1 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: I'm just in awe of a God who should not 2 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: have picked us, but in his humor, his sense of humor, 3 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: decided to take two people who have never ran a 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: fund before and start the Joshua Fund. What if God 5 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: gave you a dream, a dream to show the love 6 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: of God and share the word of God and the 7 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,879 Speaker 1: gospel of Jesus the Messiah with a country or a 8 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: group of countries that you really really loved, that were 9 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: really really on your heart and had been for much 10 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,199 Speaker 1: of your life. And what if you felt that the 11 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: Lord wanted you to somehow and you didn't know how, 12 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: invest one hundred million dollars into strengthing the local believers, 13 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: the national believers in those countries so that they could 14 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: share the gospel in their own heart language, with their neighbors, 15 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: with their friends, with their people, and to fulfill the 16 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: great commission to teach the word of God and make disciples. 17 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: What if you were supposed to care for the poor 18 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: and educate the church about why the countries that were 19 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: on your heart are on God's heart? 20 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 2: What would you do? 21 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:13,759 Speaker 1: What would you do first? What steps would you take? 22 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: And what might you fear most? Hi This is Joel 23 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: Rosenberg I am one of the founders of the Joshua 24 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: Fund with my dear wife Lynn, and welcome to Inside 25 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: the Epicenter. This is a podcast where we talk about 26 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:29,119 Speaker 1: all kinds of things that are going on. Sometimes it's war, 27 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 1: sometimes it's rumors of war. Sometimes it's prophecy. Sometimes it's 28 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: ministry leaders and what God is doing in the epicenter, 29 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: in Israel and in the neighboring Arab Muslim world. And 30 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 1: today we've got a very I'm really excited about this 31 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: particular program and as it begins a series of podcasts 32 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: about the twenty year anniversary of the Joshua and how 33 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: it got started exactly literally in the summer of two 34 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: thousand and six, and how it's grown from then. What 35 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: are the things that we've learned, what are the values 36 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: and biblical principles that are at the core of it. 37 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 1: I'm excited about this, and Lanne, I'm excited to be 38 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: able to do this with you. And you are the 39 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 1: one that we were like, what this seems like a 40 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 1: daunting task but also a very very exciting opportunity. 41 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 2: It's good to be with you, and how would you 42 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 2: like to begin, Well. 43 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 3: It is amazing that twenty years has actually passed. I mean, 44 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:29,919 Speaker 3: here we are in the summer of twenty twenty six, 45 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:32,639 Speaker 3: sitting in Jerusalem. When we started this, we were living 46 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:36,519 Speaker 3: in northern Virginia outside Washington, d C. And now our 47 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 3: lives have been so changed by what God has done 48 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 3: and the things He's shown us. So yes, I'm very 49 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 3: excited to tell some of those stories and to talk 50 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 3: about some of our friends and our heroes and the 51 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,119 Speaker 3: people that God has brought together. We're going to see 52 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 3: how many episodes it takes to cover twenty years of 53 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,119 Speaker 3: lessons and people and things. But I'm really excited also 54 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 3: to introduce a good friend of ours, a colleague on 55 00:02:58,080 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 3: our Joshua Fond team, and that is Lance. 56 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:00,359 Speaker 4: Emma. 57 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 3: Lance is with us today and he'll be with us 58 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 3: in this series, asking the questions and helping to guide 59 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:08,399 Speaker 3: us and keep us on tracks so we don't give 60 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 3: answers that are too long, which we're very wont to do. 61 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a hard task. 62 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 3: Lance was with the Joshua Fund in the early years 63 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 3: of the ministry and then he went to serve in 64 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,519 Speaker 3: the senior leadership in a church where he was where 65 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:25,959 Speaker 3: he had come to faith. And so we sadly, but 66 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 3: with joy also saw him go and do that for 67 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 3: several years, quite a few years, and now he's back 68 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 3: with us. About a year and a half ago, he 69 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 3: came back onto our staff as the director of Strategic Initiatives, 70 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 3: and so he gets to dream up all kinds of 71 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 3: ways to get this message to as many people as possible. 72 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 3: And he had the idea, why don't we do a 73 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 3: series of podcasts to tell the story of the twentieth anniversary. 74 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 2: So welcome Lance exactly. 75 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: I just want to say you've been hearing about some 76 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: of the strategic in issues that Lance has actually been 77 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: talking about. We won't get into details now, but he's 78 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: helping us design the Epicenter summit and the tour of 79 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: Israel next year, and we wanted you to go to 80 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: Joshua fund dot com learn all about the summit, learn 81 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: about our tour, and sign up. We really would love 82 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: to have you with us. It's gonna be very, very 83 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,679 Speaker 1: exciting next spring. It was Lance had the idea among 84 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,039 Speaker 1: other people on the staff, Hey, you guys should write 85 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: a book. We're all these crazy things are being said 86 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: about Israel and all these attacks. How do we answer 87 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: those questions? How do we equip people, and so that's 88 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 1: something we're working on as well. But lanc Yeah, it's 89 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: great to have you here. 90 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 5: Thank you, Joel, Thank you Lynn. It's a pleasure to 91 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 5: be here. And I look forward to reliving some of 92 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 5: those stories and learning new things myself. And so as 93 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 5: we kick this off, you know Joel Lynn, most people, 94 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 5: many people know you know Joel as the New York 95 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 5: Times best selling author and you know dozens of books. 96 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 5: But what most people don't know is the reality that 97 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:01,679 Speaker 5: Lynn is the editor behind and all of those books. 98 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 5: And so that partnership of writing began, you know, twenty 99 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 5: plus years ago as well. And Lynn is also the 100 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 5: co founder of the Joshua Fund with Joel, and so 101 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:18,359 Speaker 5: there's that partnership in the establishing of vision and mission. 102 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 5: And so can you take us back some twenty years ago? 103 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 5: What was stirring in both of your hearts? How did 104 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 5: the Lord lead you to begin the Joshua Fund? Where 105 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 5: did it all begin around that kitchen table? 106 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: Well, it actually began in our dorm rooms back at 107 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: Syracuse University when we met and we were friends and 108 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: then we were starting to fall in love and I 109 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: had this love for Israel and her neighbors. It turned 110 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: out she had a love for Israel and her neighbors. 111 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 1: I had been she had not yet been. I had 112 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:55,479 Speaker 1: been raised in a home with a Jewish father, and 113 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: she had been raised in you know, in a gentile 114 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: believing a family that came to the Lord eventually, and 115 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: so we started talking and dreaming. Even then, we knew 116 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 1: that somehow we wanted to be involved in investing in 117 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 1: the local church in Israel and the Arab Muslim world. 118 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: But it was only when when I started to become 119 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 1: you know, famous, I don't like to use the term, 120 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,840 Speaker 1: but as well known because of the books and all 121 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: the radio and TV interviews and so forth that I 122 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: was doing. 123 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 4: Our kids like to say, you're a little famous. 124 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 2: I'm a little bit famous, just enough to be dangerous. Yeah. 125 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: Well, so what was happening is I was getting invited 126 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: to churches and they people were like, Okay, your books 127 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 1: are about worst case scenarios that could could happen in 128 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: the Middle East, but worst case scenarios are happening in 129 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: the Middle East. 130 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,799 Speaker 2: Joel, what do we do? What do we as. 131 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: Christians do to help bring the light of Jesus to 132 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 1: such a dark and dangerous region of the world. And 133 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: it's not that I didn't have an answer, Lance, It's 134 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: that I had too many answers. I had traveled throughout 135 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: the region since nineteen eighty and for several decades, and 136 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: I knew many ministry leaders, as did Lynn at that point. 137 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: And at that point she had been to the land 138 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: and many times with me and with the kids, And 139 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: so we had a lot of ministries and churches and 140 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: pastors that we knew. I couldn't list them all at 141 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: the you know, in a sermon or at the end 142 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: of a message, or in a Q and a session. 143 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 2: So I was struggling. 144 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:23,119 Speaker 1: Plus, we had this burden to care for the poor, 145 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: and we didn't really know what to do with that. 146 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 2: Lynn, Yeah, what would you say? 147 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: Because this was both an exciting idea and it wasn't 148 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: our idea. Other people came to us with this idea 149 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: and said, maybe you should start a ministry. But it 150 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: was both exciting and it created a lot of anxieties 151 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: for me, like I don't know how. 152 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 2: To do that. 153 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, it really is amazing how faithful God 154 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 3: is to put those seeds of faith into you when 155 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 3: you're young, when you're growing you know the way he 156 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 3: shapes your life, the things and the people he brings 157 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 3: into your life to kind of put you on a path, 158 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 3: that that's his plan. So I would say, in some 159 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 3: ways for me, it's just been very exciting. I remember 160 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 3: when Joel asked my father for his blessing to propose 161 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 3: to me. My father said yes. He didn't ask a 162 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 3: lot of questions. I think he was happy to get 163 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 3: rid of me. No, no, But he told me afterwards, 164 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 3: he said, well, Joel doesn't have a job, he doesn't 165 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 3: have any bank account, he's not wealthy. 166 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 4: But and you know, he just graduated. 167 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 3: But he said, I know this is my dad speaking, 168 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 3: who wasn't a believer at the time. I know your 169 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 3: life is going to be an adventure with this guy, 170 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 3: and that's what you're made for. Like since you were 171 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 3: a little girl, I know that this is this is 172 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 3: what God's plan is for you. And that is just 173 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 3: how I would describe marriage to Joel and this whole 174 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 3: Joshua fun dream and adventure. It's been an adventure. So yeah, 175 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 3: living in Washington was an adventure. Raising for boys was 176 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 3: an adventure. When Joel started writing books and getting into 177 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 3: invited to come speak places. It just felt like one thing, 178 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 3: like God was just doing it. It was building in 179 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 3: a way that wasn't for me scary or overwhelming. It 180 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 3: was more just like, wow, it was amazing what God 181 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 3: was doing. But I think it was a confirmation of 182 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 3: our dreams and prayers. In college, I always wanted to 183 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 3: be involved in full time ministry, to be cross culturally involved, 184 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 3: and my heart was in. 185 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 2: Israel and Jewish studies minor. 186 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 4: That's right. 187 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 3: I studied Jewish Studies in university. I was the only 188 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 3: non Jewish person in the program. And the program made 189 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 3: you ask questions. That was what you were graded on, 190 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 3: was the quality of your questions. And I loved that 191 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,559 Speaker 3: because it just it really made you come every day 192 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 3: to class with really having read the books and really 193 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 3: having thought of good questions. And that's such a great 194 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 3: approach to ministry, really is to ask good questions of 195 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 3: people and learn be a learner. And so yeah, God 196 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 3: has been teaching us so many lessons and it's been 197 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 3: really really exciting. But I think that conference in Canada 198 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 3: is where it kind of all came together. Joel, maybe 199 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 3: you want to tell that story that was that was 200 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 3: sort of so many things were happening. But that was 201 00:09:57,440 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 3: sort of the spark that lit the fire of the 202 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 3: Joshua Fund. Was in Canada. 203 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, So as the novels became well known and they 204 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: were selling and people were inviting me the places, you know, 205 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:12,839 Speaker 1: we really prayed a lot. You know, what should we 206 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 1: say yes to? What is just more than we can bear? 207 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: But you never and it was always like, I mean 208 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:20,559 Speaker 1: Christmas morning, to go to speak at some place. Sometimes 209 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: you would connect with people and it would be exciting, 210 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: and other times, you know, people were like, yeah, that's interesting, 211 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: but you know, maybe the pastor is. 212 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 2: More interested than you are. 213 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:31,200 Speaker 1: But we got invited to this event of it was 214 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:36,119 Speaker 1: called an executive Weekend. It was up in Canada and 215 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: I think it was Victoria Island off in British Columbia, 216 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: and it was basically like maybe one hundred and fifty 217 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 1: business executives and their wives who were believe or you know, 218 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: maybe the executive was. 219 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 2: The wife and the husband was not the executive. 220 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: But anyway, they were all believers and they were all 221 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 1: looking for Okay, how can we help people in ministry, 222 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: how can we invest in things? 223 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 2: That's not why we were there. We weren't raising any money. 224 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 1: I just got invited because the head of the conference 225 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,079 Speaker 1: had read one of my novels and thought, oh, this 226 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: will be an interesting testimony. So as I shared afterwards, 227 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: there was a lot of Q and a, and then 228 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 1: people would come up and two different couples said, hey, 229 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: one of your novels, shouldn't it be translated into Hebrew 230 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 1: and maybe Russian? And because it because it's so interesting, 231 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: but also the Gospels woven so intricately and beautifully into it, 232 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:27,199 Speaker 1: shouldn't that be like a vaiwbel in Israel? I mean, 233 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 1: that's a country that you care about, right, isn't your 234 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 1: aren't your books? And lots of other languages. I'm like, yeah, 235 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: never dawned on me to do that. And they said, 236 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: well how much would that cost to translate and publish 237 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 1: your books? 238 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 2: There? 239 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: I was like, I have no idea. I look at 240 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: lynn Lyn's like I have no idea. But the number 241 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: two guy at the conference said, well, I actually know 242 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:50,679 Speaker 1: somebody who does this, pulls out his phone, calls that 243 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 1: guy comes back is it'd be about fifteen thousand dollars 244 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,319 Speaker 1: to do all you know from from soup to nuts, 245 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: to get it translated, proofed and published. So one couple said, 246 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 1: all right, we'll do fifteen thousand for Hebrew, and another 247 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 1: couple said, well, we'll do fifteen thousand for Russian. And 248 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 1: we're like, whoa, whoa, we don't have a ministry. This 249 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: is your idea. I mean, it's a good idea, but 250 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: it's not our idea. And we don't have any place 251 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: to park that money because they're like basically ready to 252 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 1: stroke a check. And to whom do I make it 253 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: out to, like not to us, Like that particular ministry 254 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: said this is a good idea. Why don't we'll do 255 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: two things? They said, well, we've got a bank account, 256 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: we'll park it in a special account designated for this. 257 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 1: And then, Joeln, you should go home and start praying 258 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: and gathering some people who know you should start a 259 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 1: nonprofit ministry. 260 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 2: And we're like, we should. 261 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 1: I mean, so Lance, I want to just be clear 262 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: with you. And you know, people give us a lot 263 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:49,199 Speaker 1: of credit. Wow, there's what a great idea. The seeds 264 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: of the idea were in us from college from before actually, 265 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: but the actual idea for the Joshua Fund was from 266 00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 1: other people. And then I'll just say this, I ask them, 267 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,600 Speaker 1: have you guys ever been to. Is this little group 268 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: of people that were so excited about this idea and they're. 269 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 4: Like, no, oh, yeah, the group of Canadians. 270 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 2: Right, group of Canadians. 271 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,079 Speaker 1: And I said, would you like us to go take 272 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 1: you over there and just show you the land that 273 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 1: we love? 274 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 2: And they said yes. 275 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 1: And it was on that trip that this began to 276 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: take more shape. And that was November. The conference was 277 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: May of two thousand and five, and then that we 278 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: took them over in November of two thousand and five, 279 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: and from that moment to the summer July of two 280 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: thousand and six was finding a nonprofit Christian lawyer helping us. 281 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 1: How do we do this, How do we put together 282 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 1: a board, what are the by laws, all the basics, 283 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 1: and then what is this ministry actually going to do 284 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 1: and what are we going to call it? 285 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 5: Well, thank you for that background that is that's an 286 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 5: amazing testimony of the Lord putting thoughts and seeds and 287 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 5: then watching at germanyate as he does work. And so 288 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 5: we're going to take a quick break and we will 289 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:04,959 Speaker 5: come right back in just a moment. 290 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,560 Speaker 3: Today's verse comes from Colossians chapter one, verse six, in 291 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 3: the same way the gospel is bearing fruit and growing 292 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 3: throughout the whole world, just as it has been doing 293 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 3: among you since the day you heard it and truly 294 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 3: understood God's grace. Will you join us in praying that 295 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 3: God would continue to raise up workers to bring the 296 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 3: gospel all over the world, but especially back to the Epicenter, 297 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 3: to where it all began, to Israel and to the 298 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 3: neighboring countries. Will you pray that God would strengthen his 299 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 3: church to give them courage, to make them fruitful, to 300 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 3: make them impact the communities around them. And finally, that 301 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 3: God would raise up more partners to stand with the 302 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 3: Joshua Fund to learn about God's heart for this part 303 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 3: of the world, to pray with us, to give, and 304 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 3: to even come with us. Welcome back to Inside the 305 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 3: Epicenter podcast. We're going to get back to more questions 306 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 3: and so I'm going to turn it back to Lance. 307 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 3: What else do you want to know? 308 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 2: Thanks? Lynn? 309 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 5: Yeah, So, as we help listeners and viewers step into 310 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 5: the story of the Joshua Fund. I know one of 311 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 5: the first times I heard you speak, Joel, you were 312 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 5: talking about both and you were talking about not only Israel, 313 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 5: but you were talking about the neighboring countries, and so 314 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 5: can you help us understand what is that distinctive of 315 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 5: the Joshua Fund, that the Joshua Fund is both for 316 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 5: Israel and the Jewish people, but we're also for our 317 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 5: Arab countries, neighboring countries and Palestinians, Arabs and now Persians 318 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 5: as well. 319 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, happy to yeah. 320 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 5: Right. 321 00:15:56,440 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: From the absolute origins the Genesis one one moment, the 322 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: creation of the Joshua Fund, God had very much put 323 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: on lens in my heart. Unfortunately, those that we were 324 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: asking to be on the board to bless Israel and 325 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 1: our neighbors. We really felt that there were a couple 326 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: of concepts that were central, I mean really at the 327 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: core of the DNA of the Joshua One was how 328 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 1: could we help local believers reach every Jew and Gentile 329 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 1: in the land of Israel with the gospel the good 330 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: News of Jesus the Messiah. Since so few people here 331 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,239 Speaker 1: actually know it, and not just Jews, but Drews and Bedouins, 332 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: obviously Arabs and others, how could everybody know and how 333 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: could we help the local church, the local believers in 334 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: Israel and the surrounding neighborhood fulfill the Great Commission, where 335 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,479 Speaker 1: Jesus of course said, in Israel, go and make disciples 336 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: of all nations, right, not just Israel. Yes he was Jewish, 337 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: Yes he was in Israel like Yes he was the 338 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: Jewish Messiah. But he was the Messiah to the whole world. 339 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: And we see that in Isaiah forty nine. One of 340 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 1: the prophecies about the Messiah is where the Father is 341 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 1: speaking to the Son seven hundred plus years before Jesus, 342 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: You're sure came, and the Father is saying to the son. 343 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:21,880 Speaker 2: It's too small a thing for you to only. 344 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: Be a light to the nation of Israel. You also 345 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 1: need to be a light to the nations. I'm paraphrasing, 346 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 1: but so that theologically was deep in us. Lynn and 347 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: I had been mentored by a wonderful couple that he 348 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 1: was a Lebanese believer. He's actually a believer who's still 349 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 1: alive and now on the board of the Joshua Fund. 350 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 1: But for many years at that point, fourteen or fifteen years, 351 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 1: he had been a mentor of a friend, he and 352 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,880 Speaker 1: his wife. But he was born and raised in Lebanon, 353 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,439 Speaker 1: and he loved the Lord, and he was running a 354 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: ministry that extended from Morocco in the west to Afghanistan 355 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 1: and the east, and I had traveled the conferences with him, 356 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: we'd had him in our home, and we had learned 357 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: so much about what God was doing among the neighbors. 358 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,440 Speaker 1: And also Lynn's brother in law. Our brother in law, 359 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 1: the husband of Lynn's only sister, is himself a Lebanese 360 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 1: follower of Jesus, born and raised in Beirut during the 361 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 1: Civil War, grew up in the Civil War in the 362 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 1: mid seventies, and then you know, he and his family 363 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 1: fled from Lebanon and they got to the United States 364 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: and he came to christ and he married Lynn's sister. 365 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:36,439 Speaker 1: So it was just so much part of us that 366 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 1: we just knew that the Lord was saying, Yes, we 367 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: get it that many ministries focus on one or the other. 368 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:45,399 Speaker 1: They may have a love for both, but they have 369 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 1: a lane and that's what they focus on. We get that, 370 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 1: and we've learned that it would be much easier, hard, 371 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: but easier to just do one side or the other. 372 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: That was not the calling on our lives. And it's 373 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: been very, very complicated, but very important, and we're trying 374 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: to model a love for both sides, even when you 375 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: may have a disagreement theologically politically with your own leaders 376 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: in Israel or your neighbors of course, of course, but 377 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 1: I mean there's you know, we're in a war that continues, 378 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: so those are That's a that's the quickest answer I 379 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 1: can give, so. 380 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:22,399 Speaker 5: Help me, so help our listeners, Like what are some 381 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 5: practical ways that we are serving the church in both 382 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 5: Israel and in the neighboring countries. 383 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 3: Then you want to take that sure, Yeah, I would 384 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 3: just add just my two cents too to that question 385 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:41,159 Speaker 3: that you asked Lance, because I was just thinking for me, 386 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:43,239 Speaker 3: like Joel said, Yes, it was so deep in us. 387 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,440 Speaker 3: And I think the reason why the both and has 388 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:48,439 Speaker 3: been so deep in us is because not only the 389 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:52,160 Speaker 3: things Joel said, but also because in our church where 390 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:54,399 Speaker 3: we were newlyweds and where we raised our boys for 391 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 3: twenty four years in Northern Virginia, we run the Missions 392 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 3: Committee and it was a huge megachurch. So we had 393 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 3: I don't know how many missionaries, fifty or something missionaries, 394 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 3: and so we got to know everybody that was working 395 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 3: in the Arab world. Well, we went to the missions 396 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:11,639 Speaker 3: conference and we were like, Okay, let's find everybody in 397 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 3: the middle East, because those are our people and we're 398 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 3: we're going to be their cheerleaders and everything. And so 399 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,719 Speaker 3: there was nobody at that conference that was doing ministry 400 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 3: among the Jewish people. Every single one was someone working 401 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,199 Speaker 3: in the Muslim world, in the Arab world, And so 402 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 3: we took that as that that's what God wanted to 403 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 3: teach us, was to not just in our heads say 404 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 3: that God loves you know, we know that Jesus said 405 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 3: love your neighbors, and he said love your enemies. But 406 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 3: that's one thing to say that and another thing to 407 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 3: live it out, especially in this part of the world. 408 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:45,680 Speaker 3: And we know that, you know, Ephesians teaches us about 409 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:48,639 Speaker 3: the whole concept of one new Man that in Christ, 410 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:52,479 Speaker 3: you know, there's one. He's broken down these wall of enmity, 411 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:55,440 Speaker 3: and he's made us in Christ, one new man, and 412 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,239 Speaker 3: he's brought this peace that's only possible through him. So 413 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 3: when you think about them, at least there's a lot 414 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 3: of walls of division, of course, and hospitality. 415 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 2: Liberal walls. 416 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,360 Speaker 1: I mean, we have a literala between Israel and the Palestinians, 417 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 1: and so trying to whether it's it's invest in local 418 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: churches or provide Bibles in local languages or have conferences 419 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:16,400 Speaker 1: in retreats. 420 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 2: For pastors, you have to. 421 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 1: Think simultaneously in two different languages at least, and in 422 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 1: two different sets of logistics. And it's it's exciting, but wow, 423 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 1: it is challenging because the Palatans can't come to a 424 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 1: conference or a retreat or Bible study in Israel, and 425 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:37,719 Speaker 1: israelis aren't legally allowed, and it's very dangerous if they 426 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: even tried to cross the other direction. 427 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:40,680 Speaker 4: Right. 428 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,160 Speaker 3: So, for instance, one of the things that we did 429 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:45,520 Speaker 3: early on and Lamps was part of helping us start 430 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 3: this was his idea. I believe that is a conference 431 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 3: we do called Preach the Word Shepherd the Flock, and 432 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 3: we invited every pastor and ministry leader that we knew 433 00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 3: that we'd met, that we had contact with from both 434 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 3: inside Israel, and that's of course both Arab Israeli believers 435 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:07,400 Speaker 3: and Jewish Messianic believers. And then also we worked with 436 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:11,119 Speaker 3: the Council on the in the Palestinian side to do 437 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 3: that same conference in a place where they could were 438 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,439 Speaker 3: able to come, a place that they could come without 439 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 3: having to cross borders and cross checkpoints and everything. So 440 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 3: we did the same conference twice once solely in Arabic, 441 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 3: you know, for our Palestinian brothers and sisters, and then 442 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:31,920 Speaker 3: on the other side in Arabic, in. 443 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:33,120 Speaker 4: Hebrew, in Russian. 444 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,120 Speaker 3: So in one way, you know, actually we don't do 445 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 3: things separately. We don't say, Okay, we're going to have 446 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:41,920 Speaker 3: a conference for the Arab Israelis and we're going to 447 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:45,400 Speaker 3: have a conference for the Messianic Israelis. We have them 448 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 3: all together in one place, and we do worship music 449 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:51,680 Speaker 3: in Hebrew and worship music in Arabic, and we all 450 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 3: break bread together and sit around tables together and share 451 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 3: and get to know each other and pray together. 452 00:22:57,119 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 4: This is thanks in Heaven. 453 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:02,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, somebody that I thought you were saying it was 454 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 1: separate Palestinian under the Palasin authority. 455 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 2: That's separate. 456 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: And so that's all in Arabic with Arabic worship, and 457 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:13,680 Speaker 1: that is the Council of Evangelical Pastors and ministry leaders, 458 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,440 Speaker 1: and we do it under their guidance and their supervision 459 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: for all these fifteen years or so that we've been 460 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: doing it. 461 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 2: On the Israel side. 462 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 1: Yes, then twenty percent of the Israeli actually twenty one 463 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:28,239 Speaker 1: percent of the Israeli society are Arabs. Many of them 464 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: are Arab Muslims, but many are Arab Christians. And so 465 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 1: there are evangelical Arab Israeli citizens full rights as Arabs 466 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:42,080 Speaker 1: in Israel. And so that's where we're saying, that's integrated. 467 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 1: That's not Arab Israelis in one conference and then Jewish 468 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 1: Israelis and another conference. That's the one that's integrated. And 469 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,440 Speaker 1: the knights of Hebrew worship and the Knights of Arabic worship. 470 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:57,160 Speaker 1: And it's so encouraging. And it was early on when 471 00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: we did this lance because you were there, you know. 472 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 1: But for our our viewers and listeners, there were many, 473 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 1: There was not a small number that were uncomfortable. Not 474 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:10,919 Speaker 1: theologically they knew this is a good idea theological, but practically, 475 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 1: you know. That first year we did it, there was 476 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: a missile war that erupted right while we were doing 477 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: the first retreat in Israel, and we were supposed to 478 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: head to the Palace in retreat, and people in the 479 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: Israel side were saying, do not go, are you insane? 480 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: Like that is a bad idea. And I literally got 481 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:30,639 Speaker 1: a call from the head of the Palace Indian and 482 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:34,159 Speaker 1: the Evangelical Council who said, please, if you really mean it, 483 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 1: if you really love us, and you're here to serve us, 484 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: this is the moment that you and your teaching team 485 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: Joel would come over and serve us and help us, 486 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: right in the middle of a rocket war. And I 487 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,719 Speaker 1: got to tell you, Lance, that's as close to a 488 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:56,199 Speaker 1: Macedonian call as I've ever personally encountered. And even with 489 00:24:56,320 --> 00:25:00,640 Speaker 1: some caution, we prayed, we fasted your call. In the end, 490 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:06,159 Speaker 1: we sent I think two pastors forward for the first 491 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 1: night to see did they make it? I mean, and 492 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 1: this was their idea. I wanted to go myself, but 493 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 1: the rest of the team said, no, you're actually Jewish, 494 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:17,680 Speaker 1: you shouldn't go. But anyway, but it was so beautiful 495 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 1: and it didn't break a barrier, a psychological barrier that 496 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: the Palace in and Christians generally feel like people who 497 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 1: Christians in the West, who love Israel, they don't even 498 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:32,159 Speaker 1: know we exist. They don't care, they don't come, they 499 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 1: don't visit, they don't break bread, they don't invest in us, 500 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 1: and it bothers us. It hurts us as though we're 501 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 1: invisible and we're living in the land of Jesus and 502 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 1: we know Jesus and most most Jews don't. 503 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:48,160 Speaker 2: So why don't you love us? Why don't you care? 504 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: And that was a big test for us to not 505 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:54,880 Speaker 1: just say that we cared for both, but to lean 506 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: into it and say yes to that brother who is 507 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:00,200 Speaker 1: asking us come, come, if you're going to serve us. 508 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 1: War should not be the thing that cancels it unless 509 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:07,920 Speaker 1: you know, you literally, you know, physically, can't get there right. 510 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 3: Showing up makes a difference and sitting down and having 511 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:13,680 Speaker 3: a meal and having a coffee. And that's a lot 512 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 3: of what we do, not just in those conferences, but 513 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:19,639 Speaker 3: all throughout the year. We have our staff, our meeting 514 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:21,080 Speaker 3: with people, sitting with them, going. 515 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,560 Speaker 2: To What's one of our jokes, Lynn, One. 516 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 3: Of our jokes is that the biggest line item on 517 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,680 Speaker 3: the budget is coffee and baclava. Yeah, which is not true, 518 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 3: but we mean to say that. It's sitting with people. 519 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 3: It's drinking a lot of coffee, a lot of good 520 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 3: Turkish strong. 521 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:38,680 Speaker 2: Coffee, and really listening, listening and learning. 522 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, we share, we encourage, we invest, but a lot 523 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,359 Speaker 1: of what we've done over these twenty years is learn 524 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 1: one because God is doing a lot in these brothers 525 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 1: and sisters anyway that we see them as heroes, we 526 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 1: want to learn from them. But we also as we listen, 527 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: we listen to her pain, to their questions, and we 528 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 1: get a a little bit clear sense of how could 529 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:02,120 Speaker 1: we serve them that would truly be edifying. 530 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 5: Yeah, and so as we work towards closing this episode 531 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:11,719 Speaker 5: and bringing our viewers and listeners inside that heartbeat that 532 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 5: both and not only within Israel of Jewish and Arab Palestinian, 533 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:23,479 Speaker 5: but also Joe, just real quick, there's neighboring countries that 534 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:25,879 Speaker 5: we serve in as well that we haven't mentioned yet. 535 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, just real quickly, We right from the beginning wanted 536 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:33,119 Speaker 1: to help in other countries. I in the early years, 537 00:27:33,359 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 1: you know, we didn't have staff that knew how to 538 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: do that or dedicated to you that. I took some 539 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,720 Speaker 1: of our staff into Iraq four times. We built the 540 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:44,160 Speaker 1: first ever, by God's total mercies, built the first ever 541 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 1: legal Christian radio station in Iraq up in Northern Iraq 542 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: ninety seven point three on your FM dial. If you 543 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:55,400 Speaker 1: happen to be in Northern Iraq beaming the gospel and preaching. 544 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:57,000 Speaker 2: The word of God. It was just amazing. 545 00:27:57,280 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: But I'd never been to Iraq, and then God started 546 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 1: taking me and then to Egypt and to Jordan. In time, 547 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 1: God brought along not just a leader, but then a 548 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 1: team of people who are completely they're part of our world, 549 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:13,399 Speaker 1: but they have different bank accounts and different emails and 550 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:17,720 Speaker 1: different all their logistics are different, so that they don't 551 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 1: endanger our Arab brothers and sisters in those other countries 552 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,280 Speaker 1: by them identifying with a Rosenberg or with the Joshua Fund. 553 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 1: And on the Israel side, so the Joshua Fund mandate 554 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 1: is to minister not just to Israel and to the Palestinians. 555 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,919 Speaker 1: That's a both and rather than either or, but it's 556 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 1: also into Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and then just 557 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:49,280 Speaker 1: in the last year or so, the board voted unanimously 558 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: to extend the ministry footprint as it were, into Iran 559 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 1: because of the war, and because because God doesn't just 560 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:01,840 Speaker 1: command us to love our neighbors, he commanded us to 561 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:06,040 Speaker 1: love our enemies. And so this is a great blessing 562 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: to learn step by step how to. 563 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 3: And our first actual project was we were just talking 564 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 3: about this the other day with one of our staff 565 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 3: staff guys to remind him Our first ever project that 566 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 3: we did was actually not in Israel. Our first ever 567 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 3: project we ever did was in Lebanon during the during 568 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 3: the Lebanon War of two thousand and two thousand and six. 569 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:29,840 Speaker 1: I mean literally about three weeks after we started. I'll 570 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 1: probably have to end on this story, but yeah, we started. 571 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 1: We signed the paperwork, we formed the board. We're like, okay, 572 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:39,479 Speaker 1: we're going to educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel 573 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 1: and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, according to 574 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:45,320 Speaker 1: the Abrahamic Covenant Genesis twelve one through three. 575 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 2: Wonderful, do we have any money in the bank? We 576 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 2: do not. Do we know what we're doing? We do not. 577 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 2: Have we ever done this before? No, we had a 578 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:52,240 Speaker 2: little money. 579 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:53,720 Speaker 3: We had that that money, but it was only for 580 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 3: translating the books, and that was a long process. 581 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:57,320 Speaker 2: Well, that's true, that's true. That's a good point. With 582 00:29:57,480 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 2: thirty thousand dollars, that's true. 583 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 1: And then about three weeks after we signed all the 584 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 1: paperwork and formed the organization opened the bank account, the 585 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: second Lebanon War broke out. Jsbllah fired four thousand ballistic 586 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 1: missiles at Israel. A million Israelis went underground or fled 587 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,320 Speaker 1: to the south, away from the northern border, and we 588 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: were in the most intense missile war in the history 589 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: of Israel at that point, palsed by comparison to what 590 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 1: we've been over the last three years. But and we 591 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 1: were unprepared except that as God took me out on 592 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:30,920 Speaker 1: radio and television to answer questions, and I had a 593 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:33,800 Speaker 1: book that was just releasing, and the book Epicenter was 594 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 1: just about to release. Suddenly people started sending. 595 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 2: Checks to the po box. 596 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:41,480 Speaker 1: And you know Lind's mom at the time, who was 597 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 1: a wonderful believer and she's with the Lord now, but 598 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: she would bring home trays boxes filled with checks. And 599 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 1: we said, you know what, let's make our first grant. 600 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,320 Speaker 1: This was unanimous as the board and there was no staff. 601 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:59,080 Speaker 1: So let's make the first grant to the ministry that 602 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 1: our mentor was running. Lebanon had a branch of that ministry. 603 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 1: Let's invest in what they're doing to bring humanitarian relief, 604 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 1: food but also Bibles and gospel materials into southern Lebanon 605 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 1: at this critical moment. And that you know, yes, we 606 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 1: believe in Romans one sixteen to the jew first, Okay, 607 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: but in this case, as a Jew, I wanted to 608 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:27,680 Speaker 1: bless my Arab neighbors first and bless the church there. 609 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 1: And God has opened up. I mean, it's been crazy. 610 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 1: What has happened. He did tell us one hundred million 611 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 1: dollars and we're like, okay, that's too crazy even. 612 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:37,480 Speaker 2: To think about. 613 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 1: Twenty years in lance, God has brought in and we 614 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 1: as a team have been able to invest more than 615 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 1: one hundred and thirty million dollars in strengthen the church 616 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 1: and educating the church in Israel and the neighborhood. And 617 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 1: I I'm just in awe of a God who should 618 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 1: not have picked us, but in his humor is sent 619 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 1: humor decided to take two people who have never ran 620 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:06,440 Speaker 1: a fund before and start the Joshua Fund. 621 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. 622 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 5: Thank you for taking us inside the story a bit, 623 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:14,240 Speaker 5: and I look forward to hearing more on the ground 624 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 5: stories in the episodes ahead of the specifics. Now that 625 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:21,200 Speaker 5: we've talked about the foundation and the heart, to be 626 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:24,280 Speaker 5: able to get into some of the stories of other 627 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:28,960 Speaker 5: miraculous ways the Lord has moved and is moving today. 628 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 5: Because this isn't just about what happened over the last 629 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 5: twenty years. This is about what's happening now? And you 630 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:39,200 Speaker 5: and Lynn Joel have such a unique perspective of how 631 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:44,120 Speaker 5: the Lord is moving today as compared to twenty years ago, 632 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,200 Speaker 5: not only in Israel, but the surrounding nations. 633 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 1: Lance, thanks so much for having this idea and guiding 634 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 1: us through it. I want to thank everybody for listening. 635 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:57,240 Speaker 1: This is the beginnings of telling the origin stories. But also, 636 00:32:57,440 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 1: as Lance just said, how does it apply to now? 637 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 2: What is God doing? Now? We've learned a lot. 638 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:04,520 Speaker 3: What's coming, what's coming, what's coming, and seeing for the 639 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 3: future too. 640 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 4: Yeah. 641 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:08,120 Speaker 1: Absolutely, And so that's a great way to close, to say, 642 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 1: a couple of things that are coming. The Joshua Fun 643 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:15,479 Speaker 1: Tour again, this started you heard that. This whole ministry 644 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 1: started with somebody us saying to somebody, Hey, a couple 645 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 1: a few couples, you want to just come and see, 646 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 1: and they said, yes, take us, And so we want 647 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:27,719 Speaker 1: you to come and see. Come with us to Israel 648 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:32,560 Speaker 1: March twenty ninth, twenty twenty seven through April ninth, twenty 649 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:37,840 Speaker 1: twenty seven. And as part of that, your fair for 650 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:41,400 Speaker 1: the tour includes the one day Epicenter Summit on April 651 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 1: seventh of next year, with the President of Israel, with 652 00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:49,240 Speaker 1: US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, with Pastor Greg Lourie, Pastor Skip Heights, 653 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:52,360 Speaker 1: a pastor Jack Graham, and Graham Lots, one of the 654 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:55,240 Speaker 1: great Bible teachers, and a dear friend. All these dear 655 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:57,960 Speaker 1: friends of this ministry, I'll be speaking and there'll be 656 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 1: others too. So go to Joshua fund dot com. When 657 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:04,760 Speaker 1: we say learn, pray, give, go, we want you to go. 658 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:07,040 Speaker 1: We're an israel so we have to say we want 659 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 1: you to come. And so come to the website Joshua 660 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:12,640 Speaker 1: fun dot com to learn all about it and make 661 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:15,880 Speaker 1: sure you sign up and start saving now for next spring. 662 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:18,879 Speaker 1: And I will also just mention that we would love 663 00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:22,080 Speaker 1: you to as you learn and pray to give, that 664 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:26,600 Speaker 1: you could become an epicenter ally giving fifty dollars a 665 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:28,840 Speaker 1: month or more, or if you can only do a 666 00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 1: one time. 667 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:31,400 Speaker 2: Gift, God bless you. We're so grateful. 668 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:33,520 Speaker 1: We just want you to be a learner and a 669 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:36,799 Speaker 1: prayer and a giver and a goer. And you can 670 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:39,480 Speaker 1: go to Joshua fun dot com to learn all about it. 671 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 1: For all of us on the Joshua Fund board and 672 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 1: staff and the production team that does such an amazing 673 00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:47,319 Speaker 1: job to put this together. Thank you, Thank you for 674 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:50,880 Speaker 1: listening and watching to this episode of Inside the Epicenter. 675 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 2: We'll see you next time. 676 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:52,800 Speaker 4: Hello,