| News & Events | Regularly Scheduled Services |
|
Up coming Guest Rivka Whitten March 19th
02/08/2011
Dear Leader and Friend, Do you love Israel and want to hear and understand more about what is going on in the Land, from the perspective of those who live and serve the Lord there? Would you be interested in a fresh and fun-filled time of encouragement, testimony and music for your congregational family or event?
George is founder and director of Worthy News, a thriving on-line news ministry which reaches out to over 125 countries with Israel focused news, evangelism and discipleship. He is an anointed visionary, writer and speaker who brings a unique perspective on current events in the Middle East, giving insights about both the political and spiritual atmosphere in the Land, all the while balancing it with a personal, down-to-earth message that will be sure to touch the hearts of all who are listening. Israeli-born Rivka, has a powerful worship ministry; she has ministered in song and taught Israeli dance worship all over the world. She has now finished her first album which is being used as an effective evangelistic tool, as they have given away thousands freely to Israelis and Jewish people among the nations, opening numerous doors to share the Gospel. Married just over nine years, George and Rivka are raising their two young children, overseeing Worthy Network online, opening their home to Israelis in need and believers from around the globe, leading Kehilat Matan Todah (Congregation Give Thanks) and reaching out to the lost sheep of Israel. Their vision is to build a community center in Arad, which would enable KMT and other congregations in Arad to meet freely and also provide food, clothing, vocational training and other necessities for the many poverty stricken people in this area. This is a MUCH NEEDED ministry in Arad. The Whittens have ministered at congregations, conferences and other events around the world. They ask no set fee -- only minimal travel expenses and a love offering. Please ask the Lord if He would have them come and minister at your service or gathering. For more information and booking, contact: rivkawhitten@gmail.com. ***An additional way that you can bless George and Rivka’s ministry is to ask friends and family to bring their old, broken or unwanted jewelry. Rivka uses these to teach jewelry making to Israelis or new immigrants who want to learn a trade, and also melt or make other jewelry in order to support their ministry in the Land. Thank you!*** www.worthynews.com www.rivkawhitten.com Church Bulletin Bio: George Whitten is the founder of Worthy News, one of the top Christian News sources on the Web. He is also a speaker and visionary who brings a unique perspective on news from the Middle East, giving insights about worldwide events from a Christian perspective. He and his Israeli-born wife Rivka and two young children hail from the Israeli town of Arad, where believers are highly persecuted. Together, they lead Kehilat Matan Todah (Congregation Give Thanks) and regularly minister to Israelis in need. The Whiten Family Testimony: George and Rivka were both radically saved out of very worldly lives-- George in 96 and Rivka in spring of 91. George was raised in a nominally Christian home and grew up in Catholic school. He later became a "Dead Head", following the Grateful Dead band all over the country, and living a wild lifestyle of drugs, alcohol and just about everything else. Shortly after he gave his life to the Lord (and not knowing a single thing about how to use a computer), George felt led by the Lord to create a website called Worthy News so that people could know how to pray for people suffering Christian persecution and other important events going on around the world. Worthy News grew to Worthy Network, reaching out to the body in discipleship and teaching, and also reaching out to the lost in Israel and all over the world via internet chat rooms and boards. In the last couple of years, Worthy News has grown to be the largest Christian news website on the web and brings in people from all over the world, believers and non-believers alike. They have been blessed to see many of those touched and saved through this growing Internet ministry. All the Glory to God! Rivka was born in Israel and moved to the States with her mother when she was a toddler. She grew up with her Israeli mother and American Jewish stepfather, both hippie artists and addicts who moved from place to place searching for artsy towns where they could be involved in that type of community. By the time she was in her teens, she'd become terribly rebellious and getting entangled with drugs and alcohol. By God’s grace, she met a Jewish man who called himself a believer in Jesus. Though she was apprehensive, he prayed faithfully for three years until Rivka gave her life fully to the Lord. Shortly after this, Rivka felt the Lord was leading her to embrace the Messianic movement of Jewish people coming to know their Messiah. She was privileged to travel all over the world sharing with Jewish people and ministering in song, testimony and teaching Israeli dance worship unto the Lord. Later, she spent a year and a half traveling around the United States and ministering with the music and drama team, The Liberated Wailing Wall. With them, she sang and taught Israeli dance workshops at hundreds of churches and college campuses. Eventually, Rivka felt that God was calling her back to her people in Israel. In 1996, she came to live and study in Israel, at David Yellin College of Education, in Jerusalem. On a trip to visit her family in the States during that time, Rivka met (and later married) George, who had already begun feeling God's leading to Israel. Now, married just over nine years, they are raising their 7-year old daughter, Elianna, who was born blind and miraculously healed and 3-year old son, Obadiah, who was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome five months in the womb but came out a perfectly healthy and beautiful baby boy. They are now living in Arad, a town where believers are highly persecuted by the orthodox Jewish community, running Worthy Network online, holding underground worship services (because of the extreme persecution in the area), recording and ministering in song, opening their home to Israelis in need and visitors from around the globe, doing outreach ministry across Israel and working alongside a number of ministries in the Land. George and Rivka are both grateful to the Lord for calling them out of darkness and into faith in Him and then to full time ministry in Israel. They believe strongly that God is calling them to build a community/discipleship/ministry center in the Negev, a much-needed outreach to the struggling body of Believers and also to the many Seeking in the Land. Please keep them in your prayers for increased strength and a richer anointing as they minister daily in this troubled region. 
|
Please contact me if you would like me to come and share with your congregation the many insights the Torah has to teach us about your roots in the Olive tree. |