How were you and your wife Ann involved in the birth of what is today known as King of Kings Community Jerusalem (KKCJ)?
Ann and I came to Israel in 1983, along with our sons, Jamie and Joel, and began a little Bible study in a small apartment in downtown Jerusalem along with another Canadian couple, Jim and Kathy Cantelon. I was the co-pastor of King of Kings for the first five years until the Cantelons returned to Canada to establish a new ministry there. It was in 1988 that I became the senior pastor and continued in this role until this month.
During your time as senior pastor, the ministry has grown tremendously. What is the one achievement or area of growth that you are most fond of?
“It’s hard to point to one aspect of our ministry that I am most fond of. There are three main things that we set out to achieve these past three decades – plant congregations, train people for ministry, and be a catalyst for unity and cooperation in the wider body.
“I’m especially fond of the Hebrew-speaking congregations that were birthed through King of Kings. That includes Succat David congregation, which began as a Bible study in our own apartment. “I’m also gratified to see how Israel College of the Bible has grown and continues to thrive and train hundreds of Israelis for ministry. Not everyone knows that ICB used to be King of Kings College, a leadership training center we founded in 1990 in Jerusalem. “Another thing I’m gratified by is the way the Lord has given us remarkable facilities that we were able to buy and open up for the rest of the body. Today, eleven congregations use one or more of our spaces for their weekly worship gatherings.
“I’m also fond of the fact that my wife, Ann, has been so deeply engaged in ministry with me over these past 32 years. For 25 years Ann was in charge of the worship at King of Kings. But she’s also been active in activating songwriters, musicians and singers to utilize their gifts. Ann has had a lot to do with the production of the ‘Praise to our God’ series of concerts recorded live at our Pavilion.
The stated vision of KKCJ has long been to “be a compelling, Messiah-centered, Spirit-empowered, disciple-making community that reveals the true face of Yeshua to Israel and to the nations.” Do you see this vision being fulfilled today?
“To fulfill such a vision may take generations. But I do believe we’ve made great strides down this road. “We are certainly Messiah-centered and we’re doing our best to show this from the Bible, including the Hebrew Scriptures, that Yeshua is not just the Savior of the world, but the Jewish Messiah of Israel.
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