Tag Archives: Jesus

August 4, 2026 · 8:57 AM

Our Common Burden

Shalom! I pray this letter finds you enjoying a restful and joyful summer. Our staff has been especially busy holding children’s camps and conducting evangelistic campaigns in London, New York City, and San Francisco. Our Israel team has also taken advantage of these relatively peaceful moments by stepping up their evangelistic activities and holding outreach concerts, Sabbath dinners, and discipleship conferences throughout the summer months. Praise the Lord as well for the new Israeli Jewish believers coming to faith in Japan, New Zealand, and other locations where we host traveling Israelis!

We truly live in exciting times. The hearts of Jewish people are more open to the gospel than we have seen in years. We all know that when circumstances on earth grow difficult, people tend to look toward heaven for answers. And we are seeing this happen at this very moment.

So, we need your prayers, your financial support, and most of all, your understanding of why we are so passionate and driven to see our fellow Jewish people come to know Jesus as their Messiah and Savior.

At the beginning of the summer, we held a small conference in England for the leaders of those serving with our global ministries in twenty different countries. Our Australian director captured the heart and sentiment of our worldwide staff in a brief message to our team. It was so moving that I asked him if I could pass it along to you. 

I believe what he said will echo your own feelings about why we must bring the gospel to the Jewish people. Jesus is the Light that helps us see truth and gives us hope in what has been, especially for the Jewish people, a very difficult few years since October 7, 2023.

Please take a moment to read what my dear brother, Lawrence Hirsch,* has written. May it stir your soul as it did mine!

The Message

Wherever we serve or partner with Chosen People Ministries, we are part of something much larger than ourselves. Across nations, cultures, languages, and ministry contexts, we are united by a shared calling and a shared burden.

Whether preaching, discipling, hosting Israelis, leading congregations, serving behind the scenes, raising support, or praying faithfully in the background, we are united by our overriding desire to see Jewish people come to know Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. 

Indeed, our burden for Jewish people is only a reflection of Messiah’s burden for His Jewish people. When we feel the weight of ministry, when we grieve over hard hearts, when we long for breakthrough, when we rejoice over even one Jewish person who comes to faith, we are sharing the heart of Yeshua Himself.

The Mission of Messiah

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly connects His mission to His identity: “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

The Messiah did not come merely to teach morality or to establish a new religious movement. He came on a rescue mission, sent from the Father, seeking those who were far from God.

What is remarkable is that He did not wait for the lost to find Him. He entered their villages, synagogues, homes, and lives. He crossed barriers, broke expectations, and extended grace.

Our Savior pursues the lost. The Messiah who sought the lost in Galilee is still seeking the lost in Melbourne, Sydney, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, New York, London, and every place where Jewish people live.

He invites us to join Him in that mission.

The Lost Sheep of the House of Israel

Perhaps nowhere is Yeshua’s focus more clearly stated than in Matthew 15:24: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” These words remind us that the Jewish people occupy a unique place in God’s redemptive purposes. The Messiah came first to His own people because God is faithful to His promises.

Every time we share the gospel with a Jewish person, we participate in the continual unfolding of God’s covenant faithfulness. We are joining Messiah in His love for the lost sheep of Israel.

Calling Sinners to Repentance

Yeshua also declared: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). This statement reveals something profound about ministry.

Our task is not to convince people that they are good, win arguments, or produce religious activity. Our calling is to point people toward repentance and reconciliation with God. Jewish people, like all people, need forgiveness. Our people need the Messiah. Sometimes we encounter tremendous openness. Other times, we encounter resistance, suspicion, or indifference. Yet our message remains the same.

We lovingly and respectfully call people to turn to God and trust in the One whom He has sent. We sow, water, and trust God for the harvest.

The Shepherd’s Heart

Perhaps the most beautiful picture of our calling is found in the parable of the lost sheep.

Yeshua tells the story of a shepherd who has one hundred sheep. When one goes missing, he leaves the ninety-nine and goes searching for the one that is lost. When he finds it, he places it on his shoulders and rejoices.

The story reveals the extraordinary value God places upon a single lost person. He does not say, “Ninety-nine is enough.” He goes after the one. 

When the Burden Feels Heavy

There are times in ministry when the burden feels especially heavy.

We may wonder whether our efforts are making any difference. We often face rejection, grow weary, or pray for years without seeing the fruit we long for. At such times, it is important to remember that the burden ultimately belongs to the Lord. The salvation and restoration of Israel was God’s idea before it was ours.

The Good Shepherd loves the sheep more than we ever could. The God who called Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has not forgotten His people. The Messiah who wept over Jerusalem still loves Jerusalem. The Spirit who convicts hearts is still at work. Therefore, we labor, pray, preach, and serve in hope, knowing that God’s purposes will prevail.

Paul’s Great Burden

Perhaps no one, apart from Yeshua Himself, expressed a deeper burden for Jewish people than the apostle Paul:

I am telling the truth in Messiah, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Messiah for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh (Romans 9:1–3). 

These are astonishing words. Paul is willing to be cursed and cut off from Messiah—become an anathema—for the sake of his people. Paul is saying he is willing to go to hell if his people Israel could go to heaven. 

This burden reflects the very heart of Yeshua—who was cursed for our salvation. We may not all serve in the same role or have the same gifts. But we share the same longing—that Jewish people would follow Yeshua the Messiah.

A Call to Persevere

As we continue together in this calling, may we never lose sight of the heart behind the mission. We serve a Shepherd who came to seek and save the lost. We proclaim a Savior who calls sinners to repentance. And we carry, in some small measure, the burden that burned in the hearts of both Yeshua and Paul.

May God renew our strength, deepen our compassion, and increase our faith. And may we remain faithful until the day when many more of the lost sheep of the house of Israel are gathered safely into the fold of their Messiah.

A Prayer for Us All

Avinu Malkeinu (our Father and our King),

We thank You for the privilege of participating in Your redemptive purposes for the Jewish people. Give us the heart of our Good Shepherd. Fill us with compassion for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Help us to love as You love, to pray as You pray, and to serve as faithful ambassadors of Messiah.

We boldly ask for a great spiritual awakening among Jewish people throughout Australia, the United States, Israel, and all the nations. Open our eyes to see Yeshua. Open our hearts to receive Him. And may we be found faithful until the day when all Israel sees her Messiah and declares, Baruch Haba B’Shem Adonai (“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord”).

Amen.

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July 20, 2026 · 4:35 PM

One Name, One King, One People: What Zechariah’s Vision of the Kingdom Means for Us Today

A Prophet Who Remembered

In this newsletter, you will read the stories of Jewish men and women whose lives have been transformed by the Messiah of Israel. We have a website, ifoundshalom.com, with a hundred testimonies of Jewish followers of Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah, so we have written about some of what they have experienced in their process of coming to know the Lord. I hope this will encourage you! There are so many ways to share the gospel with your Jewish friends, and we want to help you become more effective in Jewish evangelism. 

I also want to set these testimonies and the work of sharing the gospel with Jewish people—and Gentiles as well—within a larger biblical frame and lean on the words of the prophet Zechariah.

Zechariah’s name means “God remembers”. It is the theme of his entire prophetic ministry. He wrote to a people who feared they had been forgotten as the first Temple was destroyed and lay in ruins. 

One of the great passages in Zechariah is found in chapter 14, verse 9. In this passage, he reminds the Jewish exiles that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will not forget His promises. The gifts and the calling of God, as Paul would later write, are irrevocable (Romans 11:28–29).

He writes of history’s destination: one King and one name. One undivided humanity will be gathered under the reign of the God of Israel. In this passage, and in all of chapters 12–14 in the book of Zechariah, he describes the end-times prophetic journey ahead.

The Day That Is Coming

Zechariah 14 describes the final act of history with stark, unsparing vividness. All the nations of the earth are gathered against Jerusalem. The city falls into distress. It is the darkest hour. Then, everything changes.

The Lord Himself goes forth to fight. He stands on the Mount of Olives, and the mountain splits in two—a geological transformation that creates a valley of escape for the remnant of His people. Signs appear in the heavens. Living waters flow out of Jerusalem, and the Messiah King takes His throne.

This is not a metaphor. This is the literal fulfillment of every promise God made to Abraham and King David, and through the voices of the prophets. In chapter 12, Zechariah describes the great outpouring of the Spirit upon the house of Israel, a national mourning, and a recognition of the One who was pierced.

“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son.”—Zechariah 12:10

“Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.”—Zechariah 14:3–5

As Paul writes in Romans 11, Israel has experienced a partial hardening in this age until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. Then all Israel will be saved. The Deliverer will come from Zion. This is not a footnote in God’s plan—it is the climax.

This was my experience as well. I well remember the day when, at 19 years of age, my eyes were opened to the truth of Yeshua . . . my King and Messiah, who died for my sins, rose from the dead, and will return at the time appointed by the Father. Zechariah is describing this great day and the dramatic, all-transforming moment of His return. Additionally, the prophet is detailing the role of the Jewish people in the second coming of Jesus.

Unity Is Our Destiny: The Reversal of Babel

When Yeshua returns and establishes His kingdom, Zechariah tells us that all the nations of the earth—nations that were enemies (Zechariah 14:16–21)—will come up to Jerusalem year after year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts. Peoples divided by language, blood, history, and hatred, both Jewish and Gentile people, will join one another around the throne of the Lamb of God who was slain for all people.   

This is the reversal of the curse of Babel. 

“‘Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.’ So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.”—Genesis 11:7–9

At Babel, God scattered a humanity that had united in rebellion against Him. Languages fragmented. Nations dispersed. The human family, already fractured by sin, was divided further still. Every ethnic conflict, every national rivalry, every wall between people traces its roots back to that catastrophe.

But at the return of the King, Babel is undone. Every knee bows. Every tongue confesses. Paul captures this in Philippians 2: that at the name of Yeshua, every knee will bow in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Every tongue will confess that Jesus the Messiah is Lord, to the glory of God the Father—the name above all names. 

The curse of sin will be lifted, and we will enter the blessings and joy of a re-unified humanity, united in worship of the one true God who created us, redeemed us, and has never once forgotten His covenant promises. The times of the Gentiles will be complete, and all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:25–27). 

The Prayer of Jesus Answered

On the last night of His earthly life, Yeshua prayed:

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”—John 17:20–21

He did not pray for the safety or success of His disciples. He prayed for their unity because our unity reveals Him, the Triune God, in all His glory!

Consider this: when a Jewish person embraces Yeshua, as I did, we carry centuries of painful history—the Crusades, the Inquisition, forced conversions, and pogroms carried out under the sign of the cross. We have every reason to ask whether the community that bears His name reflects His character.

The testimonies you will read are powerful, as a changed life is a compelling witness. But something even more powerful than a changed individual life is a changed community—Jewish and Gentile people of every background and nation, loving one another with a love that the world cannot explain and cannot manufacture. It is living proof that Yeshua does what He said He would do.

One of the most well-known prayers of the Jewish people is found in Deuteronomy 6:4 and is called by the first word of the verse, the Shema…the word for “hear,” or better even, “to pay attention,” is as follows: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. The unity that characterizes the Godhead is the unity Jesus prays for in John 17. The community of believers then becomes a living unity that mirrors the Trinity, and the prayer that Yeshua prayed in the garden will be answered at last.

I Found Shalom

What you will be reading in this newsletter are the stories of Jewish men and women who have found in Yeshua the fulfillment of Israel’s hope. They are a foretaste of the day when all Israel will be saved, and the whole earth will recognize the One whose name is above every name.

But the testimony of individual lives is not complete without the testimony of a community. The watching world needs to see not only changed individuals, but a community of Jewish and Gentile people who love one another across every division that has torn the human family since Babel. What others see when they look at the way we treat one another will show them a glimpse of the coming Kingdom. We look forward to welcoming the One whose reign will bring true peace and unity among all races, all nations, all ethnic groups, between Jewish and Gentile people, and all the divisions that have torn humanity apart since Babel. 

Until then, let our love and unity show in the way we treat one another. Our unity adds power to our personal testimony. We are—and will be—one community forever . . . in our beloved Messiah.  

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May 20, 2026 · 8:55 AM

Reflections from the Bomb Shelter: A Journey from Uncertainty to Hope

Below are some thoughts and reflections from our Chosen People Ministries staff in Israel that we hope will encourage you to pray for us and for Israel.

Since February 28, life has taken on a very different rhythm—one shaped not by calendars or plans, but by sirens, alerts, and the urgent need to move speedily. People have tried to piece together what is happening and what it might mean to the country and to them personally. But beneath it all is a growing awareness that this would not pass quickly. 

What began as rising tension soon became something far more personal and sustained. In the early days, there was panic, confusion, and a quiet disbelief. Phones buzzed constantly with updates. News came in rapidly from all around our small country. Missiles were launched, shrapnel fell, property was damaged, people sustained injuries, and the prayer of our hearts was, “Please Lord, save my family and me.” 

Then the sirens disrupted the day and pierced the night. At first, running to bomb shelters caused an almost surreal feeling. Families moved fast, gathering what they could, and trying to remain calm, especially for the sake of the children. Adrenaline was rushing through us, keeping us alert amid the ever-present danger. Thankfully, we had moments of quick clarity and were able to thank God that humans are fearfully and wonderfully made—especially when threatened.

So, we turned to the Lord: “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1–2). These words, once familiar, have become deeply lived. Not recited casually, but held onto—sometimes tightly—in moments when there is little else to steady the heart.

As the days turned into weeks, the interruptions changed everything. We were at war, our family routines were hard to keep, and stability was elusive. Life became fragmented. Meals were interrupted. Conversations stopped mid-sentence. Sleep became shallow—never fully settled, we were always ready to respond. The body learned to remain alert. Our minds never fully rested.

The bomb shelters themselves became places of refuge and quiet tension. Adults exchanged glances that carried more weight than words. Some tried to ease the atmosphere for the children by telling stories and making small jokes. Others sat silently, listening for updates, calculating risks, and praying.

In those confined spaces, faith was not theoretical but immediate: “The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever” (Psalm 121:8). For many, this promise became a literal lifeline—and not some distant truth. The Lord held us close even as we were in and out of shelters three, four, five, or sometimes six times a day. We would lie awake at night and wonder what the next hour might bring. Would the ballistic missiles be intercepted, and our Israeli defenses hold secure? As the weeks continued, the question of safety shifted. What does it mean to feel safe when unpredictability is what is most predictable? Life advances cautiously, thoughtfully, and sometimes hesitantly. 

For the children, this season has been especially challenging. Days, months, and years of preparation and drills at school had taught the children how to respond. They are strong and resilient yet hold so much fear. On the playgrounds, they drop their balls and jump ropes and swiftly move to the nearby bomb shelter. Some children are anxious and need reassurance over and over again. Others appear outwardly calm, quickly reacting when the siren sounds, yet carrying a quiet angst beneath the surface. You can see it in their eyes, in how closely they stay near their parents, in how they listen, and in their body language. 

Parents are carrying a double burden; they are managing their own fears while absorbing the fears of their children. They try to speak honestly, yet calmly, even when they feel uncertain. They wonder how they will pay their bills while unable to work.

But we are a resilient people. As soon as the ballistic missile and falling shrapnel threats pass, people come back to their seats in the café and continue their work meetings or exercise routines. Life goes on because the Jewish people have been through this before; we have lived through persecution, pogroms, expulsion, and exile. Yet, the people of Israel have survived. We constantly remind ourselves that this time, we get to persevere in our own land! Our people have had it much worse than this. Community endures. In many ways, it has deepened. People check on one another more intentionally, they share what they have, and they show up, even when tired or uncertain.

The hopeful words of the Psalms have taken on new meaning. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you’” (Psalm 122:6) is no longer merely a sentiment, but rather a deeply personal, urgent, and constant cry to the God of Israel for help. It is prayed in homes, in shelters, and in quiet moments between interruptions.

Spiritually, this season has been both stretching and refining. In the early days, prayers were immediate and direct: “Lord, protect us,” “Keep the children safe,” “Provide for our needs, “Keep our soldiers safe,” and “Let this end quickly.” Those prayers remain, but they have been transformed and internalized so they are now as automatic as breathing itself. We are having honest, unfiltered moments of wrestling. We ask ourselves, “How long will this last?” “How do we reconcile fear with faith?” “What does trust look like when circumstances remain unresolved?” and “Where is hope?” 

Yet, amid this tension, something deeper is forming within our very souls because “we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Difficult as it is at times, we grasp this truth; but more importantly, we hang on to the Lord of that promise. Even when circumstances feel chaotic, there is a growing conviction that God is not absent but is still working, even here and now. Faith, in this season, is not abstract. Faith is life itself. It is lived out in bomb shelters, in whispered prayers, and in quiet decisions to trust again and again without full clarity.

We know that national salvation can be a long process, just as it was for the ancient Israelites wandering in the wilderness. National redemption requires endurance. It is a marathon, especially when there is no finish line in sight. The adrenaline has faded, and Spirit-empowered perseverance is the order of the day. We have learned survival lessons that will help us stand the test of time until He comes, and there will be no need to fight! We have learned how to respond urgently, how to comfort children more effectively, how to build small routines in unstable conditions, and how to care for one another. 

Yet, the cost is both real and a burden to carry. There is physical, emotional, and spiritual fatigue. There are moments when the weight feels unbearable. And yet, there is something else: a quiet strength that seeps into our souls. It is not loud or dramatic, but deeply real. We are determined to endure, to serve the Lord above all, to entrust ourselves into His mighty and loving arms, and to stay true to His promises to us personally and to our people. 

We know He has the last word on the redemption of the Jewish people, and we wait in hope for that day to come. As the apostle Paul, our great Messianic Jewish forefather, wrote, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). 

Stand with Our Israel Staff

Our team in Israel continues to serve through this crisis by providing biblical counseling, distributing food and supplies, and sharing the hope of Jesus the Messiah.

Please join us in prayer for: 

Our staff families in Israel—that parents would have wisdom as they carry their own fears while comforting their children through ongoing uncertainty.

The children—that God would guard their hearts and minds and that the trauma of sirens and shelters would not define their sense of safety.

Endurance—that Spirit-empowered perseverance would sustain them through a season with no clear end in sight.

Provision—that families unable to work due to the crisis would have their material needs met and not carry the burden of financial anxiety alone.

The peace of Jerusalem—that God would bring the people of Israel both physical safety and a deeper awareness of the God who redeems.

Thank you for your prayers and support.

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May 11, 2026 · 1:46 PM

Training Tomorrow’s Jewish Ministry Leaders

Part of what amazes me about the Gospels is how much time Jesus spent pouring into a relatively small number of people. Jesus taught crowds and healed the masses, but during His three years of ministry, He called just a few disciples to hear His teachings firsthand and observe the ways He served and healed others.

He chose twelve disciples who, with the exception of Judas, would go on to lead and guide His growing number of followers after His resurrection and ascension. Those years of hearing the words and seeing the works of the Master prepared them to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Sitting at the feet of Jesus prepared these disciples for a lifetime of ministry to others.

This training illustrates how crucial it is for us to pour our lives into others. Taking the time to equip disciples who will go into the world to disciple others creates a ripple effect that shapes the church for generations. This is why 
I am so proud of our Charles L. Feinberg Center for Messianic Jewish Studies. We offer a Master of Divinity or certificate in Messianic Jewish Studies in partnership with Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology. These students are dedicated men and women, both Jewish and Gentile, training to reach Jewish people around the world with the gospel.

A Unique Curriculum

Students at the Feinberg Center take the same kinds of courses as most future pastors and missionaries, including in-depth biblical studies, evangelism, preaching, and counseling. We also add specialized courses that prepare our students for service among God’s chosen people. Our course in Jewish history sensitizes students to the turning points that have shaped Jewish life over the centuries. Rabbinic theology equips our students to better understand the religious Jewish community, which is growing and mostly unreached.

A tailored class in messianic apologetics trains our students to respond to Jewish objections to the gospel. One of our instructors says, “What sets the Feinberg Center apart as truly unique is the fact that Jewish history, Jewish culture, Jewish religious thought, and Jewish literature are all integrated into everything we do, every class we offer.” And this is what is needed in today’s complex world to train missionaries to the Jewish people.

A Tight-Knit Community

Our Feinberg program is not just an academic course of study. As one of our current students says, “I also see Feinberg not just as a seminary, but as a family 
I belong to and where I am making roots, ultimately to serve the Messiah.” Students learn in community. Currently, we have students from eight countries. Some had built careers or obtained advanced degrees before discerning a call to full-time ministry. Whatever their unique journey, they are bound by a common love for the Messiah, Israel, and the Jewish people.

A Strategic Setting

Our location in New York City is strategic. This is especially true for our in-person cohort, who often pray, study, and eat together. As one of our instructors says, “It’s not just a classroom experience. Learning and serving in Brooklyn with the Jewish community right outside your door enhances what you are learning in the classroom as our students meet Jewish people in the most Jewish city in the world outside of Israel.”

Students actively serve alongside experienced missionaries, some of whom teach in the seminary program. Some distribute tracts on the streets. Others volunteer at a Jewish soup kitchen. Several students are part of our House of Living Waters outreach among Jewish students at New York University and Columbia University. One current student noted that the Feinberg Center has been a wonderful way to include practical training with a great seminary education. As they serve together, they form not only friendships but also ministry partnerships for years to come.

We welcome online students committed to Jewish ministry as well. This expands our reach around the world, especially to those in Israel. Several of our Israeli staff who cannot feasibly relocate deepen their theological knowledge and ministry skills while continuing their much-needed work in the Holy Land. I cannot overstate the importance of strengthening ministry leaders in Israel, especially in light of the war and trauma that Israelis have endured since October 7, 2023.

A Historic Partnership

The Feinberg program is a partnership between Chosen People Ministries and Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology. We combine our years of experience in ministry among the Jewish people with Talbot’s expertise as one of the largest seminaries in the country. Talbot shares our belief in biblical inerrancy and a conviction about God’s ongoing plan for the people of Israel. Students take most of their theology courses with Talbot professors. The Jewish studies courses are taught by our well-educated and experienced staff.

We first offered accredited courses through Talbot in 2007, but our connection to the school goes back decades. In the 1930s, Charles Feinberg, who was preparing to go to rabbinical school, came to faith in Jesus the Messiah, in part through the witness of the American Board of Missions to the Jews (now Chosen People Ministries). Having devoted his life to ministry and theological education, he was one of the founders of Talbot School of Theology and became its first dean. He also published several books, especially on Old Testament topics, which were key in his coming to faith.

Dr. Feinberg was one of my heroes in the faith. He was a legend among the young Jewish believers like me who came to the Lord during the Jesus movement of the 1970s. His scholarship and leadership shaped a generation of Christian leaders and a whole generation of new missionaries to the Jewish people. We were proud to name the building where we offer these classes the Feinberg Center in his honor. Both Talbot and Chosen People Ministries are thrilled to see Dr. Feinberg’s legacy continue through these students who study the Word of God at the Feinberg Center.

A Far Reach

It is a great joy to watch people grow as they progress through the program. One young Jewish woman from the Middle East who is finishing her first year wrote,

I am so honored and grateful to be part of Feinberg. Since my training here, I have grown in my Jewish identity and faith, which has allowed me to be in ministry in a much more impactful way. I am receiving a full curriculum that helps me develop both theologically and spiritually. Through the teaching, I am able to articulate why Jesus is the Messiah for the Jewish people and stand against antisemitism in a much stronger way.

I host Sabbath meals, and we welcome many Jewish people who hear about Jesus, some for the first time. This is such an honor, and I am so grateful for the provision God has allowed and for the support of people.

Another current student shared,

The Feinberg program has significantly deepened my theological understanding. I am thankful for the opportunity to take rigorous theology courses that utilize varied learning approaches. For example, in one class I am studying a biblical language, in another deepening my prayer life, and in a third conducting theological research. The diverse learning experiences in each course mean that each day is fresh yet challenging. All of this while living in Brooklyn, New York, the Jewish capital of the United States. The Feinberg program has been a great experience!

An Affordable Path

We offer heavily subsidized tuition to all students. This is possible because our instructors, including myself, are Chosen People Ministries missionaries who raise our own support. We do not receive a salary for our teaching; it is part of our normal ministry work. The Feinberg Center also has apartments for in-person students who relocate for the program. New York City is one of the most expensive areas of the country, so this heavily subsidized housing has helped many students who otherwise could not have come.

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April 30, 2026 · 1:23 PM

Christians Still Support Israel

The results of our latest survey are so encouraging! The graphs presented here are only a small sample of the much larger study, but represent the significance of the findings. As you review them, it is important to understand some of the terminology. 

The NAE is the National Association of Evangelicals. For the purpose of this survey, evangelicals are people who hold to the four core beliefs established by the NAE as primary characteristics of evangelicals. An evangelical believes: (a) the Bible is the ultimate authority; (b) people must be transformed through a “born-again” relationship with Jesus; (c) Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross makes such a transformation possible; and (d) faith should find expression in action, especially in sharing the good news of Jesus with others.

We hope you find these results as exciting as we do! The full survey will be available soon, so watch for the link in upcoming letters. Until then, be of good cheer, we are not alone! 

If you think that younger people are turning away from God, think again! Roughly 77 percent of evangelicals sixty-five and older believe that the State of Israel fulfills biblical prophecy. The number drops to just under 60 percent for the fifty to sixty-four group, and remains at 60 percent for those between thirty and forty-nine. Though there are fewer eighteen-to-twenty-nine-year-olds, it is still more than half, at 53 percent, and an additional 21 percent say they are not sure. God is at work in our young people, which we can see across all of the charts.

When you take into consideration how people identify themselves regarding the definition of “evangelical,” it is not surprising that those with a high view of the Bible are more likely to see Israel as fulfillment of prophecy. More than 75 percent of those who identify as evangelical agree that Israel is the realization of ancient prophecy. 

Supporting the modern State of Israel is not political. It is not giving the country’s administration a license to do as they please. However, biblical support of Israel acknowledges their right to exist and their God-given right to the land. Among evangelicals, just under 75 percent view such support of Israel as a biblical obligation for believers.

This graph is one of the most encouraging in the study. Many Jewish people view Christian evangelism as self-serving in some way. That is, Christians are only interested in Jewish people to convert them. According to the survey, nothing could be further from the truth! An astonishing 87 percent of evangelical Christians agree that believers should love and support Jewish people without consideration of whether or not they accept Jesus as Messiah.

Consistent with other results, evangelicals, who view the Bible as authoritative, generally see the Abrahamic Covenant as the source of the Jewish people’s right to the land of Israel. Less than 10 percent said otherwise.

This graph is also very encouraging! As the world grows more and more hostile toward Jewish people, almost 70 percent of evangelicals acknowledge that God’s covenant with the Jewish people is still intact. With this view, God still has a plan and a purpose for the Jewish people and the nation of Israel in the future.

Israel’s right to the land need not exclude non-Jewish residents. Of those evangelicals who believe that the land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people, 82 percent are also concerned with the rights and the dignity of all others in the land. The others include Palestinians, Druze, Muslims, and various Christian minorities.

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April 14, 2026 · 4:49 PM

Most Christians in the United States still support Israel and the Jewish people!

We know this because we sponsored a survey in December 2025 where we asked American Christians about their views on Israel and the Jewish people. An independent firm deployed the survey and analyzed the data to ensure it was high quality and as objective as possible.

We were almost certain that Christians would be less supportive of Israel because of all the negative reporting about Israel and the rise of global antisemitism, especially in the aftermath of October 7, 2023. But I am happy to tell you after our recent and very comprehensive survey of Christians that this fear is unfounded. While the anti-Israel antagonists received a lot of attention, they do not outnumber the number of Christians who still love Israel and the Jewish people.

This letter is my way of saying thank you! Thank you for standing with Israel, praying for Israel, and supporting our work to reach God’s chosen people around the world. I hope you are as encouraged as I am as you read our analysis about these new survey results. Most Christians, especially those with a high view of Scripture, support Israel. As the leader of a historic, 132-year-old Mission to the Jewish people, I know that Christian attitudes toward God’s people make a world of difference in our witness. A genuine love and concern for Jewish people should be our motivation to share the gospel.

Christians Remain Strongly Pro-Israel

The numbers are clear. What encourages me is not only the steadfast support of Israel but the reasons for Christian support of Israel. Far too often Christian Zionists are accused of caring about Israel only because some see Israel as playing a key role in the end times.

While I believe Israel’s critical role in the end times is biblically accurate (Matthew 23:37–39; Romans 11:25–29; Zechariah 12:10), we found that Christians love Israel for a deeper and very biblical reason! The survey shows that Christians stand with Israel because they believe that God’s covenantal promises to the Jewish people are as true today as in the days of our forefather Abraham.

Let’s take a moment and explore this more deeply.

Why Do Christians Support Israel?

Core Theological Commitments

I need to explain a distinction we made—for the first time—on this round of surveys. We wanted to know how evangelicals’ views compared with other Christians who held positions outside the standard evangelical beliefs. So we asked respondents whether they agreed with these four statements from the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE):

  1. The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe. 
  2. It is very important for me personally to encourage non-Christians to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior. 
  3. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin. 
  4. Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation.

Those who strongly agreed with all four statements were labeled “evangelicals,” and we compared their answers to others who identified as Christians but could not strongly agree with these beliefs. This makes a huge difference.

Belief in the authority of the Bible, the centrality of Christ, and the need for evangelism consistently correlate with stronger support for Israel and Jewish people. This connection does not surprise me at all! But now we have the numbers to show it.

The survey also revealed another truth that is foundational to our ministry: Standing with the Jewish people and believing that Jesus the Messiah is the only way to salvation are not mutually exclusive! Respondents were asked whether they agree with the statement “Christians should love and support Jewish people whether or not they accept Jesus as Messiah.” Among those who reported strong agreement that salvation is in Christ alone, 87 percent agreed with this statement.

We do not stand with Jewish people as some type of evangelistic strategy. We share the gospel because we believe spreading the message of eternal life is the most loving act we can do. Our love and concern for Jewish people are not a means to an end. We love because that is what our Messiah calls us to do.

God’s Covenant with Israel

Most evangelicals (69 percent!) and others who profess Christianity (51 percent) believe that God’s covenant with the Jewish people remains intact today. Note that evangelicals (who agreed that the Bible is the highest authority for what they believe) were 18 percent more likely to affirm God’s ongoing covenant. The survey analysis states that this belief “consistently emerges as one of the strongest reasons for why a Christian supports Israel.”

In our most recent survey, those who affirmed that the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1–3) is still valid were 81 percent more likely to express strong support for Israel. This confirms what I have observed over decades of speaking in churches and meeting Christian leaders from around the world: Affirming the covenant God made with Abraham and taking it literally leads to the support of Israel today. 

God repeatedly and specifically promised to give a particular land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 15:18–21, 28:13). If we take these promises at face value, and pair this with the fact that the modern State of Israel is now home to more than half the world’s Jewish community, then we can conclude that Christian support for Israel today is not grounded in ever-changing Middle East politics but in God’s unchanging Word. Believing that God has an eternal covenant with the Jewish people does not mean endorsing everything Israel’s government does. But it does mean we accept the right of the Jewish people to live in, protect, and govern the land of Israel.

Another promising insight from this part of the survey is that 21 percent of evangelicals and 35 percent of other types of Christians were not sure whether the covenant is intact. In a way, this is good news because these people—a significant portion of respondents—are not ruling out the ongoing nature of the covenant. They just do not know either way. This represents an opportunity to educate our brothers and sisters in the biblical view of Israel. These numbers should encourage you to persevere in praying for Israel, sharing the gospel with Jewish people, and equipping other Christians to do likewise.

Our Rebuilding Israel Tour

One of the best ways to experience the importance of Israel—in the Bible, now, and in the future—is to visit. I am excited to invite you on our Rebuilding Israel tour from October 20–30, 2026. This is your opportunity to see the land of the Bible and discover how God is working in Israel today. We will tour biblical sites, visit our Messianic centers in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and meet Israelis who have come to faith in the last few years. To learn more and register, go to chosenpeople.com/event/rebuilding-israel-tour/. Again, I want to thank you for standing with Israel. Because of you, we are not alone!

You are a blessing to our worldwide staff who are bringing the good news to Jewish people in Israel, the United States, and a total of twenty countries around the world through Your Mission to the Jewish People.

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January 6, 2025 · 9:00 AM

The Enduring Call of Romans 1:16

I am writing this brief letter to you right before I visit Israel this month. This is going to be a very significant trip, and I hope you will pray for me.

I cannot easily describe the level of suffering and anguish the last sixteen months have brought upon Israelis, Palestinians, Chosen People Ministries—Israel staff, and for Jewish people globally because of the wave of antisemitism that has erupted since the beginning of this horrible war.

Life in Israel During Wartime

As I write, quite a few of our staff are still moving in and out of bomb shelters on an almost daily basis. The missile sirens seem to be going off day and night, even though the Israel Defense Forces have destroyed so many of the missile launchers in Gaza and southern Lebanon. There are usually between twenty and one hundred (sometimes even more!) explosives fired every day. A number of civilians, both Arab and Jewish, are killed within Israel because the missile defense systems cannot shoot down every projectile or drone.

Israeli soldiers—most of them in their early twenties—are also dying daily both in Gaza and Lebanon . . . more than 800 so far! May I also remind you that there are still more than one hundred hostages held by Hamas in Gaza? As of November, Israeli intelligence has assessed that half the hostages are still alive. Mothers and fathers, husband and wives, and children continue to be distraught and spend hours shedding tears of grief because of the extreme adversity their loved ones continue to endure in the dark underground tunnels of Gaza.

Pray for My Trip to Israel

I will admit that it is a bit dangerous for me and for the two other godly men joining me on this trip to Israel, yet we really do not spend our time thinking about it. Our beloved staff endure this stress day in and day out, and all I want to do is support them. I do hope that you will pray for fruitfulness and safety for our little team as well as for our staff.

We hope to meet and pray with our staff members individually and with their families. We love them so much, and I am personally inspired by and grateful for their bravery during this difficult time. They not only care for their own family, but they are out and about each day meeting the needs of suffering and displaced Israelis. If you have given a gift already to our work in Israel, I want to assure you that it is being used well, as our staff continue their ministry amid ongoing danger.

I will also be reviewing the progress of our new Tel Aviv Messianic Center. I am so grateful for the huge outpouring of support for this new and much-needed center. We are now able to celebrate the completion of our two-year, $6.5 million campaign, which means we now own this beautiful new center in the heart of the Holy Land—debt-free. Thank you so much!

The construction has continued miraculously and should be completed by mid-February. Even our elevator, needed to ensure everyone can participate in our ministry activities, has come six weeks earlier than thought after being fabricated in Germany. All I can say is hallelujah!

The Enduring Call of Romans 1:16

Throughout the month of January, we emphasize the theme of Romans 1:16, where the apostle Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (emphasis added). This text is foundational to our ministry of 131 years. We are still unashamed; the gospel is still God’s power for salvation, and the message is still for everyone who believes—“to the Jew first” and also to the Gentiles!

We are praying for an outpouring of prayer and financial support during this month as we begin the year with a deep concern for the well-being of Jewish people. I cannot tell you how much your prayers, encouragement, and generous support mean to us.

The psalmist wrote, “pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may they prosper who love you” (Psalm 122:6). It is love which is at the heart of our generosity, and this new center was built with the love of faithful Jesus-followers for Jewish people.

The time of salvation is NOW, and your support and prayers are needed NOW . . . and the need to bring the gospel to Israelis and Jewish people around the globe is NOW.

May I also ask whether your local church has invited a Chosen People Ministries speaker? If not, please talk to your pastor and let them know that we are available. You can call our Church Ministries department at (561)-737-1431 or email us at churches@chosenpeople.com. We would be honored to send someone to speak at your church. Your pastor might especially consider a “Messiah in the Passover” presentation during the Easter season.

My wife Zhava and I pray you will know the power of His resurrection and the joy of His presence in the new year.

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December 1, 2022 · 8:30 AM

Sharing the Light of Jesus

This season of the year reminds me of the beautiful passage in the book of Psalms in which David declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119:105).

It is a joy to follow the Light of the World, Jesus (Yeshua), the Messiah. John pointed to the true light who enlightens all who believe:

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. (John 1:4–9)

The Scriptures teach us Jesus is the Incarnate Word (John 1:14)—God in the flesh—who is the ultimate light of God and reflects the glory once seen resting upon the mercy seat in the Temple.

Jesus let His disciples know that He is the Light of the World: “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life’” (John 8:12).

As His disciples, He calls us to reflect His light as instruments dispelling the darkness of our broken and sinful world. 

THE LIGHT SHINES AMONG UKRAINIANS AND RUSSIANS SUFFERING THE RAVAGES OF WAR

I recently received a note from Maxim, one of our Israeli staff members who is shining the light of the Lord among his fellow Russian speakers as they immigrate to Israel from Ukraine and Russia. So many Russian Jewish people are trying to escape the forced draft and general oppression of the Russian leadership, and we are doing all we can to reach them. We are engaged with this growing group of almost one hundred thousand, and more enter Israel daily. Many have arrived with just the clothes on their backs, and some receive help from the Israeli government.

Let me allow Maxim to speak for himself!

Shalom. 

I hope you have a blessed holiday. I want to share with you about our first family conference and thank you for this opportunity, especially for the financial support. The idea for this project was brewing for several years. While leading children’s camps, it occurred to me it would be good to do something for families with children. In connection with the war in Ukraine and the arrival of new immigrants from Ukraine and Russia to Israel, we decided the time had come for a family conference. At our children’s camp last summer, many kids who attended were new immigrants with overwhelming needs we tried to meet with the love of Jesus! 

We held the family conference last month in Haifa. We booked thirty-four rooms, and there were more than eighty of us. Most of the invitees were new immigrants from Ukraine and Russia, and many of them were non-believers. We also invited families from local congregations to get to know the newly arrived immigrants. The theme of the conference was “Our Family Starts with Me.” 

Everyone arrived on a Thursday afternoon, and then, after supper, we gathered together for the first meeting, where we joined together for worship and a Bible lesson. After the meeting, we took the children on a night safari to the Haifa Zoo. On Friday, we celebrated with a beautiful Sabbath dinner, played exciting games, and everyone enjoyed themselves. We had meetings twice a day for an hour and a half. 

One of our Ukrainian Jewish missionaries did an excellent job of leading worship. I prepared lessons, which were more like conversations, during which participants could express their opinions and raise pressing issues. There was a lot of free time for families to talk among themselves and with each other. The kids had the best time playing ping-pong, during which we had many conversations. 

The most important part of the retreat was our time with the parents. They are receptive to the gospel and our love for many reasons, especially because they are hurting. I thank God for this opportunity and the newly opened doors. 

Thank you again for your support, prayers, and participation. 

Please pray for our upcoming trip to the country of Georgia with a group of twenty-two elderly Russian and Ukrainian Holocaust survivors. 

Blessings during this holiday season, and remember to pray for us! 

Maxim 

HIS LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS

The Lord has been so generous to each one of us. Without your partnership, we could never provide the funding that Maxim needs to be a light to the new immigrants to Israel who are escaping a hellish war in Ukraine. It is going to be a harsh winter in Ukraine, and Your Mission to the Jewish People is there on the ground, bringing heating devices, food, medicine, and various emergency services in partnership with other ministries to help Ukrainians survive the aggression of the Russian military. 

May I also ask you to pray for our ministries among the very religious Jewish community? I never thought I would see the breakthroughs we are witnessing today. In Israel, New York City, the United Kingdom, and online, we receive requests from ultra-Orthodox Jewish people who want to learn more about Jesus. I cannot provide further details, but I am asking you to pray. We are confident now quite a few among the very devout are seeking the Lord. We must find and nurture them; what we have planned should help. I am sorry to be so vague, but there are considerable community consequences when ultra-religious Jewish people come to believe in Jesus. 

I am praying the light of the Messiah will shine brightly in the hearts of religious Jewish people who recognize He died for their sins, rose from the grave, and provides abundant life now and forever. 

Would you join me in praying for the most religious of all the Jewish community? These folks could one day make up 50 percent or more of the Jewish population worldwide. We talked about these precious people in the past, but now is the time for us to take further loving and sensitive action to make the Light of the World known in every corner of the religious Jewish community. 

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November 15, 2022 · 8:30 AM

Giving Thanks to the Lord for He Is Good

Thanksgiving might be my favorite holiday that does not come from the Bible. It actually has “Jewish” origins, as many of the Pilgrims viewed themselves as the “children of Israel fleeing ‘Egypt’ (England), crossing the ‘Red Sea’ (the Atlantic Ocean), and emerging from this ‘Exodus’ to their own ‘promised land’ (New England).”1

The Pilgrims believed their role in God’s plan was similar to the purpose God gave to Abraham and his descendants: to be a blessing to the nations. These British religious refugees to the New World eventually led to the Puritan movement, which profoundly influenced the growth of the gospel in what would become the United States of America.

One of the great Puritan preachers, Cotton Mather, published a well-known sermon about thanksgiving in 1689. I especially appreciate his comment:

To praise God, is to Acknowledge in Him something Excellent, as ‘tis said in Psal. 148.13. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His Name alone is Excellent; thus, when we Acknowledge an Excellency in all those Manifestations which God maketh of Himself; then ‘tis that we praise Him. Now the Praises owing to the God of Heaven from us, are obliged not only by what He Is, but also by what He Does: indeed by what He Does it is that we come to Learn what He is. We ought to Acknowledge an Excellency in the Nature of God; which is to Ascribe Glory to Him.2

Ever since I came to faith in Jesus at age nineteen, I have believed that it was better to focus on who God is rather than what He does for us. One great temptation in giving thanks is to focus on what He has done rather than who He is. God’s character and glorious nature never change, but His works can change daily as the Lord is intimately involved in all aspects of our daily lives.

We understand God’s character through the Bible. One of my favorite passages in the Hebrew Scriptures that describes the character of God is in Exodus chapters 33 and 34. If you recall, God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, then hid him in the cleft of a rock, passing by him while declaring the glorious attributes of His nature. This action was in response to Moses’ request, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” (Exod 33:18).

God answered, 

“You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” (Exod 33:20–23)

It is well worth reflecting on the following passage where His attributes are listed:

Then the Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” (Exod 34:6–7)

This monumental event on Mount Sinai—the manifestation of God’s attributes—became an important prayer within Judaism known as the Thirteen Attributes of God.

I genuinely believe the best way to thank God is to show our gratitude for His unchanging character. This lesson is what God taught Moses on top of Mount Sinai. Likewise, the Puritan leader Cotton Mather discovered this same truth.

Therefore, we, too, should begin our prayers of thanksgiving by first acknowledging His glorious character and the magnificence of His attributes. Then, we should continue praising and thanking Him for all He has done.

His good works proceed from His good character, and I believe this order in our prayers of thanksgiving is also critical.

WE ARE GRATEFUL

This Thanksgiving holiday, Your Mission to the Jewish People has so much to be thankful for as a ministry among the Jewish people. Our hearts are overflowing with the simple joy of knowing a good and benevolent God who created, loved, and redeemed us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus.

I am sure you will enjoy the testimonies we have compiled for this newsletter, and please rejoice with us for what the Lord has done! Let me list a few points of praise for your encouragement.

AN INCREASE IN CONGREGATIONS AND JEWISH BELIEVERS IN ISRAEL

When I first traveled to Israel as a believer in 1976, fewer than 500 Messianic Jews may have lived in the land. Some Jewish believers had survived the Holocaust, and a few had moved from North Africa to Israel. Most were not native Israelis and had come to Israel as believers from other parts of the globe. Some came to be part of the great Israel experiment, and others came to serve the Lord in the land. Now, more than seventy years later, there are probably between 20,000 and 30,000 Messianic Jews in the Holy Land, most of whom came to faith in Israel.

I believe we are now in a second-generation and even third-generation outpouring of the Spirit, transforming the national Israeli Messianic body.

This movement of the Spirit has also transformed our ministry as we continue to reach younger generations of Israelis along with the hundreds of elderly Holocaust survivors who we have been serving these past twenty-plus years. We now have our first generation of Jewish believers born in Israel, speaking Hebrew as their native language, attending Israeli schools, and serving in the Israeli army.

These Israeli believers are young, bold, and willing to give their all for Jesus the Messiah!

That is why we have rented a facility in the greater Tel Aviv neighborhood of Ramat Gan where we organize Sabbath outreach dinners, concerts, café nights, Bible studies, reading groups for moms and children, and so much more each month. We can do this because the Lord is working within a new generation of Israelis.

We are in the thick of this outpouring of the Spirit—discipling and nurturing new believers and this new generation of young Israeli leaders!

The future of the Messianic Jewish movement in Israel is bright, and I hope you will want to participate in this work of the Spirit through Your Mission to the Jewish People.

We do need more worship space!

NEW MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES WITH TRAVELING ISRAELIS

We are reaching Israelis by meeting adventurous post-army young adults in places like the Upper West Side of New York City, the South Island of New Zealand, India, Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China. We are also about to open up ministry stations in Brazil and Japan to reach these wandering Israelis. Our short-term and permanent teams are sharing the gospel with them as they enjoy hikes, BBQs, hummus nights, or a lovely meal of traditional Chinese food!

The Israeli traveler community is a cultural phenomenon and a growing trend that enables us to speak to young Israelis in areas where there is less pressure to conform. In these contexts, they allow themselves to search outside of their usual choices for ways to have happy and meaningful lives and are open to new ways to have a relationship with the God of Israel.

In addition, we are creating a hosting network within the United States, and if you would like to host young Israeli people just out of the army in your home, please let us know! We are now beginning to look for American hosts for the new year.

AN INCREASE IN PRO-JESUS SENTIMENT AMONG YOUNGER GENERATIONS OF JEWISH PEOPLE

We are surprised by the large number of young Jewish people from all over the world responding to our social media, Facebook ads, our new campus outreaches, and the congregations we plant. A recent Barna survey has revealed that Jewish millennials are more open than their parents to the gospel and even to the possibility that Jesus is both Messiah and God in the flesh. We find this astounding! In addition, young people are the majority of the more than 10,000 Jewish non-believers we have met online through our digital outreach campaigns over the last few years, including our Isaiah 53 Explained eBook offer and our “I Found Shalom” video testimonies.

I am also very excited about resuming our residential outreach ministry (House of Living Waters) at New York University (NYU),which has the largest concentration of Jewish students in the United States. We have two young men living in an apartment across the street from the NYU campus and a young woman living in Brooklyn. They are all actively engaged in sharing the gospel with Jewish students.

Again, these opportunities and the openheartedness of the younger generations give me incredible hope for the future of God’s work in bringing the Jewish remnant to Himself in these last days (Romans 11:25–29).

Happy Thanksgiving—and remember to save room for pumpkin pie!

1 Marvin R. Wilson, Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990), 127.

2 Cotton Mather, “A Sermon Preached to the Honourable Convention of the Governour, Council, and Representatives of the Massachuset-Colony in New-England on May 23, 1689,” https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A50176.0001.001/1:5?rgn=div1;view=fulltext.

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February 15, 2022 · 8:30 AM

A Renewed Focus on Personal Evangelism and Discipleship

Chosen People Ministries, now in our 128th year of ministry, will continue to build on the solid foundation laid by our founder, Rabbi Leopold Cohn, and the hundreds of missionaries and servants of the Lord who preceded today’s staff family.

Jesus emphasized this need for a firm foundation when speaking to His disciples after giving the Sermon on the Mount: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt 7:24).

Jesus is the foundation and cornerstone of our faith!

The psalmist pointed to the One who, though rejected, would be the cornerstone of the kingdom: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes” (Ps 118:22–23).

Chosen People Ministries is built upon the foundation of Jesus the Messiah and the Bible—the word of God. Paul wrote to believers in Ephesus about this foundation:

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. (Eph 2:19–22, emphasis added)

We learn a lot from the Apostle Paul about building a solid foundation for the Lord’s work. He was an experienced ministry builder and wrote quite a bit about the importance of a solid foundation.

Wherever Chosen People Ministries staff have gone and whatever we have done throughout the years to build the Lord’s work among the Jewish people, the foundation is always the same—the Lord Himself and the Bible. We make Jesus known for all He is and what He did, and we teach and preach the Bible to those with genuine spiritual hunger.

The Great Commission also never changes. We are called to proclaim the gospel, lead others to faith in the Messiah, and make disciples of all who believe (Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8). This foundation includes the importance and priority God places on Jewish evangelism (Romans 1:16), if one takes the words of Paul literally!

The Goal of the Foundations ’22 Campaign

Our goal for the Foundations ’22 campaign is to build Chosen People Ministries for the future—until the Lord returns! To do this, we need to return to and embrace the very foundation of our ministry and reaffirm the basic elements of our work.

This clarion call to evangelize, disciple, and train others to do the same grows out of the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20, emphasis added).

The task never changes!

The opportunities and circumstances of the day might influence how we carry out the commission and the tools we use. But our message and work is always the same!

For example, Chosen People Ministries has confronted two world wars, various global economic disasters, the Holocaust, the establishment of the State of Israel, and the multiple wars in the aftermath of 1948 (i.e., 1967, 1973, its Lebanon Wars, and two intifadas). These challenges impacted the ways in which we carried out our Jewish gospel mandate and led to creating new tools to reach and serve the Jewish people. God used our staff, particularly in the aftermath of the Holocaust, to help Jewish people who survived the Holocaust re-settle in Europe and Israel and feed the poor survivors as they returned home to their European communities.

We have helped immigrants from the former Soviet Union, many of whom were Holocaust survivors as children, but today, of course, are elderly and have so many needs. The greatest of these needs is hearing about Jesus, and over the last two decades, we have served these dear people and have shared the message of hope through Jesus with hundreds. By God’s grace, many Holocaust survivors have given their hearts to the Lord.

The recent pandemic also required us to shift strategies as so much of our effort was focused online, which was the best way for Chosen People Ministries to enter the homes and lives of Jewish nonbelievers and believers alike. We needed to limit our usual method of meeting with people in person during the pandemic, but we were still able to carry out our ministry goals.

Now, it is time to get back to in-person meetings and to even greater involvement in the lives of those we serve.

This year, we will strengthen our ministry in three areas, which should come as no surprise. First, we will emphasize direct personal evangelism as we are able. We will also disciple those who come to faith and help them grow in their faith and become part of congregations. Additionally, we will train the next generation of Jewish and Gentile believers to serve the Lord with greater depth and expertise.

Your Partnership in the Foundations ’22 Campaign

You can partner with Chosen People Ministries through prayer and personal involvement.

Prayer

Please pray that Chosen People Ministries missionaries remain faithful and effective in proclaiming the gospel of the Jewish Messiah.

Pray that the seeds of the gospel land on good soil and produce much fruit.

Finally, pray that the Lord raises up more Jewish and Gentile believers from the next generation to minister to future Jewish not-yet believers!

Personal Involvement

1. Introduce us to your not-yet-believing Jewish friend. 

We need your help identifying Jewish people we can talk to about Jesus. Use the enclosed card to provide their information, and we will be happy to send your friend a free copy of my book, Isaiah 53 Explained, and ask if they would like personal contact with one of our ministers.

2. Connect us to Jewish believers you know. 

We would like to reach out to Jewish believers you know and encourage them with the various growth and service opportunities available to them through Chosen People Ministries. We have materials, retreats, mentors, and so much more to help Jewish believers grow in their faith. You can also help us identify those called to full-time Jewish ministry as missionaries or as support staff, such as writers, graphic designers, and administrators.

3. Join us in training for Jewish ministry.

We have many training opportunities available that you can be part of and also promote these to your congregation, church, or Bible study groups. For example, you might know those who would appreciate our short-term mission trips or consider taking a course through our new online video-based Bible institute, which begins soon. Our Charles Feinberg seminary program is also available in person and online for those who want graduate-level training for credit and are more serious about either joining the staff of Chosen People Ministries or serving in their local community as a volunteer.

As I mentioned, we will describe some of the specifics of the Foundations ’22 campaign in the months ahead. I will begin by sharing vital information and fuel for your prayer life about some of the hard-to-reach Jewish communities with whom we are already engaged and hope to serve even more effectively in the future as part of our Foundations ’22 campaign.

Thanks for caring, praying, getting more involved, and supporting our ministry among the Jewish people.

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