USED BY GOD TO BLESS ISRAEL # 3
We continue the story of the time of “Harvest”, for which God spent decades preparing Ken Crowell and his family.
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After the initial warm welcome to Israel they received, there were some who expressed opposition to their vision. A militant Jewish group called Yad L’Achim, known for its hatred of all “missionaries,” started spreading lies about GALTRONICS by printing posters, newspaper articles, etc. Their attempts to discredit them could fill a book, but the Crowells continued to thank the Lord for His protection and faithfulness. Overcoming opposition took several years.
They accomplished this slowly by becoming known personally in the city, entering company employees into local sports competitions (including winning the basketball tournament), and daily living-out their faith in a non-threatening manner.
The company grew and provided needed employment and was monetarily successful with its export products. The Israeli government gave the company two of its highest awards: the Decade Award–best firm in the decade! And, the Kaplan Prize–highest award for industry. These were bestowed by the Prime Minister in the Knesset’s marble hall with most of Israel’s dignitaries present.
The Crowells missed fellowship with other believers. When they lived in the Tel Aviv area during their first stay in Israel, they associated with a local Messianic Fellowship that had already been established. In Tiberias they found only a handful of other Christians. They began meeting with six of these believers for Bible Study and fellowship. Since Ken had seminary training he was able to give leadership and started preaching a message each week. The Crowells soon realized that the time they spent training in the Word was all part of God’s plan and preparation for the leadership they could lend now.
As the group grew in numbers, it became more like a church. As a result the Peniel Fellowship came into being. Peniel means “face of God” in Hebrew. Ken and Margie had never planned on being church “planters” but looked upon the growth of Peniel Fellowship as another key part in their efforts to “bless Israel”. It grew right alongside GALTRONICS. Today Peniel is a thriving fellowship of more than three hundred members.
Ken started a summer volunteer program in 1981 for students from LeTourneau University. (Note: This private, interdenominational Christian university is located in Longview, Texas, and today offers programs in engineering, aeronautical science, education and business, on-campus as well as on-line. Their students come from all over the world.) This was an opportunity for the students to enhance their professional training at GALTRONICS, while at the same time being “tentmaker” missionaries like the Apostle Paul. (Wherever Paul went he set up a tent-making business to help support himself while he preached and spread the Gospel.)
In 1984 GALADON was founded to produce communion products that are distributed around the world. This was followed by GAL GROUP in 1987, which provided the other “GAL” businesses with expertise in management, government interface, and marketing.
Many people assume that the “GAL” in the company names stands for the Galilee region in Israel. However, there is a much deeper meaning. “GAL” is the Hebrew word for “wave/roll,” as in “to wave/roll over your trust onto” or to “commit oneself to”. Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit thy way unto the Lord (Gal L’Adonai); trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” (KJV). This is a moment-by-moment waving or committing all unto the Lord.
About 1987-88 the Holy Spirit began speaking to Ken about the need for a revolutionary new kind of shortwave radio for missions work. The vision was confirmed the minute he met Harold Kent and Alan McGuirl at a missions conference in 1989. All three had been spoken to by the Holy Spirit about the exact same thing. How remarkable that these three men who had never met, who lived in different areas of the world and did not know each other, had the same visions.
It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17 NASB
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On Thursday read the conclusion to this amazing story. You won’t want to miss the conclusion of what was one of God’s Other Ways© to bless Israel.