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I was the subject of a Testimony article for the Lombardian newspaper. You can read the article here.
Tom Meyer believes that if you want to be a dentist, you “actually work on people,” and if you want to be a mechanic, you “actually work on cars.”
And so it fits, for the former Lombard resident, that in order to get to the heart of studying the Bible, one goes to Jerusalem.
Meyer, a graduate student studying in the Holy Land, stated, “Jerusalem is the most mentioned place in the Bible—814 times. It is the baptismal font, the head of everything in Christianity.
“It is where Christ was buried, rose again and is returning to; it is also where the church first started and then went out into the whole world. This city is considered the big leagues of Bible education.”
Meyer grew up in Lombard, attending Schafer School, Jefferson Junior High School and Willowbrook High School, where he graduated in 1994.
A longtime member of Grace Baptist church—for over 20 years—Meyer related that as far as being influenced to study religion, “The teaching of Loren Olson and Pastor Peter Greenhow over the years helped equip me to do what I am doing today.”
In 2001, Meyer, at age 25, sold his house and went on to attend Shasta Bible College in Redding, Calif., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Bible and theology.
As Meyer tells it, “It was there that I first got involved with the ministry Wordsower and interested in doing further studies and missionary work in the Holy Land.”
Meyers continued by describing, “Wordsower tells the books of the Bible from memory in the church and with the money raised supports Christian orphans and widows in West Africa.”
The religious studies student said he began to memorize books from the Bible’s Old Testament after being challenged by a pastor to memorize “a short section” of the book.
For him, the Old Testament is a basic key to Christianity, but one he thinks is neglected in modern times.
Meyer noted that his interest in memorizing books of the Bible began indirectly during his childhood, when he began memorizing the backs of baseball cards for fun.
Today, he can recite—and perform—10 Old Testament books, and says that the book of Jonah is his favorite, he can recite it in only eight minutes.
In 2006, Meyer moved to the Holy Land to continue his education in Biblical studies, attending Mt. Zion at Jerusalem University, where he completed a master’s degree in the historical geography of Israel.
He explained that the degree consists of an emphasis on “mastering the geography, archeology, history, weather, etc., of all the land of the Bible, such as Bethlehem, Hebron and Galilee.”
At the same time, it allowed Meyer to “spend time on the ground with the descendants of the people of the Bible, such as living with the nomads in the desert and spending time with shepherds in the fields.”
As if that weren’t enough, Meyer decided to pursue a second master’s degree at the university, on Middle East culture and religions.
“This degree places an emphasis on current events in the Middle East and knowing the thought and practice of the Jews, Muslims and Christians who live in this part of the world,” he explained.
“As well as studying in Israel I tell books of the Bible from memory in the church and am involved with doing missionary work,” Meyer added.
During his studies, the 32-year-old graduate student had a rare opportunity to live among some Greek Orthodox monks, saying that events unfolded when he took a class called Church in the East, which “investigates the churches in this part of the world, such as the Greek Orthodox, the Latins, the Copts, Armenians, Syrians, Ethiopians; and studies their roots, their liturgy and theology.”
Meyer shared that “I have always been interested in the desert monastic lifestyle, and made this known to my teacher.”
While it may not sound like a monumental task, the graduate student noted, “No Protestants are normally permitted to lodge or worship with them.”
His teacher “intervened for me with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch to permit me to stay with them at Mar Sabba.”
The Greek Orthodox monks, he explained, have a “different flavor of Christianity than what you are used to in the West,” in that, although they believe that the Father, the Spirit and the Son are one God, “they have ancient traditions such as venerating icons and bones of the martyrs that most would find odd.”
The monastery is located in the Kidron Valley, between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.
Meyer recounted how he was scheduled to spend seven days with the monks, but instead stayed three days and nights, “for I based my decision on the unwritten rules of hospitality, not wanting to wear out my welcome and the fact that I did not want to invade their high holy Christmas services.”
He journaled of his experience arriving on Jan. 1 at the monastery, which is “nestled in the cliff face of the Kidron Valley in the Judean wilderness; little has been altered in the daily life of the monks here over the past 1,500 years.”
According to Meyer, “St. Sabba founded the site in the late fifth century while living in a cave opposite the existing monastery when, in a vision, seeing a pillar of fire, he found a cave behind it oriented to the east, which would become the main sanctuary. Today it is called the chapel of St. Nicholas.”
In this isolated environment, Meyer wrote, the foundations of the monks’ original ascetic lifestyle remain: “no women, no electricity, no running water, no communication with the outside world; the same liturgy, icons and apophatic theology.”
He further outlined that the monks live their lifestyle in order to guard their free will “against falling prey to the passions and vices of the soul,” and added that the monks “preserve and spread the apostolic faith through worship, liturgy, monasticism and missions.”
During his stay at Mar Sabba, Meyer described that while he ate apart from the 30 monks (because he is a Protestant), he was served “a hearty portion of cold stew consisting of no meat but potatoes and vegetables, with bread, salad, fruit and wine.”
He went on to highlight that for the monks, their daily life begins at 1 a.m, when they are awakened by a loud bell that rings 33 times.
At 2 a.m. there is a three-hour worship service in the chapel, which is lit only by candles. With the exception of partaking in the sacraments, the student was able to attend the service, which is conducted entirely in Greek.
He said the service is preceded by the sound of a hammer knocking on wood, “reminding them of Noah calling the beasts into the ark to save them from doom.”
As the monks enter the chapel, they routinely bow to various icons and kiss them, as well as the 136 skulls of the martyrs.
After the service, the monks spend three hours, from 5-8 a.m., in prayer and rest, except for those who are in charge of preparing “the main and only meal of the day,” Meyer mentioned.
The daily meal is served at 9 a.m. (except for weekends, when there are two meals), and afterward, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the monks work and study.
Evening vespers last from 3-4 p.m., when there is “prayer, singing and reading that begins in the narthex of the other main chapel, the Church of Annunciation,” Meyer continued, adding, “The monks would not permit me to venerate the icons and during the service I first had to stand [outside] the chapel in the entrance way, out of paradise, but on the second day was invited into the chapel with them.”
After vespers concludes there is a “one-hour bread” until the 30-minute evening prayer service, which begins at 5 p.m. Then, the monks attend a time of devotions with the abbot—which Meyer was not invited to attend.
By 6 p.m., the monks pray, meditate and rest, before their 1 a.m. “wake-up” call.
Meyer also mentioned the monastery dwelling itself, saying that the 110 rooms are 11 feet by 11 feet, “but warm and decorated,” and added that the rooms have a bed, desk and lamp, with three blankets and a tub of well water for washing hands and feet.
“The living conditions would be considered good for desert anchorites,” Meyer stated.
Meyer said that he made the right decision to not overstay his welcome, because the monks asked him to return, and to bring some maps of the Holy Land.
He said he felt welcome by the monks, “especially the five who spoke some English, and developed a real affinity with them.”
“The monks were very curious about America and its new president,” Meyer added.
The graduate student said he still has a year and a half left of his studies, and hopes to stay in Israel to teach and do missionary work, “but that is easier said than done.”
Meyer said he will also continue his work here in the United States, reciting and performing the Bible from memory (he returns for three-month visits), and also continue helping others learn to memorize it, whether it is through Sunday school groups or seminars.
For more information, visit www.thescripturecannotbebroken.com.
As for the unique and memorable three days Meyer experienced, he commented, “The three days and three nights I stayed with the monks was everything I imagined but nothing I expected, for seeing something is different than being told about it.”
URL: http://www.lombardian.info/