Holy Shift Excerpt: Think Ensemble in Your Leadership

"You know what intimacy is? It's into-me-you-see.” - Martin de Maat

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The original pioneers of improv-comedy in the 1950s included now-famous names like Alan Arkin, Mike Nichols, and a very young Joan Rivers. A famous story from the annals of Second City recounts how Rivers was once on stage and asked for an audience suggestion for a scene. When "marriage" was shouted back, Joan initiated the scene by saying, "I want a divorce." Joan’s on-stage partner said Yes, And to her initiation by saying, “What about the children?” Joan shot back,“We don’t have any children!”

Of course, there was a big laugh from the audience, but Rivers' cheap laugh set up her partner—and the scene—for failure. Her denial of his reality killed the scene and ended the team’s collaboration. She destroyed more than future possibilities in the scene; Rivers denied and destroyed the trust between partners.

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It's time to make a Holy Shift in your leadership through a crucial comedy technique.  I want you to Think Ensemble. 

Teamwork makes the dream work. In the comedy world, you are taught to always, always, always make your partner look good. It’s not about sharing the spotlight; it is about moving the spotlight completely off of yourself and more brightly onto everyone else on the stage. It’s the comedic equivalent of valuing community. Improvisation is about serving your partner instead of being out there and showing off.

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Have you ever watched an episode of Whose Line Is It Anyway?  Have you noticed how the comics don’t have time to sit down, write out their ideas, memorize lines, re-write lines? It’s because they Start with a Yes and build on the idea by thinking ensemble.

You don’t know what is going to come out of your partner’s mouth—whatever they say in an improv scene instantly becomes the reality of the scene.  Therefore, you want to build a net of trust to leap into—and that trust is knit together by the knowledge that you will always support one another, no matter what. 

When you think ensemble, your church will build effective teams, break down silos, and foster creativity. Ensemble gives you an instantaneous advantage with different situations; the outcome isn’t dependent on one lone person. Thinking ensemble strengthens the Body. 

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Think of an ensemble as a baseball team. You don’t want to load your roster with all sluggers. You need different points of view and complementary strengths. Diversity is the key to thinking ensemble. The enemies of thinking ensemble are the need to be right, stealing focus, and appearing to be in control. Jesus’ disciples were always short-circuiting things when they felt the need to be right (Peter), tried stealing the focus (James and John), or were appearing to be in control (Judas the treasurer).

Ensemble is hard, but rewarding. When nobody cares who gets the credit, your team is able to explore and heighten new ideas together. When you think of winning sports teams, the championship is won not by a single athlete, but by a team of players working together. The burden is shared and the win is shared. When you think ensemble, you are freed to walk into a meeting and bring a brick, not a cathedral.

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RELATIONSHIPS ARE NOT DISPOSABLE IN A FACEBOOK WORLD

Thinking ensemble looks easy on paper but is hard in real life. Why? Because we live in the time of Facebook and Twitter, two mighty platforms that can amplify messages—and amplify grudges—if handled immaturely. And believe me, social media can be like crack for immaturity addicts.

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I have a theory: we never really leave middle school. That short season of life where the awkwardness of adolescence collides with our first tastes of personal responsibility follows us through life. Many men are still that boy in the junior high locker room comparing and many women walk through life fearful of others’ opinions. We have the popular kids (Hollywood), the geeks (ComicCon), the need for cooler toys (Amazon), and petty schoolyard fights (political races). We never really leave middle school. Social media simply amplifies our inner middle school angst.

Angry at someone? Technology doesn’t force you to seek reconciliation; you can simply “UnFollow” them. They won’t even know. Facebook has made relationships disposable, just another product to consume and spit out.

That’s why thinking ensemble is so explosive: relationships are vital toward forward progress. When you sign up to be a leader, you signup for conflict. Thinking ensemble directs you to walk toward the people there is conflict with, not away from them (you can’t support someone you’re not talking to). In the Bible, we read these words about conflict:

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)

The Gospel reminds us that we are messy humans who easily fall into sin. Our flesh can sometimes seek to judge before our spirit listens. But Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that if it has flesh and blood, it is not your enemy. If you are holding anger toward someone or unwilling to revisit boundaries you've set up, it's time to wake up to the fact that that person is not your enemy. They are a human being created in the image of God whom Jesus already died for and the Father has already declared to be not guilty.

Reconciliation is not something you can put off. Biblically, it is always for today. As I gently remind our church periodically, the Internet is an online tool for building community, but should never be used for tearing it down. Here is an axiom to live by: if you ever feel wronged by someone (a fellow Christ follower, a church staff member, a pastor, etc.), posting your grievance online is never the correct course of action. In fact, if someone is willing to attack another person through a blog hiding behind flickering pixels but refuses to meet with them in person, we have a word for that: coward.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The has been an excerpt from my book, Holy Shift. I lead what has been recognized as one of America’s fastest-growing churches, LifeChurchMichigan.com. Part of my training was at The Second City in Chicago.

Holy Shift is about unleashing contagious enthusiasm on church leadership teams; equipping leaders to leverage laughter and passion; and creating sustainable momentum in reaching younger crowds for Christ.

Order copies for your team now on Amazon or ChurchLeaders.com!

 

Last Train is the Best Train

UPDATED:

I apologize and celebrate that The Monkees are NOT, in fact, retiring! Thank you, Micky, for your correction via Twitter.


I have attended NINE concerts with either the full Monkees playing or solo concerts from the likes of Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz.

None of them (I repeat, none of them) packed the emotional whallop on display from Michael Nesmith during The Monkees’ Farewell Tour stop in Detroit this past week.

Michael Nesmith of The Monkees at The Masonic Temple in Detroit, Michigan on Tuesday, November 3, 2021

It is unfortunate that there has been so much online chatter and rumors regarding Nesmith’s recent health scares. Yes, it is true that Nez was sans guitar on this tour stop. Yet what he lacked in guitar strumming he more than made up for with his quirky impersonations, slap-stick comments, and authentic displays of heartfelt gratitude toward fans during this farewell to fans of the Pre-Fab Four.

Full Confession: I’ve always been a fan of Micky Dolenz. His hijincks on reruns of the 1960’s hit tv show enthralled my imagination as a child of the 80’s.

From the moment I first saw Micky singing I’m A Believer during Walt Disney World’s 15th Anniversary Special, I was hooked on the comedy genius as well as the hit songs.

What struck me during this final appearance of The Mike & Micky Show was how Micky and Mike traded roles within the band.

Whereas Mike was the straight man for so many years to Micky’s wild and crazy antics, the proverbial tables were turned in this final outing: it was Nesmith who kept the audience in stitches with energy and delight (as you can see in the above and below bootleg videos I filmed during the concert!).

Fedora-clad showman Micky instead was the defacto maestro who kept every song on pitch and moving along deftly.

Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith in Detroit, Michigan on November 3, 2021

The song selections were rich and deep with a fine back-up band keeping the beat. My only regret in this final outing was the lack of any stage design. I would have loved to have seen the giant video-screen from the 2012 tour days or even the giant neon Monkees guitar from 1996 (pictured below). I’m sure the choice for stage simplicity was a function of cutting costs during touring.

Davy Jones, Peter Tork, and Micky Dolenz in Moline, Illinois during an August 1996 tour.

Will we see any future incarnation of The Monkees? Only time will tell.

As Dolenz has often shared in interviews, “We’ve always joked that we would sing Hey, Hey We’re The Monkees until there was only one of us left. In that case, they would sing, Hey, Hey It’s A Monkee!

Photo Essay: Super Hero Sunday

Leading Through Change -- When Staff and Members Leave

Notes from Dale O’Shields’ presentation: Leading Through Change -- When Staff and Members Leave

  1. Staffing is a Key Decision

  • 1 Timothy 5: “Do not lay hands on a man suddenly.” Any staff hire is a very important, sobering decision. Be slow to hire.

  • You want to hire someone who is focused on the TOWEL, not the TITLE. You are here to SERVE.



2. Have a Process in Place for Evaluating Staff and Key Volunteers

You are giving people significant responsibilities; have a system for evaluating:

  • Character — Not just about morality. Look at their work ethic, faithfulness, integrity.

  • Competency — Are they all hat, no cattle?

  • Culture — Do they fit well within your existing culture?

  • Chemistry — Likeability Factor. Do you enjoy being around this guy?

  • Calling — Look for the fingerprint of God on the hire of that person.

  • Capacity for Leadership — Can they grow with the role and the growth of the church? Can they reproduce themself and become a multiplier, not a maintainer?

 

3. Understand + Accept that some Staff + Church Members WILL have to Transition

  • Understanding this will save you a lot of heartache.

  • Think of your church like a bus with stops along the way. What happens at a bus stop? Some people get on and some people get off.

  • There will be significant transition points as your church grows.

  • When this happens, remind yourself that this is just all part of the process of church planting.

  • Don’t lose perspective. Your “loss” may actually be a huge win!

  • Some folks need to get off the bus.

  • Why do people leave your church?

    • Sometimes staff will leave you because the responsibilities have grown beyond their capacity to grow with the role.

    • They may outgrow the responsibilities. Your job is to always make sure your staff are being challenged.

    • They may lack the character / competence / chemistry required to stick with it.

    • They may not want to do the spiritual and emotional work in order to grow.

    • Unexpected circumstances arise in life. Think seasons. Life happens in seasons.

4. Remember that all Staff and Members need to be held loosely.

  • Anything you hold tightly you suffocate.

 

5. Promotions to key leadership roles should be carefully considered through prayer.

  • Faithful in the little before being faithful with much.

  • Make sure they have been tested.

  • This doesn’t always work: people fool you. Potential staff will lie to you to get a job.

  • Be very careful in giving out titles… You can’t take it back.

  • It doesn’t feed your ego, it fits your function.

 

6. Celebrate the Stays and Positively Release the Gos.

  • For some churches the only time the Staff has a party is when someone leaves. When is the last time you had a party with the people who STAY?

  • Sometimes God calls you to go but often God calls you to STAY!

  • Sometimes someone goes and it’s a good thing. Sometimes someone goes and it’s painful. Sometimes people go when they shouldn’t and you can see the truck that’s about to hit them, but they won’t listen to you.

 

7. Be prepared for + positively process the emotions that will accompany the exit of people.

  • Loss leads to Grief, which can confuse people. Be prepared for the grief. You love the person, you’ve invested in them for years.

  • When you feel grief, don’t beat yourself up about it. Allow yourself to experience and feel.

 

8. Give clear guidelines to departing staff on YOUR expectations regarding communication.

  • Information Void can crank up a church gossip grapevine: “What’s happening behind the scenes?”

  • This happens when there is too much of time that passes between their decision and the communication.

  • It is foolish to allow departing staff to announce their departure.

  • Provide information to fill any potential void. SOMEBODY is going to tell ‘the story.’ You need to protect the health of your church as it continues moving forward.

 

9. Expect emotional responses to any staff member’s departure.

  • Help them process, give them assurance.

 

10. Learn lessons from departures that can make you and your organization better.

  • How can we improve for next time?

  • What can I learn from this?

  • How can this make me better?

 

11. Avoid Prolonged Departures.

  • When someone says they want to leave, let them.

  • Don’t drag it out or they will drag people down with them.

  • When they say they want to leave, their heart has already left.

  • Be generous in their transition.

 

12. Be appropriately generous toward departing people who leave well.

  • Err on the side of grace, not pettiness.

  • Oftentimes people who leave will talk badly about you behind your back. Be gracious.

 

13. Expect a Honeymoon Period on Social Media at the Departing Person’s New Place.

  • “This new place is amazing!” Which means your place wasn’t.

  • At some point real life will kick in and they’ll stop.

  • Weather their honeymoon. You don’t need it in your spirit.

  • If it’s getting to you, delete the app.

  • Social media can feed a failure mentality.

 

14. Don’t Get Discouraged.

  • Don’t Think You’re the Only Person This Happens To.

  • This is the secret: don’t get discouraged. Fight it.

  • People WILL leave your church.

  • Staff members WILL betray you.

  • Don’t give air to fear.

  • Pruning leads to better fruit and a better future.

  • Get up and keep going by faith.

  • Sometimes you have to wait 11 years to see someone who left in a bad way come back in repentance.

 

WISDOM for DEPARTING STAFF

  1. If you’re leaving a church, get planted somewhere. Don’t wander.

  2. When you get planted somewhere, be a son or daughter of that House.

  3. Be an honorable, loyal, ethical, trusting Christian. Integrity matters. Honor your former pastor. Don’t go bush-league.

  4. If you’re leaving a church, do not play the “God told me” game.

  5. Don’t run from your issues! Your next church won’t change things. Geography doesn’t fix your problems.

  6. Remember whose spiritual platform you have been using and you have been benefiting from. You were LOANED a platform. Never take the power and trust.

  7. Never steal sheep.

  8. Never steal staff. That is unethical behavior.

  9. Fulfill your commitments. Don’t cut and run. That only hurts God’s people.

  10. Leave your assigned area of responsibility stronger, not weaker.

  11. Encourage commitment and faithfulness to the House that you’re leaving.

  12. Watch your words, non-verbals and your actions on the way out…
    because God is.

I Believe in You

Friend,

Rise up!

You are NOT held back by your past mistakes or present hurts.

Not pressed down by the expectations of others or those you place on yourself.

Make CONFIDENCE your stance -- take COURAGE!

Chase your dreams + give your best to stay authentic, fearless, risky and real.

Fiercely pursue the passions He has placed on your heart.

Choose to live in FAITH, not fear.

Go do it!

Embrace your calling.

You are God-commissioned -- specifically selected for His work.

He CHOSE and created you for such a time as this.

You're empowered to BE who you were created to be!

Cheering you on,

Jonathan

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PS - Let's connect together!

Amazon Just Shared Its Secret to Success (and You Can Use It Too!)

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There is an energy and an optimism in the eyes of a startup team that's nearly impossible to replicate. Despite working ridiculously long hours, sacrificing time, family, money, and pretty much all of the things that most of us hold holy in life, a startup team produces a euphoria that only they can fully understand. If you've been there, you know what I'm talking about.

When it comes to starting something from scratch, the feeling that results is unmatchable. The attitude, the hunger, the passion, the ability to move and adapt instantly, the willingness to take risks, and the sheer energy and enthusiasm you have in a startup is as good as it gets. When you lose that, you lose the ability to grow, and that will be the greatest challenge to success and threat to innovation.

I've often struggled to put a name to the unique chemistry of a startup. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos has, and it captures beautifully all of the trials, tribulations, and magic of the entrepreneurial spirit. He calls it being a day one company. He is so passionate about the importance of staying a day one company, the building he works in is called day one!

According to Bezos, a day one company's obsessive goal should be to avoid becoming a day two company. In his own words, "Day two is stasis. Followed by irrelevance. Followed by excruciating, painful decline. Followed by death. And that is why [for Amazon] it is always day one."

According to Bezos, "Day One" means that Amazon will always act like a startup. To act like a startup, Bezos requires Amazon employees to do these four things:

  • Be obsessed with the customer

  • Focus on results over process

  • Make high quality decisions quickly

  • Embrace external trends quickly

I read this to mean always be innovating, because the alternative is to go out of business. To Bezos you either act like a startup or die.

(via Inc.)

Where Jesus Lived + Died: Israel, Day Five

Kidron Valley

The Kidron Valley sits between Mount Moriah (which I am standing in front of in the photo above) and the Mount of Olives.

Abraham would have crossed the Kidron Valley enroute to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah.

3,000 years ago David stood in this valley beholding the Jebusite stronghold which would become Jerusalem, the City of David.

Hebrews believe that this valley is also where King David would have been standing when he “looked up” to see the Angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth (1 Chronicles 21).

When fleeing Absalom, King David escaped through the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives.

A thousand years later, Jesus would often stay with his best friend Lazarus in the suburb of Bethany. When Jesus would head into Jerusalem, He would cross over the Mount of Olives and through the Kidron Valley enroute to the Temple.


The Western Wall

As Jesus predicted, the Roman Empire ransacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple in 70 AD.

The only portion that remains standing to this day is a portion of the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. Jews revere this wall as their holiest spot since it faces where the Holy of Holies would have been (now covered by a Mosque and the Dome of the Rock).

We were not allowed to photograph directly at the Wall, and so we snapped these photos from a ledge above the area before making our way to the Wall for prayer.

 

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

We visited this historic site built under the direction of Constantinople’s mother Helena in the 4th Century. This building is so ancient that is even boasts graffitti from the Crusaders!

The entryway (pictured here) has remained virtually unchanged since the 12th Century. This site contains where many believe Jesus was crucified and His nearby empty tomb.

You can read more about the Church of the Holy Sepulchre’s history here.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"] Helena had this structure built over the site of the Empty Tomb. Helena had this structure built over the site of the Empty Tomb. [/caption]

Walking Through Bethlehem + Jerusalem: Israel, Day Four

Entering Modern-Day Bethlehem

Because of the complexity of today’s Middle East, the town Jesus was born in no longer is found in Israel; it is in the Palestinian Authority.

Trekking into Bethlehem meant passing through sophisticated, heavily-armed border security. How ironic that the birthplace of the Prince of Peace is shrouded in barbed wire and machine guns.

Graffiti

Inside the walls of Bethlehem, the huge security walls are covered in wall art and graffiti.

The plight of the Palestinians is wrapped in religion, culture, and politics.

Very quickly we could see that the economy inside is near-collapse.

The Palestinian soldiers were happy to wave our tour bus through when they realized we were Americans (our Hebrew guide, however, was forbidden to enter Bethlehem).

 

Church of the Nativity

After a long walk, we finally arrived in Manger Square.

A large Catholic Church was built over the site of Jesus’ birth, one of the holiest sites in Christianity.

This church boasts the world’s longest-running worship service; it’s been perpetually worshiping Christ in one long service for about 1,500 years! Day and night, monks and holy men tend to their altars and worship.

To enter the Church of the Nativity, you literally must stoop low. This architecture is purposeful — all who enter the site of Christ’s birth should do so with great humility and reverence.

 

Ancient Christianity

Walking inside the Church of the Nativity is like stepping back in time: darkness is everywhere, the scent of incense punches through the air, and every step takes you across ancient mosaic flooring and solid gold paintings from across the centuries.

Three Wise Men

Over the centuries, the Middle East has been conquered by Muslim invaders, Crusading knights, and various other sects and groups.

This site was nearly destroyed by Muslims wanting to eradicate Christianity centuries ago. Legend has it that before torching this church, the invaders came across this giant fresco. Although you can barely make out the painting today, it depicts the three wise from the East who came to worship the Christ child.

The Muslim invaders apparently came across this very fresco, saw the Oriental holy men depicted, and thus decided to spare destroying the site of Christ’s birth.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem near Jerusalem during the reign of King Herod. 

After Jesus’ birth a group of spiritual priests from the East came to Jerusalem and inquired of the people, “Where is the child who is born king of the Jewish people? We observed his star rising in the sky and we’ve come to bow before him in worship.”

( Matthew 2 )

Ancient Art

The closer we got to the entrance of the Cave where Jesus was born, the more extravagant, the more fragile and the more ancient the works of art became.

Everything you see that looks gold IS really gold.

High above the descending marble stairway leading into the Cave hangs this solid gold portrait:

This is the Historical Spot where Jesus Entered Our World

This is Where Mary Gave Birth in the Cave

When the time of fulfillment had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the written law.

Yet all of this was so that he would redeem and set free all those held hostage to the written law so that we would receive our freedom and a full legal adoption as his children.

( Galatians 4:4-5, TPT )

Inside Jesus’ Birthplace

The ceiling is low, the space is cramped, people are crammed everywhere as dimly lit Renaissance paintings peer at us from within the Cave’s blackened walls.

The Site of the Manger

When they arrived in Bethlehem, Mary went into labor, and there she gave birth to her firstborn son.

After wrapping the newborn baby in strips of cloth, they laid him in a feeding trough since there was no available space in any upper room in the village.

( Luke 2:6-7 )

The Church

Back above the Cave, we walked past worship services in progress and marveled at the ancient architecture.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"]   Look Closely…. Jesus is shushing you!   Look Closely…. Jesus is shushing you! [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"]   O Little Town of Bethlehem   O Little Town of Bethlehem [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"]   The Birthplace of Jesus is surrounded by Mosques   The Birthplace of Jesus is surrounded by Mosques [/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"]   Allah (the Moon god) is the focus of the Crescent Moon atop these Mosques in Bethlehem   Allah (the Moon god) is the focus of the Crescent Moon atop these Mosques in Bethlehem [/caption]

In the distance, Shepherd’s Field

That night, in a field near Bethlehem, there were shepherds watching over their flocks.  

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terrified! 

But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid. For I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. 

You will recognize him by this miracle sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough!”

Then all at once, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing:

 “Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven!
    For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.”

When the choir of angels disappeared back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word that is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us.”

( Luke 2:8-15, TPT)

 


 

Onward to Jerusalem

And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years.

He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

( 1 Kings 2:11, ESV )

Tour of Jerusalem’s Old City

There are three mountains that are referenced throughout Scripture.

They are found here: Mount Zion, Mount of Olives, and Mount Moriah.

In Hebrew thought, three mountains = three letters in the Hebrew word for GOD.

Zion Gate protects the City. It was specifically designed for archers about 500 years ago by the Turks.

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"]   The walls are pock-marked with the bullet holes from past conflicts.   The walls are pock-marked with the bullet holes from past conflicts. [/caption]

The Upper Room

“And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.”

( Jesus in Mark 14:15, ESV )

This is the place where Jesus and His disciples had their Last Supper.

Tradition says that the Upper Room was built above King David’s Tomb.

It originally had a rooftop (Jesus said, “Come, let us ARISE…”)

This is where the 11 disciples prayed for 40 days after Jesus ascended into Heaven.

Peter also preached on Pentecost from the roof.

 


 

Mount Moriah and the History of Jerusalem

According to Rabbinic tradition, the Mount (now covered by the golden Dome of the Rock by Muslims) is the site where God formed Adam from the dust of the earth.

Abram came to Mount Moriah 4,000 years ago in Genesis 22:

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

The stone (housed to this day under the Dome of the Rock) Abram used for the ram sacrifice is remembered as the foundation of the Jewish nation.

Solomon built the first temple on Mount Moriah.

450 years later Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians.

Alexander the Great took Jerusalem for 200 years, followed by the Roman Empire.

In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed the Temple, leaving only a remnant of the Western Wall (known today as the Wailing Wall, the holiest site in Judaism). Israel ceased to be a nation and would not rise again for nearly 1,900 years.

In 320 AD, Helena (mother of Emperor Constantinople) came from Rome and destroyed all the existing pagan Roman temples. Helena replaced them with churches.

In 800 AD, Muhammad was born.

50 years after Muhammad’s death, a Calyph had a dream of Muhammad on a flying horse sailing from Saudi Arabia to the sacred stone on Mount Moriah. This led to armies of Muslims invading and destroying all the Christian churches. Muslims erected the Dome of the Rock on Mount Moriah.

Years later the Crusaders came and destroyed all mosques and built churches.

A Muslim leader eventually arose - Salahadin - who defeated the Crusaders due to the heat. He destroyed all the churches and built mosques.

500 years ago the Turks came to reestablish churches.

And in 1948, Israel was reestablished as the Jewish homeland.