Word from Jerusalem

BY SARA FISHER
ISRAEL TODAY

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Believers hold Bible Marathon on streets of Jerusalem. Revived after many years, the event began on Wednesday at sundown with the reading of Genesis 1 and ended with on Monday evening with Revelation 22.

One way a Jerusalem congregation found to unite the multi-cultural mishmash of believers in the city and proclaim the Word openly in a tear jerking and spirit-filled way was through a "Bible Marathon."

The marathon, an event revived after many years, began on Wednesday at sundown with the reading of Genesis 1 and ended on Monday evening with Revelation 22.

“This is a wonderful way of uniting the believers in the city,” Rodney Stafford, the visionary behind the marathon, told Israel Today. “People were so touched some couldn’t hold back their tears.”

Standing unashamed in the gazebo on the lawn of the Baptist House in downtown Jerusalem, people from every tribe and tongue sought to proclaim God’s Word in an unpretentious manner, heralding the message to spectators and passersby.

Many people in the bustling neighborhood of Rehavia took notice.

The Bible Marathon was put on by the Narkis Street Congregation and included more than 150 participants who read in some 20 different languages. The Narkis Street youth pulled an all-nighter taking their turn to read various passages from the Bible on the first night of the marathon.

Six small children from Jerusalem’s Messianic elementary school, Makor HaTikva, also participated, each reading for 15 minutes from the Bible for passing Israelis and their gathered elders.

The marathon had no boundaries, as even David, who has Down syndrome, rose up for a few passages during his time of reading from the prophets.

“We hope to encourage other churches to follow our example,” said Stafford. “I believe God will really bless as a result.”

The vision came from I Timothy 4:13, which admonishes believers, “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.”

Pastor Chuck Kopp of the Narkis Street Congregation, who started the marathon, also finished it, as a huge crowd cheered him on.

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