Baptist Village is at a crossroad

Baptist Village is at a crossroads.

Historically, it is on the ancient 1500-mile trade route between Egypt and Mesopotam= ia. This road split into two just south of Baptist Village, one fork hugging the co= ast and leading to Jaffa, while the second took the inland route to Gaza and parts south.

A second road led to the Samarian hill country connecting the coast = to Shechem, Bethel and, eventually, Jerusalem in the Judean hills.

According to Paul Wright, director of Jerusalem Universit= y College, the lay of= the land determined that a fortress had to be at that intersection. The hill country impinges from the east while swamplands on the west, fed by the Yarkon springs, determined that the trade route had t= o pass near the present site of = Baptist Village. Control of= that junction was vital to commercial and military interests.

The ancient Israelites and Philistines knew the importance of the crucial intersection and its water supply. First Samuel 4 records that the Philistines maintained a stronghold at Aphek (a= bout a mile from Baptist Village) and that t= he Israelites attacked them from the nearby camp of Ebenezer. The Israelites suffered two defeats there, losing the Ark of the Covenant to the Philistines for a time.

Paul, on his way to trial in Caesarea, was brought to Antipatris (the New Testament si= te of Aphek) according to Acts 23. He brought the gospel me= ssage up this ancient passage then to the Roman port of Caesarea and, eventually, the world.

The Baptist Village presents no= less of a crossroads in the 21st century. Having served as an orphanage and scho= ol, then farm and camp and conference center, the village now serves Israel = as a sports complex. The present passage is unrelated to terrain and water suppl= y, but is a spiritual challenge.

The Maccabiah games – a Jewish Oly= mpics – will be held in Israel this July. “The Yarkon Sports Complex whi= ch is inside the Baptist Village will host t= he Men’s and Woman’s Softball games and the youth baseball games,” according to Yarkon manager Jeff Chestnut. Expanding upon the idea of a spiritual passage, Chestnut stresses “We use one very simple yet all encompassing motto, ‘We will use every available means to reach every available person at every available time.’”

The ministry potential for this summer’s event is “endle= ss” according to the South Caroli= na native. “First and foremost, this will be the biggest Jewish athletic event ever to be held in Israel. Israel is expecting over 7000 participants in the coming games from all over the world. This will also be the biggest tourist attraction to take place in so= me time for Israel.”

Chestnut continues, “God is glorified when we lift him high in order that he receives the honor that is rightly his. Everything that has b= een achieved or accomplished at the Yarkon Sorts Co= mplex belongs to him and him alone. At this time God is using baseball. softball, soccer and conditioning programs to open doo= rs in order that the message can be communicated in a clear and concise manner.”

The Yarkon Sports Complex offers fitness consultation, sports clinics and programs, presently with an emphasis on baseball and softball. Chestnut, coach of the first Israeli baseball team to participate in the Maccabiah Games, says “= ;We’re are expecting over 10,000 people worldwide= to enter our gates with thanksgiving.”

Baptist Village and its Yarkon Sports Complex remain at a crossroads. This summer Chestnut, his staff and volunteers from all over the world pray that the thousands attending the ga= mes will make the passage from darkness to light.

In his sports philosophy Chestnut stress= es the acronym P.E.O.P.L.E. which he explains as “People Encouraging Other People (to) Live Exemplarily.”