August 2000 Personal Letter

Dear Friends,

I want all of you to continue to call me Zola. But know that I am now Reverend Levitt!

I was ordained on Sunday, June 25, at a small Bible church in a little town outside of a mid-size town outside of Dallas, Texas, where Israel is deeply respected and the Bible is taught, verse by verse, in every service. Officiating were the pastor, Tom Terry, my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Thomas S. McCall, Senior Theologian of our ministry, and about half a dozen other pastors who came in from the pastures to question me and to bestow this fine gift of responsibility. And please know that I take this responsibility very seriously.

Actually, I was ordained years ago by the World Bibleway Fellowship, which ordains ministers without pulpits, which I tend to be. Since my “church” is a national television audience or tourists in Israel or folks at prophecy conferences, etc., I have no home address for my pastorate. But recently, couples have wanted to be married in Israel on our tours, and they have wanted me to perform the ceremonies. I could do this through my former ordination, but I felt that having a home church someplace where the congregation could vouch for my ministry, and where the elders had questioned my doctrine and were satisfied, would be a better thing. And so, here I am, a minister. I’ve always questioned ministers, and now, as they say, “I are one.”

And in September, two couples will be married during our tour, one on a boat on the Sea of Galilee, and the other in front of the empty Garden Tomb, where our Lord was laid to rest before His Resurrection. I look forward to those two weddings.

I was very thoroughly questioned by the individuals who examined me for ordination. You may think of me as someone who questions others, and I do, but I was only too glad to give my own ideas and theological positions for that examination. I was especially gratified to tell of my unflagging love for Israel and the Chosen People, my belief in End Times prophecy, the pre-Tribulation Rapture, the soon coming of our Lord to establish His Kingdom here on earth (and then—and only then—to sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem), and all the rest of my ministry teachings. I would say that a teacher of Progressive Dispensationalism, which we have lately been criticizing in our newsletters, would not have passed that particular examination and would not have been ordained in that church.

I was truly moved by the seriousness of the ceremony. In the congregation, a deep chair was brought forward to the head of the aisle in the center of the church, and I sat there as the deacons came forward and laid hands on me as prescribed in Scripture. Then Dr. McCall “Charged” me with a formal challenge to continue my ministry, follow the Lord, and go where He led (Acts 13:1–4; 2 Tim. 4:1–5; Deut. 31:1–8). He gave evidence from the Old and New Testaments of ministers Charging their fellows in the same manner, such as Moses with Joshua.

Finally, I was presented a beautiful ordination certificate signed by all of the pastors and deacons and handsomely framed. I was informed that the church would hold a second certificate in its own keeping in case the first was lost or anyone wished to question my ordination.

I was also presented a very fine cake in the shape of a cross, and a reception was held afterward for the small church and the huge host of visitors who had gathered from surrounding counties upon hearing the announcement of my upcoming ordination.

It really gives me great pleasure to announce happy news to you rather than the constructive criticism we have undertaken lately. Please understand that we are not going to let up on those teaching doctrines that foreclose Israel and the Chosen People, no matter how big a seminary or how important a professor. As we ask questions and pursue the seminaries, we are finding more and more problems, and I think that we will air those completely in upcoming letters. In a funny way, I am discovering that the great seminaries are not so great, and that some of the small seminaries really are great. All things considered, it is a real learning experience.

As the new school year starts, we mean to cause healthy self-examination at the seminaries we are pursuing and as many others as will look at what they’re teaching and its implications for the Kingdom to come.

I look forward to filming some programs in Galilee in connection with our September tour. These will take up the interesting people around our Lord, his acquaintances, the disciples and so forth. We will, as always, tape each excerpt in the very location where it happened. And so you will not only hear the teaching, but also feel the ambience of the place where God chose each event we cover. The working title is “The Rabbi’s Friends,” and makes reference to Jesus as who He was in Israel, a Teacher, first and foremost, with the respected title of Rabbi.

And the tour itself is something really special this year. On our September tour, you have the opportunity to see Greece, Israel, and Petra on our Ultra Grand Tour (August 30 through September 17). This is the first time we’ve ever offered this combination, and it has proven already to be very popular. You will take a luxurious cruise to the Greek islands of Mykonos, Patmos, and Rhodes, and then tour Ephesus, Turkey, and Athens. Then you’ll join the Deluxe Tour of Israel (September 4–14), seeing all the major Biblical sites (and many others). Finally, you’ll stay in the beautiful resort city of Eilat at the southern-most point of Israel, from where you’ll travel to Petra, the ancient Nabatean city carved directly out of the red-rock mountains of Jordan. You can also, of course, choose the Grand Athens Tour (August 30 through September 14) or the Grand Petra Tour (September 4–17). If you’re interested in joining us on any of these tours, you need to know that they’re filling quickly. Call Diana or Becky at 214-696-9760 during office hours for more information, or call 1-800-WONDERS any time for a full-color brochure [or click here for an online request form].

Actually, all of our tours are really special, in that the fellowship we enjoy brings us together like a large family. I’ll travel with you through Israel in September, speaking at a number of sites and gathering together with you in the evenings for discussion.

We’re already taking reservations for our Winter Tour. The Deluxe Tour of Israel is December 11-21, and the Grand Tour with the extension to Eilat and Petra is December 11-26. Come with us to spend Christmas Eve in the Shepherds’ Fields of Bethlehem. Celebrate the birth of our Lord by walking through His Land, visiting the places He walked and taught. The weather is near perfect in December, with highs in the 60s and 70s, and brisk, refreshing mornings. I hope you can join us.

Sha’alu Shalom Yerushalayim! Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

Your messenger,