The Newsletter of IBTM
with Douglas Jacoby

.
3 July 2024

Good morning from England!

We're home! We got back from Turkey on Friday. This was an amazing trip! I hope you enjoyed the photos in the last two newsletters. Photo: In the Titus Tunnel (Seleucia) with a few of the 22 brothers and sisters in our group. The men pictured are from the Philippines, the United States, Jamaica, India, and Jordan. (The entire group totaled 109.)

For supporters of IBTM, please click HERE for the thoughts and thanks of participants sponsored by this ministry (hailing from India, the Philippines, Estonia, Colombia, United Kingdom, United States, Jordan, Iraq, France, South Africa, and Jamaica). Training is a vital part of the ministry. The recent Antioch Seminar included lectures, on-site talks, and multiple opportunities to interact with world-class scholars.

Last week I posted info on both the 2025 Turkey events, but managed to fail to include one of the links. Please scroll down to the very bottom of this bulletin for both links.

On Saturday, AIM (US mainland) met online. The topic: Communicating Biblical Truth. Participants joined from many states (GA, SC, NC, TX, CT, VT), plus Nigeria. On Sunday our online communion service featured guest teachers Jim and Lindsay Long (Atlanta). Next Sunday: Pradeep Kutty (Kuwait). Future speakers include brothers and sisters from Kenya, Brazil, Nigeria, South Africa, and other nations.

Today’s bulletin touches the topics of Jonah, Depression, Atheism, and our upcoming webinar.

GENDER & GAY MARRIAGE — WEBINAR WITH RUBEL SHELLY

  • Webinar: 13 July, 10:00-11:15 ET
  • Speaker: Rubel Shelly
  • Topic: Male and Female He Created Them (Dr. Shelly’s latest book)
  • FREE for website members. (Otherwise $49, payable by card, Venmo, or cheque.) Members: remember to sign in first with your username and password. Please do not share the link.
  • Non-members: sign up HERE, or send an email to dj@douglasjacoby.com.
  • Register HERE.

This is the best book on the topic I’ve ever read, and the webinar based on it should be especially helpful to church leaders, Bible teachers, parents of children who have "come out," younger persons, and all who are willing to look at the historical and biblical evidence. Rubel is also one of the most compassionate Christians I know. His wisdom and warmth should make for an encouraging session, even for those who disagree or are unsure. Please don’t miss this opportunity!

IS THE STORY OF JONAH & THE WHALE HISTORY OR PARABLE?

Jesus often taught in parables and expected his hearers to learn and act on the truth the parables conveyed. But is “parable” the best approach to Jonah?

Click on the whale to read the intriguing article by Jay Sklar.

I SLEEP A LOT (WRESTLING WITH DEPRESSION)

Click HERE to read the edifying article by my Canadian friend Denis Lamoureux.

Denis is associate professor of science and religion at St. Joseph’s College, University of Alberta. I have always found him to be a man of compassion, honesty, and insight.

Learn from his life in this short article.

GREAT QUOTES: ATHEISM

  • Many of the defectors [from the church] are not really atheists or even agnostic, but in limbo between the characteristic halfway houses of “believing without belonging” or still “belonging without believing.” — Os Guinness, Renaissance
  • I don't believe in God, but I miss him. — Julian Barnes
  • If there were no God, there would be no atheists. — G.K. Chesterton
  • I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers… I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that. — Thomas Nagel
  • Here lies an atheist: all dressed up and no place to go. – Epitaph in a Maryland cemetery

NEXT WEEK...

… look forward to some exciting news from Uganda, cool quotations, and more. And as always, thank you for your many prayers and your financial support. They are certainly appreciated! — Douglas

 

 

3rd Global Smyrna Meeting on the Seven Churches of Revelation—Tutku Educational Travel

Ongoing archaeological excavations in Turkey help to uncover more every day, and help us to better understand the Revelation. “Can I take a trip to the actual sites of these seven churches"?” is a common question. You can! Some have called this one-week program is “the most comprehensive meeting and visitation of the Seven Churches of Revelation ever organized.” All tours are led by expert scholars.  CLICK HERE

 

Celebrate the 1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea in 2025 —Tutku Educational Travel

We encourage you to bring your own groups to Nicaea and Istanbul in the spring of 2025 to celebrate the 1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea in 2025. You can set up your own dates and program or, you can join the below program on June 12-23, 2025. Key Dates in 325: May 20— Council opens. June 14—Constantine arrives. June 19—Nicene Creed adopted. August 25— Council adjourns   CLICK HERE