Knut Høyland
Caspari Center celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Throughout these 30 years of ministry in Jerusalem, from our beginnings in a small flat on French Hill until today, the vision has remained the same: To strengthen the local body of believers in Jesus (Yeshua) in Israel. For 30 years we have provided study resources and educational programs to help local congregations raise up a new generation of believers who will stand firm in their faith, witness, and service for Yeshua.
Although the Messianic movement has grown significantly over the years, some of the challenges remain the same. At the inauguration of the center, on November 15, 1982, Ronald Lewis gave a lecture titled “The Quest for a Hebrew Christian Theology.”
On November 15, 2012, the Caspari Center celebrates its anniversary with a book launch and lecture evening. And the topic on the agenda remains the same. Although today we speak of Messianic Jewish theology and not Hebrew Christian theology, the fact remains that this quest still continues.
The book that will be presented at the anniversary celebration is 
titled Chosen to Follow – Jewish Believers through History and Today. This book, which is a compilation of 15 articles written by Messianic and Christian leaders and scholars from around the world and edited by Caspari staff, explores various aspects of the ongoing formation of Messianic theology and identity.
How does the Messianic movement interact and engage with the church and with the wider Jewish community? What is the role of Torah in the life and practice of Messianic believers? What is the movement’s role in Israeli society and in reaching the Jewish people and all nations with the good news about Jesus? These are some of the topics dealt with in the book.
For the full list of chapters and contributors, click here.
An important component of the work of the Caspari Center is to facilitate and encourage theological discussion of these issues in order to better equip believers to face the challenges the future will bring, and to inform and challenge churches around the world to study the Jewish roots of our faith and engage in ministry among the Jewish people. It is our hope that Chosen to Follow will contribute to this.
Our 15 authors come from a variety of backgrounds. They all have their unique styles and opinions, some of which may be perceived as challenging and even provocative. Nevertheless, there is a need for a variety of voices to be heard in order to fully engage with one another on the important issues that face us. Three of these voices (David Zadok, Lisa Loden, and Richard Harvey) will also be heard at our anniversary celebration in Jerusalem; we invite friends of Caspari to join us there in listening, learning, and engaging.
It is our hope that the body of Jewish believers in Jesus in Israel and around the world will continue to grow in the coming years as it has during the 30 years of the Caspari Center’s existence. We pray that through this book and the continuing work of the Caspari Center we will be able to support and strengthen the movement in the years to come to be an even greater source of blessing for the church, for the Jewish people, and, ultimately, for all the peoples of the world.
Chosen to Follow is published in English. A Hebrew translation will be available in 2013.
You can purchase the book by contacting our center in Jerusalem or the USA.