« April 23, 2006 - April 29, 2006 | Main | May 14, 2006 - May 20, 2006 »

May 05, 2006

Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum

   As we've done every year for the past several years, we'll be having Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum back for a teaching seminar this summer. Arnold was born in Siberia, emigrated with his family to the U.S. after World War II and is currently director of Ariel Ministries based in San Antonio, Texas. This year, he'll be leading a study for us entitled, "Israelology: Theology's Missing Link." Theological studies up to this point in time have pretty much failed to give the subject of Israel the kind of systematic placement that it warrants. Because of this, studies in this area could well be referred to as theology's "missing link." This year's seminar, then, will be very much like a comprehensive survey of all of Dr. Fruchtenbaum's previous seminars with us.

   As an evangelist, I can say that no one has had a greater impact on my ministry thus far than Arnold Fruchtenbaum. Therefore, I'd like to touch on what the distinctive features of his ministry are in this week's post.



Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum
Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum, director of Ariel Ministries in San Antonio, Texas
  1. Those of you who've been to one of his seminars will know this, but there's never any superfluity to what he has to say. He never even gives any introductory comments but just launches abruptly into his lecture. He's a man who has given his whole life to the task of teaching the Bible. In particular, he is unrivaled in his committemt to interpreting the Bible from a Jewish perspective.

  2. His knowledge of the Bible is well nigh genius level. The entire Bible is in his head. He can quote chapter and verse of virtually any passage without having to open his Bible. I am a first-generation Christian in my family and have been to seminary and studied the Bible. However, Dr. Fruchtenbaum is different. Within his veins flows the blood of ultra-orthodox Jewish rabbis stretching back several centuries. With his massive knowledge of the Old Testament and Judaism as a base, he is then able to discuss the New Testament with striking clarity.

  3. The number of Japanese Christians who have become interested in Jewish traditions and ways of thinking has significantly increased in recent days. That's certainly not a bad thing in and of itself, but without some caution, such a trend could easily turn into the error of thinking that becoming more Jewish means becoming more "spiritually-minded" or that this is a way to receive greater blessing from God. Not all Jewish traditions are biblically-based. For Gentile Christians to know what things are biblical and what things they ought to put into practice requires a carefully discerning eye. Even after a thorough investigation, the problem of how much one understands the relationship between "Law" and "Grace" still remains.
       Of all the Messianic Jews (Jewish Christians) I've me thus far, Arnold Fruchtenbaum's handling of this link between Law and Grace is the most persuasive approach I've ever heard. Once you've heard his teaching, you have an understanding of just how harmonious the whole Bible truly is. Personally, it's this reason why I say that he's had more influence upon me than anyone else I know.

  4. I whole-heartedly recommend that you attend one of Dr. Fruchtenbaum's Israelology seminars, especially if you are someone who...
    • ...wants to understand the relationship between the Old and New Testaments
    • ...wants to know what it means to read the Bible from a Hebrew perspective
    • ...wants to know what roll the Jewish people play in God's plan for human salvation
    • ...wants to know more about what Messianic Judaism is
    • ...wants to understand the connection between Israel and the End Times prophecies

       Here's the schedule for this year's seminar:
    Tōkyō Seminar
    Date: June 5-6
    Place: Ochanomizu Christian Center (8th fl. chapel)
                2-1 Surugadai, Kanda
                Chiyoda-ku, Tōkyō 101-0062
          (10 minute's walk from Ochanomizu
                Station on the JR Chūō Line)
    Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day
    Ōsaka Seminar
    Date: June 8-9
    Place: Ōsaka Christian Center
                2-26-47 Chūō-ku
                Ōsaka-shi 540-0004
          (10 minute's walk from Tamazukuri
          JR Station or five minutes from the
          Tamazukuri Subway Station, exit 1)
    Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day
       Cost is ¥10,000, which includes a complete text for the course (Japanese-language only). The entire seminar will be in English and translated into Japanese. For any of you who may be interested, please write us for a pamphlet or to sign up for a seat at the seminar. They're filling up fast, so apply soon. I hope to see you there. Shalom!

    Kenichi Nakagawa
       Kenichi Nakagawa

    Posted by HarvestTV at 01:01 AM | Comments (0)