Nourish Your Biblical Roots

What if you were asked to name the most important quality in a person of faith? What would you say? Honesty? Purity? Compassion? Scripture actually has an answer to this question. In honor of the Jewish holiday Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks, better known to Christian by its Greek name, Pentecost, we’ll learn about the one quality that can take our faith to the next level. The biblical figure Ruth demonstrated this quality when she followed her mother-in-law Naomi back to Israel and joined the Jewish people. So did the nation of Israel when they accepted God’s Torah unconditionally at the foot of Mt. Sinai. In today’s podcast, host Yael Eckstein will explain how both these biblical stories connect to the holiday of Shavuot, which is celebrated this week, and why the quality of unconditional commitment — or commitedness — to God and His Word matters the most. You can learn more about Shavuot — the Jewish Pentecost — at our Learn Center! [...]

Nearly 13 years ago, a pastor in North Carolina made a life-changing decision to answer God’s call to bless Israel by bringing needy and persecuted Jews back to their biblical homeland. Four years later, this pastor enlisted his church, Hope Community Church in Winston-Salem, N.C. to join him in this mission, pledging to raise $1 million to help Jews make aliyah (immigrate to Israel). This past year, Bishop Lanier and Hope Community Church surpassed that goal, raising more that $1.5 million and bringing home more than 4,200 Jewish souls. Bishop Lanier, now The Fellowship’s Board Chairman, comes back to the podcast to share his story with host Yael Eckstein — and invites Christians to join him in this prophetic conversation with God and the Jewish people. Come back each Sunday as Yael shares inspirational teachings on the Jewish roots of Christianity on her weekly podcast, Nourish Your Biblical Roots. For more information on today’s episode, visit mybiblicalroots.org.   [...]

Today, Jews in Israel celebrate Jerusalem Day — Yom Yerushalayim — commemorating the miraculous reunification of God’s Holy City in 1967. But as podcast host Yael Eckstein explains, we ALL — Christians and Jews — should celebrate Jerusalem Day! Not only is Jerusalem God’s designated place where His Temple once stood and will someday stand again, but as we read in Psalm 137:5, “If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.” God does not want us to forget His eternal capital! In today’s special Jerusalem Day episode, Yael explores the spiritual significance of Jerusalem and why its historical reunification following the Six-Day War in 1967 is so important. We ALL need to recognize what God has done and is doing in Jerusalem in our times… and why both Christians and Jews should give Him thanks and praise for His miracles! Check out our resource page on “What Is Jerusalem Day?” on our Learning Center for more information. [...]

Since last September, the people of Israel have been living out the biblical command to observe a sabbatical year as found in the Book of Leviticus. But what does that mean? For many in Israel, it has meant allowing fields to go unplowed, not planting a vegetable garden, or simply letting the ground rest. And while this biblical directive is focused on the land, there is a deeper spiritual lesson for us all. As podcast host Yael Eckstein shares, the practice of shmita, the sabbatical year, teaches us that sometimes we need to do less in order to receive more blessings in our lives. Listen now! For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org. [...]

As kids, who didn’t count down the days until the end of school and the beginning of summer vacation? Even as adults, we sometimes count down the days to an important event — a milestone birthday, a wedding, or a special vacation. But if you think about it, in counting down the days, we can mistakenly relegate those days as obstacles to get through in order to reach the anticipated event, rather than as the priceless gift that each day is. On today’s podcast, host Yael Eckstein shares biblical verses that direct us to count each day in a way that celebrates the moment. Through ancient Jewish teachers, we will learn how counting each day — in the right way — is the secret to making every day count. For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org. [...]

As we pause this month to celebrate the women in our lives, host Yael Eckstein welcomes to the podcast two modern-day Women of Valor who have influenced and mentored her — Michele Bachmann, former member of the U.S. Congress and current Dean of the Robertson School of Government at Regent University, and Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America. Together, these powerhouse women discuss with Yael both the difficulties and opportunities women of faith in leadership face today, as well as the women in their own lives who influenced them. You won’t want to miss this inspiring conversation with these two women, who Yael describes not only as her role models but as role models for the next generation. Listen today! Join us on May 5th for our 3rd Annual Fellowship Fast – a time of Fasting and prayer for our world, our nation, and ourselves. Learn how you can participate. [...]

What does it really mean to love your neighbor as yourself? As Christians and Jews, we agree this is one of the most important commandments to follow, but what does that really look like? What does it mean to love our neighbors as ourselves? On today’s podcast, host Yael Eckstein shares two insights from Jewish teachings from the Bible that explain how we can obey this commandment on a daily basis. As Yael shares loving others is not dependent on our emotions, but on our actions! We always have the choice to treat others the way that we want to be treated, and when we do that, feelings of love will follow … and we can create a world full of love. Join us this Thursday, May 5th, for our 3rd Annual Fellowship Fast – a time of fasting and prayer for our world, our nation, and ourselves. Learn how you can participate. For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org. [...]

For many Jews, Yom HaShoah, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, is deeply personal. It’s a day to remember one of the darkest times in history that resulted in the horrific murder of six million Jewish souls. While it is a somber day when the entire nation pauses to remember the lives lost at the hands of the Nazis, it is also a time for us all to remember the lessons from the Holocaust. It is a time when we renew the pledge that the Jewish people adopted after this catastrophic event: Never forget. Yet as host Yael Eckstein reminds us, it is not enough to just remember; we also must take meaningful action. In today’s powerful podcast, Yael shares two valuable lessons we can learn from the Holocaust about the power of one — the value and importance of saving even one life and how even one person can make a tremendous impact in the world. Listen now! Join us on May 5th for our 3rd Annual Fellowship Fast – a time of fasting and prayer for our world, our nation, and ourselves. Learn how you can participate. For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org. [...]

Think you know the whole story of the Israelites’ redemption from Egypt and the splitting of the Red Sea? Think again! On today’s special Passover episode, podcast host Yael Eckstein shares Jewish teachings about what happened in the moments before the Red Sea split and the lesson it teaches us about overcoming obstacles, acting in faith, and seeing miracles in our own lives. For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org. [...]

In today’s special Passover episode, host Yael Eckstein explains the unique and sometimes unusual traditions for the Passover seder that are actually meant to encourage questions. In fact, the telling of the Exodus story begins not with facts and explanations, but with questions. As Yael explains, this time-honored tradition of asking questions during Passover is an annual reminder that God wants us to be lifelong seekers. By asking God our questions and entering Passover with a spirit of curiosity, we are more open to learning, rediscovering, and recommitting to Him on our journey of faith, ultimately, growing ever closer to Him. For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org. [...]