Technically, day 3 was two three four days ago… Sunday. (Yep, been busy since getting back and trying to catch up!!)
We finished near midnight on Sunday and had no internet access until Monday afternoon, but with travel, tiredness and family matters, I’m just now finally sitting down to recap!
What a weekend! Already, I am excited about next year!! Mark your calendars and start saving money/making plans. It will be worth it! REVIVE2015, Dallas, TX Hyatt Regency, June 26-28!
Day 3 was interesting to watch as everyone was noticeably tired and somewhat lethargic. Overall, the crowd was great to be in/around. Very friendly and warm atmosphere. By this point, we were seeing and recognizing new friends in the hall between sessions and meeting still more new friends… What a joy to hear so many different stories of how Abba calls His children back to the Torah. All similar, yet each unique in flavor and events.
I began the morning with Tony Romibson’s third session on the Garden and its patterns. this time the focus was on mankind. He sang a song for us that he had written years ago and taught some basics on chiastic structures in Scripture. Much, to me, was a refresher, however he pointed out some structures in the Garden account I had never noticed. The first three chapters of Genesis are so deep that in the last year I have been surprised again and again at the great depth and foundational connectivity with all things written and in life!!
My second session was Dr. Deborah Wiley and her talk titled Gospel, Great Commission and the Call to Torah. One of the interesting thoughts that she posited, similar to one I had heard the day before, was: “What is the Gospel?” Christendom teaches that it is salvation in Yeshua/Jesus, but we know the ‘gospel’ was preached to Abraham (Galatians 3:8). Questions she asked, to drive the point home included:
- What Gospel did Yeshua preach?
- What Gospel did John the Baptizer preach before meeting Yeshua?
- What Gospel did the disciples preach before Yeshua died?
- What Gospel did the 70 preach before Yeshua died?
Basically, what is the Great Commission and when was it first preached?? Very interesting… And, of course, the Torah is central!
Daniel Botkin was the main speaker for the afternoon general session. He was fantastic, though I regretted that my brain was fried and numbers had visibly begun to wane. His topic was Morality and Mortality. Two words he emphasized as not being connected linguistically, but very connected in the reality of life. Part of his emphasis was on outward morality/cleanness. Scripture is so clear on the matter of outward as well as inward morality, unlike Chistendom’s skewed message of ‘grace’ with little outward expression. “Paul: ‘touch not the unclean thing… cleanse ourselves of all defilement of flesh and spirit. James: ‘Cleanse hands and hearts.’ Psalm 24: ‘Clean hands and a pure heart.'” Etc.
Of particular interest in the afternoon session, the visionary for Let The Lion Roar, a documentary expose of deceptions within Christendom, spoke to us and played the movie trailer. Already it has won some awards and will be released on September 19, 2014. I’ll do a separate post with more details, but visit the site to see the trailer and get info now if you so desire. The afternoon session also had a wonderful set of music played by psalmist, Andrew Hodkinson of South Africa. I’ll add some music videos and tell a bit more about him in a future post.
Honestly, I just did not make the final afternoon breakout session. Lots of good speakers and topics, but I was so full of information that Kelly and I just rambled through the Marketplace and talked to vendors. Had a good conversation with Lenny, of ‘Lenny and Varda’ as well as a long conversation with Arthur Bailey and then Richard Rives. The accessibility to the long-time teachers and speakers was very nice.
Mid-way through the afternoon Marketplace, music suddenly started to blast and a flash mob broke out in dance. Many, many young people involved and it was fun to watch.
Before the evening closing general session, we broke for dinner and met several new friends at the restaurant, a welcome break from the sandwiches, bananas and energy bars we had been eating for two and a half days. Oh, and lots of coffee!! As part of our little group we enjoyed fellowshipping with Gardner Beasley who like me is a ‘tentmaker’ leading a little fellowship that is in the southern tip of Illinois. We had fun comparing notes, relaying stories and asking questions of the other. As I’ve said before, just fun meeting people on this walk and seeing how our Father is using each one in His own way!
Ed Harris and Dr. Hollisa Alewine wrapped up the final evening general session with excellent teachings. Hollisa continued the Four Horsemen talk that she had begun in the first breakout session I attended on Friday. So much material, so little time! She never did get through all the material… Ed was particularly on fire and spoke passionately about servanthood, callous removal and walking in tenderness before Yahweh. I definitely see a foot-washing service in our fellowship’s near future…
After the session we were spent, but wandered among the Marketplace vendors chit-chatting and breathing the last little bit of a wonderful conference. I highly recommend planning now to get to Dallas next summer for REVIVE2015.
11:3 Restoration 