1 00:00:02,710 --> 00:00:08,130 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Well, welcome to today's Out of Zion podcast. 2 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,860 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Dr. Susan Michael, and I am just 3 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: so happy to have with me a dear friend, Dr. A.J. 4 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 2: Nolte from Regent University, and he is the director of 5 00:00:19,620 --> 00:00:23,860 Speaker 2: the Israel Institute, as well as many other descriptions, like 6 00:00:23,900 --> 00:00:26,900 Speaker 2: the director of the MA program in. 7 00:00:28,030 --> 00:00:29,970 Speaker 3: MA in Government and MA International Development. 8 00:00:30,070 --> 00:00:32,710 Speaker 4: And then also I'd share our PhD program as well 9 00:00:32,729 --> 00:00:33,490 Speaker 4: at the Robertson School. 10 00:00:33,670 --> 00:00:37,110 Speaker 1: I could never remember all that. So, AJ, welcome. 11 00:00:37,710 --> 00:00:37,990 Speaker 5: Thank you. 12 00:00:38,090 --> 00:00:38,650 Speaker 3: It's great to be here. 13 00:00:38,670 --> 00:00:40,220 Speaker 1: If you don't mind, I'll call you AJ. 14 00:00:40,229 --> 00:00:40,699 Speaker 3: That's perfect. 15 00:00:41,310 --> 00:00:41,989 Speaker 1: Good friend. 16 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:45,580 Speaker 2: So I would love for you to just tell our 17 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,300 Speaker 2: audience first a little bit about your background and that 18 00:00:49,620 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 2: leads up to you being at Regent. 19 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 5: Let's take a break and hear a message from one 20 00:00:54,780 --> 00:01:03,300 Speaker 5: of our sponsors. Welcome to the Israel Answers series, connecting Israel, 21 00:01:03,630 --> 00:01:07,740 Speaker 5: the Bible, and you. Join Susan Michael as she explores 22 00:01:07,819 --> 00:01:11,540 Speaker 5: timely issues and current events from a scriptural perspective to 23 00:01:11,580 --> 00:01:14,419 Speaker 5: equip the Christian world with a balanced and biblical response. 24 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 5: Be sure to subscribe for future episodes, which will ignite 25 00:01:18,220 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 5: your faith and bring the Bible to life in your 26 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:24,850 Speaker 5: everyday world. Now let's join Susan with your Israel Answers. 27 00:01:28,860 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 3: You know, it's funny. 28 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:31,020 Speaker 4: In my 20s, I told God I would never do 29 00:01:31,060 --> 00:01:32,660 Speaker 4: two things. I never wanted to plant a church and 30 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:34,910 Speaker 4: I never wanted to be the Israel guy. And so 31 00:01:35,050 --> 00:01:38,669 Speaker 4: now I work at Regent. And when I'm not at Regent, 32 00:01:38,750 --> 00:01:41,130 Speaker 4: I'm helping plant a church, an Anglican church in the 33 00:01:41,190 --> 00:01:43,430 Speaker 4: area that we live. So tell God your plans and 34 00:01:43,470 --> 00:01:47,890 Speaker 4: God laughs. I through my undergrad and graduate studies, I 35 00:01:47,930 --> 00:01:52,180 Speaker 4: was focused on Christianity and Islam, sort. 36 00:01:52,060 --> 00:01:54,020 Speaker 3: Of Middle East politics, religion. 37 00:01:54,890 --> 00:01:57,820 Speaker 4: South and southeast asia as well really looking at the 38 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 4: relationship between christianity and islam at regent there was a 39 00:02:01,340 --> 00:02:03,740 Speaker 4: need for someone to teach on israel and i started 40 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,180 Speaker 4: teaching on israel from a very political perspective in fact 41 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:10,460 Speaker 4: you know my i remember and i chuckle at this 42 00:02:10,540 --> 00:02:13,170 Speaker 4: memory now i was i was very naive my first 43 00:02:13,190 --> 00:02:15,370 Speaker 4: year teaching at regent i said okay guys in this 44 00:02:15,410 --> 00:02:17,130 Speaker 4: class we're just going to talk about history and politics 45 00:02:17,550 --> 00:02:20,669 Speaker 4: i'm not going to talk to you about theology um 46 00:02:21,330 --> 00:02:23,350 Speaker 4: the problem being that as i studied the history and 47 00:02:23,370 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 4: politics politics I started realizing this didn't really make sense. 48 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 4: Countries don't come back. 49 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 3: After 2,000 years. 50 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,780 Speaker 4: Countries don't have the political system that Israel has without 51 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 4: some sort of crack-up, national crack-up. I mean, Italy can't 52 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 4: maintain a government for more than 30 seconds, and yet 53 00:02:42,780 --> 00:02:44,990 Speaker 4: Israel is able to do all this stuff to a 54 00:02:45,030 --> 00:02:46,030 Speaker 4: high level of competence. 55 00:02:46,070 --> 00:02:47,709 Speaker 3: And I started to try to figure out, So what's, 56 00:02:47,850 --> 00:02:49,669 Speaker 3: what's different? What's, what's going on here? 57 00:02:49,810 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 4: Well, and as a Christian political scientist, when you eliminate 58 00:02:53,510 --> 00:02:57,079 Speaker 4: all other secular explanations, you have to start looking at, um, 59 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:01,700 Speaker 4: you know, sort of divine action. And then providentially at 60 00:03:01,740 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 4: that time, um, I was put in touch with, uh, 61 00:03:05,460 --> 00:03:08,299 Speaker 4: your friend and mine, Susan, uh, father, Dr. 62 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 3: Gerald McDermott. Um, and he was my, like myself, fellow Anglican. 63 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:17,410 Speaker 4: And he had an entire theology of this, um, It 64 00:03:17,430 --> 00:03:19,370 Speaker 4: was a theology I'd never encountered before. So I read 65 00:03:19,389 --> 00:03:22,050 Speaker 4: his book, The New Christian Zionism, and I was so 66 00:03:22,070 --> 00:03:24,370 Speaker 4: impressed by it and some. 67 00:03:24,270 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 3: Of his theological writings, I started assigning it. 68 00:03:28,460 --> 00:03:32,660 Speaker 4: And so just from there, really, God pulled me into 69 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 4: the Israel space and I realized, you know, this is 70 00:03:35,700 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 4: something that is a unique, distinctive feature of Regent. And 71 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 4: if this is something that's a unique, distinctive feature of Regent, 72 00:03:41,460 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 4: then let's figure out how we do it well and 73 00:03:43,660 --> 00:03:47,300 Speaker 4: how we pass on a love for Israel to based 74 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 4: on understanding of Israel, to the next generation of pro-Israel 75 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,140 Speaker 4: Christian leaders. And out of that eventually, you know, post-October 7th, 76 00:03:55,180 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 4: and with a little help from my friends at the 77 00:03:57,340 --> 00:04:01,270 Speaker 4: ICEJ along the way, came the Israel Institute that we 78 00:04:01,290 --> 00:04:01,890 Speaker 4: now have at Regis. 79 00:04:02,850 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 2: You know, I didn't know that story as you just 80 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,980 Speaker 2: presented it and the role that Dr. McDermott played, but 81 00:04:10,620 --> 00:04:15,090 Speaker 2: his writings and his knowledge of it has really helped 82 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:15,910 Speaker 2: a lot of people. 83 00:04:16,170 --> 00:04:16,610 Speaker 3: Absolutely. 84 00:04:16,990 --> 00:04:20,150 Speaker 1: And that's great. So now, since. 85 00:04:19,970 --> 00:04:25,250 Speaker 2: Your background, your expertise was in Islamic studies, right, and 86 00:04:25,430 --> 00:04:30,070 Speaker 2: more the political, you really understand the battle against Israel, 87 00:04:30,110 --> 00:04:32,590 Speaker 2: where it's coming from, the ideology and the role of 88 00:04:32,610 --> 00:04:33,630 Speaker 2: the ideology. 89 00:04:34,089 --> 00:04:34,510 Speaker 3: Absolutely. 90 00:04:34,650 --> 00:04:42,370 Speaker 2: Yet, as a Bible-believing Christian, you understand the theological, I 91 00:04:42,390 --> 00:04:47,380 Speaker 2: would say the spiritual underpinnings to what's happening politically. Yes. 92 00:04:48,029 --> 00:04:53,210 Speaker 2: That's what is missing in so many schools. Either a 93 00:04:53,250 --> 00:04:57,250 Speaker 2: student is in seminary, they're studying Israel, the Bible, you know, 94 00:04:57,270 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 2: the Israelites, and they don't know how to connect that 95 00:05:00,540 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 2: to today and Israel today, or vice versa. 96 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 1: They're in government, poli-sci. 97 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:10,219 Speaker 2: International affairs, international law, whatever, and they're studying the conflict, 98 00:05:11,220 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 2: and they don't understand the spiritual aspects underpinnings that are affecting, 99 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 2: you know, the politics and the conflict. So to have 100 00:05:19,580 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 2: someone such as yourself that really gets both ends of that, it's, 101 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:29,169 Speaker 2: it's unique. And, um, and that's why I'm so appreciative 102 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:33,529 Speaker 2: of what you're doing at Regent. And, um, so I'm 103 00:05:34,050 --> 00:05:37,010 Speaker 2: so glad to be partnering with you too, as we can. 104 00:05:37,029 --> 00:05:39,290 Speaker 3: Thank you. I appreciate that. And you're right. 105 00:05:39,330 --> 00:05:42,980 Speaker 4: That holistic understanding is very rare and it's very important. Um, 106 00:05:43,900 --> 00:05:45,580 Speaker 4: I always say that Christians have a little bit of 107 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:49,140 Speaker 4: a home field advantage when it comes to studying, you know, 108 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 4: radical Islam, because we start from the assumption that religious 109 00:05:52,490 --> 00:05:55,450 Speaker 4: people do things for religious reasons. And that's very hard 110 00:05:55,470 --> 00:05:59,370 Speaker 4: for sometimes my secular colleagues to understand. And it's impossible 111 00:05:59,410 --> 00:06:04,849 Speaker 4: to understand Israel without that frame, without the sort of not, 112 00:06:04,910 --> 00:06:07,500 Speaker 4: it's not just a contest over land, over resources. It's 113 00:06:07,540 --> 00:06:10,779 Speaker 4: a con it's a, it's a conflict of theological visions 114 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:13,170 Speaker 4: and visions for the world. it's in many ways a 115 00:06:13,230 --> 00:06:17,779 Speaker 4: conflict of civilizational visions. Those who share the civilizational values 116 00:06:17,860 --> 00:06:22,179 Speaker 4: of Judeo-Christian civilization and those who have a different approach 117 00:06:22,220 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 4: that's based on a different civilizational matrix, a different ideology, 118 00:06:27,370 --> 00:06:31,550 Speaker 4: and that comes from a different cultural and religious background. 119 00:06:32,290 --> 00:06:35,610 Speaker 4: And I think if we understand it in those terms, 120 00:06:36,110 --> 00:06:39,190 Speaker 4: we can also understand some of the domestic struggle over 121 00:06:39,300 --> 00:06:44,799 Speaker 4: Israel as that same fight over those civilizational values and 122 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 4: religious and spiritual values as well. 123 00:06:46,500 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: Right here. 124 00:06:47,740 --> 00:06:52,299 Speaker 2: Well, so, AJ, there at Regent, you've met a great 125 00:06:52,420 --> 00:06:56,260 Speaker 2: student body of Christian young people that are there because 126 00:06:56,300 --> 00:07:01,180 Speaker 2: they wanted to go to a Christian university. And I've 127 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 2: just seen hearts in the right place. But I also 128 00:07:05,020 --> 00:07:08,700 Speaker 2: have to assume that you've been seeing some increased challenges. Oh, yeah. 129 00:07:09,420 --> 00:07:11,860 Speaker 1: To Israel. Tell us about what you're observing. 130 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:15,610 Speaker 3: So before. 131 00:07:16,410 --> 00:07:20,350 Speaker 4: September of 2025, the biggest problem we had with the 132 00:07:20,370 --> 00:07:22,590 Speaker 4: student body is the problem you'd have with any student 133 00:07:22,610 --> 00:07:24,270 Speaker 4: body at any college when you're trying to do anything, 134 00:07:24,770 --> 00:07:29,010 Speaker 4: which is apathy combined with there's a thousand other things 135 00:07:29,060 --> 00:07:32,620 Speaker 4: going on, right? And so it was really not that 136 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 4: there was any negativity toward Israel. It was just more like, 137 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:39,300 Speaker 4: you know, we're competing with all the hundreds of other 138 00:07:39,380 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 4: great options that Regent has for students, which makes it 139 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,380 Speaker 4: such a fun and exciting place to study. If you 140 00:07:47,420 --> 00:07:52,300 Speaker 4: want to learn more, go to regent.edu. Anyway, but starting 141 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 4: in September, we actually saw something very different, which is 142 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:04,460 Speaker 4: young men with a conservative inclination were coming back from 143 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:08,850 Speaker 4: summer break and with a new attitude of negativity toward Israel, 144 00:08:10,350 --> 00:08:13,660 Speaker 4: and a series of arguments about Israel that really caught 145 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,460 Speaker 4: some of our student leaders off guard. A couple of 146 00:08:16,500 --> 00:08:20,220 Speaker 4: fascinating aspects about this. Number one, it was specifically politically 147 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 4: active conservative young men. Their similarly situated female peers had 148 00:08:26,060 --> 00:08:28,930 Speaker 4: not been exposed to these memes and arguments. And the 149 00:08:29,010 --> 00:08:31,990 Speaker 4: arguments really boiled down to. 150 00:08:32,290 --> 00:08:32,950 Speaker 3: A couple of things. 151 00:08:33,350 --> 00:08:37,670 Speaker 4: One, The idea that Israel as a state is somehow 152 00:08:37,820 --> 00:08:42,540 Speaker 4: antithetical to Christians or bad for Christians or persecuting Christians. Two, 153 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 4: the idea that there is an ineradicable conflict between Christianity 154 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:49,059 Speaker 4: and Judaism. And I even had some students tell me 155 00:08:49,100 --> 00:08:53,340 Speaker 4: that they thought that Islam was closer to Christianity than Judaism, 156 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,700 Speaker 4: that shared more in common. And that the Quran was 157 00:08:55,740 --> 00:08:58,300 Speaker 4: more positive toward Jesus than the Talmud. So that was 158 00:08:58,340 --> 00:09:01,179 Speaker 4: another common. And then the third line of argument was 159 00:09:01,620 --> 00:09:05,030 Speaker 4: the idea that the U.S. government is too beholden to 160 00:09:05,110 --> 00:09:09,490 Speaker 4: Israel and that, you know, we are sort of too 161 00:09:09,570 --> 00:09:12,790 Speaker 4: favorable toward Israel. And, you know, the idea that it's 162 00:09:12,850 --> 00:09:15,770 Speaker 4: okay to burn an American flag, but not okay to 163 00:09:16,010 --> 00:09:18,220 Speaker 4: burn an Israeli flag. That was an easy question for 164 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:20,079 Speaker 4: me to answer. I said, what on earth makes you 165 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,420 Speaker 4: think I'm okay with people burning American flags? Like, that's 166 00:09:22,460 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 4: the flag of my country. Absolutely not. 167 00:09:26,260 --> 00:09:28,320 Speaker 5: Let's take a break and hear a message from one 168 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:35,550 Speaker 5: of our sponsors. Welcome back to the Out of Zion 169 00:09:35,590 --> 00:09:37,410 Speaker 5: podcast with Susan Michael. 170 00:09:38,030 --> 00:09:40,490 Speaker 4: So, you know, I was well positioned to answer a 171 00:09:40,510 --> 00:09:42,870 Speaker 4: lot of these questions given my background, but a lot 172 00:09:42,910 --> 00:09:45,650 Speaker 4: of our student leaders were taken completely off guard. And 173 00:09:45,690 --> 00:09:48,610 Speaker 4: so we pivoted to a more Um, you know, kind 174 00:09:48,630 --> 00:09:51,839 Speaker 4: of Charlie Kirk proved me wrong style of response where 175 00:09:51,900 --> 00:09:54,140 Speaker 4: I would actually just get in a room with the students, 176 00:09:54,260 --> 00:09:56,710 Speaker 4: invite any of the students that had questions and, you know, 177 00:09:56,750 --> 00:09:58,380 Speaker 4: do an Israel Q & A and try to answer 178 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:02,380 Speaker 4: the questions that they had. And that was reasonably effective. 179 00:10:02,420 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 4: Of course, the trick is getting those students that are 180 00:10:04,780 --> 00:10:08,060 Speaker 4: really anti-Israel to show up in the first place. But 181 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 4: it was it was a rapid shift, significant enough that, 182 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:13,219 Speaker 4: you know, I kind of feel like there was an 183 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:18,809 Speaker 4: orchestrated campaign targeting that subgroup sometime between May and September. 184 00:10:20,010 --> 00:10:24,929 Speaker 2: Did you get any more specific information as to who 185 00:10:24,950 --> 00:10:27,770 Speaker 2: they'd been listening to, where it was coming from? 186 00:10:27,850 --> 00:10:29,710 Speaker 1: I mean, we know it's on social media. 187 00:10:30,929 --> 00:10:33,870 Speaker 4: Yeah, so some of it's coming from, you know, the 188 00:10:33,970 --> 00:10:37,530 Speaker 4: usual suspects at this point, Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens. 189 00:10:38,210 --> 00:10:39,910 Speaker 1: Are they listening to Nick Fuentes? 190 00:10:40,290 --> 00:10:42,710 Speaker 3: Some, some. I don't know that for. 191 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:48,110 Speaker 4: a Christian audience like this, if they're listening to Nick Fuentes, 192 00:10:48,350 --> 00:10:50,750 Speaker 4: I don't necessarily think they're listening to Fuentes in the 193 00:10:50,790 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 4: sense where they agree with him. Um, I think they 194 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,359 Speaker 4: think that he's sort of, you know, like people like 195 00:10:56,540 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 4: to listen to morning drive time, shock, shock, shock radio 196 00:11:00,330 --> 00:11:03,410 Speaker 4: guys who would say really shocking, controversial things. And they 197 00:11:03,429 --> 00:11:05,589 Speaker 4: just want to see people's reaction. So I think even 198 00:11:05,670 --> 00:11:07,589 Speaker 4: a lot of the young guys are listening to Fuentes 199 00:11:07,610 --> 00:11:10,230 Speaker 4: for that. Now that doesn't mean that it's not harmful 200 00:11:10,270 --> 00:11:12,030 Speaker 4: because even if they reject it, it does sort of 201 00:11:12,090 --> 00:11:15,450 Speaker 4: inject some of those ideas into the bloodstream. Um, But 202 00:11:15,510 --> 00:11:18,150 Speaker 4: I think some of it's also coming from a spillover 203 00:11:18,270 --> 00:11:23,059 Speaker 4: from both some of the more traditional Catholic social media. 204 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 4: There's definitely been some on social media. Some of the 205 00:11:27,580 --> 00:11:31,430 Speaker 4: anti-Vatican II Catholics are very anti-Semitic. And then also, as 206 00:11:31,490 --> 00:11:35,330 Speaker 4: you're aware, the sort of Christ is King, that is 207 00:11:35,790 --> 00:11:39,210 Speaker 4: definitely catching on, that meme, some of those motifs with 208 00:11:39,250 --> 00:11:40,190 Speaker 4: some of the younger guys. 209 00:11:41,910 --> 00:11:42,689 Speaker 3: And, you know, I just. 210 00:11:44,070 --> 00:11:46,610 Speaker 4: I appreciate the energy, and I tell them this, look, 211 00:11:46,650 --> 00:11:49,810 Speaker 4: I appreciate the energy of wanting to stand up and 212 00:11:49,890 --> 00:11:52,770 Speaker 4: fight for your faith. But right now, you're pointing your 213 00:11:52,790 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 4: guns at our allies. You're pointing fire in the wrong direction. 214 00:11:58,150 --> 00:12:01,230 Speaker 3: And so... You know, those are some of the sources 215 00:12:01,270 --> 00:12:01,730 Speaker 3: that I've seen. 216 00:12:01,790 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: Well, how do you feel about your efforts? 217 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,260 Speaker 2: Like, are you satisfied that you've been able to answer 218 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:11,699 Speaker 2: their questions and turn things around? Or are you feeling 219 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,319 Speaker 2: frustrated that it's just ongoing? 220 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:17,140 Speaker 4: I think, you know, for our little corner of space, 221 00:12:17,179 --> 00:12:19,300 Speaker 4: I think we've done reasonably well. You know, I can't 222 00:12:19,340 --> 00:12:21,110 Speaker 4: answer questions if people don't show up. But if people 223 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,449 Speaker 4: have shown up and brought those questions, you know, I 224 00:12:23,470 --> 00:12:25,810 Speaker 4: feel like we're pretty well equipped to answer them. 225 00:12:26,130 --> 00:12:27,890 Speaker 3: And we're equipping our student leaders to answer them. 226 00:12:28,350 --> 00:12:31,550 Speaker 4: I think what needs to happen more broadly is thinking 227 00:12:31,610 --> 00:12:34,870 Speaker 4: about holistically, how do we solve the problem in social media? 228 00:12:35,370 --> 00:12:37,429 Speaker 4: And I think the problem is not a lack of 229 00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 4: pro-Israel influencers. There's people out there right now that are great, 230 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:43,239 Speaker 4: that are doing great work, that are very effective in 231 00:12:43,260 --> 00:12:45,500 Speaker 4: the space. What I want to do is think about 232 00:12:45,540 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 4: how can we equip them? You know, I think of 233 00:12:48,220 --> 00:12:50,260 Speaker 4: the model from World War II of the United States 234 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 4: was the arsenal of democracy. And so I want us 235 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 4: to be the arsenal of Judeo-Christian civilization. for this Eighth 236 00:12:56,720 --> 00:13:00,040 Speaker 4: Front War at the Israel Institute. And that might not 237 00:13:00,110 --> 00:13:02,570 Speaker 4: mean us being on the front lines, but it does 238 00:13:02,610 --> 00:13:05,690 Speaker 4: mean take the answers that we have and get them 239 00:13:05,850 --> 00:13:07,829 Speaker 4: out to the people on the front lines of social 240 00:13:07,850 --> 00:13:10,930 Speaker 4: media so that they're as equipped as possible to combat 241 00:13:10,970 --> 00:13:11,309 Speaker 4: that battle. 242 00:13:11,330 --> 00:13:14,510 Speaker 2: Wonderful. Well, tell us a little bit more about the 243 00:13:14,590 --> 00:13:17,450 Speaker 2: Israel Institute. Then what is it and what do you 244 00:13:17,490 --> 00:13:18,550 Speaker 2: do under that banner? 245 00:13:18,809 --> 00:13:20,790 Speaker 4: So in a nutshell, the purpose of the Israel Institute 246 00:13:20,860 --> 00:13:24,020 Speaker 4: is to train and equip the next generation of pro-Israel 247 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:27,250 Speaker 4: Christian leaders. You know, Regent's motto is Christian leadership to 248 00:13:27,270 --> 00:13:28,970 Speaker 4: change the world. We want to make sure that those 249 00:13:29,010 --> 00:13:31,610 Speaker 4: Christian leaders are pro-Israel and that they are trained and 250 00:13:31,650 --> 00:13:33,750 Speaker 4: equipped to go out into the fight. And we do 251 00:13:33,770 --> 00:13:35,490 Speaker 4: that in a couple of different ways. We do that 252 00:13:35,510 --> 00:13:38,809 Speaker 4: through course offerings. So we collaborate with other academic units 253 00:13:39,510 --> 00:13:43,730 Speaker 4: to produce course offerings. I just worked with the Robertson 254 00:13:43,750 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 4: School and we've got a new concentration in Israel studies 255 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 4: in our master's in government at Regent. We also have 256 00:13:50,179 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 4: a wonderful scholarship program. from an organization Susan that you 257 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:57,070 Speaker 4: know well it's called the ICEJ scholarship and that is 258 00:13:57,250 --> 00:14:02,210 Speaker 4: for pro-Israel Christians who are wanting to do a PhD 259 00:14:02,590 --> 00:14:05,949 Speaker 4: dissertation on Israel because we need scholars as well if 260 00:14:05,970 --> 00:14:07,650 Speaker 4: we're going to fight and win the battle in academia 261 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 4: and then for undergraduate students we've done everything from trips 262 00:14:11,300 --> 00:14:13,980 Speaker 4: to educational events we're taking a group of students to 263 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 4: Poland and Israel here in a couple of weeks assuming 264 00:14:16,620 --> 00:14:19,300 Speaker 4: that everything holds up in terms of the region and 265 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:22,890 Speaker 4: what's going on there um What we're hoping to move 266 00:14:22,990 --> 00:14:28,390 Speaker 4: into more is, again, developing those training resources for whether 267 00:14:28,430 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 4: it's in social media, whether it's in peer-to-peer interactions, for 268 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:35,700 Speaker 4: some of our young leaders to actually be able to 269 00:14:35,740 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 4: go out and be equipped with the knowledge that we 270 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 4: have and then take it into their context. One of 271 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 4: the things that I've learned with Gen Z is that 272 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 4: far and away the most effective way to reach them 273 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,450 Speaker 4: is peer-to-peer engagements. You know, they're not going to they're 274 00:14:48,490 --> 00:14:52,170 Speaker 4: not going to listen to even us older millennials or, 275 00:14:52,570 --> 00:14:54,530 Speaker 4: you know, folks, folks and generations up from that. 276 00:14:54,770 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 3: But they will listen to their peers. 277 00:14:56,500 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 4: So then if that's the case, you know, I look 278 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:00,040 Speaker 4: at it as how do we arm and equip their 279 00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:02,420 Speaker 4: peers to win the battle for the hearts and minds 280 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:03,380 Speaker 4: of their own generation? 281 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:05,550 Speaker 3: And that's kind of, I think, the purpose of the 282 00:15:05,570 --> 00:15:06,130 Speaker 3: Israel Institute. 283 00:15:06,750 --> 00:15:11,470 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's one by one, and it's about relationship. Absolutely. 284 00:15:11,690 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 2: And that generation, you know, my heart goes out to them, honestly, 285 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:21,500 Speaker 2: because they really don't know who to believe. Our media 286 00:15:21,580 --> 00:15:26,150 Speaker 2: has been so co-opted that, and you could hear anything 287 00:15:26,530 --> 00:15:29,550 Speaker 2: on social media, on the mainstream media, you don't know 288 00:15:29,610 --> 00:15:34,490 Speaker 2: who to believe anymore. So they're looking for those trusted sources. 289 00:15:33,950 --> 00:15:35,090 Speaker 3: To Yeah, absolutely. 290 00:15:35,290 --> 00:15:38,130 Speaker 1: And I am so glad that at Regent, they have you. 291 00:15:38,270 --> 00:15:39,230 Speaker 3: Well, thank you. I appreciate that. 292 00:15:39,250 --> 00:15:40,510 Speaker 1: It's a trusted source. 293 00:15:40,580 --> 00:15:43,940 Speaker 2: And I'm hoping that ICEJ could be seen as a 294 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:45,260 Speaker 2: trusted source. 295 00:15:44,980 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: For that generation. 296 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 4: I'm optimistic about Gen Z simply because I work with 297 00:15:50,700 --> 00:15:52,630 Speaker 4: them day in, day out, in the classroom, out of 298 00:15:52,650 --> 00:15:55,710 Speaker 4: the classroom. And they're great kids. And they're hungry for truth. 299 00:15:56,130 --> 00:15:58,370 Speaker 4: They're in some ways more hungry for truth even than 300 00:15:58,410 --> 00:16:02,270 Speaker 4: my generation was. But the problem is it is so 301 00:16:02,310 --> 00:16:05,980 Speaker 4: hard to find because the zone is flooded. And if 302 00:16:06,540 --> 00:16:09,100 Speaker 4: there's any advice I have, if you're a parent listening 303 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,420 Speaker 4: to this and you've got young kids, teach your kids 304 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 4: the Bible. Get your kids reading the Bible and get 305 00:16:14,300 --> 00:16:17,050 Speaker 4: your kids connecting the Bible, not only to the land, 306 00:16:17,110 --> 00:16:18,970 Speaker 4: but also the land where it took place, but the 307 00:16:19,010 --> 00:16:21,370 Speaker 4: people among whom it took place. Because if you can 308 00:16:21,410 --> 00:16:23,970 Speaker 4: do that, then they come to Regent, we'll give them 309 00:16:23,990 --> 00:16:26,660 Speaker 4: the rest of the way. But that is so foundational. 310 00:16:27,060 --> 00:16:30,500 Speaker 4: What we find is that students that come in understanding 311 00:16:30,820 --> 00:16:33,620 Speaker 4: the Bible took place in a place, was connected to 312 00:16:33,660 --> 00:16:38,050 Speaker 4: a people, and that really understand that Abrahamic covenant, they 313 00:16:38,310 --> 00:16:41,850 Speaker 4: are solid students. and they are more insulated against some 314 00:16:41,870 --> 00:16:44,730 Speaker 4: of this anti-Israel propaganda. Doesn't mean they always necessarily have 315 00:16:44,750 --> 00:16:47,050 Speaker 4: the answers, but they know that the answers are out there. 316 00:16:47,150 --> 00:16:49,650 Speaker 4: So I don't think we need to despair about Gen Z. 317 00:16:49,670 --> 00:16:51,590 Speaker 4: I think there's a fight to be had. And I 318 00:16:51,670 --> 00:16:53,690 Speaker 4: also think we need to start preparing the ground for 319 00:16:53,730 --> 00:16:56,510 Speaker 4: Gen Alpha as they're coming up as well, so that 320 00:16:56,530 --> 00:16:59,310 Speaker 4: we can make sure that they have the resources, and 321 00:16:59,330 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 4: particularly the biblically-based resources that they need. 322 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:03,620 Speaker 1: I agree with you. I love Gen Z. 323 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:06,940 Speaker 2: I love Alpha, and just want to see them find 324 00:17:07,590 --> 00:17:09,090 Speaker 2: the truth that they're looking for. 325 00:17:09,130 --> 00:17:12,790 Speaker 1: I think they are a powerhouse. Absolutely. 326 00:17:12,970 --> 00:17:16,629 Speaker 2: They want to do good. They want to affect the world. 327 00:17:16,690 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 2: And so we just need to help them. And one 328 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:20,660 Speaker 2: of the best ways we can help them is not 329 00:17:20,820 --> 00:17:24,380 Speaker 2: only through your program there at Region, but getting them 330 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 2: to Israel in one way or the other. And I 331 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:29,139 Speaker 2: know you're taking a group over next month. 332 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:29,500 Speaker 3: We are. 333 00:17:30,100 --> 00:17:33,090 Speaker 2: And you and I are working together on another program 334 00:17:33,109 --> 00:17:35,850 Speaker 2: called that every summer we hope we'll be able to 335 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:38,770 Speaker 2: get young people over there and earn credit. 336 00:17:39,109 --> 00:17:39,550 Speaker 3: Absolutely. 337 00:17:39,609 --> 00:17:44,350 Speaker 1: Hebrew University. So there are a number of opportunities. And 338 00:17:44,530 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 1: I just want to encourage our listeners that if you. 339 00:17:49,140 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 2: Want to get behind reaching Generation Z and Alpha that's 340 00:17:54,140 --> 00:17:58,100 Speaker 2: coming up, I ask you to consider making a donation 341 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:02,770 Speaker 2: to our ICEJ NextGen Fund website. From there, we're helping 342 00:18:02,810 --> 00:18:07,830 Speaker 2: young people get to Israel. We're partnering with Regent and 343 00:18:07,890 --> 00:18:10,990 Speaker 2: in ways that we can really affect the next generation. 344 00:18:11,030 --> 00:18:13,820 Speaker 2: But we need your financial help to be able to 345 00:18:13,859 --> 00:18:16,190 Speaker 2: do more. So I encourage you, we'll put the link 346 00:18:17,060 --> 00:18:21,420 Speaker 2: in today's show notes. We encourage you to get behind this. 347 00:18:21,980 --> 00:18:26,139 Speaker 2: Regent needs more money for the scholarship fund. And you 348 00:18:26,180 --> 00:18:29,380 Speaker 2: can give to ICEJ and we can continue supporting that 349 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 2: ICEJ scholarship fund. 350 00:18:31,950 --> 00:18:34,909 Speaker 1: At Regent University. So we invite your participation. 351 00:18:34,930 --> 00:18:38,180 Speaker 2: AJ, we just want to thank you for joining us 352 00:18:38,260 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 2: and sharing about your important work. 353 00:18:40,700 --> 00:18:41,100 Speaker 3: Absolutely. 354 00:18:41,220 --> 00:18:43,620 Speaker 4: And if people want more information about the Institute, go 355 00:18:43,660 --> 00:18:47,780 Speaker 4: to regent.edu slash Israel, and you'll find our podcast, you'll 356 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:51,150 Speaker 4: find our website, you'll find our upcoming events. And we 357 00:18:51,210 --> 00:18:54,649 Speaker 4: appreciate your partnership as this audience. And of course, Susan, 358 00:18:55,050 --> 00:18:57,190 Speaker 4: you know, we could not have done what we've done 359 00:18:57,250 --> 00:19:01,620 Speaker 4: without the support of ICEJ. We love working with them, 360 00:19:01,660 --> 00:19:04,100 Speaker 4: and we're looking forward to seeing where this partnership goes 361 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 4: in the future. 362 00:19:05,260 --> 00:19:08,300 Speaker 2: Thank you, AJ. God bless your work there at Regent. 363 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:11,180 Speaker 2: We love it, and you're doing a great work, so 364 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:11,510 Speaker 2: thank you. 365 00:19:11,540 --> 00:19:11,860 Speaker 3: Thank you. 366 00:19:13,270 --> 00:19:16,050 Speaker 1: Well, thank you so much for listening in today. Please 367 00:19:16,310 --> 00:19:19,369 Speaker 1: visit our show notes for more information. God bless. 368 00:19:20,910 --> 00:19:23,330 Speaker 2: Hey, just give me one more minute. I want to 369 00:19:23,430 --> 00:19:27,890 Speaker 2: offer you one of our free resources. We have wonderful 370 00:19:27,950 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 2: resources in our show notes, and if you go to 371 00:19:31,300 --> 00:19:37,919 Speaker 2: our website at icejusa.org slash show notes, you'll find links 372 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:41,659 Speaker 2: for a number of our free offers. We have downloadables 373 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:44,970 Speaker 2: to help root you in scripture, help you to understand 374 00:19:45,010 --> 00:19:50,659 Speaker 2: the issues surrounding Israel, and the importance of Christians support 375 00:19:51,100 --> 00:19:57,840 Speaker 2: for Israel. And don't forget, please follow us on Facebook, YouTube, 376 00:19:58,140 --> 00:19:59,899 Speaker 2: and LinkedIn, and stay connected. 377 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: Thank you, and God bless. 378 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:05,879 Speaker 5: We hope you have enjoyed this episode of Out of 379 00:20:05,940 --> 00:20:09,590 Speaker 5: Zion with Susan Michaels. Be sure to subscribe to Out 380 00:20:09,609 --> 00:20:17,050 Speaker 5: of Zion Now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Pray.com, Salem OnePlace, 381 00:20:17,650 --> 00:20:21,609 Speaker 5: Salem Life Audio. Out of Zion with Susan Michael is 382 00:20:21,630 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 5: a production of ICEJ USA, all rights reserved. This podcast 383 00:20:28,820 --> 00:20:32,940 Speaker 5: is presented in partnership with Life Audio. To explore a 384 00:20:33,060 --> 00:20:38,369 Speaker 5: wide range of faith-centered podcasts on prayer, Bible study, parenting, 385 00:20:38,490 --> 00:20:40,690 Speaker 5: and more, visit lifeaudio.com.