About Me
Hi, My name is Jim Gettmann and welcome to my site!
I have been working for my Lord Jesus for the past 30 plus years - though in all honesty I've been doing all I could for him for as long as I can remember. Being a "full-time Christian worker" doesn't impress me anymore, because I believe that anyone who walks with God is exactly that, but I suppose if you are looking for a "niche" to put me in, that might fit.
I have been helping to build churches in this time, involved in different projects in a number of different countries like Austria, Kazakhstan, Hungary and Germany. I'm originally an American (Alaska), but grew up partly in Indonesia. If that isn't multinational enough, my wife is Canadian and my son was born in Budapest! And we have 3 foster children who are German!
Obviously we are wanderers though we've settled for the time being in east Germany, near the Baltic seaport of Rostock. At present we are rejoicing in the freedom that we find in being part of the Body of Messiah in an organic church kind of way. If that doesn't say anything to you, check it out in the section on "church" - after it is created, that is.
A little more about me ... I have been familiar with God and church from my earliest years. Unfortunately, I didn't immediately recognize, that what the God of Israel was looking for in me - or in each of us - was not primarily knowledge about Him or just obedience. I am still in the process of learning that God is looking for lovers among men, true friends who want to live in intimate relationship with Him. That is what He so appreciated in Abraham. About Abraham it is said, in the book of Isaiah, that Abraham was the friend of God. In Hebrew the word is ahev, or "lover." Both words, friend and lover, describe an intimate friendship. God said - Abraham is the father or pattern for all who believe.
Why this Website?
Why did I set to create this website? For a couple of reasons. First, there are so many confusing voices today yelling out to us about God, about church, about faith. How do you know what is right? Most, I find, are pushing religion, not a relationship with God, which is what it is really all about.
I want to provide here an oasis where you can come to find good, solid, interesting and insightful - as well as truly biblical - thoughts, that are designed to bring the heart closer to the beating heart of our magnificent Lord Jesus Christ. We especially want to emphasize knowing the ways of God, as opposed to just what He does.
And second, to introduce you to my book. I am excited about this book,
because I believe it has a lot to offer people to help them find their
way back to the kind of "religion" - better said, the kind of walk or
relationship with God which he has been looking for from the beginning.
It is what we were created for, and so there is also a cry in our hearts
which can only be stilled through knowing our Creator as our Father,
Lord and Friend.
Faith was always simple, far simpler than religious institutions will ever make it, and it is focused on friendship and relationship. This book, "Responding to the Shofar's Call" will help you discover how to know God in this very natural way. It will also help to make sense of the different covenants that God made with man and how and why God acted as He did in the pages of the bible.
This website is intended to give you insights into God and his ways very similar to the book, though not in the same depth, so that even if you don't buy the book, you will still come away with a greater appreciation of the greatness of God. I want you to benefit by having visited here.
If this website has been helpful to you, we'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to use the contact form below to share your thoughts, comments or questions.
