Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem – With such high stakes, Christians need to engage in thoughtful, respectful conversations

New post on Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem – With such high stakes, Christians need to engage in thoughtful, respectful conversations with Israelis, Arabs and each other about how to find true and lasting peace. [My new op-ed for Fox News.] by joelcrosenberg (Washington, D.C.) -- Today, FoxNews.com published a new column of mine. While I wouldn't have written the headline quite the way they did, I am grateful they allowed me to lay out my thoughts in an op-ed significantly longer than they usually run.  Here is the column in full: AFTER TRUMP RECOGNIZES JERUSALEM AS ISRAEL'S CAPITAL, EVANGELICALS WORK FOR PEACE BETWEEN JEWS & ARABS By Joel C. Rosenberg, December 9, 2017 Many evangelical Christians are rejoicing over President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to begin planning to move the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv. However, other evangelicals who love Israel and believe Jerusalem is the biblical and historic capital of the Jewish State see the timing of the president’s decision as a mistake. They are concerned the move will cause more tension and violence, not create conditions more conducive to peace. Most Palestinian and other Arab Christians in Jordan, Egypt and elsewhere are also opposed to the decision for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that they worry renewed violence could be directed at them and their children. As a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, an evangelical and a resident of Jerusalem with my wife and kids, these issues are not just theological or theoretical for me. They’re personal. I love Jerusalem. And because I love Jesus, I love both Israelis and Palestinians dearly and equally because I believe God does. The last thing I want to see is more division, violence, terror or injustice of any kind. I long to see peace between the two sides. I pray and work for the day when both peoples can truly live side by side, and among each other, in safety, security, freedom and prosperity. I long to see peace between the two sides. I pray and work for the day when both peoples can truly live side by side, and among each other, in safety, security, freedom and prosperity.  Toward that end, on Monday at the National Press Club in Washington, I helped launch a new organization called the “Alliance For The Peace of Jerusalem.” We are a group of evangelicals scholars, pastors, authors and ministry leaders who believe that now more than ever, the Church needs to be faithful to the Psalmist’s command to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6) as well as to “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). We also believe evangelicals need to be faithful ambassadors of God’s love and compassion to both Jews and Arabs, who find themselves trapped in a cycle of seemingly never-ending conflict. And we believe evangelicals need to be ambassadors of grace toward Christian brothers and sisters who have different (and deeply held) views of how best to achieve peace. As we approach the 70th anniversary of the rebirth of the State of Israel on May 14, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians will no doubt increase. For some, this will be a year of thanksgiving to the God of Israel who made ancient promises to the Jewish people and is keeping those promises in modern times. For others, however, the anniversary of the creation of modern-day Israel will be a year of pain, even anger. They call it al Nakba – the Arabic term for “The Catastrophe.” Presidents and prime ministers, kings and their counselors, have been confounded for decades on how to achieve peace between Israel and its neighbors. It should not be a surprise that pastors, priests and lay leaders are often confounded by how to apply biblical principles to most effectively resolve a conflict with roots going back thousands of years. The last thing the Church needs is to engage in a snarky political firefight over some of the most contentious issues on the planet. Rather, we need to engage in thoughtful, respectful conversations on what the Bible teaches about Israel and its neighbors, and how we can play a more constructive role as peacemakers.  As the Alliance begins our work, we conducted a comprehensive survey of the attitudes of American evangelicals toward Israel, the Palestinians and the peace process as we enter this historic year. The results were fascinating. Let me draw out three key points. First, American evangelicals have a remarkably deep love for Israel and the Jewish people. Our survey confirms that the people of Israel have no better friends in the U.S. than evangelical Christians. Eight in ten evangelicals believe that the Abrahamic Covenant was an unconditional promise God made to the Jewish people for all time – a mere 5 percent disagree. Eight in ten believe the rebirth of the State of Israel was the fulfillment of Bible prophecy – only 20 percent think it was merely an interesting geopolitical event. And nearly eight in ten (76 percent) believe that Christians should support the Jewish people’s right to live in the sovereign State of Israel. The survey makes clear that evangelical Christians of all ages, ethnicities, incomes and regions of the country overwhelmingly believe that God has made binding promises to Abraham and his descendants: to make them a nation; to give them a land; and to make them a blessing to the rest of the world. The survey also finds that evangelicals believe that God is in the process of keeping his promises – that he is graciously bringing the Jewish people back to the Land of Israel after 2,000 years of exile, and rebuilding the State of Israel in the heart of the Middle East against all odds. Second, American evangelicals want to obey Jesus’ command to love Israel’s neighbors. 59 percent believe Christians should do more to love and care for the Palestinian people, and 66 percent of younger evangelicals believe this. 73 percent are concerned for the safety of Christians in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. 41 percent agree with the statement: “Jewish people have a biblical right to the land of Israel, but also have a responsibility to share the land with Palestinian Arabs.” Another 28 percent disagree, while 31 percent say they’re not sure. Too often, we hear an “either/or” tone when Christian leaders speak about their love for Israel or the Palestinians. But the God of the Bible is not “either/or.” He is “both/and.” He loves Jews and He loves Arabs. So must the Church. Third, evangelicals aren’t convinced they understand enough about God’s plans for Israel.  In fact, 72 percent of evangelicals say they want to know more about what the Bible teaches about Israel’s future. So that’s the good news. But there is some challenging news in the data as well, specifically when it comes to younger evangelicals. Millennials are sending the Church a sobering message. They’re not against Israel. But the survey makes it clear that many of them really don’t understand Israel’s place in the biblical narrative. Thus, their support for Israel is nearly 20 points less than the support voiced by their parents and grandparents. Extrapolate that going forward. Unless the Church gives younger believers an understanding of God’s love and plan for Israel, evangelical support for the Jewish State could plummet over the next decade as millennials represent an ever-larger percentage of the Church body. The raging controversy over President Trump’s decision on Jerusalem – and evangelicals’ conflicted views over how best to advocate peace – underscore the need for the new group Alliance for the Peace of Jerusalem. As we head into the new year, we need educate the Church – particularly millennials – about God’s love and plan for both Israel and its Arab neighbors, and to mobilize them to both pray for and seek peace in a dark and troubled region.  ************************* Joel C. Rosenberg, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, is a New York Times best-selling author and a founding member of the Alliance For The Peace of Jerusalem.

Young People to 'Engage' with Israel

Group Brings People to 'Engage' with Israel

By Julie Stahl and Chris Mitchell

CBN News Jerusalem Bureau

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

JERUSALEM, Israel -- For decades, Christians from around the world have supported Israel and helped Jewish people return to the Land. But will the next generation continue the vision? 

One group is trying to keep that vision alive.


(Editor's Note: Make that two! See our message below for our Love For His People "Ahava Adventures"!)

In the early 1990s, Ebenezer Operation Exodus began bringing immigrants from the Former Soviet Union back to Israel by ship.

Now, they're bringing young people on a unique trip called Engage Israel to give them a chance to experience Israel and God's plan for the Jewish people and the Land.

International Young Adults Program Coordinator of Ebenezer-Operation Exodus International Andy Ernst says 'Engage' is intended to help people 18 to 35 years old understand Israel, prophecy and aliyah -- Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel.

"My passion is to see young people getting trained and equipped here in Israel and being sent back to the nations and them asking God in their nation 'what can I do? How can I stand up for Israel? What will you give me as a task?'" Ernst told CBN News.

"We kind of pack their spiritual backpack with a solid understanding of Israel as of today, from the past and in the future and to go home with that understanding of the Bible is alive," Ernst said.

"Moni," 30, is from an Asian nation and did not want to be identified by his real name.

"I heard about Israel, I read about Israel," said Moni, adding that it's a different experience to actually be here.

"You know getting to see the people, getting to hear from the people their story and going to different places, seeing things, seeing things for myself," Moni explained.

The two-week trip to Israel is billed as an "adventure of a lifetime."  The participants hike the Golan Heights; slap mud on and float in the Dead Sea, ride camels in the desert and learn about the Holocaust.

Jonathan Sheard, 27, from the United Kingdom, said they're tired but there is so much to see and do.

"It's been a brilliant time of study as well as reflection as well as site-seeing as well as relaxation," Sheard said. "But it really has opened my eyes to a lot of things I didn't know and helped me to learn a lot more about myself and especially about the Lord."

Besides all the touring, the group takes on service projects like cleaning up a churchyard or the streets of one of the oldest cities in the world, Jericho, where they also meet with local Arab believers.

They also spend time with young Messianic Israelis and last summer helped out at a summer camp for Israeli children and played with Ethiopian children at an absorption center for new immigrants.

They spend time getting to know what it's like to be a soldier in today's Israel.

"Meeting the soldiers was impressive because they were really, really young," said Mikela Monachon, 17, from Switzerland. "We gave them presents and it was just [incredible]."

CBN News caught up with an Engage Israel tour at Ein Harod where the Bible says Gideon chose his army.

According to Melissa McCray, 21, from Arkansas in the U.S., prayer also plays a role in their time here.

"It's not really just here to have fun. We're here with a purpose," McCray said.

"One thing that we've been doing, which I've never done before is we have a prayer chain every night. And so we take turns praying throughout the night for Israel."

Last summer about 100 people from 20 nations participated in the two-week Engage Israel tour.

"The idea is not as many as possible but from as many different nations as possible so the Word would go back to those nations and young people would take it to other young people and multiply the understanding of Israel, of Bible prophecy, of our call as Christians to stand with Israel and to help them home," Ernst said.

Katie Stucken, 31, is the Engage Representative for South East Asia Oceania.

"I love this Land, love this country and understanding of what the Lord is doing here in Israel and amongst His people is very much on my heart and I really want to see in my generation raised up to understand that also," Stucken said.

"One of the fundamental parts of that is coming to the Land and putting your feet on the ground and that changes something in your heart and it shifts something in your walk with Jesus and I believe that's really important," she added.

One focus of the trip is on facilitating aliyah.

Edgar Deleon, 26, from Monterey, Mexico, says the most important part of the trip for him was the teachings and seeing how Bible prophecies like aliyah are being fulfilled.

"And how blessed we are that we can get to see that with our eyes…

how the people of Israel [are] coming back to the land that the Lord has promised," Deleon said. 

                                                                                                                                              
And what will they tell others when they go home?

"I will tell others how great it was just because it's amazing," said Monachon.

"To stand up for Israel," said Deleon.

"Come themselves. Experience God in the Holy Land," said McCray.

To see the full video: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2013/April/Group-Brings-People-to-Engage-with-Israel/

Editor's Note: Love For His People, Inc. also desires to take young people to Israel, to spend time with our Israeli friends and meet new ones.

Our trip this year takes place from Nov. 2, 2013 - Nov. 11, 2013, leaving from Charlotte, NC.

If you are interested in joining us, check this out:

 Love For His People - Ahava Adventures 

We limit the total group size to 10, to mazimize our time, and because we do a lot of walking to where "regular bus tours" can't go! 

Steve Martin

And guess what? See that guy on the camel here. That's me - your tour guide! I love it!

Steve Martin -

Love For His People 

Founder/President