Why Every Student of the Bible Should Experience Israel, Amy Flattery -Center For Holy Lands Studies

Jeff interviews Amy Flattery, Director of the Center For Holy Lands Studies (CHLS) in Springfield, MO USA. Amy attended Calvin College receiving a BA in Biblical Studies and Theology. After finishing college in 1997, she moved to Jerusalem, Israel, to attend Jerusalem University College. While there she pursued her MA at Jerusalem University College. Her area of study was in New Testament Backgrounds/Jewish History of the Second Temple Period. Amy lived in Israel for a total of 6 years and now, as the Director of CHLS is responsible for getting hundreds of students, pastors and lay people to the lands of the Bible every year!

Transcript

Jeff Futers: 0:02

Welcome to the Keeping at Israel podcast with Jeff Futers. We're Jeff and his guests talk. Everything Israel as it relates to Christian faith and the church. If you are a Christian and you stand with Israel, you will be encouraged and challenged by this podcast. And if you're not so sure about the whole Israel thing, you need to learn how your faith connects with Israel, and why standing with Israel matters. Now, here's Jeff with today's guest. Welcome to the podcast today. And my guest today is Amy Flattery. Amy is the Director of the Center for Holy Lands Studies for the Assemblies of God in the USA. So welcome, Amy.

Amy Flattery: 0:41

Thank you. I'm so happy to be here!

Jeff Futers: 0:46

Well, it's, it's great to have you and I wanted to reach out to you because a few years back two and a half years ago, maybe we chatted at length about getting students to the land of Israel. It was something that was on my heart here in Canada to be able to help some of our colleges have students have their students have this experience that I believe is life changing. And I believe also, you know, makes for a totally different experience in the pastorate if somebody sort of learns early and and gets to experience early, what is the land of Israel. And so you guys were so helpful, you sent me so much information, and some of your some of your material. And we, you know, we were able to finally get a college here to sign on and had a trip ready to go this year. But as I have already shared with you that was cancelled, everybody's trips are being canceled this year. So it's nothing new. But I wanted just to to talk to you a little bit. First of all, you have some history in the land of Israel personally. What, tell us a little bit about that journey.

Amy Flattery: 2:01

Yeah, well, I always loved the Lord. But after college, I went and did Biblical Studies, actually, at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Afterwards, what was I going to do? Well, I wanted to keep studying Jesus. So where better to do that, than Israel. So I actually moved there. I lived there six years and studied Second Temple period of Judaism and the Origins of Christianity, which is summarize it. It's study around the life of Jesus basically. And so I lived there for that long and I it has, it has definitely changed my life and perspective and views. And I'm so thankful for the time I was able to spend there.

Jeff Futers: 2:48

Now, your involvement now with the Center for Holy Lands Studies, tell us how that all came about.

Amy Flattery: 2:55

So the Assemblies of God really has an investment in Israel, but also they wanted to increase knowledge, education, travel, to the lands of the Bible, to help pastors and students and laity even to better understand their Bible and then better be able to spread the message because as you know, when you go, the Bible just opens up even in greater ways that you can't really explain until you get there in some ways. And so the whole purpose was to really increase education in study of the Bible, in the lands of the Bible. That was the whole point. And, and we started 11 years ago. And since then, I think we've been able to take 16 or 1700 people over, a year, almost to the lands of the Bible. So we've been able to be successful in doing that. And it's I think it's changed a lot of people's lives, especially our students.

Jeff Futers: 3:55

Yeah. Sorry, 16 to 1700 people a year, not not in total. Every year?

Amy Flattery: 4:01

That's what it's grown to so we started very small, obviously. And we were slated to take 16 or 1700 this year. So I would say all together, we've taken several several thousand, who've been able to go over with us. So...

Jeff Futers: 4:17

yeah, fantastic. That's amazing. Yeah. Now, you know, here in in Canada, the program that we were that we were working on, we felt like because it was so new, we needed to subsidize these students and help them to get there. Does the AOG do anything like that?

Amy Flattery: 4:36

Yes, initially, especially they did help subsidize and even to the point of sending out letters from our leadership to people to help the students raise the extra funds in order to do it. And I think the investment they saw in their students would be life changing for the the Assemblies of God going forward. So you're investing not only now but for 20 years from now, in the pulpits and in the teachings and things like that. So it's a long term and a short term investment, but with a good reason and for good purpose.

Jeff Futers: 5:15

Now, I know that the program has expanded beyond just Israel, you do visit some other Bible lands, tell us a little bit about that.

Amy Flattery: 5:24

We do we think it's important for us to go to all of the lands of the Bible so that we can tell the full story. So Jesus didn't go to Hawaii yet. So we don't get to go there. Although sometimes wouldn't it be nice, but we do we go to Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Greece and Italy. So we have programs that go to all of those. So especially if students have already been and done the Israel Jordan portion with us, well, we want to fulfill the rest of it and do the Greece, Turkey, Italy, portion too, so we especially focus on our students for those programs.

Jeff Futers: 5:59

Okay. Now, is that is that two different kinds of trips and itineraries or is that how that works?

Amy Flattery: 6:06

Yes, well, if we're talking about the students, the students can go on a three week Israel, Jordan program, and follow it right up with another three weeks in Greece, Turkey, and Italy, wow, they can either choose to do the whole six weeks or every other year, they can have the option of going on the following one. So we try to set it up, it's directly after it so that they can always choose to do that. And then we've also added on a dig for a week, even on the back end at Shiloh for students who can do that as well, which has been, Shiloh is amazing. And their dig excavations are amazing. but also their, their devotional life is amazing. Every morning before they start, there's prayer, and they do devotion. It's really an amazing experience. So we've started to try to put that in with it as well. And we do other trips, too, of course, for leaders, and anyone who wants to go, I'm actually even heading to Turkey in a few weeks because it's open. And wow. I'm gonna go in check it out and do a lot of filming and recording in Turkey, because there's so much that happened. So Israel is Israel, because well, that's where the Lord was too, right, but there's a lot we can learn from the other countries. So we certainly include them.

Jeff Futers: 7:34

Oh, absolutely. I think when we looked at, you know, the various lands of the Bible that most of the New Testament, you know, excluding the Gospels, and part of the book of Acts happened in those other those other countries. Yes, yeah. And so it is a significant place. Now, you know, our ministry First Century Foundations is focused on praying for and blessing the Land of Israel, and helping ministries there that are on the ground, you know, during doing the work of the kingdom, that's, that's what First Century Foundations is all about. And so we are starting, at least with the with the student experience, just in Israel. But when you talk about the foundations of the first century, and the first century church, of course, it expands way beyond that. And I think that some of our biblical journeys, I hope, we'll be able to expand beyond that as well. We've actually done some tours into Greece, we did one just a couple of years back, and are hoping to put another one on the on the map. It's so hard to plan right now, though. It's just like, I don't know what to say about this. I don't know how, you know, whether or not people will actually want to travel at this point. Or think that even in a year that they could I don't know, what are you finding?

Amy Flattery: 8:55

It's actually I don't want to say it's such a guessing game. But it almost is, in some ways. It's a it's whether do you start promoting trips right now, when all this stuff is going on. But yet, we still find that there are people who are calling every day to register for programs because they're hopeful, and they want, they want to go and they want to travel and get and that kind of life to start, I'm sure there will be some new policies in place. Whether there's COVID testing or something when you land or things like that, but those are things we'll work through. And we'll be as safe as we can for everybody. So it's kind of it's kind of, you know, playing this Hey, let's let's go ahead and promote what we're doing. If it can't work, we'll just adjust. And we adjust the dates and I think that's blessed are the flexible right now. And yeah, anyone who can be flexible, yours is the kingdom. So I think that that that's really important right now. And just still continuing the work and do your best in that regard and just see what the Lord will help you do. And there are also things you can always put out. I mean, you're doing this, this is great. And there's still content that we can give and learning that we can give, which is why I'm flying to Turkey. But I, I'm not taking a group with me right now. I will always go and check it out before I take anyone with me, right now, I want to make sure everything is good. I want to know the systems. I want to know how it's running, I want to make sure it's safe that, you know, the cleaning measures are great. And, and so I think everybody in the world is working hard to try and implement things so that life can get back to normal. And that tourism can build up again. So we're finding out that there...people want to go, they're ready. They're ready.

Jeff Futers: 10:52

Okay, do you have, do you...are you promoting programs for Israel this coming year?

Amy Flattery: 10:58

We actually have, I think we have 37 programs in 2021. Right now. Okay. And that we are that are set to go now, from what I hear maybe Israel is going to open in March ish, April ish, you know, but we'll see. And if not what we've done, and I think it's, it's good as we set a secondary date. So like the people will know if it's not going at this time, it's going to go at this time. So they've got and it's not that much later, it's maybe a few months, but they've got these options, at least where it's not, I have to wait a whole another year or two years, or you know, and so we have tried to do that to help out. And we still have our program set. But we'll just have to see how it all turns out. But we're ready when it does. I guess I would say.

Jeff Futers: 11:52

Oh, that's interesting. I sort of heard the March, the March month mentioned as well. That was before this sort of second wave took off. So, you know, we're just, it really is hard to plan and...I'm going to go ahead and plan we do a television show here in Canada, just a half hour show to kind of, you know, connect with new donors and turn people's attention towards Israel. We go to archaeological sites and, and interview archaeologists and other guests, tour guides and so on. And I'm hoping I'm hoping that we can set something up for either late March or or mid April, I don't want to go during Passover. But

Amy Flattery: 12:43

Exactly...Yeah, that helps in itself. I, I think, I don't know how hopeful I am anymore. You know, we all thought it would be fine in June, or, or May even and so I don't know, I don't know. But the Lord does. What we've really tried to do is bring Israel or the other countries home. Now. You know, you've got to be really creative in this time. And so we've done like an online 30 day tour, people can read through the sites, and I wrote on every single site. And for 30 days, we posted a new site, some of them are video at the site. And so it's just at least we can increase and try to keep up. You know, I think our goals are to interest in Israel and help people learn and grow. And, and so we've tried to continue to do that to our very best, even though we're not over there right now. And part of it I'm going to take as a blessing because I don't have time to write in general on all the things that I've always hoped we could get done. And we've used this time to do it. So

Jeff Futers: 13:49

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Let's talk in general about sort of the, the strategy or the philosophy behind taking taking people to Israel. We've alluded to it, but but tell me, you know, why is it so important that that young people and I would say, particularly future pastors, to to experience Israel.

Amy Flattery: 14:16

So I would say and I think the center probably like you also, our goal is not tourism. It's to take people and help them study the land so that they can better understand the word of God and pass it on to the people that they're going to teach. And so I had the ability to go when I was out of college, forever, forever changed. It can't not change the way that you teach and the way that you would preach or even lead someone standing in the desert and understanding what happened there and why God brought all his leaders through there and feeling it and seeing the rugged terrain and applying the text to it. And understanding the culture of the time period and all of it, and wraps itself together in such a way that it will absolutely transform anything that you will stand up and say, on a on a pulpit or in front of anybody. And I've had, I'm sure you have too.... so many people say, why didn't I do this when I was younger, because it would have entirely changed my entire ministry for the rest of my life. And I know that it's true. And it's hard to explain, before you go, what happens, but the geography of the land is as much a character as any person in the Bible. And when you understand the geography, and the movements through the land, and the routes, and why God placed this person there, because it was major roadways, and that's how the message spread, it all comes together in your mind. And it's like this little explosion of Oh, my goodness, God is even more amazing than I ever could have thought he was. And look how that was put together. And it just is a major shift in and you can never forget what it looks like or what you saw or what you learned because it was right in front of your face. So I can't explain enough how much it increases your ability to communicate, the Word of God to people. And for me, that is a worthy investment.

Jeff Futers: 16:27

Yeah. You're preaching to the choir sister, but

Amy Flattery: 16:31

I know I get like, ahhh...

Jeff Futers: 16:32

No, no, it's fantastic. And I am in total agreement with you this has been this has been what the Lord put on my heart when I first began to take over First Century Foundations, this organization that we're part of here, in that, you know, our colleges here in Canada weren't doing this. And I just really felt like this was something we needed to champion and promote. And so we're kind of doing it on our own. We're not doing it with with the backing of the denomination, although, although I have the support, you know, of our of our general superintendent, but that's, that's verbal only at this point. But we are, we're grateful for that. And it's been a ride to just get this one college, our college here in Ontario on board. And so yeah, I'm just debating do i do i try and push for another one next August and see what happens, we're going to have to go out to the to the students soon with that if we want to do it. But anyhow, I love hearing you share about the change, that experiencing Israel makes for someone, especially someone who is a student of the word, and wants to be a teacher of the word. You know, my experience did not happen right out of college. I was one of those arrogant pastors who thought I didn't need to go to Israel, I I, you know, did my whole sort of 30 years almost or 25 years of ministry without experiencing this. And it wasn't, you know, I didn't, I didn't not like Israel or anything like that. I just didn't feel like I needed to go. And I used to say that to people. I don't I don't have to go to Israel to, you know, to believe, you know, it's not going to make my faith any different. I believe in Jesus, I believe in God. And, and I had all the excuses. But you know, one day I got talked into going, by my dad actually. And it was in it was in 2006. So I was I was well into my, into my pastoral ministry, and totally, totally changed how I felt, not not about about God, but but about, you know, why people should have this experience. And from that moment on, I mean, you're right, you can't you can't read a scripture passage anymore without visualizing the place. Not just the place, but the, you know, the landscape, the topography, the the climate, all of those things.

Amy Flattery: 19:08

The picture behind me...

Jeff Futers: 19:09

Yeah it's beautiful.

Amy Flattery: 19:10

Yeah. That's the Jericho Road.

Jeff Futers: 19:13

That's awesome. Is that a painting? Is that an oil?

Amy Flattery: 19:16

No, I took it on my iPhone.

Jeff Futers: 19:19

Oh, wow. It's a photograph. Yeah. Beautiful, beautiful. I have I have a couple little watercolors in my office here. And I have a you can't see it. But there's a you know, one of those panoramas of Jerusalem on my wall. But yes, yeah, every tour every good tourist has one of those. Yeah, or had at some point. But I think it's amazing. I think that that this is something that we want to see grow here in Canada in terms of getting our students to have this experience. I personally believe like yourself that that people will never teach they'll never pastor the same once they have, they've gone to Israel. And like you, I understand that not everybody else gets that. They hear us talk. And they think that we're these crazy Israel people. But we've got to figure out a way to get people to have this experience. And I mean, not just students either we take, we take groups of adults, we do tours every year as well. But I love the educational component of this. Tell us a little bit about the course material. What what are some of the courses that you guys teach?

Amy Flattery: 20:35

Yeah, so when we go over, especially for students, we have a three week program, they can get either three or six credits from it. And, but there's a lot of work they need to do ahead of time, but it's all work, I would say that's beneficial for the rest of their life. So it's the map work, the road routes, the ridge routes, why were they placed where they were, and but when you start to put it all together, it makes a lot of sense. You know, God chose Israel to spread the gospel to the whole world, because you had to travel through Israel to get everywhere. And so it's just brilliant. First of all, that's brilliant in itself. He's so brilliant, isn't he? So they've got to do quite a bit of map work along the way. And it's fun, they get to color, and they journal when we're there. But we also have them read a few books before they go, I don't really want them doing all of that work while they're there. So I want them to be fully engaged. So we have them journal when they're there, but, and then when we get back, and we have a whole syllabus that they follow, but when they get back, they write us a paper that kind of combines what we taught them on the trip, because every site we go to we unpack the geography, the culture of the time period. And what went on in history in the time period, what language was being used? And how is the text written? And what's it... How does that impact or effect and then what was the spiritual climate of the time period? Because that impacts everything that was going on whether it was polytheism, or belief in one God or any of that they've got to choose a place and unpack those elements, and then report back to us the, what has shifted or what they have learned about that specific location. And just to combine all of those things together, because I hope that's what they'll do the rest of their life. And, and then we always ask them the question, what was said at the time, what was meant by what was said? Not what am I telling it to say? But what was it really trying to say? And then how do you apply it to your life today? I think then you get your best hope of what the text is, is saying and meaning. And I would say that 10 times out of 10 it's more amazing than what you ever could have imagined, and the nuances in Scripture and in language and what was going on. It's there's just so much to unpack that still. I'm I you know, before I go to bed, I read my Bible, and then I don't sleep because like what, what? But it's fun, it's fun to do. It's great. So that's kind of what we do in those courses. And then we do the same thing in Greece, Turkey and Italy. And then we have other programs that are just for pastors, or they're going to one of our seminaries or something, they can do it for a class and then we walk them through those programs as well. So, yeah...

Jeff Futers: 23:46

Fantastic. Fantastic. Oh, that's great. I love the journaling part of course, I think that keeping it simple for them while they're there. As a matter of fact, I I'm pretty sure I ran into one of your groups. And that's how we initially made this connection we were going into the going into the tunnel Hezakiah's tunnel, the water tunnel, and all these boisterous students. We were shooting we were we were going in to shoot for the television show. And and this great big group of students came and we're like, oh, man, we can't go in there ahead of them because we won't be able to hear anything, you know, so but anyway, I got talking to yeah, got talking to one of the profs, and I think that's how we initially connected and it was just, it was so great to be able to see all these young people so excited about being there and about, you know, having the experience and and doing the learning. I just thought it was fantastic. And the reason I asked the question of the of the professor who was with them was you know, they're all carrying pens and notebooks and you know, doing the whole thing and I thought this is really cool. And it was very cool for me, because we had already been discussing, you know, how do we how do we get something like this going. And so, so knowing there was a program out there, because I had no idea, just was so helpful. S we really appreciated the inpu that you gave. And I love th perspective that you bring toda as well. Now, one of th elements we are working into ou program is, is also helpin students connect with an understand modern day Israel. I that a part of your program a well

Amy Flattery: 25:35

It is. So you know, we have all of our teachers that we send, because we make sure that we have very trained professors that will go with our students super picky about... their learning matters. And, and so I we have that, but we've paired them with our guides in Israel as well and made great teams and so really are Israeli guides focus a lot when they are teaching on modern day Israel, you know, especially when you're going north to the border of where Damascus is in Syria and Lebanon, they are teaching modern day or past wars that they have been through. And we do go through the politics of modern day Israel as well in the system of that they use, and just a lot of what is going on, even in Israel today. So and they experience it, because we've got them in it. So we don't just tell them about things, they have to experience it as well. So we push them out into society, and let them experience and learn. And then we ask questions, and we'll do a maybe a night seminar on modern Israel. So that they, they get that as well. And we try to give it from several perspectives. Because you know, how many perspectives there are, in the land, right. And so it's good that they hear several voices, and as a whole to learn. And so we try to incorporate and give them as much as we can. Look, when we take them, they are inundated and they have their notes and, and they can sleep when they get home. And and they learned because I've got them for this short amount of time. And I want to put as much as I possibly can in them. And you know that it'll pour out for the next 60 years. Right? For me that that's the hope and goal. So

Jeff Futers: 27:39

Wow, that's fantastic. Yeah. Yeah, we hope to had lined up a couple of different seminars, we've got some sort of friends in Israel, that that are leaders of ministries that we know of there one once called the Jerusalem Institute of Justice. And they, I don't know if you're familiar, but they work with, with both, you know, Jews and Arabs and fight for human rights in the land of Israel. We want people to get that sort of balanced perspective. But we also we also want people to understand the other side. And so a gentleman named Mr. Marcus from the Palestinian Media Watch, was going to come in and speak to speak to the students as well. So so it's a great way to, I think, help them position themselves understand what their their view of all of this is going to be. And what they get fed in the media is not those things. So

Amy Flattery: 28:42

I know from living there, too, it's just, it's just not right.

Jeff Futers: 28:47

No, no, it really isn't.

Amy Flattery: 28:49

Yeah, it get's distorted for sure.

Jeff Futers: 28:52

Yeah, and, you know, I get into I try and stay away from them. Certainly on on social media. I don't involve myself in these discussions. But but you get into some discussions with people, well, meaning Christians, you know, some evangelical people who, who just have such a slanted view. And some of them don't even don't even support Israel or the idea of, you know, the modern nation of Israel. It's, it's quite disheartening

Amy Flattery: 29:21

I find that more and more, it's increasing.

Jeff Futers: 29:23

Mm hmm. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Well, Amy, I really appreciate you taking some time with us today and giving us this overview. Now, if I were to, you know, just give you a few minutes to talk to not just students, but to people in general about, about experiencing Israel. You know, what impassioned plea would you would you give?

Amy Flattery: 29:50

Oh, there's, there's really so much I... it's quite emotional. I don't think I'll be emotional when I talk about it. But then I'm like, What am I doing? Because it really does matter that much, I guess. I know that God can meet you anywhere, and you can have a relationship with God. And I know that he loves you. And I know these things, I think that if you want to maybe invest further in your devotional life, or spiritual life or anything, if you can invest in any way, that would be a brilliant way to do it is to go and see and experience. And I think it matters who you go with. So for example, I look at whether the... Is it a tourism company I'm going with or is it someone like you who, you want people to just learn and grow in their faith, and it's not for you, it's your heart is for them and for the Christian world. And so, for me, it made all the difference in the world, in going that when I read through my Bible, I like can highlight every single place I've been, which is almost every single place. And the minute I read it, I know I know it, I know what it looks like I can imagine, you know, Jesus in his walk to Jerusalem, and how long it took, and he had to have a lot of muscles. And so it's just all of the little nuances that make the shift, I think, in your understanding, and God meets you in places you don't think he's going to, I always have people going with expectations. Oh, I can't wait to get to Mount Carmel, because it's there that he's going to tell me this and this, and no, that never happens. But he will meet you somewhere. But there are powerful lessons that he teaches you. And if you go with an open heart, and, and willingness to learn. That is your most important thing. I've taken a lot of pastors who've gone with that way. I've taken some who had to be knocked down a little bit by the Lord when they got there, but they came home amazing. So I think just being open to what the Lord is wanting to say to you, and investing in the relationship you have with him, and seeing his land and his people. It's just a massive shift. And I know that people could hear this all the time. But I am telling you, it I've never had a person in all of the thousands that we have taken come home and say why did I do that? I only ever heard that changed my life forever. And it was the best thing I have ever done. The best money I've ever spent. And I would do it again. And again if I could. So that that's what I could say. And I wish I could put everyone on a plane and take them over...

Jeff Futers: 32:59

Me too. I know Yeah, yeah. Oh, that's awesome. Thank you for sharing that. And you know, you you are absolutely dead on when you say that it's sort of different for everybody, this, this experience and, and where they connect with God. I know lots of people who've had expectations about, oh, it's going to happen at the Garden Tomb or it's going to happen at, you know, at the Sea of Galilee or, and yet, many of them will come to me and say, you know, it just it kind of it just really snuck up on me here, you know, at this place, and somewhere that they wouldn't have even considered you know, and but but the Holy Spirit is like that he's working in the background when we're when we don't even see or understand what he's doing. And we just need to be open. And I think that, that experiencing that kind of emotion in Israel though, there's really nothing quite like that. And my feeling, you know, first time in I, I was I didn't have high expectations, honestly. But from the moment we landed, from the moment the plane touched down, I felt something and that's the only way I've been able to describe it to people is I kind of felt like I was coming home. And it was it was so strange. Such an odd feeling. And yet it's become a second home for me. And the fact that I haven't been there since last November is just about driving me bonkers. I we are desperate my wife and I to get back and just just be there. But also, you know, to see our friends and so praying that that can happen soon and praying the same for you and for your groups and I just this has been great. It's so nice to meet you and to see your face. We've talked on the phone. But

Unknown: 35:04

I was so happy to hear from you. Like, yeah, he did it!

Jeff Futers: 35:08

We did we did it. And then (explosion sound) anyway, it will happen. It will happen, it will happen. So, God bless you, Amy, thanks for your time today. It's been great to have you on the podcast. And yeah, wishing you all the best and get lots of good writing done in this free time that you've been given. I know, that's, that's been the biggest challenge is, we have to stay busy and create content, you know, content is the buzzword these days. But

Unknown: 35:39

But you know what, I think one last thing, sorry, the preparation

Jeff Futers: 35:43

No, it's absolutely good.

Amy Flattery: 35:44

you're doing to give people before they go. And frankly, if someone knows they're going to go or wants to go, they need to start prepping themselves. You know, if we can get them there, we can teach them. But it's also their responsibility to prepare their heart and their mind and their reading to get the most that they can out of it as well. And so, you know, we're not the Lord. But he wants to do it with them. And, and so I would encourage that too that, even though this is sort of this low time. It's not, it's a gift of a time where there's a lot of preparation that can happen. And then look what's going to happen when you get there. So so we'll take it like that. It's a good, it's a good way to say it. But let's get ready.

Jeff Futers: 36:38

Yeah, absolutely. Great. Well, thanks again.

Amy Flattery: 36:42

Thank you so much. It's so good to meet you. And I hope I meet you in person someday.

Jeff Futers: 36:49

It'll happen. Maybe it'll happen. You're in Israel so much. It's bound to happen.

Amy Flattery: 36:54

Yeah, we'll see each other there.

Jeff Futers: 36:56

Yeah, for sure. For sure. Great. Thank you for joining the podcast today. And I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Amy Flattery. She's been such an incredible resource for us, in trying to set up our student tours that we call First Century Adventures. I mentioned that this tour was set to go this past year. But of course, because of COVID, we have had to postpone we're trying to decide whether we can do something this coming year and want you to stay posted for that. I appreciate so much Amy taking the time to be with us. She really is an expert in this field, and knows so many people that could be helpful to us as we plan in the future. So check out Center for Holy Lands Studies, we'll put the website here just below. I believe that I can give it to you before we're done here just now. If you want to go to holylandsstudies.org that is the website. And they'll lots of great information there on what they do Amy and her team. Thanks for tuning in today. Remember, we are a ministry that is helping ministries on the ground in the land of Israel, especially during this COVID time there are so many of our ministries that are involved in humanitarian aid, getting food out to those who are needy, and helping those who are financially struggling. The economy in Israel has really taken a huge hit. And this most recent lockdown again, has been problematic for everyone there. And so we want to support and help the body of Messiah, which is they are part of the church. They're our brothers and sisters. And so we encourage you if you can and would be willing to donate we would just appreciate that so much you could go to our website, firstcenturyfoundations.com/donate and you can give in both Canada and the United States and be receipted it for your giving. Thank you so much for tuning in today. And God bless you, remember, as Christians, we stand with Israel.