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Many Christians want to stand clearly against antisemitism and with the Jewish people—but often struggle to explain why doing so is a deeply biblical expression of Christian faithfulness.

In this special episode, Ryan Lambert introduces the Olive Tree Campaign, a new initiative from Bridge Builders Forum designed to help Christians develop clear, responsible, and biblically grounded language for supporting the Jewish people—without erasing Judaism, repeating harmful assumptions, or relying on inherited theological frameworks that strain Jewish–Christian trust.

Drawing on the Apostle Paul’s olive tree imagery in Romans 11, Ryan explores how Scripture envisions Jews and Gentiles not in rivalry or replacement, but as distinct companions sustained by the same covenant-keeping God. The Olive Tree Campaign centers on the Olive Tree Affirmations—ten biblical commitments rooted in Romans 9–11 that articulate what it looks like when God’s enduring covenant with the Jewish people is taken seriously.

This episode also introduces the Olive Tree Course, a four-week guided learning experience designed to help Christians move beyond abstract affirmations and into thoughtful teaching, conversation, and lived practice.

Beginning Wednesday, January 14, Bridge Builders Forum will host a free, four-week Pilot of the Olive Tree Course, meeting Wednesday evenings at 7:30 PM Eastern Time. The course includes focused teaching and guided discussion in a shared learning environment—designed not as a lecture series, but as a space for clarity, better questions, and faithful language.

To learn more or register for the Pilot Course, visit
www.bridgebuildersforum.com/olivetree and click “Join the Pilot Course.”

If you care about strengthening Jewish–Christian relationships and helping shape a better theological path forward, we invite you to walk with us in the Olive Tree Campaign.

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

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As we come to the close of 2025, Ryan Lambert shares a short, heartfelt message with the Bridge Builders Forum community.

In this brief episode, Ryan reflects on the growth of the podcast over the past year, thanks listeners for their thoughtful engagement, and looks ahead to the important work still to come in 2026. Bridge Builders Forum exists to help Jews and Christians better understand their faith, the Bible, and each other—and this episode offers a glimpse into how that work extends beyond the podcast through Zoom studies, conversations, teaching resources, and new initiatives.

With antisemitism on the rise, the need for healthier, more honest bridge-building between Jews and Christians has never been more urgent. Ryan also introduces what’s ahead in the coming year, including the continued rollout of the Olive Tree Campaign, designed to help Christians express support for the Jewish people in ways that are clear, accessible, and deeply biblical.

If Bridge Builders Forum has helped you learn, think differently, or engage these conversations with greater clarity and humility, you’re invited to partner with us through a year-end gift or by becoming a monthly Bridge Builder.

To learn more or to give, visit bridgebuildersforum.com and click “Donate.”

Thank you for being part of this community and for helping us continue building bridges together in 2026.

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us a text

In this episode of the Bridge Builders Forum podcast, Ryan Lambert is joined by Lois Tverberg, one of the most trusted Christian voices helping readers understand Jesus within his Jewish world.

For decades, Lois has helped Christians recover the historical, cultural, and Jewish context of the New Testament—inviting readers to approach Scripture with deeper humility and greater respect for Judaism, both ancient and modern. Her books, including Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus, Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus, and Reading the Bible with Rabbi Jesus, have shaped how countless people read the Bible and think about the Jewishness of Jesus and the New Testament.

In this conversation, Ryan and Lois explore:

Her journey from molecular biology into biblical studies

The influence of Ray Vander Laan on her work

Why serious engagement with scholarship matters for everyday Bible readers

How Jewish readers have responded to her writing

Why the Shema should be understood as an oath of loyalty, not just a statement of belief

And why learning to read the Bible as a “we” can transform how Christians engage Scripture

This episode reflects the heart of Bridge Builders Forum: helping Jews and Christians think more carefully, listen more deeply, and relate to one another with clarity, humility, and respect.

Here's a link to Lois's most popular book - Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: https://a.co/d/50tG721

Lois's website: https://ourrabbijesus.com/

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum