Joel C. Rosenberg - Christianity Today publishes detailed report on Evangelical Delegation

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Christianity Today publishes detailed report on Evangelical Delegation: “Egyptian Protestants appreciate listening tour by U.S. counterparts.” Here’s the full story. by joelcrosenberg This week, Christianity Today published a lengthy article examining our Evangelical Delegation's visit to Cairo to encourage Egyptian Christians and to build a relationship with President el-Sisi and senior Egyptian officials. It was a fair and balanced article -- here are a few excerpts, but I would encourage you to read it in full. EXCERPTS: Rosenberg emphasized the delegation was a personal initiative of all involved. There was no official link to Trump or the US government. “Meeting with this delegation is not an endorsement of us or our views, but an opportunity for [Sisi] to advocate Egyptian interests to an important American constituency,” said Rosenberg. “To be effective in Washington, he needs buy-in and trust from pro-Israel people.” But with the Americans the whole time was a somewhat nervous Egyptian. “When I heard the key organizer lives in Israel,” Andrea Zaki, president of the Protestant Churches of Egypt, told a subsequent meeting of influential colleagues, “I was shaking a lot.” But Zaki checked with friends, and queried Rosenberg’s dispensationalism and prophetic theology. Differences exist, but he was satisfied. “I was blessed by these meetings,” said Zaki, “and I never saw the president so open and comfortable.” Scheduled for one hour, the conversation with Sisi stretched to nearly three. Egypt has maintained a peace treaty with Israel since 1979, but there is much support for the Palestinian cause. The delegation also visited Jihan Sadat, the widow of President Anwar al-Sadat. He paid for the treaty with his life, assassinated six months later. Putting Zaki at ease was Rosenberg’s somewhat unusual commitment. “It bothers me that too many US evangelicals are either-or toward Israel and the Arab world,” Rosenberg told CT. “They are good people, but sometimes they don’t realize you can love both without violation of your core convictions. “It hurts God’s heart if we show such disdain to one side or the other.” It also assured Zaki that the delegation was coming to listen, and wanted to help Egypt. “If I don’t help advance the interests of Egyptian evangelicals, I won’t consider the trip a success,” said Rosenberg. “We come and we go, but this is their country.” The subsequent meeting with about 40 leading Protestant pastors, ministry leaders, and political figures was a highlight to many. Stuffed into a tight meeting room, they heard not only what God is doing in Egypt, but also their respect and appreciation for President Sisi. “The feeling in Egypt is that we are not being listened to in the West,” Ramez Atallah, head of the Bible Society of Egypt, told CT. “Any sympathetic ear by a Western leader is gratifying.”..... ——————— > To pre-order a copy of The Kremlin Conspiracy (which releases March 6th), please click here. > To order copies of the new mass market paperbacks of the J.B. Collins novels — my trilogy about ISIS plotting attacks on the U.S., Israel, Jordan and Egypt — please click here. Would you like to make a secure, tax deductible investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net)? This is the non-profit organization that my wife, Lynn, and I founded in 2006 to educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, to care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, care for Syrian and Iraqi refugees, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. The Joshua Fund is a member in good standing of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Please click here to learn more. Thanks so much! Click here to read the 2016 Joshua Fund Donor Report — and watch the short videos, as well Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email.

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog - Jordan’s King Abdullah II welcomes Evangelical Christian Delegation.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II welcomes Evangelical Christian Delegation at Palace in Amman. Leaders thank King for advancing peace, fighting terrorism, caring for refugees & protecting Christians. by joelcrosenberg AMMAN, JORDAN, November 8, 2017 – His Majesty King Abdullah II on Tuesday welcomed a delegation of American Evangelical Christians at Al-Husseiniya Palace in the capital city of Amman. The meeting capped three days of meetings between Delegation members and senior government officials; Evangelical, Catholic and Muslim leaders in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; and a moving visit to the Zaatari Refugee Camp near the Syrian border. After similar successful meetings last week in Cairo with President el-Sisi, senior Egyptian Cabinet Ministers and religious leaders – both Islamic and Christian -- as part of a regional tour, the Delegation flew to Amman on Sunday to build bridges of friendship and understanding with Jordanian leaders. Delegation members expressed their appreciation for King Abdullah II’s impressive efforts in advancing security and stability, and for his compassion and that of the Jordanian people. They also expressed gratitude for the King’s consistent efforts to foster dialogue and understanding among various faith communities. “His Majesty King Abdullah II is America’s most faithful Sunni Arab ally, and a man of peace,” said New York Times best-selling author Joel C. Rosenberg, an Evangelical and a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen who convened and led the delegation. “When my wife and I met with His Majesty last year, he asked us to bring a Delegation of Evangelical Christian leaders back to Jordan and we readily agreed. Nowhere in the Arab world are Christians safer than in Jordan. By God’s grace, the King has created an oasis of stability amidst a sea of fire. This is a model of moderation the American people need to know more about.” On Monday evening, the Evangelical leaders met with His Royal Highness Prince Hassan, brother of the late King Hussein and grandson of the late-King Abdullah I, the nation’s first monarch. The Prince, who brought several Catholic leaders with him, shared personal anecdotes of the early years of the country and leadership qualities he has observed in his brother and grandfather. He spoke of “the Jordan ethic” of hospitality and compassion that has resulted in the accommodation of so many refugees. It was a special and, at many points, humorous evening that was a blessing to the Delegation. The Americans were able to experience the “Jordan ethic” first-hand during a visit to the Zaatari Refugee Camp near the city of Mafraq that provides housing for 80,000 Syrian individuals and families. Since 2011, Jordan has taken in some two million refugees, making up 25 percent of the national population and accounting for one-fourth of the national budget. Despite no oil wealth and limited resources, Jordan is providing these refugees humanitarian support, jobs and educating their youth in order to reduce their vulnerability to recruitment into extremist ideology. “I believe God is blessing Jordan because they have been so generous to the poor and the suffering,” said Rev. Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council. “And while I’m grateful the American people are doing more than any nation in the world to help Jordan financially during this crisis, it’s critical that the rest of the world stand with the people and leaders of Jordan in their hour of need.” On the first day of their visit, the group was briefed by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt.-General Mahmoud Freihat, and other senior military officials at Jordan’s Central Command headquarters. The Delegation was also received by Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, who expressed his deep appreciation of Washington’s generous financial and military support of the Kingdom, and President Trump’s commitment to reach a comprehensive Palestinian-Israeli peace agreement. They also discussed how to expand Christian tourism to Jordan, which has many Biblical sites, including the Baptismal Site of Jesus, Mount Nebo, Petra, and cities of the Decapolis. “King Abdullah and President el-Sisi are to be applauded for exemplifying moderation and stability in a neighborhood scarred by intolerance and war,” said former congresswoman Michele Bachman. “These men are courageously confronting the forces of terror and extremism. They’re committed to their nation’s peace treaties with Israel. And they want to work even more closely with the United States to advance peace in the region. These are impressive leaders and they need our America’s appreciation and full support.” In a separate meeting, the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, His Excellency Imad Fakhoury focused on the critical economic and financial challenges facing Jordan. The wars in Iraq and Syria and the resulting refugee crisis are placing enormous pressure on the nation’s budget and host communities across the country. He, too, expressed appreciation for the continued U.S. aid to Jordan supporting national reform and development programs resulting from the Syrian Crisis. On the final day of their visit, the Delegation visited the Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary (JETS). They met with Major General (ret.) Imad Maayah, president of the Evangelical Synod of Jordan; Dr. Imad Shehadeh, the JETS president; Captain Emad Kawar, the seminary’s board chair; and three dozen Jordanian Evangelical pastors and ministry leaders for a roundtable discussion about how to strengthen the Church in Jordan. The Delegation was deeply appreciative of the opportunity to meet with their brothers and sisters, listen to their prayer requests, and hear their hopes and dreams for the future. Members of the Delegation to Jordan hosted by Joel C. Rosenberg included former U.S. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Center; Mario Bramnick, senior pastor of New Wine Ministries Church in Florida; Dr. Mike Evans, founder of the Jerusalem Prayer Team; Dr. Jim Garlow, senior pastor at .Skyline Church in California; Larry Ross, founder of A. Larry Ross Communications in Texas; and Bob Vander Plaats, president of The Family Leader in Iowa. (Also joining us were several wives and two of my sons, Jacob and Jonah.) PHOTO #1: His Majesty King Abdullah II (center, wearing red tie) takes a group photo with our delegation of American Evangelical Christians at Al-Husseiniya Palace in Amman. PHOTO #2: His Majesty King Abdullah II (center, head table) hosts a discussion with American Evangelical Christians. To his left is Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. To his right is his chief of staff. ——————— > To pre-order a copy of The Kremlin Conspiracy (which releases March 6th), please click here. > To order copies of the new mass market paperbacks of the J.B. Collins novels — my trilogy about ISIS plotting attacks on the U.S., Israel, Jordan and Egypt — please click here. Would you like to make a secure, tax deductible investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net)? This is the non-profit organization that my wife, Lynn, and I founded in 2006 to educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, to care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, care for Syrian and Iraqi refugees, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. The Joshua Fund is a member in good standing of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Please click here to learn more. Thanks so much! Click here to read the 2016 Joshua Fund Donor Report — and watch the short videos, as well Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email.  joelcrosenberg | November 8, 2017 at 8:43 pm | Categories: Epicenter | URL: https://wp.me/piWZ7-8BI

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: It’s time to rebuild ties with Egypt.

It’s time to rebuild ties with Egypt. Here are six reasons why the U.S. & West should work closely with President el-Sisi. He’s making progress, and he needs help. by joelcrosenberg As the Trump-Pence administration develops its plan to confront Iran, destroy ISIS and strengthen U.S.-Israel relations, it is critical that they also work hard to rebuild America's ties with key Sunni Arab allies. I've written a great deal about Jordan. But we also need to focus on Egypt. President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi was routinely ignored and disrespected during the Obama years. This as a serious mistake, and should be promptly corrected. The Secretaries of State and Defense should visit el-Sisi in Cairo immediately. The White House should also invite the Egyptian leader to visit the President in Washington soon. El-Sisi came to power amidst the most catastrophic meltdown of Egypt's social, economic and political order in living memory. He has made mistakes. But he's making progress, and he needs help. Here are six big things the Egyptian leader is doing right. He's clearly signaling he wants a dramatically improved relationship with the United States. During his September visit to the opening session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, El-Sisi made a point to meet with both candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, positioning himself for improved relations regardless of who won. After the election, he immediately called President-elect Trump to congratulate him. They have continued to speak since then. “Egypt hopes Trump’s presidency will breathe a new spirit into US-Egyptian relations,” declared a statement from el-Sisi's office soon after the elections. He has called for a "religious revolution" in Islam -- in effect, a Muslim Reformation -- to reject radicalism and create a more peaceful, stable and tolerant Islamic world. El-Sisi delivered a major speech in Cairo on January 1, 2015 challenging Muslim leaders to reform Islam and rescue it from the Radicals. “Is it possible that 1.6 billion people [Muslims] should want to kill the rest of the world’s inhabitants – that is seven billion – so that they themselves may live? Impossible!” el-Sisi told scholars at Al-Azhar University, the Harvard of Sunni Islam. “We are in need of a religious revolution. You, imams, are responsible before Allah. The entire world is waiting for your next move….I am saying these words here at Al-Azhar, before this assembly of scholars and ulema (learned men). Allah Almighty be witness to your truth on Judgment Day concerning that which I’m talking about now.” This continues to stand as one of the most dramatic and impressive speeches by a Muslim leader in recent memory. He is working around the clock to defeat the Radical Islamist jihadist threat to Egypt and her neighbors. In the summer of 2013, after 22 million Egyptians signed a petition to remove the Brotherhood from power, el-Sisi and the Egyptian military brought down the Brotherhood regime that was strangling Egypt and was trying to impose Sharia law. They specifically removed Mohammed Morsi from power. Remember that Morsi, the Brotherhood leader who briefly rose to the presidency in Egypt, is the man who famously said during a speech, “The Koran is our constitution, the Prophet is our leader, jihad is our path and death in the name of Allah is our goal.” Many other Brotherhood leaders were arrested. El-Sisi and his colleagues were absolutely right to remove Morsi and the Brotherhood from power, despite widespread condemnations from President Obama and many world leaders. Since then, the former general has directed his military to crush the jihadists operating in the Sinai. He's not only maintaining Egypt's peace treaty with Israel, he's developing a close working relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Under Morsi, there was a real risk that Egypt was going to abrogate the 1979 peace treaty with Israel. But relations between the two countries have warmed considerably under el-Sisi. In fact, at least three separate Members of Congress told me of meetings they each had with President el-Sisi in Cairo during the Obama years in which the Egyptian leader shared candidly that he had a better working relationship with Netanyahu than with Obama. Netanyahu has publicly praised the Egyptian leader. Security ties are growing ever closer between the two countries, especially in terms of dealing with jihadists in the Sinai. In June 2015, El-Sisi appointed a new ambassador to Israel, the first time Egypt has had an envoy to the Jewish State since 2012. The ambassador arrived in Tel Aviv in January 2016. As the Washington Institute for Near East Policy noted: "Essentially, Cairo believes that relations with Israel are strategically and diplomatically beneficial for the Sisi government and the country’s regional standing. This trend toward greater rapprochement is likely to continue; there are even hints that Egypt will extend an invitation to Netanyahu to come to Cairo for a historic visit, much like that of Sadat to Jerusalem in 1977." He's actively building closer ties with the Christian community. The Egyptian leader has very noticeably been working to reach out to Christians both in Egypt and around the world, and this is to be commended. This was certainly not something Morsi had done. Nor had Mubarak done much of it either. In 2014, el-Sisi visited Pope Francis in Rome. In 2015, for the first time that anyone can remember, Egypt's president publicly celebrated Christmas with Coptic Christian leaders, and then did so again in 2016. Also in 2016, he vowed to restore dozens of Coptic churches damaged or destroyed by terrorists in recent years. In recent months, the Egyptian parliament approved legal measures to make it easier for churches to be built and renovated in Egypt. Overall, what I'm hearing from Christian leaders in Egypt is that they feel the president and the government is sincerely working to protect and assist Christians. That said, much more progress must be made. We need to keep praying for Christians in Egypt. It is still a very challenging environment, especially with Radical Islamist terrorists occasionally attacking Christians and even blowing up churches (such as the bombing of a key Christian church in Cairo in December 2016 that killed 29 and wounded dozens more). It's now time for delegations of Evangelical Christian leaders to reach out to el-Sisi, get to know him and understand his vision for Egypt's future. He's making history by building close and warm ties with the Jewish community. Barely noticed is that fact that the Egyptian leader has been engaged in a truly extraordinary effort to build warm and close ties to the American Jewish community, and for this he deserves enormous credit. In early 2016, el-Sisi welcomed a delegation of 36 American Jewish leaders to Cairo. Indeed, he personally met with representatives from the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations for more than two hours, discussing his view of the region and answering their questions. In September 2016, the Egyptian leader met privately with Jewish leaders in New York while attending the opening session of the U.N. General Assembly. In December 2016, el-Sisi met with yet another Jewish delegation to Cairo, this time from the American Jewish Congress. Then, just last week, el-Sisi met with another delegation of Jewish leaders in Cairo. During the hour and a half long meeting, the president discussed his efforts to fight terrorism, improve Egypt's economy, and advance peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. El-Sisi  said the peace process was a top priority for him. Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, has been the key interlocutor between Jewish leaders and el-Sisi. He told the Jerusalem Post said "they spoke extensively with Sisi about his country’s relationship with Israel and of hope for a resolution to some outstanding issues, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which could 'pave the way for even greater exchanges.'" Yes, there are human rights violations in Egypt, serious economic challenges and numerous other issues that el-Sisi needs to address. One analyst of the Egyptian political scene notes that "the Egyptian government’s theme is 'safe before perfect,' meaning it will try to improve on human rights but the top priority is ensuring day-to-day safety on the streets and freedom from terrorism." The U.S. government -- along with the Christian and Jewish communities -- should continue to press Egypt's leaders to do the right thing, sooner rather than later. At the same time, we should also be thanking el-Sisi for what he has done right, and encouraging him to move further in the right direction. The West needs a safe and stable Egypt as a friend and an ally -- now more than ever. ————— You can now pre-order Without Warning in hardcover, e-book and audio formats on Amazon, B&N, or any general market or Christian bookstore. It will release on March 14, 2017. Click here. Order The First Hostage today — the second in this series of political thriller about genocidal ISIS leaders plotting a terrorist attacks against Israel, Jordan and the United States — available in paperback, hardcover, e-book and audio formats. Order THE THIRD TARGET today , the first in this trilogy — now out in paperback. ———————-—- Would you like to make a secure, tax deductible investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net)? This is the non-profit organization Lynn and I founded in 2006 to educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, to care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, care for Syrian and Iraqi refugees, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. The Joshua Fund is a member in good standing of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Please click here to learn more. Thanks so much! Click here to read the 2016 Joshua Fund Donor Report — and watch the short videos, as well Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. joelcrosenberg | February 26, 2017 at 11:31 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-6YW