By Asher Intrater

Youval and Valerie Yanay, Tal Robin and other staff members have developed a discipleship program over the past few years based on involving the students in hands-on organic farming.

The name for the farm Day Three, was proposed by the Yanai’s son, Elad, as he noticed how God created plants on day three in Genesis chapter one. The program has been very successful, and has already borne much fruit, in more ways than one.

There are multiple dimensions of blessings and benefits from this approach.

Dominion & Destiny – Farm work touches the deepest identity of mankind, being created in God’s image, blessed, and given a mandate to bear fruit, fill the earth, subdue it and take authority over God’s creation (Genesis 1:26-28).

Inner Healing – Because many of our students come right off the streets or have some psychological damage in their backgrounds, there is a need for inner healing. Working in nature has a calming and freeing influence on the soul.

Practical Service – Discipleship involves not only spiritual lessons but involvement in practical service, which teaches humility, submission to authority, diligence, and patience. Working in the “dirt” is a great way to develop character.

Teaching Scriptures – Of course, discipleship also involves Bible teaching. Many of Yeshua’s moral lessons were based on agriculture. In fact, Yeshua said that the connection between the “word” (logos) and the “seed” (sperma) was the key to understanding ALL the parables (Mark 4:14).
Evangelistic Witness – There is something about organic farming in this age of alienation that everyone finds fascinating, whether believer or atheist. Many people in the area have come to visit, attracted and intrigued by the project.

Unity of Believers – We all believe in unity (John 17, I Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4). It is easy to understand but not always easy to accomplish. Participation in agriculture has been shown to be a common denominator and thus a basis for unity. People from different “backgrounds” of faith have found “common ground” by working the “ground” together.
Zionism – Love for the land of Israel, its dirt and stones, its agriculture and geography, lies at the heart of the Patriarchs, and also of the early pioneers of modern Zionism. Plowing, seeding, cultivating and harvesting the land of Israel is part of the prophetic vision for the Messianic kingdom on earth.

Knowing God – It is such an obvious thought: God is Creator. He can be known through His creation (Romans 1:20, Psalm 19). In the atmosphere of the natural environment, knowing God more intimately is easily accessed.
Food – Perhaps even more obvious but easily overlooked is that we all need to eat. Agriculture supplies food. In this age of economic crisis, basic food provision should not be taken for granted. Food is also evidence of God’s grace (Acts 14:17).

Miraculous Vegetables – A last surprise for us was the amazing beautiful, tasty, huge, high-quality vegetables that are coming out of the ground. It’s impossible to not see the hand of the Lord and His blessing. What an affirmation!

Please pray for continuing and multiplying fruit for the discipleship program, located at the Revive Israel ministry center at the Messianic moshav, Yad Hashmona, in the Judean Hills outside of Jerusalem.