Today is mostly a travel day. We had one teaching stop with a great message and that will likely show up in a sermon soon. So, no more on that now.

We ride around on a coach bus with 40 people plus our tourism host who interprets landmarks and language for us, our driver, and our rabbi Marty. Most participants are American along with 4.5 Canadians (one is an American transplant). There are four pastors, at least that many campus pastors and the rest are normal people. With all the meals and walks and rides and stops there is an inevitable mixing that allows everyone to meet each other. In spite of the fact that everyone here is a BEMA fan, there is a good mix of views and ways of thinking. We are the only Reformed folks which is interesting since Marty grew up RCA and his mentor Ray VanderLaan was CRC.

It is a great gift to spend meaningful time with fellow followers of Jesus who are wondering and learning. There are young leaders trying to figure out what this Jesus thing should look like. There is a couple that started following Jesus about 5 years ago. Another couple is wondering where they fit in the church. Some are seasoned leaders at all kinds of levels who find focus in the teaching. Others are young leaders who are immersing themselves in the journey. What we share in common is a desire to be trained taught stretched and challenged to know better the text and the one who embodied the text.

Most of the teaching comes with a life challenge and we are walking in community here discussing more personally what these teachings mean for us.

ES

What's Going On? BEMA Turkey 5