive harvest – November 2013
Thousands of years ago David made this striking assertion: “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.” (Psalm 52: 8) The tabernacle (“house of God”) might seem a strange place to plant a tree, but David’s point is the source of his vigour and energy. […]
Joy in a dry season – August 2013
I’ve known him since I was 5 years old. I’ve always been struck by his love for Jesus, simple as it is. Over and over, he would joyfully sing, the Arabic words to the fast-beat song: “Be victorious! Be victorious! Through Jesus’ precious blood, we will overcome!” He sang it like no one else ever does: clapping his hands, closing […]
Surf’s up in Jaffa – May 2013
The sun was setting beautifully on the shore, bringing a perfect ending to the 12 May 2013. There’s nothing special about this date, except that it was the last day for Palestinian Christians in my area to travel outside Bethlehem. The temporary door to freedom was about to be closed. I was on a church trip to the beautiful city […]
Looking towards Jerusalem – March 2013
I can just imagine and almost hear the hint of agony in Jesus’ voice addressing the magnificent city. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matthew 23:37). Rejection is […]
The House of Bread – February 2013
As a child, I loved passing by the bakery shops in the narrow streets of my town. The wafting smell of freshly-baked bread always gave my grumbling stomach a sense of satisfaction. In fact, everything here revolves around the necessity of bread, for we are in no other place than the House of Bread (both the literal and spiritual meaning […]