Dear ABR Family,
It is a great joy to write to you today. It seems that the holidays properly focus our minds on our families and loved ones and we become acutely aware of all God has done for us and how He has blessed us in so many ways. I hope your heart will be stirred by rich and beautiful memories of Christmases past and that this season will bring renewed peace and joy into your life. May we all keep our focus on our Lord Jesus in this holy season!
This last appeal of 2022 for the ABR ministry will reflect both the sunshine of God’s blessing and the cold grey clouds of opposition and difficulty that sometimes can block out that sunshine. I want to be brief and clear about the extraordinary accomplishments God has wrought, and the challenges we see ahead.
In 2022 ABR returned to our excavation at ancient Shiloh! For four weeks over 100 volunteers shared the joy and fellowship of digging the soil of this sacred space, where Israel worshiped for over 300 years. Scores of artifacts were uncovered. Foundations and walls were revealed including a monumental structure we believe marks the likely location of the Tabernacle. Scripture was brought to life when the entry gate complex was discovered, reminding us that we were standing in the likely spot where Eli fell and died according to 1 Samuel 4:18. God’s presence was with us and His hand of blessing was upon us as we worked diligently for those four weeks.
Who would have known that 2022 would be the year that our Mt Ebal salvage operation would lead to an announcement of a discovery of an ancient curse tablet inscription that echoed the covenantal words shared in the presence of the people of Israel at Mt. Ebal by Joshua. The inscription contains two uses of God’s covenant name, Yahweh. Our peer-reviewed journal article regarding the tablet was submitted 3 months ago and we await its publication to more fully reveal the details of this extraordinary find to the ABR family.
These are just a couple of the highlights of the many important accomplishments from 2022 displaying God’s grace upon ABR. But significant economic impacts are beginning to be felt that could undermine the important progress that has been made. Almost weekly we receive notes from supporters who must curtail giving due to the rising tide of inflation and the negative impacts caused by the economic malfeasance of the federal government. We have not heard from some of our donors as they adjust their giving priorities. Even though we run a very tight ship at ABR, these rumblings are causing difficulties for the ministry.
In light of these realities, would you please consider a generous year-end gift for ABR so that we will see a strong wave of support that will carry us into 2023? ABR receives half of its annual donations during the holiday season and we will be grateful for your generosity, especially now, during these difficult economic times. Thank you for your love, for your prayers and for your support for the ministry of ABR!
My prayer is that amidst the grey skies, we will always see the radiance of God’s Son…. especially in this Christmas season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the board and staff of ABR!
Scott Lanser
President,
Associates for Biblical Research
To make a donation online: https://biblearchaeology.org/supportabr
Donations can be mailed to the address below:
Associates for Biblical Research
PO Box 144
Akron, PA 17501
