The Epicenter 08 conference has begun here n Jerusalem, Israel. You should be able to follow the entire event via streaming video online at their website.

10:05am: Currently, Marty Goetz has finished a few opening songs and is introducing Joel Rosenberg, the man whose near-prophetic books – based upon his personal understanding of Biblical prophecy – have gained him widespread recognition throughout not only the Christian world, but in secular circles as well.

10:15am: Joel has completed his opening remarks, including reading an apology from Prime Minister Olmert’s office which said that the PM would not be able to deliver the keynote address today, and has introduced Pastor Skip Heitzig, who is speaking from Ezekiel 36-37.

10:34am: Pastor Heitzig’s message is titled “Why Christians Love Israel”. He’s presented some interesting statistics. For example, the population of Jewish people in the world is less than one-tenth of one percent, and yet one-third of Nobel prizes have gone to Jews; Israel is fourth in the world in citrus exports; she is third in the world for export of flowers.

10:52am: Joel Rosenberg has now introduced Pastor David Ortiz, the father of Ami Ortiz, the 15-year-old boy who was seriously injured when a bomb disguised as a Purim gift package exploded in his hands. David Ortiz, after humbly receiving a standing ovation, is now giving us a moving first-hand account of the ordeal his family has been – and is still – going through.

11:05am: David Ortiz said that one of the main things he and his wife have been saying to everyone is that they need to forgive those people who attacked his son. This after 18 days (and counting) of around 4 hours of sleep a night. Keep praying into this situation.

Now Joel Rosenberg is introducing the next speaker, Pastor Chuck Smith, who is on his 36th trip to Israel and has held conferences in Israel for decades, including one he co-hosted with then-Prime Minister Menachem Begin.

11:29am: Pastor Chuck Smith’s message covered Ezekiel 38-39, touching on things such as an alliance between Russia and Iran, radioactive devastation on the armies coming against Israel, and other happy thoughts.

Next up, a (video) interview with former CIA Director Porter Goss.

11:58 Joel is now giving an overview of his novels, relating events in them to real events that took place in the world shortly after the novels were written.

12:15pm: Now Joel is going over the results of the poll of 1000 American Christians on their opinions relating to Israel.

12:30pm: Lunch break.

2:00pm: We’re back. Marty Goetz is leading us in the song that apparently they sang yesterday in – of all things – American Idol: Shout to the Lord.

2:15pm: Joel is welcoming us back, and briefing us on what to expect or the remainder of the day: a more in-depth look at the specifics of the state of the epicenter; also a disappointment in that former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be able to join us at the conference. Instead, we are now being shown a video of an interview Joel had with Netanyahu recently.

2:25pm: Netanyahu mainly addressed the risks not only to the USA and Israel, but to the rest of the world – including Russia – if Iran obtains nuclear weapon. He also emphasized the importance of the relationship between evangelical Christians and Israel over the past 150 years.

Joel is now introducing Lt. General (ret.) Jerry Boykin.

3:16pm: Jerry Boykin was straightforward and clear about the threat of radical Islam today. Now he’s switching hats; the retired general hat is getting replaced by the evangelical Christian hat. He’s still equally clear and concise in his warnings about the dangers of radical Islam.

3:34pm: Joel is now speaking on how and why we can practically support the needy in Israel.

3:48pm: After sharing about the Joshua Fund, Joel just announced Operation Epicenter, with the objective to raise 120 million dollars of humanitarian relief. An example of an area with need is the Barzilai Medical Center, the only hospital serving the 500,000 Israelis living near the Gaza Strip as well as Palestinian casualties from collateral damage.

4:06pm: Coffee break until 4:45pm.

4:50pm: Ok, we’re back. Joel Rosenberg is introducing Deputy Speaker of the Knesset Gideon Sa’ar.

5:02pm: Gideon Sa’ar is giving very good examples of what has happened every time Israel conceded land for “peace”; kidnapped soldiers, missile & mortar bombardments, war.

5:11pm: Gideon Sa’ar is reporting that the smuggling of weapons and ammunition into the Gaza Strip has increased by 700% since Israeli military forces withdrew from the Philadelphi Strip, which lies between the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. This despite allowing increased Egyptian security forces along the Sinai-Israeli/Gaza border.

5:40pm: Marty Goetz is back with a closing song.

6:00pm: That’s it, folks – thanks for reading! :)