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…For the remainder of the year, actually.

The GTS 2009 came to a close this year on Graduation day, June 17; but within our hearts we know the learning, growth, and discipleship the Lord desires for each of us is only beginning. This is always a bittersweet time as there are so many goodbyes to be said yet so many happy returns to be anticipated. After 5 months of intense discipleship and community living, going home is the next challenge, the next opportunity to be stretched and to exercise those things that have been stirred and released throughout the year. Each student this year came with strengths and weaknesses, with hopes and fears, with gifts to contribute and wounds to be healed. We have been so privileged to live these months with them, receiving from their unique personalities and individual passion for the Lord while calling them to a higher place. We have cried and laughed together as we shared each other’s burdens and victories. And though it was sad to say goodbye, we are so thankful for this season we had together, so confident in the transformation we have seen in each other, and so joyful to send one another out into the next step on our journeys after Messiah Yeshua.

Thank you to each of you back home (who can finally use the internet and read this for yourselves!), thank you for sharing your lives with us. We love you all and miss you and are praying for you.

Hannah and Marissa (The GTS Blog Team for 2009)  : )

Such beauty in the brokenness
With extreme poverty all around
Many are gripped by disease
Lord, let your healing balm come
Compelled by the depravity
And motivated to see change
I see a longing for salvation
A softness in their eyes
Am I ready to pour out all that I have
While being poured into at a rate I cannot contain?
I need a softening of my heart
Melt me in the fire of Your goodness O God
Motivate me by your love
And compel me with Your compassion.
-Gwen Paget, Ethiopia 2009

Late, Monday night the GTS 2009 outreach team to Ethiopia arrived safely back in Cyprus. We are overwhelmed by God’s goodness throughout our time in Ethiopia and would like to share some about it with you, our friends and family. For our outreach there were four areas of ministry which we focused on. First, evangelism by being bold messengers of the Good New on the streets, in prisons, and churches. Second, being an extension of God’s love and mercy to the poor and to orphanages. Third, connecting with local believers to bring strength and encouragement to the body of Messiah in Ethiopia. Fourth, to be a living witness to the Jewish community of Messiah through acts of love and service.

EVANGELISM

Through out the trip, we took the opportunity to send out teams into the city of Addis Ababa to do street evangelism.  We’d split up into groups of 3 or 4 people and go out to meet people and shine the light of Yeshua all over them. For many students, this was their first experience evangelizing and praying for people on the streets. One group was in the city square when a young man found them whom they had shared with the week before. He was exuberant as he testified what the Lord had done: The week before, one of the evangelism teams had met two hungry young men-Michael and Lazarus. Michael had a lot of stress over his studies and Lazaraus had a visible tumor on his throat. The team prayed for them and told the young men that they were confident that God was answering their prayers. A week later, Michael found them and shared with them joyfully how everything was good now with his studies and how his friend Lazarus had been completely healed and now has no tumor! As he shared, a small crowd of people came in closer to find out what was going on. Just as someone had prophesied over him a week before that God would use him to bring in people, he was standing there drawing a crowd and he was the one testifying to God’s goodness! Amen! 

We also ministered in two prisons in Ethiopia.  These times were incredibly powerful.  Hundreds on inmates would gather in the hot sun to listen to us worship, share the drama, give our testimonies and preach the gospel.  Dozens responded to the invitations for salvation and many were touched.  At each prison we donated thousands of bars of soap and some volley balls. In the second prison we visited the GTS team memebers competed against the inmantes in a short volleyball match. It was fun to interact with them in this way. We were also able to meet with the believers who attend the small church in the prison compound.  We encouraged them to shine and show their fellow inmates how Jesus has changed their life.

 ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE CHURCH

In Africa, Sunday is the most exciting day of the week.  The whole team ministered in several church services over the course of our one month trip, and every time left greatly impacted. After we joined the congregation in powerful worship, we had the opportunity to lead worship in both English and the little Amharic we learned.  We simply shined and poured out love for our King, encouraging others to do the same.  We were also able to do the drama we prepared and students shared testimonies to encourage the Church.  The Holy Spirit fell and we were all encouraged to witness the fire, anointing, and unity between Matt and Mezmur as Matt preached and Mezmur translated.  Several were also able to deliver prophetic words of encouragement and healing words of knowledge to the believers we fellowshipped.  It was a powerful time of uniting the Body of Messiah.  The whole team left beaming with joy. 

EXTENSION OF MERCY

The team had the privilege to visit several orphanage in Ethiopia, where they poured out love on the precious children.  For many, this was their first experience in an orphanage, and already they have been deeply impacted for life. 

At Kechene Children’s Home (a place that has become very special in our hearts), we encountered a very understaffed and almost unsupervised group of teenagers and children roaming the neglected and overgrown property.  And what an amazing facility and property it was!  A few YEARS of work, and it could be a really nice place.  The group started with the area of greatest need: the yard and grounds.  They began to clean up the grounds making piles of things the children could sell, such as scrap metal, eucalyptus leaves, and wood; and finally a very large bon fire to consume the rest.  The grounds were so extensive that even 4 days of work were not sufficient to complete the task!  Breaks were spent playing and giving love to neglected children starving for attention, as well as almost all of our girls getting their hair braided.  The children were beautiful and it was a joy to give them much needed love.  We toiled and waited.  Jesus said, “look to the fields, for they are white for harvest”.  Before the harvest, surely there was a process of toiling, planting, and watering.  And, for us, at Kechene, that is what we did for 4 days.  We toiled, planted, and watered in the spiritual as we toiled on the grounds in the physical.  And we waited for that open door.

Well, in the afternoon of our last day there, that opportunity came.  The kids were so touched by our love and affection that they began to ask questions.  We performed the drama and shared the gospel (in a government run orphanage!) and many were touched.  The kids sang some songs for us, and after we had a time of worship with them.  Many began to weep.  One girl shared how the kids felt about our coming-and it was touching.  They had never been loved like this before.  It was an unprecedented encounter for those kids.  When we ask, He will come-and shine His light on everyone!

 The team also worked hard at Hope Enterprises Feeding Center several times during the trip, feeding and loving children at the morning breakfast and over 1,000 adults at lunch.  Many in the group were impacted by the extreme poverty but we continued to pour out love knowing that it is only Christ who makes us rich!

  Another favorite place to serve, was HOME (House of Mercy Ethiopia) Children’s Center, for their day program for mentally and physically disabled children. We sang, played games, shared Bible stories, and prayed for them.  Many of the children had grown and changed since we were there two years ago, and it was great to see their progress.  So many beautiful faces and smiles that we will remember for a lifetime! 

WITNESS TO JEWISH COMMUNITY

Amidst the bustle of such a huge city, the team visited a newly formed Messianic Jewish Congregation.  Shavuot was celebrated for the first time, what a blessing it was to celebrate one of God’s chosen times to meet with us.  Joyfully serving them in worship and with the word as both Jahi and Matt were able to deliver powerful teachings.  Singing, dancing and praying we worshipped freely, the Ethiopian style mixing with Jewish expression.  Together we saw heaven invade earth, powerful deliverance, healing and salvation.  God was faithful to come.  Practically, we served this community - cleaning, fixing and creating a more usable space.  Towards the end of the trip, we further blessed the community by giving them many clothes and practical items.  some of their handiwork was available for sale and many students bought from them sowing in financially.  The team grew close to many members of the congregation here and were able to bless and be blessed.

ETHIOPIAN ROAD TRIP

Half way through our time in Ethiopia, we left Addis Ababa (New Flower) and journeyed north for five days and four nights. It takes one and a half days to reach to Gondar, our destination in the north.  After the first FULL day of travel (15 hot hours in the bus!) we reached Bahir Dar, where we stayed the night. We had a good nights sleep, but before continuing on to Gondar, we had the exciting opportunity to take a boat tour lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest and Africa’s third largest lake.  Our team was blessed to get a stones throw away from a beautiful Hippopotamus and her baby. It was such a fun and privileged experience for all.  We arrived safely in Gondar later that night.

We hope that we have been able to share with you in part the many expereinces which our team during our outreach in Ethiopia. We are so grateful to the Lord for leading us during this time and pouring himself out on us and the people of Ethiopia. We are also so thankful to all our families and friends who have been carrying us in the love and prayers.

Many Blessings,

The GTS Blog Team

Blog Editor: Marissa H.

Blog Writer: Hannah B. and Chelsea N.

Blog Photos: Marissa H. Gwen P. and Chelsea N.

We just completed our last week of teaching.  This school has been so amazing and we can all hardly believe it’s coming to a close.  But with outreach just days away, who better to have come encourage us in the ministry of the Holy Spirit than Joaquin Evans, director of the healing rooms at Bethel Church (Redding, CA) and Jahi’s brother.  Along with friends Nolan Vaught (Joaquin’s travel assistant) and Rebecca Urban (a graduate of Bethel’s School of Supernatural Ministry), Joaquin not only taught us, but also showed us that operating in the supernatural power of God really is easier than we think.  Miracles, signs and wonders do not depend on how well, long, or hard we pray-they come out of a friendship with the Holy Spirit.  When we cultivate God’s presence in our lives, the miracles will follow us wherever we go.  For healings do not come out of our striving, but through our surrender to what Holy Spirit wants to do.  He wants to heal His children more than we want Him to heal us.  As we head into Ethiopia, we all desire these truths to become a reality of love in our hearts.

Nolan and Rebecca also shared with us the things that burn in their hearts.  Nolan shared with an honest sincerity that is rare in our generation.  His heart knowledge of love and relationship with the Father impacted us all deeply.  Rebecca talked about the importance of leaving a legacy by making a conscious effort to be a part of things that will last.  She drew revelation from the life of David and exhorted us to walk in the calling and anointing that God has given us.

Friday night was a special time for us all as we came together to celebrate our last community Shabbat of the year.  Grilling outside and enjoying the beautiful weather, we entered into the rest of the Shabbat with a great deal of joy in our hearts.  Looking back on what God has done in our lives over the past four months, we all found plenty of cause to celebrate.  As the sun set and we feasted, the mood was definitely festive.  And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Gateways Shabbat without a little bit of singing and dancing!

As we are completing our tenth year of the Gateways Training School, we have been reminiscing and praising God. Our hearts are full of thankfulness for what the Lord has done in each of us and how he has formed this community. Saturday night was a very special evening as we had a time of commissioning and blessing the Geneva team-Bedig and Rebekah Nassanian and their three girls Taline, Lily, and Cedar; Sam and Ashley Arnaud and their son Isaiah; Rena Brand; and Marie Dawant. Eyes full of tears and hearts full of joy, we all took part in a moment that this community has carried in their hearts for the past ten years. The sadness of saying goodbye was overcome by the joy of sending out this team into the destiny and calling of the Lord. We send them forth with our deepest love and with the blessing and grace of the Lord.

Wednesday, May 20, we leave Cyprus and make our journey to Ethiopia. We go forth as burning lovers of Jesus, ready to shine His light and serve His people. We know that we are about to receive so much even as we pour out and that our lives will never be the same. We appreciate your prayers deeply while we are on outreach. Be blessed!

The GTS Blog Team

Blog Writers: Hannah B. and Chelsea N.

Photo Editors: Marissa H. and Gwen P.

Blog Editors: Hannah B. Marissa H. and Gwen P.

Keep Hoping O Cyprus…

The last two weeks have hosted waves of God’s refreshing and brought in a tide of hope for this island. Last week, we participated in the “Catch the Fire” conference brought by John Arnott and the Airport Christian Fellowship in Toronto, Canada. This is a ministry known for being completely abandoned to God’s presence and for waiting on the Lord to do His work rather than directing the flow of His Spirit through programs and schedules. For the believers here on this island, this was a crossroads juncture at which they looked at their own fears and traditions and chose to step out into the unknown depths of His Spirit and love. They took a chance and God met them with fiery love and the promise of new life and the expectation of revival.  Look out world! This ancient land of sending and receiving missionaries is aligning herself with God’s own heart and purposes for her.  Gateways Beyond was privileged to lead worship many times, and we were all blessed and stirred up by the teachings from Heidi Baker, John Arnott, and Gordon Robertson. But we were most stirred and encouraged by looking around and seeing the hungry hearts of Cypriots and the many internationals that have come to call this land home. Seeing revival in their eyes only fans the flame in our own.

Teaching with Charles Stock

Charles Stock, pastor of Life Center church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, joined the community this past week to impart the revelation he holds to our first year students.  Unaware that this year’s theme is SHINE, Mr. Stock charged the students to “Arise and Shine,” from Isaiah 60.  In three power-packed days, he unfolded this message of shining-encouraging the students to fellowship with the Holy Spirit because His presence leads to our radiance.  Through the work of Yeshua on the cross, we can partake in the divine nature of God.  As we live in love, we live in God, and our lives become naturally supernatural.  Mr. Stock challenged the students on a new level to live out their class theme.  And with outreach just around the corner, the students are ready to SHINE!

Gigue

Our second Gigue of the year was a great success. Community members arrived arrayed in the colors of India for our Bollywood themed Gigue. We laughed and cried to our hearts content as we took turns entertaining each other and displaying the creativity that God has placed in each of us.

Student Led

Tabitha shared from her own personal experience about a life of consecration and the fiery love of the Father.  Speaking with authority in her voice and tears in her eyes, she imparted a revelation of love to her classmates.

Abigail spoke from Paul’s letters to the Corinthians on the empowerment of grace.  From this posture, our own testimonies become effective tools for God’s Kingdom!

In our Israel blogs, we left out one of the student led services. We want to include them now so that you can be encouraged by them.

Ingrid shared about the importance of knowing the goodness of God and releasing His goodness to those around us; we can do this through prophecy and the fruit of the Spirit.

Caleb spoke from his personal testimony about the redemption of the Lord. Speaking from his heart, he encouraged us that God will restore what the devourer has eaten.

Many Blessings,

The GTS Blog Team

Blog Writers: Hannah B. and Chelsea N.

Photo Editors: Marissa H. and Gwen P.

Blog Editors: Hannah B. Marissa H. and Gwen P.

“Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days! Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children” (Psalm 90:14-16). God is turning things, shifting and moving the hearts of His people into the place where we can move past the hurts and divisions and, by His mercy, together see His work accomplished and His glory revealed. Unity is the cry of our hearts. This is why we are so blessed to serve the believers in Cyprus by hosting and facilitating island wide gatherings for the Body of Christ to seek the Lord in unity. Last year, Peter Prothero was the speaker at our very first “Streams in the Desert” event, and once again he brought life-giving words from God’s heart. A major theme of the evening was that God’s house is a house of restoration. People’s hearts were like sponges soaking up the beauty of God’s presence and receiving prayer for restoration in their personal lives. God is truly at work in Cyprus!

Sunday night’s Streams event gave the students a sneak peak of Peter’s profound, yet practical revelations from the life of Yeshua-building great anticipation for what his week of teaching held in store for them.  Peter taught the first and second year students on how to use the tools of our faith to draw people into the Kingdom.  He focused on personal testimony, the prophetic, teaching, and acts of service.  The students really connected to Peter’s easy going manner (with a bit of British wit), and were greatly touched by the times of prophetic ministry and insightful Biblical teachings.  Not one to shy away from a joke or personal story to drive home a point, Mr. Prothero has left the students deeply impacted and inspired.

Streams of God’s heart

The streams of God’s heart that were highlighted on Sunday evening continued to flow all through the week. In worship on Tuesday morning, God did a very special work amongst brothers. God is into details, and so when someone realized that we had Remi, Sam, and Baptiste (3 brothers from France) and Norman, Ruben, and Joel (3 brothers from Germany) all together in worship, that there was something important God wanted to do. The brothers faced each other and began to repent on behalf of their nations for prejudices and hard feelings, and prayed for and blessed each other. It was work of the Holy Spirit, and we know that the effects of these times of repentance and prayer go further and produce more fruit than we could really know.

The school’s outreach trip to Ethiopia is quickly approaching.  With less than three weeks to go, preparation is in full swing!  The first year students have begun work on a drama, presenting the gospel with effectual power, while the second year students have taken on the children’s dramas which will be performed at orphanages and feeding centers.  Thursday morning Jahi taught the basics of preparing and preaching a gospel message, stressing the importance of a personal testimony.  The students went to work writing out their testimonies and drafting the gospel messages that, in a few short weeks, will be heard by hungry ears that have yet to know the love of Jesus.  To top off a busy week, the first wave of students traveled down the mountain to the hospital in Limassol for their Yellow Fever vaccinations.  Although there was a fair amount of joking and tall tales of terrible needles, everybody was quite brave when it came to the small prick!

Community Headlines:

• The view has just opened up here at the GBI base as our large orange container that has been sitting on the property for the last ten years has been moved to its new home on our land. For all of you alumni that remember it so well, you will know that this is news indeed.

• We love alumni, and we have been greatly blessed this week to spend time with Ruben and Melissa Heidel from Germany and Denise from Holland. Ruben and Melissa have been serving in Alexandria, Egypt and it was wonderful to share our hearts together again. Denise is a student from last year, and her fellow classmates have been so excited and blessed to spend time with her again.

• It’s a girl! Chandy and Sarah Thomas welcomed their new little baby Kashmir Yarden Rose early Saturday morning. She is absolutely beautiful and we are so happy for the Thomas family! Children are the great joys of our community.

We are full of thanks for all that the Lord has done, excited for all He is doing, and full of faith for all He will do. He satisfies us and makes us glad and we say, “. . . let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hand.”

Blessings,

The GTS Blog Team

Blog Writers: Hannah B. and Chelsea N.

Blog Editors: Hannah B. and Marissa H.

Photo Editors: Gwen P. and Marissa H

In the GTS, our desire is not just to train up young people to be effective in the Kingdom of God, but to see them healed, set free, and rooted and grounded in God’s perfect love. This is first and foremost as a broken vessel can never be truly filled; neither can it pour out effectively. Also, God wants us to know His love, not for what we can do for Him, but just because He loves us.

This week, John and Anne Smith (a precious couple from Canada) guided the students through the Ancient Paths seminar by Craig Hill. The purpose of this ministry is to restore God’s timeless foundations to families by rediscovering the process of imparting identity and destiny to His people through reestablishing a culture of blessing within the church and community. The students watched videos of Mr. Hill teaching about the ancient paths (Jer. 6:16) and then went through small group sessions where they shared, prayed, and experienced great inner healing and freedom. Through the teaching and through the humble hearts of John and Anne, the Holy Spirit did a mighty work and these students’ lives will never be the same.

Capture the Flag

The sun was hot, the woods were thick, the game was on!  With one minute to hide our flags and set our jail borders, we were all ready.  Red’s vs Black, a winner to be decided.  The first game began with tensions high, a time limit of 30 mins to decide a winner!  The red team won to their own surprise.  Abigail and Joseph joined for the second game, the black team easily took the victory.  With a tie in place the third game was played with precision and stealth.  The black team’s strategy was unusual as they all disappeared over the hill!  The Red team played hard to get and with only a few left in play they made a move and it seemed a disaster as the black team advanced towards the flag.  With only 30secs on the clock, the black flag crossed the line, bringing an end to a great time.  The winner:  the Red team!

GTS II Travels to Northern Cyprus with Mike Neiber

On Monday of this past week, the second year students and staff journeyed to the north side of the island with Mike Neibur and his son Joseph.  Mike is a longtime friend of the ministry’s and a specialist on the social and geographical history of the first century church.  For those who are not familiar with the political state of our island, the northern half of the land is occupied and ruled by mainland Turkey.  After going through border control and getting stamps in our passports, we were officially in the Republic of Turkey.

We spent the day traveling from one side of the island to the other, literally!  Kyrenia, Famagusta, and Salamis (the landing place of Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey throughout Cyprus) were the destinations of the day.  As we traveled, we stopped along the way for teaching times with Mr. Neibur (both historical and prophetic), along with powerful times of prayer for Cyprus and the surrounding nations.  The purpose and result of the trip was to connect our hearts with the entire island and God’s purposes for it in these days.  The students returned late in the night, tired from a long day in the sun, but full of gratitude for what God is doing on the island and in them!

The second year students are continuing to learn how to pour out their lives unto Jesus for the sake of His kingdom.  Their speaker this week has been sharing about the mighty move of God in the Muslim/Arab world and how they can be a part of it.  God desires to partner with His people to reach the lost, hungry, and hurting of the world.  If we surrender our everything to Jesus and follow the guiding of the Holy Spirit, we will see the nations come to know their Savior!  For the question is not how much of the Holy Spirit you have, but how much does the Holy Spirit have of you?!  As we die to ourselves, all fears dissipate, leaving only a passion for the things of Heaven.

Community Service: The Thomas Family’s Big Move

In February this year, our community welcomed back Chandy and Sarah (Rudolph) Thomas and their children Myrrh and Zion. After living in the States for the past 6 years, the Lord has added them back to us and we are so blessed. This Wednesday, we had a great work day helping them unload their container and move into their new home. It was exciting and fun to all be together blessing members of our community. They can now get settled in and prepare for the arrival of baby number 3 in May!

Many Blessings,

The GTS Blog Team

Blog Writers: Hannah B. and Chelsea N.

Photo Editors: Marissa H. and Gwen P.

Blog Editors: Hannah B. Marissa H. and Gwen P.

Passover

Happy Holidays! The time of Passover and Resurrection celebration is so precious. We love to go through the Passover Seder and remember how God brought His people out of slavery and bondage and into a new land of promise. We reflect on how Jesus the Messiah is revealed through the Passover traditions and imagine what it was like at His last Pesach (Passover) when he broke the unleavened bread and told his disciples that it was His body-He was completely without sin just as the Matzah is without leaven or yeast. He also took the cup of wine and blessed it and said that it was His blood poured out for us. Just as the blood of the lamb was spread on the doorposts of the Hebrews’ doors and everyone inside was spared and passed over, He shed His blood for us on the cross and He said that He is the door and the way to the Father. When we receive the blood of Yeshua, we enter through the door and are saved for He is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. As a community, we celebrated the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We gathered together last Wednesday night for a great meal and a time of remembering how God not only delivered His people from slavery in Egypt and us from our sin, but also He is still delivering us daily and providing all of our needs by the riches of His love.

Teaching by Jon Dunn and Heribert Binder

Our first week back in Cyprus started off full throttle on Monday with a week of teaching and impartation from Jon Dunn. Jon taught on friendship with God, a topic of highest importance and meaning in our lives. God desires our relationship with him to be intimate and organic (close, growing, and producing). We need to come out of the slave mentality which is rooted in fear and enter and grow in our friendship with God.

The second year students and interns were honored to have the historian, Heribert Binder from Austria, as their speaker this past week.  He is a renowned expert on the inspiring historical communities of Europe, including the missional community of Hernnhut and Pinczow, a large underground Messianic Jewish community dating back to the 17th century.  He humbly shared with us his abundant historical knowledge in harmony with the Holy Spirit, being moved to tears on more than one occasion as he encouraged us to see God’s goodness to His people throughout the ages.

Extreme Scavenger Hunt

We had an exciting time in outdoor pursuits on Sunday as both classes participated in an extreme scavenger hunt. The students were divided into four teams and set out to find clues to lead them to their next location. Meanwhile, the staff and interns prepared a feast to welcome both the winners and the in-other-ways-victorious participants. 

 Student Led

 Our first student led service after Israel was so encouraging as first and second year students reunited to share the word of the Lord burning in their hearts.

Katharina, a first year student, started us off with the proclamation, “This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!”  She reminded us that every morning and in every situation we have the choice to say “Yes Lord!” and choose joy.

Sietske shared a message of hope from Hebrews 6, encouraging us to stop grasping for the unstable things of the world but to secure our anchor of hope in the Rock Yeshua.

Chelsea ended the time with a passionate challenge from Romans 13 to go on the offensive-casting off the works of darkness and putting on the armor of light!

Come Lord Jesus!

This week, our community was blessed to have Don Finto and Tod McDowell to teach and fellowship with us. Don Finto is a dear friend and father to our community. Before our Israel trip, the first year students were greatly impacted through reading his book Your People Shall be My People. Tod McDowell has been ministering all over the world with Papa Don since 2005 and it was a real blessing to have two mighty men of God in our midst.

Papa Don gave rich teaching on the establishing of our character, the role and place of Israel in the end times, and living a life of purity and holiness, all the while delving into Romans 11 until hearts were penetrated with the truth of this word. We were inspired by his passion for God’s Word and for reading Scripture to see what it says rather than to prove what one already believes.

Tod McDowell shared about the washing of God. God wants to cleanse our hands and purify our hearts so that we can ascend His mountain and stand with Him. He cleanses and purifies us when we walk in the light by confessing our sins. Tod also taught on preparing for the return of the King and unfolded some of the ways that Yeshua spoke about His Kingdom.

An Evening in Limassol

On Wednesday evening this week, we all went down into town for a gathering among believers on the island. This was our second GTS hosted evening of teaching, and the pastors and people who came were so blessed to receive from both Don and Tod. It was a beautiful continuation from the evening of teaching with Asher Intrader a few months ago. 
 
   

Last week, we began our celebration of Passover, and this week the theme of deliverance was carried over into the 2nd year class with Mrs. Rudolph. It was a time of practical teaching and equipping, impartation of compassion in ministry, and a time of great healing and breakthrough in the students’ lives.

We hope you have been blessed by reading this blog and that you will be encouraged by the hope that is found in Yeshua, our deliverer.

Photo Montage of GTS II’s Trip to Israel

Many Blessings,

The GTS Blog Team

Blog Writers: Hannah B. and Chelsea N.

Photo Editors: Marissa H. and Gwen P.

Blog Editors: Hannah B. Marissa H. and Gwen P.

After our exciting time in the desert, we moved up north to the place where Yeshua did the most of His ministry-the Galilee. Our team stayed in the city Tiberius where we had a great roof-top view of the Sea of Galilee. During the week, we connected with Mike and Joseph N. and a team from Revive, a ministry near Jerusalem. Our first adventure together was an exhilarating hike through the Yehudiya Springs, complete with cliff jumping into near-frigid but refreshing water. Through the week we also did such beautiful hikes as Mount Arbel, the cliff-carved monastery; the Crusades-era castle known as Nimrod’s Fortress; Tel Dan, the springs at the very north of the country along the Lebanese border; the Golan heights and the old army bunker; and the hill-top Byzantine ruins that could very well be the “city on a hill which cannot be hidden,” as it is in view of the probable site of the Mount of Beatitudes. It was amazing to be able to walk through places from so many different eras and step on the same stones and mosaics that were being traversed long ago.

In addition to the beautiful and interesting hikes, we also visited a few more traditional sites. Capernaum is the city where Peter and his family lived. In this city, Jesus taught in the synagogue and healed many. The Mount of Beautitudes was especially meaningful as the GTS 1 team has been memorizing the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. Another special excursion was our boat ride on the Kinneret, or the Sea of Galilee. Baptiste Arnaud, a student from France, was able to celebrate his birthday on the very place where Jesus walked on water. While in the north, three students had the opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River. Baptiste, Daniel, and Caleb each shared with the group what God has been doing in their hearts and we and heaven witnessed this special moment for these young men of God.

As we did all of these things, we were privileged to spend time with young Israeli believers who came from both the Revive Israel team and the Tents of Mercy congregation.  Back in Cyprus, we have been praying for these people and ministries, so it was really special to connect with them and have faces and names to continue to lift up in prayer. We had such a good time with them all and greatly enjoyed the new friendships. On Shabbat (Satuday) morning we went to the congregation Tents of Mercy where we got to see our good friend and teacher Eitan Shishkoff. We spent the rest of the day with Andrey (the youth leader and a former GTS student) and the youth group. We walked to the beach where we had lunch and hung out. While at the beach, we were surprised and blessed to reconnect briefly with the GTS 2 team. We all ran to meet each other joyfully. After our time at the park, we headed back to the congregation where we had pizza and then a time of worship, testimonies, and prayer. This was such a powerful time and we were all touched. It was incredible to see young people receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit and their prayer language, and one young man whom we met on the road came and gave his life to Yeshua! Praise the Lord who loves us and saves us!

Up to Jerusalem

After three weeks of intense travel and packed-full days, we all breathed deeply as we arrived at Nes Harim, near Jerusalem, to a beautiful and peaceful house of ministry to the Lord for a few days of rest, peace, and community worship with the rest of the Gateways Team. It was truly refreshing. We had daily times of worship together and were able to spend time individually with the Lord in the various peaceful spots of this beautiful property. When the rest of the Gateways team that was in Israel joined us, we had a very special time of praying over the Geneva team who will be leaving Cyprus in May to create an altar of worship and extend our community into the French-speaking world. This was a very special time as we prayed over them and sent them forth from Jerusalem.

We were also blessed to have many conversations with and hear a teaching from Arnie and Yonit, the couple who runs the ministry and guest apartments. Many students have said that these conversations were the highlight of their trip, and we all were stirred by Arnie’s teaching on the Hebrew and Greek mindsets. It was a great honor to have Dr. Dan Juster come for the day and taught the students about the Kingdom of Heaven. Dan has been a teacher in the GTS every year and is an anointed and gifted leader in the Messianic movement. We are so grateful each time we are able to connect with him.

While in Nes Harim, we had another student-led service. Kristina and Krista both shared messages that fit together perfectly and really touched us all right where we were at. Kristina spoke about a generation who walks in Truth, and Krista’s sermon title was “Living in light of the Truth.” It was clear that the Lord was trying to say something to us. We do not want to be filled with lies, but we want the Spirit of Truth living inside of us.

On the way from Nes Harim to Jerusalem, we stopped for a few hours to go through Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial museum. This was a very sober yet significant part of our journey. Each student, intern, and staff went through at his or her own pace and we each had our own experience. Whether it was their first time or they had been many times before, all were deeply moved and gripped with compassion and love for not only the Jews, but also a hurting and dying humanity in need of a Savior.

The final leg of our journey was by no means the least; in fact, it was our great honor to spend our last week in Israel in Jerusalem, the beloved city of our Messiah. Most of the team stayed in an Armenian hostel inside of the old city walls. It was amazing to be able to be walking daily through the smooth and narrow streets of old Jerusalem. We met again with Avner Bosky for a day of touring and learning history of Jerusalem and the City of David. An especially exciting event was our journey through Hezekiah’s tunnel, a long underground tunnel built in Hezekiah’s time. We joined with the rest of the Gateways team on two occasions to lead a worship watch at Succat Hallel, a house of prayer overlooking Mt. Zion. These were powerful times of joining the local team and many others who came to worship. The Spirit of the Lord was so sweet. New songs were released and hearts were encouraged and blessed. We also had the opportunity to meet with a family doing a great work of representing and standing for justice for Messianic Israelis. We were able to worship with and pray over this couple and then hear their incredible testimony.

At the beautiful home of Steve and Taffy, overlooking both the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives, we had a time of worship with and teaching from Rick Ridings, the founder of Succat Hallel. We were all greatly moved and stirred by Rick’s message of serving the purposes of God in our generation. After his teaching, Rick and Steve ministered prophetically to the team. We were all stirred up as we listened to the words the Lord had for different students.

Our time in Jerusalem would not be complete without another student-led service. Outside, in the park, on a beautiful day, Sandra shared with us about humility and how it attracts the presence of God. This was a timely word and spoke to us all. Rebekah shared with us from deep within her heart and exhorted us that “When you look at Him, you stop looking at yourself.”

One of the last but most precious moments in Jerusalem was the opportunity we had to pray for the Armenian sister in whose hostel we were staying. She had broken her back and had pain in her knees and she was very eager for us to pray for her. As we prayed she said that she felt better, but what was perhaps the most significant was that her countenance truly changed and she could tangibly feel God’s peace. When we asked her to describe if she felt anything, she said that her whole body felt relaxed. Though she still wore her back brace, she walked out of there with peace and a new revelation of the love of God.

We thank all of you family and friends who have stood with us in prayer during this time. Spending a month in Israel was a great privilege and a significant time in all of our lives. We are now back in Cyprus and we are pressing onward and upward to continue to grow in God’s love and grace as we learn to be holy as He is holy.

Many blessings,

The GTS Blog Team

Photo Editor: Marissa H.

Blog Writers: Hannah B.

Blog Editors: Marissa H. and Hannah B.

After leaving Tel Aviv, the GTS 1 team headed south to the ancient city of Beersheva. It was amazing to see the landscape change as we drove into the desert. On our way, we made a stop to do some grocery shopping, and the grocery store turned into a theme park as the students eagerly hunted through the aisles-it was most of their first time in a grocery store since they arrived in Cyprus in January. The chocolate isle was a definite hit. The highlight of Beersheva was our day with Avner Bosky, a close friend of and long-time teacher for Gateways. Avner took us to the excavated site of ancient Beersheva. We crowded around and listened as someone dropped a small stone into the same well that Abraham built. Avner brought to life Abraham’s encounter with Avimelech. There was a conflict over rights to the well Abraham had dug. Though Abraham knew by faith it was the land God had promised him, he was still required to contend for it. This place became the first piece of territory to be owned by Abraham and the first fruits of what will belong to the Jews for all time. We then descended into the heart of the cistern archaeologists have uncovered and marvelled at the finger streaks of the sub-contractor who lined it with sea-sand plaster around 900BC.

Later that day, the students had some class time. Avner taught about God’s priorities, particularly in his establishing of a birth order. Rights of the firstborn to double status and inheritance are not without double responsibility and consequences for failure. He outlined God’s heart for His people, Israel, and the responsibility Gentiles have to “provoke them to jealousy” (Romans 11:11) by way of demonstrating the transforming presence of God. Avner concluded with an explanation of how Jews can find a fulfilment of their identity in Messiah.

Our next abode was in Nitsanei Sinai where we stayed in cabins right along the Israeli/Egyptian border. The desert view was truly beautiful and we all enjoyed the large Bedouin style tent in which we had our meals and times of worship. We especially enjoyed getting to eat with our host, Avishai and his family. He spiced things up with his intense home-grown peppers. The highlight of our time here was our big desert hike. With backpacks full of water we journeyed through the desert for over 20 kilometers/12 miles. Everyone did so great and we were blessed by the Lord for cool breezes and cloud cover. Being in the desert for a week taught us that it can be very hot in the day and very cold at night. It makes sense that God would use cloud by day and fire by night to not only guide the children of Israel, but also to shade them and keep them warm.

While in Nitsanei Sinai, we had our student-led service. Michael shared about who we are in Jesus. We are His friends, His brothers, and His bride. He bought us with a price, so of course He wants to take care of what is His. Michael encouraged us to soak up the scriptures that speak of our identity in Him so that we can push for our full inheritance and destroy the lies of the enemy.

Susanna shared on “Persistant Partying.” She shared with us her joy and exhorted us that we are called forth to destroy the works of the devil and to plant and release the Kingdom everywhere we go. She shared, “Every day I want to live it to the fullest. I want to drink up all that I can. Every day is part of our destiny.”

 Our wilderness experience then took us up toward the Dead Sea where we all stayed in a large Bedouin tent inside a small camping area. We had a lot of fun hanging out together and also talking with some of the people from the other tents. We did a lot in the short time we were there. We hiked up Masada, the fortress where Herod had built himself a palace and where the zealots had one of their last hold outs against the Romans. Masada is an archeological treasure and a fascinating place to visit. After Masada, we went to the Dead Sea and the students enjoyed the totally unique experience of floating in water so laden with salt and minerals that you literally cannot sink. It was funny to see everyone with the mineral-rich mud spread all over their skin. We were also able to visit Qumran, the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

As we drove up out of the desert, we stopped at the home of Rick and Daphna Wienecke to see and experience his sculpture “The Fountain of Tears.” Never have I been more moved by a work of art as I was by this beautiful and poignant depiction of “a dialogue of suffering between the Holocaust and the Crucifixion.” We all took time to take in what was before us, and we were each affected deeply. Our hearts were stirred in intercession, we were moved with compassion, and we were stirred in hope and faith for the final victory in Yeshua.

Many Blessings,

The GTS Blog Team

Photo Editor: Marissa H.

Blog Writers: Hannah B. and Sandra B.

Blog Editors: Hannah B. and Marissa H.

Shalom from Israela!

The GTS headed out from Cyprus on Sunday evening and arrived to the beautiful Ben-Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. The first night the 1^st and 2^nd year groups were able to stay together in the Old Jaffa hostel, and then said their goodbyes at breakfast.

Our first day in Israel was one to remember. The GTS 1 began our Experience Israel Journey with a walk through the city to Independence Hall. As we sat in this simple museum hall, we were astounded by the history of this house. This was the first home built on what, only a hundred years ago, was two large sand dunes. Those sand dunes were quickly transformed into a growing Jewish neighborhood, then a thriving center of culture and arts, and finally a sprawling modern city. This house that began it all was also the home of the first mayor, the first art museum, and the place from which on May 14, 1948 (5 Iyar, 5708) David Ben Gurion proclaimed the state of Israel. We were moved and humbled as we sat in this same room and listened to our tour guide speak from her heart about Israel’s right to exist-a freedom we take for granted but is fought for every day in this old and new land. And this, we learned, is the meaning of the name Tel Aviv: it is an old and new city.

The history of this place goes much further back, however, than those sand dunes. On our second day, we walked through what is called Old Jaffa, or Joppa. You can read about this place in Acts 10:1-11:18. Peter was at Joppa staying with Simon the tanner when, through a vision, the Lord spoke to him saying “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” Peter was then directed from the Lord to follow the men sent by Cornelius. At the home of Cornelius (a Roman centurion), the Lord poured out His Spirit and revealed to Peter that “God has granted to the Gentiles repentance to life” (Acts 11:18b). This is where those of us who are gentiles are grafted in; we are adopted into the family of God! This truth fills our hearts with gratefulness, and after our walk through Old Jaffa, we were blessed to have a time of worship and team building at the beach.

Other things we did while in Tel Aviv include visiting a Messianic ministry house called Dugit, celebrating Purim together, and, for many students, their first trip to a shuk (an open bazaar or market). The ministry house of Dugit is a place in downtown Tel Aviv where people can go and have free coffee, look at books, and ask questions and hear answers about Yeshua and Messianic Judaism. While there, we were blessed to receive a practical teaching on how to approach and begin conversations with Jewish people about their Messiah and how to explain the Gospel in a culturally applicable way.

For Purim (the Biblical feast set forth in the book of Esther) we had a costume party on the roof of our hostel. This was especially exciting as we only had the few things we packed for our trip to work with. At the party, we had pizza, hamantaschen (the traditional cookie eaten at Purim), and we read through the book of Esther aloud together. This was a lot of fun as we all said boooo whenever Haman was named, we cheered when Mordecai was named, and we sighed sweetly whenever Esther was named. It gets quite comical in the verses that say their names back and forth, over and over again.

Our time in Tel Aviv was such a great way to begin our trip. We greatly enjoyed our stay at the Old Jaffa Hostel where we had great views from the roof and many opportunities to talk with the other guests and plant seeds in their heart of the Gospel and the goodness of God. On the third morning, we left Tel Aviv and went south into the ancient city of Beersheva. So you can check back in with us later to read all about our wilderness experience.

Many Blessings,

The GTS Blog Team

Photo Editor: Marissa H.

Blog Writer: Hannah B.

Blog Editor: Marissa H. and Hannah B.