Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

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Thursday, September 17, 2015

Israel's Mission DVD and Discovery Guide Review

Becoming a Kingdom of Priests
in a Prodigal World

SUMMARY:  WHAT'S YOUR MISSION?  God gave an assignment to His people thousands of years ago:  Bring "lost sheep" back into the love and safety of His kingdom.  It's still our task today.  In this 13th volume of That the World May Know, you'll glimpse the urgency and rewards of welcoming the strangers and prodigals the Lord longs to embrace.  Discover the mission that can give your life - and the lives of those around you - greater meaning that you ever imagined.

Five Episodes filmed on location in the Middle East
  1. Abraham and Sarah and Three Strangers (Negev, Israel)
  2. Israel at Sinai: The First Great Commission (Timnah, Israel)
  3. Jesus Renews His Mission:  Seeking the Lost (Qatzrin, Israel)
  4. The Lost Son:  In a Far Country (Jerash, Jordan)
  5. The Seeking Father:  The Lost Son Returns (Qatzrin, Israel)
      This Discovery Guide will take you on an interactive journey.  Each session . . . 
  • Focuses on passages of Scripture explored in the film.
  • Includes sidebars, maps, photos and other study tools.
  • Features questions that facilitate discussion and inspire personal reflection.
That the World May Know
     Join renowned teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan as he guides you through the land of the Bible.  In each lesson, Vander Laan illuminates the historical, geographical and cultural context of the sacred Scriptures.  Filmed on location in the Middle East and elsewhere, the That the World May Know film series will transform your understanding of God and challenge you to be a true follower of Jesus.

REVIEW:  Having seen some of Ray Vander Laan's  That the World May Know videos in the past, I was excited to see this opportunity come across my desk.  The author and teacher of this video series gives you details based on cultural views, historical context and geography that has gotten lost in our modern day Western culture to help you understand what the biblical writers meant in a deeper, most eye-opening way.  In this series, Mr. Vander Laan focuses on our mission - bringing others back into the family fold - and how this assignment was given to the Israelites in the desert and again to the followers of Jesus.  The details given about how the patriarchal society the Hebrews were familiar with is a representation of the family of God.  The parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Prodigal Son are seen in a different light when you look at the context of the patriarchal family - the beth ab - and shows us just how God keeps pursuing us, even when we don't want to be found.  The Discovery Guide gives you more details and focuses on other stories in the bible in greater detail that also support this idea of redemption.  Maps, side bar notes and "Did You Know" sections help bring the reader to a deeper understanding of the passages covered.
     This is a wonderful series and lives up to the memory of the ones I've seen previously.  This series is great for a small group, Sunday school class, Bible Study group or even an individual who wants to dig deeper into the bible.  You will not be disappointed.

This DVD and Discovery Guide was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group and Zondervan 
for review without compensation.

Ray Vander Laan is the founder of That the World May Know Ministries and creator of the That the World May Know video series with Focus on the Family.  An ordained minister, he holds the chair of biblical cultural studies as a religion instructor at Holland Christian Schools in Holland, Michigan.  He and his wife, Esther, have four children and 16 grandchildren.  ThatTheWorldMayKnow.com

Steven and Amanda Sorenson are founders of Sorenson Communications and have cowritten many small group curriculum guidebooks, including the entire That the World May Know film series.


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