Fire At Ben Israel

There was a fire at Art Katz' ministry center in Minnesota on Saturday morning. I received an email from a friend of mine in Canada. Here is a copy of it:

Not the kind we would hope for -
the beautiful community center and office were totally burned down.

It happened this morning and someone was able to get help to save one critical filing cabinet and one computer - thank God.
Books, CDs, DVDs and recording equipment were lost - all coming to tens of thousands of dollars in value - -
there was no insurance coverage.

Finances and organization are needed to rebuild, so, it's time to get together and pray. . .

For office and other business, please call Mervin at home at 1-218-335-8459
If you can not reach Mervin, Pearl takes his calls at 1-218-335-7881

With love. . . .the Body of Christ at Ben Israel

I think there are many here who would like to know this. Love, Dian.

We, as those who love Art Katz need to do our part to help them in this time of need. I challenge each of us to prayerfully ask God what we could do to help.

A little insider info, the computer was the main computer.

In the light of the fire that destroyed Ben Israel's facility we need to rally around Art Katz and all the family of God there.

I submit that all of us can give to the rebuilding and restoration of this right-on ministry.

Art Katz preaches the word of God with an uncompromised message. We need to stand by those who are willing to suffer persecution for the truth.

I am in no way affiliated with Ben Israel or the Burning Bush other than reading Art's book and listening to his messages. I have been so blessed by what comes out of this ministry, I need to bless back, how about you?

Most of us in the body have not been real good at follow-through when it comes to helping those in need. We are responsible for one another. I believe each of us could send money to help them with reconstruction. Twenty dollars or more wouldn't be a burden on many of us.

2Cr 8:14 But by an equality, [that] now at this time your abundance [may be a supply] for their want, that their abundance also may be [a supply] for your want: that there may be equality:

If we would just give up our trip to McDonalds or fast for day or two we could send a love gift to this precious ministry. Please let us be found faithful in this. I challenge us all to send money, or go help them, and also to send this need to every person and ministry we can think of who might have been blessed by this Father in the faith.

Here is the address to send your gift to:

Ben Israel Fellowship
43237 Cass Line Rd.
Laporte, MN. 56461

Please don't put this off until later. Many times when we do this we forget, even though we had the best intention. I just feel that in light of Art being sick for so long and his great blessing to the body of Christ, we should let him and his fellowhship know we love them.

I have not contacted Ben Israel and told them this, but what a blessing it will be when generous outpourings show up at their door. What would you want to happen if it was you?

Thanks

We need to share this with all the ministries we are a part of as well.

What actually is the community center? And do they know the reason for the fire?

WOW.

That is my response. This is incredible.

EVERYONE: [url=http://web.archive.org/web/20060821085619/http://www.benisrael.org/]Ben Israel[/url]

It's still there! Thankfully.

I am just completely shocked. EVERYONE understand this: If the books were burned, you BEST order all the Art Katz books you can off Amazon or a third seller-- they WILL go out fast. The fact that they burned down means there is a COMPLETE deflux or whatever of these books.. please purchase them if you havent yet done so and wanted to-- they will be going out soon I expect. (via Amazon or a third-party) -- however, I would not order as many as you can! let other people have some please.. don't just grab them all. please.

We ALL need to be in prayer for Ben Israel. I am expecting Art to give a message much like he did for 9/11 and I await it. I am going to send out some money for help.

We need to look at the big positives guys: it appears that none perished in the fire (although I have no way of verifying that?) -- Their all alive! Praise God.

Jordan

If I have understood the message of Art Katz and Ben Israel correctly, I believe this was perhaps the hand of God bringing about a final death to the community so that true life might abound. If so, perhaps the solution is not to rebuild. Instead, the true solution is to embody the message they have preached all these years. Instead of just handing friends and family members copies of brother Katz's books and tapes, perhaps we should be unto them the message of those books and tapes?

This is good to archive this website. I hope some brother's and sisters take that seriously and do it.

Jordan

We are responsible for one another

Please let us be found faithful in this.

Thank you Goldminer

...we should let him and his fellowhship know we love them.

Let's keep the message going forth for help for Ben Israel.

I believe that from the ashes will arise a more burning word that ever, if that is possible.

For you folks who have never listened to Art Katz check out the entries on this site. You wont be disappointed.

I am pasting my first post so it doesn't get over looked, this is important, he is a beloved brother by many on this site.

re-post:

In the light of the fire that destroyed Ben Israel's facility we need to rally around Art Katz and all the family of God there.

I submit that all of us can give to the rebuilding and restoration of this right-on ministry.

Art Katz preaches the word of God with an uncompromised message. We need to stand by those who are willing to suffer persecution for the truth.

I am in no way affiliated with Ben Israel or the Burning Bush other than reading Art's book and listening to his messages. I have been so blessed by what comes out of this ministry, I need to bless back, how about you?

Most of us in the body have not been real good at follow-through when it comes to helping those in need. We are responsible for one another. I believe each of us could send money to help them with reconstruction. Twenty dollars or more wouldn't be a burden on many of us.

2Cr 8:14 But by an equality, [that] now at this time your abundance [may be a supply] for their want, that their abundance also may be [a supply] for your want: that there may be equality:

If we would just give up our trip to McDonalds or fast for day or two we could send a love gift to this precious ministry. Please let us be found faithful in this. I challenge us all to send money, or go help them, and also to send this need to every person and ministry we can think of who might have been blessed by this Father in the faith.

Here is the address to send your gift to:

Ben Israel Fellowship
43237 Cass Line Rd.
Laporte, MN. 56461

Please don't put this off until later. Many times when we do this we forget, even though we had the best intention. I just feel that in light of Art being sick for so long and his great blessing to the body of Christ, we should let him and his fellowhship know we love them.

I have not contacted Ben Israel and told them this, but what a blessing it will be when generous outpourings show up at their door. What would you want to happen if it was you?

Thanks

I am all for charity and helping out others in need. However, I think it is a bit presumptious of us to believe that rebuilding needs to occur, at least, at this present time. Have you brothers considered it might be the will of God for the buildings to remain a heap of ashes?

I am all for charity and helping out others in need. However, I think it is a bit presumptious of us to believe that rebuilding needs to occur, at least, at this present time. Have you brothers considered it might be the will of God for the buildings to remain a heap of ashes?

I'd suppose though that they have over a hundred thousand dollars in savings.

Jordan

When I say rebuild, I mean the entire thing, including the publishing arm of their ministry.

When I say rebuild, I mean the entire thing, including the publishing arm of their ministry.

And I took you meant rebuild by the physical building, hence this statement you made in that post,
"Have you brothers considered it might be the will of God for the buildings to remain a heap of ashes?"

Jordan

When I read this post my wife and I prayed about this situation and brother Katz, it really hasn't effected me until this morning in our time of prayer when I was moved deeply, above and beyond what is the norm, my emotions being greatly affected by the whole matter. I trust that all this will work to God's glory and I believe the Lord Himself will raise up a testamony in Brother Katz and that ministry beyond anything that could have been, had not any of these things had first happened. May the Lord cause all thier wars to cease and bless them with the peace of His presence especially during this time. Grace and peace---bro. daryl

I am very grieved to hear of such a tragedy striking Ben Israel. Particularly considering the battle that has already been existing over brother Art's health. I first read about this earlier today and was initially in agreement with Goldminer's suggestion of sending immediate financial help. But, as I was praying about what I should do and contemplating the magnitude of all the ministry has experienced in recent months, I did question whether the Lord is doing something beyond our ability to understand at this time. I am for now going to pray and wait for a response from Ben Israel.

I also couldn't help but to think of brother Art's own words from the message Be Ye Perfect. Here are some excerpts to think upon.

The perfection of God children has only to do with this............that it has it's perfect origin in heaven and is perfectly the fulfillment of Him who spoke it.
Luke 14 for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
There are a lot of good things that the world applauds loudly and that even Christians applaud which are a stench in the nostrils of God. God keep us from good things, which in truth can defer us from the thing which is perfect. No one ever thinks to question good things, except a God who is increasingly insistent upon the thing which is perfect. You just keep doing good things and I tell you there shall come a moment in your life individually and in our life corporately, a crucial moment, in a life or death situation when great issues are hanging in the balance. And if you have been habituated to doing good things, born out of your human will and volition and mind you are going to miss the perfect life giving thing of God. One of the most serious misconceptions among the children of God is that actions are determined by right and wrong they do what their eyes tell them is right, the do what their background tells them is right and they do what their years of experience tell them is right. And many of you are looking at me and saying, "Art, isn't that right?" No that's wrong. That children is Judaism. That's ethical humanism. That has to do with the operation of mind and God has called you to be a people of the Spirit.

[b][color=000000]I myself do not compulsively do anything. For fear lest acting out of my own impulse and my own mind and my own good intention I have obstructed the perfect intention of God.[/color][/b]

There are two sources of life, two trees from which we can eat, the knowledge of good and evil, (judgments based on the operation of our mind) and the tree of life. And to live from that tree is life indeed.

It was always very evident to me that drug trafficking, pornography, orgies, witchcraft, the occult had their origin in hell. But it wasn't quite so evident that good things had their origin there also. And I tell you I'm seeing a Satan so crafty and full of guile that if he can't seduce and corrupt the children of God by invitations of blatant sin that he'll snare them by things that are good; to keep them from the things that are perfect.

Hello all,

Well Ben Israel's website is up and running with a photo of the blaze and and a testimony. Here is the link:

http://www.benisrael.org/site_content/TMP/BIF_tragedy.htm

Here is what the site says:

March 3, 2007
Heart Wrenching Scene.
Our hearts sank as we stood together helplessly watching our meeting hall and office facility burn to the ground. Many of its contents were precious and irreplaceble. It is a serious set back for this ministry. But though sober and searching, we emulate the grace that was David's when in the face of astonishing disaster, the scripture says of him, "But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God" (1Sam 30:6). And like him, we hope to prove faithful in the same care to seek the Lord's mind and direction for our every decision. We want to humble ourselves before Him, as we embrace His rebuke and instruction. We want to examine ourselves, review, take account, and with one heart seek His face for the way ahead. We covet the prayers of the saints.

Master copies of vidoes and cassettes were destroyed, together with our entire inventory of books. So, our bookstore has been closed for the time being. Our books do remain online - free of charge - under the Writings section of our website. Most of the audio messages are available for free on www.sermonindex.net.

[color=0000CC]I understand that the fellowship has just asked for prayer but I feel strongly that the Lord will lay in on many peoples hearts, as He did me, to do more than pray. I believe that Art has been under attack from the enemy physically and now this, not because of any wrong doing, but because of right doing. He has preached an uncompromising message that has angered the adversary, so the devil is trying to take him out. Just as God did with Job, the end will be better than the beginning.[/color]

[color=0000CC]I still feel that an outpouring of love and help would encourage their hearts that the body of Christ is one and when one part hurts we all hurt. [/color]

[color=0000CC]I know we each have to hear from God individually what we should do in this situation. I know I have heard. Jesus' heart was moved with compassion, so should ours be. If this ministry was a flakey prosperity ministry it would be a different matter, but this is a stable, careful, God fearing ministry. Love gives. If you don't feel to give money, pray and maybe send a note letting them know your love for them. I can tell you in a situation like this we would all need encouragement.[/color]

I believe that Art has been under attack from the enemy physically and now this, not because of any wrong doing, but because of right doing. He has preached an uncompromising message that has angered the adversary, so the devil is trying to take him out. Just as God did with Job, the end will be better than the beginning.

I'm glad the site is back up.

I am going to go into a prayer cocoon soon tonight.

I would like to amend what I said earlier. I specifically recommend you purchase Apostolic Foundations-- it is sort of the climatic book of Katz' theology and for a person interested in Katz it's a good buy. It's big too, so reading it online would be burdensome-- and makes for a good purchase. So pick that one, the rest will end up being brought back up to publishing anyhow, along with Apostolic Foundations I am sure, but for the time being you may want this book. Only cost ya around $10-13 if you get it from Amazon

Also, a few of his early books (Odyssey, Reality-- are in major surplus [comparatively] to the recent new ones and can be found cheaply online. Thus purchasing them for 'backup' storage is not practical.)

If you're interested in the old books and whatnot,
[url=http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&an=Arthur+Katz&y=0&x=0&sortby=2]Abebooks.com[/url]

[url=http://www.amazon.com/Apostolic-Foundations-Arthur-Katz/dp/9810424817/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-1420326-6978427?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173244835&sr=8-1]Apostolic Foundations[/url]

Man that image of the place in flames.. made me sad. It looks a bit small though, or is that just me? I'd expect it was bigger...

I'm also going to suppose that this community center was away from the sleeping corridors-- and thus no one got hurt due partially to that-- and this did happen in the morning.

Jordan