Not Just Nostalgia

When we arrived in Israel, Asher and Betty Intrater were already here. I remember the first time we visited them, driving up the Judean hills to Jerusalem from Haifa. It was Thanksgiving, 1992. I was ecstatic. Here we were together as immigrant families returning to Zion, privileged to join the growing Messianic movement in the land, as they walked into prophecies from Isaiah and Jeremiah. We had a lot to be thankful for.

Many years of pioneering ensued. Congregations were planted, humanitarian aid distributed, and offshoot ministries born. Asher’s teaching ministry impacted new Israeli believers in Hebrew, while reaching the nations in English. God blessed us both with teams of young people eager to be equipped and released into their callings.

Through those first two decades Asher and I never lost touch, but we were focused on developing indigenous Messianic ministry in our old/new country. Four or five years ago, it was as if we poked our heads up out of the all-consuming harvest field. I had been laboring in the north, the Galilee; and Asher poured himself into Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Now, that we were passing the leadership baton to our spiritual sons and daughters, it felt like God sovereignly reconnected us.

Meanwhile, Dan and Patty Juster arrived, adding maturity and mentoring capacity. The three of us had not been geographically together since the early 90s in Maryland, USA, when Asher and I were sent out with Dan’s blessing and indispensable support.

It was a new stage, an opportunity—even a compulsion—to renew and re-strengthen our covenant friendship. Since then we have seen the growing brotherhood of the next generation of congregational leaders who’ve been our protégés. This seasoned group of leaders is called “Tikkun Israel.” In parallel, the Lord has thrust Asher into a place of international influence. The umbrella he’s holding with Ron and others has become known as Revive Israel-Tikkun Global, and includes being available to serve the American Tikkun network, as well as the ministries of our long-time covenant brothers, Paul Wilbur and David Rudolph—now led by their sons.

Dan, Asher, and I are now grandfathers. Our greatest reward is to see the fruitfulness of both our natural and spiritual children. How gracious of God to draw us back together for this vital season of generational transition and lifetime vision fulfilled before our eyes.

I can’t close without taking this opportunity to thank you from around the world, who’ve stood with us and taken part in this process. The trust you have put in us and the incalculable value of your prayers have carried us through these twenty-eight phenomenal years in Eretz Yisrael. Yes, together we have a lot to be thankful for. And the best is yet to come. Our role has merely been to help plow and plant seed. Others will continue to water and harvest, and God will give the increase.