Learning to Live as Jesus Lived (That the World May Know)

The five lessons:

Abraham, Sarah, and Three Strangers.
Israel at Sinai: The First Great Commission.
Jesus Renews The Mission: Seeking The Lost.
The Lost Son: In A Far Country.
The Seeking Father: The Lost Son Returns.

Each lesson is about 30 to 35 minutes in length. The total length time on the DVD is 175 minutes.

My Thoughts:
From the first moment of lesson one and throughout all five lessons, I was engaged.
Ray Vander Laan is the speaker and teacher. He leads a small group of people to a remote archaeological place in a Bible land area, and teaches them the Bible story as it relates to God's plan for mission outreach to the world.
Vander Laan relates the Old Testament and New Testament in how God's plan has been unchanged from the beginning. God did not give up on man when we sinned, but created a redemption plan.
He is an animated speaker. He has a passion for the subject and this is infectious to the audience.
It is rare for me to be taught by a teacher who teaches with such dynamic enthusiasm.
The cinematography is breath taking. The camera sweeps the whole lens of the terrain, and takes a close-up look at particular geographical spots and archaeological places.
The lessons pertain to the society and culture of the Bible characters, but also other people groups are examined.
The stories examined in Volume 13 are:
Patriarchal society and what this meant in the wider scope of God's plan.
Ruth and Boaz. Boaz was Ruth's kinsman redeemer.
The three men who visited Abraham and his gift of fine flour.
The story of Gomer in the book of Hosea.
Parables of the Lost Coin, Lost Sheep, and Prodigal Son.

I'm excited to recommend this DVD and workbook for individual use, or group use.

The workbook completes the study on the five lessons. At the end of each DVD lesson, the viewer is prompted to work on the accompanying lesson in the workbook.
In the workbook, after the introduction chapter, are five lessons that accompany the five DVD lessons. In each lesson, it is broken down further by five shorter sessions. Each session is about two pages in length.
Each chapter ends with a "Think About It," "Reflection," and a verse to "Memorize."
Each larger lesson incorporates a deeper teaching on Bible culture, and other points of further explanation.
My first thought in reading through the workbook, is this is an excellent study to teach a new Christian, or a longtime Christian, the story of the whole Bible and how it blends and completes one another. It shows God's Kingdom plan. It shows God's big story of salvation.

There are lost sheep out there in our world...people that know that are lost spiritually and need a spiritual Shepherd that will show them the right way and teach them the truth. There are also lost people (sheep) that don't know they are lost and will probably be happy/happier when they are led to the right way and truth. This group and individual teaching/study from "That The World May Know" series focuses on Israel's Mission of being sent out to search for these lost sheep and restoring the ones that have wandered away back to the beth ab (the father's house), through the three-part parable in Luke 15:1-32. It is a five part study that also uses a DVD and Leader's Guide. In the DVD, people are guided through Israel by Ray Vander Laan; they are taught Israel's mission of looking for spiritually lost people. Each lesson in the book has a main teaching and is broken up into an outline about what is taught on the DVD; there are then five days worth of reflection and questions to answer about each of the five subtopics that help open up the Scriptures related to the main topics. The Leader's Guide helps the person leading a group with what to concentrate on during the group learning sessions.

I love the part of this book that teaches that lost sheep that have wandered away are to be looked for, found by, and restored back into the beth ab by their Shepherds/Patriarch. Sheep can become lost from spiritual/family homes due to becoming marginalized from oppression, poverty, being captured by enemies, making bad choices, etc. No matter what the reason is for the sheep wandering away, the Bible is pretty clear that their Shepherds are supposed to look for them, find them, celebrate that they have been found, and restore them back into the beth ab.

This study was very important to me because I have searched for a earthly Shepherd for many years that will teach me Biblical truth and will not put price tags on my learning and fellowship opportunities (because I can't afford it and I don't want to sit back and watch others be left out because they can't afford it either) but will allow me to give tithe or donations. One of those Shepherds could have been my real Shepherd but he hasn't found me and restored me back to the beth ab yet; or it also could be that my true earthly Shepherd hasn't found me yet and that I will be found some day, like during a time that happened when I was as a teenager and a Shepherd from a Youth Group found me and helped get me started at the congregation he represented. This situation in my adult life, along with what I learned in this study, has really stirred up a passion in me to want to help find the lost after I am found as a spiritually lost adult, and if God will use me to help find the lost. I have started to pray more that the lost will be found and I hope others will also.

I also love the part of the book that teaches about a sulha meal, which is a meal of reconciliation to restore a person back to his/her place and, and the situation is forgotten at the end of the meal and not spoken about again.

I wish I could've been there in person with the group that went to Israel on the DVD but since I am still out there lost and wanting to be found, it was the next best thing for me to learn about Israel's mission to find the lost this through this great teaching series in this book and on this DVD.

Do you have a heart for welcoming and including spiritually lost people in your congregation and life? If not, do you want one? Do you want to help bring these lost people into your congregation and life permanently so they hopefully won't wander away again and be lost again? Please read the book to learn more and I hope the teachings stir your heart like they have mine!

My review = 5 out of 5 stars (if I could give it 500 out of 5 stars I would!)

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

The DVD (and Discovery Guide) is divided into five segments: Abraham and Sarah and Three Strangers,

Israel at Sinai:The First Great Commission, Jesus Renews His Mission: Seeking the Lost, The Lost Son: In a Far Country and The Seeking Father: The Lost Son Returns.

Each DVD lesson is about 30 minutes in length, and will hold you rapt, as you learn! Learning about the bible, while being shown where it occurred, helps to really cement the lessons in you mind. In each lesson there are Opening Thoughts from Ray and then the Discovery Guide allows you to pause and think about what you were told and how it applies. Then you have a section to take notes during the body of the lesson, with points for reference for notes. Then there is a DVD discussion area, including facts, photos and history from the DVD. Then there are leads for small group discussion, and then Points to Ponder, followed by a Faith Lesson, with additional discussion, Each lesson ends with a closing and memorization. Then there are 5 days worth of study guides. Altogether, watching the DVD as a class and allowing for writing, you are looking at an hour's time.

This set REALLY helps you to understand why the Israelites were chosen by God to the chosen people, and why Israel is the chosen place, and ultimately, why it is so fought over. The historical perspective and tidbits REALLY make this bible study different and so informative, you can feel the bible come alive, as you learn. This was the first bible study I had checked out from Vander Laan, and it definitely won't be the last!

If you are looking for a new bible study program for your church, or for home study, this is the program for you! Homeschooling parents may even find the historical parts great for their Middle East history sections. And the study set would be an excellent Christmas present for those who love history and studying the bible!

"Israel's Mission: A DVD study- 5 Lessons on Becoming a Kingdom of Priests in a Prodigal World" by Ray Vander Laan is volume 13 in the "That the World May Know" series.

What is our mission? God gave His people instructions to find the lost sheep thousands of years ago, and that still rings true for us as believers today. There are 5 sessions included in this book and DVD study: Abraham and Sarah and Three Strangers, Israel at Sinai: The First Great Commission, Jesus Renews the Mission: Seeking the Lost, The Lost Son: In a Far Country, and The Seeking Father: The Lost Son Returns.

This study also goes in-depth into the geographical, historical, and cultural contexts of people and events of the Bible. The author notes that once we know the who, what, and where of a Bible story, we will be able to understand the why. Each session includes a short story from the Bible, "Opening Thoughts," which is a Bible verse to reflect on, and a "Think about it"- some ideas to apply the Bible story to our own lives right now. Next is the dvd study which runs approximately 30 minutes for each lesson. Throughout the rest of the chapters is quite a bit of information including dvd study questions, historical photos, small group discussion questions, "Points to ponder", "Did you know?" and closing information. The remaining pages in each chapter are to follow up with each day for the rest of the week as a daily study. I would say that each of the daily readings take approximately 30-60 minutes to complete.

The dvd portion of this study was filmed in several different locations in Israel and Jordan, which I thought was pretty cool! I really enjoyed this book and dvd together. I feel like this study could definitely benefit old and new Christians alike. It easily kept my interest with all of the historical information provided. I love reading up on the backgrounds and histories of what I am learning about, so that was definitely a plus for me. There was a LOT of information packed into this book. It is a study that you will have to devote a lot of time into, but overall I feel like it is worth the effort! Ray Vander Laan shared a lot of information that I am eager to go back over again! I rate it as 5 stars!

I received this book and dvd study for free from Litfuse in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

"That the World May Know: a Discovery Lesson" is a series of video/film sessions on experiencing the Bible in historical context led by Ray Vander Laan. This review will be focused on Volume 13: Israel's Mission: Becoming a Kingdom of Priests in a Prodigal World. Just based on this volume alone, I can say the series is one of enrichment, focus and experience.

A powerful experience through the marriage of biblical historic facts with current location of biblical locations, "Israel's Mission" is beyond any typical Bible study. The film was beautiful and brings many settings in the studies to life. Along with the film, a very substantial study guide will provide insight, enriched your minds and bring focus to any participant. This volume includes 5 lessons, with an episode each, along with Scripture passages to explore, additional information and study tools and featured questions that facilitate discussion and inspire personal reflection.

The 5 lessons filmed on location in the Middle East are:
Abraham and Sarah and Three Strangers (Negev, Israel)
Israel at Sinai: The First Great Commision (Timnah, Israel)
Jesus Renews the Mission: Seeking the Lost (Qatzrin, Israel)
The Lost Son: In a Far Country (Jerash, Jordan)
The Seeking Father: The Lost on Returns (Qatzrin, Israel)
I find these lessons extremely informative and powerful. I did not do these studies in a group setting, but I strongly recommend it for such. It will inspire discussion, and because the amount of personal assignment and preparation is more than a typical daily study, a group study meant for weekly meetings will allow for that time. However, if you are up for it, feel free to pace it yourself whichever way you feel comfortable. Another point I really enjoyed is the amount of Scripture relative to the film and historical information provided. You will learn not only the ways and works of God, you will be immersed in the culture and how the stories in the Bible relates to us in modern times. Knowledge and contemplation is the outcome of "Israel's Mission". If that is what you want, go and get Ray Vander Laan's That the World May Know series, and especially this one. You won't be disappointed. I wasn't.

And now through September 18th, That the World May Know through Litfuse Publicity Group is giving away the whole series (all 13 DVDs).
One grand prize winner will receive:
All 13 DVDs in the That the World May Know® series
Enter today by going to the link below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 18th.

NOTE: I received a complimentary set of this film and discovery guide from the publisher, Zondervan through Litfuse Publicity Group for an honest review.
http://justcommonly.blogspot.com/2015/09/israels-mission-that-world-may-know.html

I received the DVD and Discovery Guide from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love Bible studies because they help guide me through God's word and even give me a glimpse at my own thinking and understanding about what I've read and how I've interpreted it. However, many of the studies just gloss over the context of the passages and I feel like I'm missing a little bit because I've applied the information to the current world and not the historical world.

That the World May Know series of studies help us experience the Bible in historical context. It shows us where the pertinent places (now archaeological sites) of the Bible are located and illustrates how the people during the Biblical times lived and thought within their cultures. This helps me picture everything as it took place because the context gives me a better understanding of how everything relates in the Bible instead of just looking at them as a bunch of separate stories.

DVD: When you open the package, a Leader's Guide is tucked into the cover. It gives the the group leader a basic overview of how to conduct each hour long session with a small group. (Times are suggestive and other options are given depending upon how the study is to be used.) The basic session outline is as follows:
1. Opening Thoughts/The Very Words of God/Think About It
2. DVD Teaching (roughly 30 minute segments)
3. DVD Discussion
4. Small Group Bible Discovery and Discussion
5. Faith Lesson
6. Closing
The DVD segments themselves are pretty neat. Ray Vander Laan takes a group of people to the historical sites and gives an illustrative teaching about how the site was used during Biblical times. He also gives a brief study on the theme for that particular session:
1. Abraham and Sarah and Three Strangers
2. Israel at Sinai: The First Great Commission
3. Jesus Renews the Mission: Seeking the Lost
4. The Lost Son: Ina Far Country
5. The Seeking Father: The Lost Son Returns
At the end of each, there is a take-away for how we can apply the teaching to our own lives.

The videos are beautifully put together and realistically show how people lived and interacted within their society's cultural norms because they were filmed on location in the Middle East. As someone who really loves looking at the historical aspects of the Bible and where they fit into our culture's interpretation of history, I thought each video was a great way to actually visualize history as it happened.

Discovery (Study) Guide Book: I was a little intimidated when I first opened the study guide book to use with the DVD because it was exactly that--a book. I'm used to having a lot of "white space" on the pages of the typical Bible studies I do and this one does not have much. However, as I started to go through the study, I found that I wanted to take notes in my own journal because there is a wealth of information included for each session. (That, and I write huge so my notes and responses would not fit within the Discovery Guide.)

Within the Discovery (Study) Guide there is an Introduction as to the how the study is laid out and clarification as to what is meant by certain names used throughout. Each Group session is outlined as follows:
1. Background information on the theme or topic for the week
2. Opening Thoughts: The Very Words of God (Bible verses relating to the topic/theme)
3. Think About It (Brief points and questions about what will be taught in DVD)
4. DVD Notes (Brief Outline of topics for the session with a little bit of room for notes)
5. DVD Discussion (Question/s to answer in regards to the DVDs)
5a. Fact File (Archaeological information and facts about the time period and place)
5b. For Greater Understanding (Information about the Biblical people/s in study)
6. Small Group Bible Discovery and Discussion (Points and questions to be used as discussion that relate to the Bible verses brought up in the study)
6a. Point to Ponder (Points related to theme or topic)
6b. Did You Know? (Relevant points that help put everything into both Biblical and Modern context)
7. Faith Lesson (Ways to use what was learned with questions to extend thinking and application)
8. Closing (Memory Verse and closing remarks)
9. Five Daily In-Depth Personal Study Sessions (contains questions, facts, points to ponder, memory verses, and reflections for each day)

Honestly, I was a little overwhelmed at all of the information that was included in the personal study sessions. My experience has been 15-30 minute chunks of time for studies, but if you want to really learn and grapple with this text you will need a minimum of an hour for all of the session each day. (Although, I am a slow learner because it takes time for me to process and digest information, so if you pick things up quickly, then you may not need that much time.)

Overall, I was really impressed with the depth of information provided and the passion with which Ray Vander Laan teaches. I am interested in going through the other studies in this series (this is #13) because I think it will give me an even more comprehensive understanding of the Bible and its teachings.

If you want a meatier Bible study to either do on your own or with a group (which I recommend), this is the best series to use!

For some people to study subjects they want to know more about, some use books, reference materials of some sort, or a DVD which offers both an auditory and visual perspective, but when you pair these resources alongside your Bible to understand the meaning behind why God selected the Israelite people aside from all the other people living in the world, with a mission to bring the "sheep back into His kingdom," you want to probe into the context that really makes up a true Bible study. That is where the DVD, Israel's Mission: Experience the Bible in Historical Context, along with the book, Israel's Mission: Discovery Guide, from Ray Vander Laan, renowned teacher and historian of the "That the World May Know" series, comes into play.

Using five very different segments from Abraham and Sarah and the three strangers, Israel at Sinai, Jesus Renews the Mission of Seeking the Lost, The Lost Son in a Far Away Country, and finally The Seeking Father: The Lost Son Returns, we can unlock the meaning behind God's plan to reclaim His world that had been broken by sin and to use people as His partners in that effort. By choosing a people, Israel, and a place, the promised land at the crossroads of an ancient world, to make His name known. By living in the Promised Land and obeying God's commandments, his chosen people couldn't help but display his character and make Him known to the entire world.

Yet they struggled to be faithful. They were blessed repeatedly by God's hand, but turned away to worship the gods of the nations around them. Prophets of God called them back to Him, back to their mission, but when they refused God allowed pagan nations to conquer the land and carry His people away to foreign lands. The arena has changed in time, but the mission has not. God's partners have always struggled to carry out this task faithfully and this series and study is designed that people will seek to engage this culture and be a blessing to wherever God places us. Using real life locations through the DVD portion of this study, readers are engaged to revisit the Bible and see how even in modern day times, these lessons are still applicable. So many things from the Bible are culture based to apply to the people living in the areas at this time and for those of us that fail to really understand the concepts we miss how it applies to our life today.

I received Israel's Mission DVD and Discovery Guide by Ray Vander Laan compliments of Zondervan Publishers, Focus on the Family and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of the DVD and Discovery Guide for a favorable review and the opinions found here are my personal honest ones. For me this series takes all the necessary learning elements, auditory, visual and kinetic and brings the Bible to life in a whole new way. From understand the culture references, to rereading the Bible and seeing it from a different perspective it encourages the reader and viewer to an entirely new perspective into understanding the Bible, God's great commission and how we all need to do our part to share it with a lost and hurting world. It allows all of us to become a kingdom of priests in a prodigal world! For me these both rated a 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you Litfuse for this review copy.
What is Israel's Mission? God gave the assignment to His people thousands of years ago: to bring "lost sheep" back into the love and safety of His kingdom. He said to become a "Kingdom of Priests," and put God on display to show the world what He is like. It's still our task today. In this thirteenth volume of the That the World May Know ® film series, you'll glimpse the urgency and rewards of welcoming the strangers and prodigals the Lord longs to embrace. Discover the mission that can give your life --- and the lives of those around you --- greater meaning than you ever imagined.
Join renowned teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan as he guides you through the lands of the Bible. In each lesson, Vander Laan illuminates the historical, geographical, and cultural context of the sacred Scriptures. Filmed on location in the Middle East and elsewhere, the That the World May Know® film series will transform your understanding of God and challenge you to be a true follower of Jesus.

My Teenagers' Thoughts

Michael, 15
Lots of walking and dramatic music
Very interesting
Emily, 17

Very interesting
Gave me a new understanding of redemption
Amy, 14
Interesting meaning of "redeemed"
Very dramatic
I liked the video when they were talking about Gethsemane
My Thoughts
The insight that Mr. Vander Laan shares about customs and history make the context of the Bible make sense of the Bible.
I learned so much from this video. I've seen several videos in the series.
Mr. Vander Laan has incredible insight into the eastern way of thinking as well as the historical context of the Bible.
He did an excellent job of explaining how and why the Israelites were God's chosen people to share and spread faith in the one true creator God to all those "ites" around them.
The quality of the production is unexcelled.
There is a study book that gives additional information that can be used by oneself for study or as part of a Bible study group.

About the Book/DVD Set:
In Israel's Mission---part of the That the World May Know video Bible study series---author and Bible teacher Ray Vander Laan takes you on a journey through Israel to explore what it means to be a kingdom of priests in a prodigal world. Discover the mission that God gave his people many centuries ago and how that impacts us today.

My Review:
Ray Vander Laan has many items in this series that should be of some interest. That the World May series is very informative and can reach across barriers within ourselves especially that we may not have realized existed. In this book and DVD set we are taken to Israel and we get to learn more about this wonderful country.

There are five segments that are filmed on location. These five segments are :

Abraham and Sarah and Three Strangers

Israel at Sinai:The First Great Commission

Jesus Renews His Mission: Seeking the Lost

The Lost Son: In a Far Country

The Seeking Father: The Lost Son Returns

The author challenges you to look inside yourself too the mission that God has placed on your heart to complete. Jesus beckons us to seek out lost souls for Him and help Him just as the apostles did. Our mission alone is to win lost souls for Christ, that is something placed in each one of us.

The segments contained therein are fascinating but my favorite part was the fact that they were filmed on location. I can't wait for the day that I can finally visit there. An amazing land that is perfect for God's people and His mission.

**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Litfuse.

Sometimes I get the sense that I don’t understand what’s going on in the Bible because I don’t understand the history or culture that it’s written in. I keep applying the Bible to my life, but sometimes because I’m missing out on cultural nuances, I’ll discover that I might be applying it the wrong way. To counteract that feeling, I’ve become a student of ancient history. I want to know what the Bible means, and I want to know what it means by what it meant to it’s audience.

Because of this desire, when I received the opportunity to review Ray Vander Laan’s Israel’s Mission Discovery Guide with DVD: A Kingdom of Priests in a Prodigal World (That the World May Know), I was excited to get to dig in and learn more about the Bible. This is the thirteenth volume of the That the World May Know Series, a series of DVDs and Bible study guides that are dedicated to helping you enrich your knowledge of the Bible by allowing you to experience the Bible in it’s historical context.

Written for small group study, the theme of Israel’s Mission is redemption and restoration and on our role in helping to restore a lost world back into “the Father’s house.” This is a five-session Bible study and these five sessions are:

Abraham and Sarah and Three Strangers
Israel at Sinai: The First Great Commission
Jesus Renews His Mission: Seeking the Lost
The Lost Son: In a Far Country
The Seeking Father: The Lost Son Returns
As you can see, all these sessions are about people being away from the kingdom and our role in bringing them back into God’s family. The discovery guide that goes along with the DVD goes more in-depth on historical background and has discussion questions for group time. The guide also has in-depth Bible study, exploring the passages mentioned in the video teaching lectures, and expanding upon them through five homework lessons per small group session.

Ray Vander Laan’s lecture style on the DVDs is very easily understandable as well as very penetrating in the culture of the Bible and the words contained therein. We watched these videos as a family, and my ten year old was just as interested in the lessons as my husband and I were. Vander Laan is a very engaging teacher.

I also really appreciated the way that he used examples to color our understanding of what words that we see frequently in the Bible. One of my favorites from the first video was when he was explaining what the birthright was in a patriarchal culture. He compared it to your oldest receiving lots of presents for Christmas and your other children only receiving little bags of candy. Yet the younger children are dancing around excited because the gifts given to the oldest child mean that they’re taken care of.

Vander Laan related this concept to Abraham, but he also applied it to God. He is our Father. We live in his house and are under his care. The lost sheep of the world are out of the Father’s house and he is willing to use whatever resources he needs to to bring them back in.

As I mentioned, these themes are all reinforced for the Bible study participant throughout the wonderful discovery guide that is a part of the Bible study, and everything is high-quality and well done. It’s also easy to follow as you go about your study each week. I found that not only did I feel a deep heart tug towards what it truly means to be a “child of God,” but I also found my heart breaking for those who were outside the Father’s house, needing to be brought back in and restored to the family.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the discovery guide and DVD from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

When Jesus was born, His ministry was to tell all about God the Father and the relationships that people have with God. However, there was no way that Jesus was able to complete that mission. Before Jesus Ascension into Heaven, he commanded the disciples to complete this mission. This is our great commission. As HIS disciples. We were all given this command – share. Share God. Ray Vander Laan’s Israel’s Mission, Becoming a Kingdom of Priests in a Prodigal World gives us practical ideals and takes us back to the Bible for ways to do this.

This DVD series starts with Sarah and Abraham and, and goes through Israel at Sinai, Jesus Renews the Mission, Seeking the Lost, The Lost Son In a Far Country, The Seeking Father The Lost Son Returns. All of these topics and going through each one of these subjects with great detail and great knowledge and Historical facts. Imagine stepping back in time, and experiencing where Sarah and Abraham lived, and what their ministry had in store for the world during that time frame; Abraham experienced such a deep relationship with God and followed him unconditionally. In the town where they lived Arad, Sarah and Abraham lived to serve others with everything they had. They gave everything. Abraham was so favored and trusted that by giving unconditionally, everything that they had to do God’s work, God provided everything that they needed.

This DVD/Bible Study goes into detail for all of this and so much more While I am reviewing the Bible Study for #Litfuse, I am going to go back and redo the entire study so that I have more time to do lots of the research, and the details as well as being able to soak up such a detail oriented study!

Designed for use with That The World May Know: Israel’s Mission Discovery Guide.
Filmed on location at these biblically significant sites in Israel and Jordan:
-Back to the Father’s House – Negev Desert
-Show Them the Way – Timnah
-Prodigal Sons and Daughters – Qatzrin
-Return from the Far Off Country – Jerash
-Welcome Home – Qatzrin
Israel's Mission Discovery Guide with DVD: A Kingdom of Priests in a Prodigal World (That the World May Know)rs have researched and brought to you in a DVD/Study!

For some people to study subjects they want to know more about, some use books, reference materials of some sort, or a DVD which offers both an auditory and visual perspective, but when you pair these resources alongside your Bible to understand the meaning behind why God selected the Israelite people aside from all the other people living in the world, with a mission to bring the "sheep back into His kingdom," you want to probe into the context that really makes up a true Bible study. That is where the DVD, Israel's Mission: Experience the Bible in Historical Context, along with the book, Israel's Mission: Discovery Guide, from Ray Vander Laan, renowned teacher and historian of the "That the World May Know" series, comes into play.

Using five very different segments from Abraham and Sarah and the three strangers, Israel at Sinai, Jesus Renews the Mission of Seeking the Lost, The Lost Son in a Far Away Country, and finally The Seeking Father: The Lost Son Returns, we can unlock the meaning behind God's plan to reclaim His world that had been broken by sin and to use people as His partners in that effort. By choosing a people, Israel, and a place, the promised land at the crossroads of an ancient world, to make His name known. By living in the Promised Land and obeying God's commandments, his chosen people couldn't help but display his character and make Him known to the entire world.

Yet they struggled to be faithful. They were blessed repeatedly by God's hand, but turned away to worship the gods of the nations around them. Prophets of God called them back to Him, back to their mission, but when they refused God allowed pagan nations to conquer the land and carry His people away to foreign lands. The arena has changed in time, but the mission has not. God's partners have always struggled to carry out this task faithfully and this series and study is designed that people will seek to engage this culture and be a blessing to wherever God places us. Using real life locations through the DVD portion of this study, readers are engaged to revisit the Bible and see how even in modern day times, these lessons are still applicable. So many things from the Bible are culture based to apply to the people living in the areas at this time and for those of us that fail to really understand the concepts we miss how it applies to our life today.

I received Israel's Mission DVD and Discovery Guide by Ray Vander Laan compliments of Zondervan Publishers, Focus on the Family and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of the DVD and Discovery Guide for a favorable review and the opinions found here are my personal honest ones. For me this series takes all the necessary learning elements, auditory, visual and kinetic and brings the Bible to life in a whole new way. From understand the culture references, to rereading the Bible and seeing it from a different perspective it encourages the reader and viewer to an entirely new perspective into understanding the Bible, God's great commission and how we all need to do our part to share it with a lost and hurting world. It allows all of us to become a kingdom of priests in a prodigal world! For me these both rated a 5 out of 5 stars.

Ray Vander Laan has been filming his tours in the Holy Land since the early 1990s. "Israel's Mission" is his thirteenth video in the "That the World May Know" Ministries series. It is by far the most energetic and enthusiastic I have seen Vander Laan since the video series began. I've had the privilege of seeing him in person and have watched most, if not all, of his videos. They are incredible, but particularly this latest one.

All of his videos help viewers experience the Bible in historical context helping us understand the meanings behind some of the greatest stories and people in the Bible. This latest video series hinges on the story of the prodigal son and the seeking father. By taking us through five locations in the Middle East, Vander Laan shows us our greatest mission and how to impact the lives of those around us.

I recommend all of the videos in the series, particularly this one. It doesn't matter where you begin in the series. They are all excellent. The discovery guides that go along with the video are excellent for further study and to help you learn and discover things on your own. We have led small groups through several videos in the series. They make excellent small group resources and discussion groups.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group, as part of their Book Review Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I have long been interested in this series, but have never had the chance to check any of the DVDs out until I got the opportunity to review this one. I recently did a review of a DVD that was similar to this one that I thought was too brief and didn't have much depth, but this is completely the opposite. There are 5 different lessons on the DVD, all of them averaging 31-32 minutes. The DVD has fascinating footage of Israel and Jordan. Ray Vander Laan has a small group of people he addresses as they travel with him throughout the Middle East, which makes it more interesting than if he were just addressing the camera.

There is a book for the DVD that I believe comes separately, but was also given to me with the DVD. Coming in at 252 pages, there is a lot covered in the book. Each session:
Focuses on passages of Scripture explored in the film.
Includes sidebars, maps, photos, and other study tools.
Features questions that facilitate discussion and inspire personal reflection.

The lessons cover Abraham and Sarah, Israel at Sinai, Jesus renewing the Mission, the prodigal son, and the seeking father. Vander Laan ties it all together in the plan of redemption in a way that is fascinating and easy to follow and understand. Each lesson is covered by approximately 40 pages in the book.

I found the DVD and book very well done, and something that would benefit any Christian. It could be done by an individual, a family, or a Bible study group.

In Israel’s Mission, Ray Vander Laan explored the history of Israel and our mission to lead the lost sheep and prodigals back to the Lord. The film and book contains five lessons including: Abraham and Sarah and the Three Stanger’s, Israel at Sinai: The First Great Commission, Jesus Renews the Mission: Seeking the Lost, The Lost Son: In a Far Country, and The Seeking Father: The Lost Son Returns. The Bible study also encompasses five days of personal devotional studies to help readers to dig deeper into the message.

I would recommend this awesome Bible study to anyone who enjoys learning about Israel and the message Jesus has for His people. This series would make a great Bible study for your next small group study. Ray Vander Laan did an excellent job at filming and conveying the teachings found only in Israel’s land. I loved how he filmed and showed Israel and it helped me to imagine what it looked like since I haven’t ever personally seen the Holy Land. I loved the topics of reaching out to the lost sheep and the power that is found when Jesus touches their hearts and lives and they are transformed. I also loved that the book shared tons of scriptures and had a great number of questions where readers could ponder and discuss with a small group. If you’re looking for an exciting new Bible study, then read and watch this one!

“I received a review copy of Israel’s Mission Film and Discovery Guide Book from Litfuse for this review.”

Renown author and Bible teacher, Ray Vander Laan is the founder of That The World may Know Ministries. He is also the creator and Bible teacher of the video lecture series, That The World May Know. Ray has a passion to see believers taught the Word and driven further into Bible study.

His latest DVD and Discovery Guide is titled, Israel's Mission and he takes us on a journey through the time and land of the Patriarchs. He gleans from them the mission God gave to Israel, mainly that they would bring the "lost sheep" back into the fold. Also, he shows how God intended them (and believers) to be a kingdom of priests. We have the same mission.

The study has 5 sessions, each DVD segment is around 30 minutes in length and is designed to be used with the Discovery Guide. In the guide, you have a little more in-depth study, a place for discussion of the DVD lesson for that period, some discussion questions. There are also more teaching in Fact File, Did you Know, For Greater Understanding, and Think About it, pictures and maps. Designed to be done at home, there are also verses to memorize.

If your small group wants to dig deeper into God's Word, you will want to look this series over.

I received a free copy of this DVD and Discovery Guide from the publishers and Litfuse for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

A visual stunning DVD and accompanying study guide, "Israel's Mission Discovery Guide" really challenges the reader to discover what it means to be an ambassador for Christ.

An in depth dvd from the founder of "That the World May Know" and along with Focus on the Family, this is a compelling study that really challenges the individual in discovering the assignment that God has given not just those who have walked before us, but you and I today.

Filled with 5 episodes filmed on location in the Middle East, what really catches the eye is not only how visual rich this study is, but just going through the study guide alone, it is filled with maps, photos, questions that really has the individual digging deep both in the Bible and via personal reflection along with focus on Scripture that is presented in the film.

The book/dvd really creates an exciting, discussion rich bible study that is enriching for personal, group, Sunday School settings.

It's a rare find to discover a bible study that really brings to life in a historical context the Bible while bringing with it life applications that challenges the Christian to grow and mature in their walk.

***Thank you to Litfuse for the opportunity to read and review this book****

This was a fascinating and informative DVD and discovery guide. I've seen many others in this series and I was excited to find out there was a new one. Learning about the cultural, spiritual and historical background was incredibly interesting and shed new light on stories I've heard all of my life. I took away a lot of new insight into these familiar stories. The DVD sessions were about a half hour long each and the book really went more in depth using the DVD as a launching pad. For each of the five sessions there was some background to the story, opening thoughts, a think about it section, guided notes to take as you watch the DVD, some discussion questions that point you back to the Bible for passages to read, a closing and verse to memorize. Then another section is for personal study with questions and deeper reflections for five more days. This brought in other Bible stories that pertained to the topic. There's fascinating background, maps, photos and explanation in sidebars. The topic is such an important one and really made me think about my role in reflecting who God is to His lost children and what more I can do to bring them back to Him. I highly recommend this set!

I received this book and DVD from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fascinating and informative DVD and discovery guide. I've seen many others in this series and I was excited to find out there was a new one. Learning about the cultural, spiritual and historical background was incredibly interesting and shed new light on stories I've heard all of my life. I took away a lot of new insight into these familiar stories. The DVD sessions were about a half hour long each and the book really went more in depth using the DVD as a launching pad. For each of the five sessions there was some background to the story, opening thoughts, a think about it section, guided notes to take as you watch the DVD, some discussion questions that point you back to the Bible for passages to read, a closing and verse to memorize. Then another section is for personal study with questions and deeper reflections for five more days. This brought in other Bible stories that pertained to the topic. There's fascinating background, maps, photos and explanation in sidebars. The topic is such an important one and really made me think about my role in reflecting who God is to His lost children and what more I can do to bring them back to Him. I highly recommend this set!

I received this book and DVD from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fascinating and informative DVD and discovery guide. I've seen many others in this series and I was excited to find out there was a new one. Learning about the cultural, spiritual and historical background was incredibly interesting and shed new light on stories I've heard all of my life. I took away a lot of new insight into these familiar stories. The DVD sessions were about a half hour long each and the book really went more in depth using the DVD as a launching pad. For each of the five sessions there was some background to the story, opening thoughts, a think about it section, guided notes to take as you watch the DVD, some discussion questions that point you back to the Bible for passages to read, a closing and verse to memorize. Then another section is for personal study with questions and deeper reflections for five more days. This brought in other Bible stories that pertained to the topic. There's fascinating background, maps, photos and explanation in sidebars. The topic is such an important one and really made me think about my role in reflecting who God is to His lost children and what more I can do to bring them back to Him. I highly recommend this set!

I received this book and DVD from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

I found this DVD and Study Guide very interesting, because it gave me a new insight on what it is like in the Holy Land. The sessions are short, the Study Guide is detailed with many question to help you learn more and in the easier way of actually writing down the answers. I can always learn more when I write things down. The 5 Episodes were filmed on location in the Middle East, so watching this is real. The studies are set up and organized very well, in order to help you take the study as deep as you want to, and if you study this alone you can certainly study at your own pace. This would also be a very nice small groups study or Sunday school class study. The discussions questions would be more interesting in a group, helping you learn even more,

Over all, this is a DVD/Bible Study that I highly recommend for you.

I received this book from Litfuse to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55.

In this informative DVD, Ray Vander Laan takes us through the some of the prominent cities discussed in the Bible. It is filmed on location as he shows the land, explains the culture, and describes how these tie together with the specific Bible story. This specific study focuses on our call to the lost and hurting people.

Each episode is a little over 30 minutes and is meant to be used with the "Discovery Guide". It is not necessary, but helpful if you would like to dig deeper into the study. Ray has a solid grasp on the Bible and the environment, culture and history. It is very informative and enjoyable to watch. It can be used as a group study, or for individual use.

Thank you, Litfuse, for this great set! As always, this is my honest opinion. Here's to many more!!

When Jesus was born, His ministry was to tell all about God the Father and the relationships that people have with God. However, there was no way that Jesus was able to complete that mission. Before Jesus Ascension into Heaven, he commanded the disciples to complete this mission. This is our great commission. As HIS disciples. We were all given this command – share. Share God. Ray Vander Laan’s Israel’s Mission, Becoming a Kingdom of Priests in a Prodigal World gives us practical ideals and takes us back to the Bible for ways to do this Israel's Mission Discovery Guide with DVD: A Kingdom of Priests in a Prodigal World (That the World May Know)

I've long thought it would be intriguing to visit The Holy Land, but I don't see that happening in my lifetime. This video can be the next best thing. It's very well done (except that I found the background sound often drowned out the speaker). I found the information Mr. Vander Laan shared to be fascinating, and brings in deeper understanding of the biblical culture.

This series of videos, along with the study guides, would be excellent for small group study, family study, or even individually. I plan to have my homeschooled teenage sons to go through this video and the study guide with me.

I greatly enjoyed this DVD series. It does seem a little drawn out (long) for today's hurry-up mentality. His scholarship is outstanding. The theology is right on target. But most people probably won't take the time that this study will require. There is a study guide, lesson one is over 58 pages, with the amount of time required for each portion of the study.

This is kind of a travelogue and sermon, with very illuminating illustrations. One could learn a lot from the messages taught. He's certainly passionate about the subject, and engaging.

Highly recommended. 5 stars.

I was very impressed with the daily lesson suggestions in the study guide, as well as how well the study guide was written and put together. It is a great resource to use with the DVD set and I wouldn't want to be without it, personally. While I chose to do this as a solo exploration, I think it would be fantastic to use as a group study or even a family study. I could see this being a great Women's Group study! It's just a lot of interesting facts and beautiful artistry in the film.

This book is exceptional in that it give Christians of today a new and easily understood look at what life was like for early Christians..Good stuff here, real good stuff...BUT...

It would be easy to miss the forest here by concentrating too much on the individual trees. Allow me to explain:

The impact and message of this book (and DVD) gets lost and bogged down by the daily scripture readings, so much so that you can lose the beauty and wonder of the DVD teaching.

For most best, most meaningful results, the reader read the shaded areas and summaries in each of five chapters,view the DVD, then discuss and ponder what has been presented.

The devil, it is said, is in the details...And, frankly, this study, as planned and recommended, is so detailed that it diminishes the joy and learning offered here. So, hit the high spots, move on, and you will have a very meaningful and educational experience with this study.

Talk about breathing life into scripture. To see the land; this really makes the lessons so much more powerful! Each lesson begins with "Opening Thoughts" from Ray and then the Discovery Guide which encourages you to think on what you learned and determine how it is to be applied in our lives. This is full of fascinating facts, photos and history!

If you are looking for a unique study with fantastic Biblical insights this is the study to choose. Filmed on location in the Holy Land, these 20 minute (or so) videos provide plenty of opportunity for us to gain and even deeper appreciation and love for our Savior.

The participant guides are packed full of great questions and even more commentary. Easy lessons to understand, prepare and facilitate. I highly recommend the entire 'That the World May Know' series and these lessons in particular.