Ascent to Jerusalem
for churches and homeschool groups
A 9-week video-based course for those who want clear Christian teaching about the Middle East that bypasses tribalism in pursuit of genuine peace.
Help your group learn how to engage the questions they face with confidence:​​
What does the Bible say about the Holy Land?
Is Biblical prophecy really a factor in the Middle East?
As Christians, are we supposed to support Israel?
How can I show love to both Israelis and Palestinians without offending someone?
What is the best way to stand for peace?
Grow in Appreciation
Grow in your appreciation for the land and people of the Bible
Contemporary Insight
Deepen your understanding about the conflict between Israel and Palestine
Conversations
Grow in your ability to engage hard issues without shutting down the conversation.
Ascent to Jerusalem: Pilgrimage, Politics, and Peacemaking in the Holy Land.
The Ascent to Jerusalem curriculum is an invitation into a deeper understanding of scripture and God's heart for peace and justice in the Middle East.
For many Christians, a pilgrimage to the Holy Land would fulfill a dream. We want to walk where Jesus walked, recite Bible stories on location, worship in the Holy City where, as they say, prayer is a local call. We are drawn to the place where heaven touched earth.
But it is not just sacred places. The peoples of the Middle East summon us as well. The Bible comes alive when the people we meet become characters in the drama. That weathered bedouin holding his goat is Abraham. The hoary rabbi tutoring students is Nicodemus. The expectant maiden wending through the throng is Mary. We return home tied by threads—of time, place, and people—to a biblical world that we had previously only imagined.
As for the tensions and clashes that make today’s news—they give us pause. Which media voices should we trust? Did the Bible see it all coming? How might Christians from abroad, like us, have a constructive role to play? Does God want us to pick a side? Shall we embrace the Chosen Ones and celebrate the Jews’ safe return to the Promised Land? Shall we stand with Palestinians—Christian and Muslim—whose parents have lost homes and whose children have lost hope? Or should we step back, say a simple prayer, and wait for Jesus to sort it out on his return?
Is the Holy Land, for us, primarily a portal to the sacred past? Perhaps a bleak reminder of humanity’s brokenness? Ground Zero for today’s culture wars? Center stage for tomorrow’s End Times theater? Or . . . should we train our gaze upon the peoples of the Land, and humbly extend to them Jesus’ love of neighbor and of enemy?
What to Expect
What will you walk away with?
Encounter
Encounter the People of the Middle East
As you make your ascent, you will encounter the peoples of the Land in all their diversity and vitality.
Learn
Walk Through the History
You will study the historical events and biblical interpretations that provide an indispensable context for understanding today’s disheartening impasse and its causes.
Witness
Witness the Challenges
You will glimpse the daily challenges facing people caught in the (sometimes literal) crossfire.
Calling
Consider Your Calling
And you will be welcomed by those who are praying and working for a hopeful future, one in which you may be summoned to play a role
Eight Lessons
01.
Christian Pilgrimage to the Land Called Holy
02.
Palestinian Christians
03.
Jews and Judaism
04.
Muslims and Islam
05.
Looking Back: The History of the Israel-Palestine Conflict
06.
The Christian Battle for the Holy Land
07.
Struggles on the Ground
08.
Imagined Futures,
Holistic Blessings
Extra Video Lesson:
09.
Understanding the War in Gaza
What is Included?
01
Video Curriculum
Ascent to Jerusalem includes 8 video lessons to see on your own or with your small group. Each lesson is 20 to 40 minutes of teaching including original images and film from throughout the Holy Land. Plus, the curriculum now includes an extra lesson about the Gaza war.
02
User Guide
The user guide is a great complement to the video curriculum, allowing members of your small group to read and study during the week. User guides are available in printed and digital versions.
03
Leader Support and Training
Leaders of small groups using this curriculum will get training materials and support from the NEME team including access to NEME staff and the opportunity to invite a NEME staff member to connect with your group virtually during the study.