Churches in Israel

[scottmaciver]

Given the promises in scripture relating to the Lord's purposes for the Jewish people, such as Romans 11:24, is anyone reasonably familiar as to roughly how many faithful churches there are in Israel, along with where they are located?

This thread isn't intended as a debate on God's purposes, or otherwise, for the Jewish people, rather of the state of the church in Israel today. Obviously things are very political there, but it would be interesting to hear of how the Gospel is currently progressing through the church in Israel.

 

[Ed Walsh]

Given the promises in scripture relating to the Lord's purposes for the Jewish people, such as Romans 11:24, is anyone reasonably familiar as to roughly how many faithful churches there are in Israel, along with where they are located?

I don't know anything about the soundness or number of churches in Israel. But I know something is happening that can't be denied.

Bless Israel With Yeshua - ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry

We are Jews and Arabs, together serving Messiah Jesus, sharing the Gospel with Israel, making disciples, training leaders, and blessing our communities in the name of Yeshua.

www.oneforisrael.org

 

[Ed Walsh]

Hi Scott,

Looks like this thread is not a big hit. At least not so far.

There's gotta be PB members that can answer your questions. If not, consider writing to One with Israel. I am very sure they would love to hear from you and equally sure they would be able to answer your questions.

One possible reason you are not inundated with responses is that many (probably most) Reformed Christians see no prophetic future for national Israel. I am not among them.

Ed

 

[iainduguid]

I don't know the answer to your question, though I suspect they are relatively few and far between. Pastor David Zadok is an Israeli national who was a student of mine at Westminster in California and now pastors a church in Israel. He could probably give you a good answer.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-zadok-6b5b873/?originalSubdomain=il

 

[Edward]

many (probably most) Reformed Christians see no prophetic future for national Israel.

It might be a sign of the end times when everyone in Israel becomes a Presbyterian.

 

[Ed Walsh]

It might be a sign of the end times when everyone in Israel becomes a Presbyterian

I can't find an appropriate Emoji for this comment.
My guess is that a LOL might be appropriate. Would I be correct?
My second choice would be an "amen." Hmm...

 

[scottmaciver]

Hi Scott,

Looks like this thread is not a big hit. At least not so far.

There's gotta be PB members that can answer your questions. If not, consider writing to One with Israel. I am very sure they would love to hear from you and equally sure they would be able to answer your questions.

One possible reason you are not inundated with responses is that many (probably most) Reformed Christians see no prophetic future for national Israel. I am not among them.

Ed

Thanks Ed, very much appreciated. I'll maybe do exactly that and email One with Israel.

 

[scottmaciver]

I don't know the answer to your question, though I suspect they are relatively few and far between. Pastor David Zadok is an Israeli national who was a student of mine at Westminster in California and now pastors a church in Israel. He could probably give you a good answer.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-zadok-6b5b873/?originalSubdomain=il

Many thanks for your response Iain. I also suspect that faithful churches in Israel are few and far between.

 

[yeutter]

The Anglican Archdiocese of Jerusalem is orthodox, although it remains in fellowship with the apostate Archbishop of Canterbury. Many of the clerics who serve in the Diocese of Jerusalem are Anglo-Catholics but there are also some Reformed old highchurmen. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem serves a predominantly ethnically Palestinian Arab language flock, although there are some Greeks, Copts, Armenians, Chaldeans as well as ex patriots members in more than a dozen parishes in areas under the control of the nation of Israel & of the Palestinian Authority.

The Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani became the fourteenth bishop ordinary of the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem in April of 2007, having previously been coadjutor bishop. In August 2010, the government of the nation of Israel declined to renew the residency permits for Rev. Dawani and his family, claiming the bishop had been engaged in fraudulent land deals on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. After a protracted legal dispute Rev. Dawani was allowed to continue to serve as bishop and the leader of the Anglican community in Israel, Palestine and beyond. It was rumored the real complaint the Israelis had with Rev. Dawani was his refusal to stop giving cover to evangelical activities in Israel. I am told that Rev. Dawani has repeatedly told Israeli authorities that the Church is the Israel of God.

 

[Nahum]

Given the promises in scripture relating to the Lord's purposes for the Jewish people, such as Romans 11:24, is anyone reasonably familiar as to roughly how many faithful churches there are in Israel, along with where they are located?

This thread isn't intended as a debate on God's purposes, or otherwise, for the Jewish people, rather of the state of the church in Israel today. Obviously things are very political there, but it would be interesting to hear of how the Gospel is currently progressing through the church in Israel.

There aren't really many Christians in Israel, only about 2% of the population is Christian (almost 80% of these Christians are actually Arabs who happen to be Israeli citizens) and many of the Churches composed of mostly Israeli Jewish converts are, sadly, more into the whole dispensational and kind of Pentecostal movement from what I have been told by friends/family. Christians also actually face a lot of hard realities in Israeli territories, and there are quite a few examples of Churches being vandalized and stuff.

I know there are very few doctrinally strong Churches in places like Jerusalem and to some extent Tel Aviv and many of these actually have both ethnically Jewish and Arab believers worshipping together. Most people who consider themselves Christians in the region are either Maronite or Eastern Orthodox (most of them, again, being Arab), there aren't many Reformed Churches that I am aware of. From what I've seen most Jews who end up coming to Christ and also joining a doctrinally strong Church are people who live outside Israel (Usually in places like the US and Europe), and the same can be said about Arabs who mostly become Reformed (or just 'overall protestant' to put it some way as is more common) while living in the diaspora (My dad for example was raised Orthodox since he came from a long line of Orthodox Christians in Bethlehem but ended up becoming protestant here).

I know there are a few people who do evangelism in Israel though, someone already sent a link to One for Israel ministries who are mostly Jewish converts to Christianity who go out sharing the gospel, they are dispensationalists and are very vocal about it but they still have brought many Jews to recognize Christ as the Messiah. The State of Israel is very unfriendly towards missionaries however, so many non-Israeli citizens who go out and try to preach the gospel face the threat of being deported. I know there are a decent amount of people in Bethlehem and other cities both in Palestine and in Israeli territories that try to go to cities or into settlements (They usually are less welcome in the settlements) and preach to Jews, and from what I've understand many of them have been relatively successful despite everything seemingly being against them.

 

[Poimen]

Perhaps @alhembd can be of some assistance if he still frequents the Puritanboard.

 

[Sherwin L.]

Scott, Baruch Maoz is an elder at our church in the Seattle suburbs. He previously pastored a Reformed congregation in Israel (Grace & Truth Congregation) for many decades, and was one of the few confessionally Reformed pastors there before moving the US. Happy to put you in touch with him.

 

[chothomas]

Many thanks for your response Iain. I also suspect that faithful churches in Israel are few and far between.

Just from what I have observed from Jews for Jesus and One for Israel, they tend to be dispensationalists and charismatic.

I am not sure if doctrinally being sound is paramount for being "faithful." While it is important, I think too many people in the reformed circle do not carry over their passions for the sound doctrine to Christian living as much as Messianic Jews do.

 

[scottmaciver]

Scott, Baruch Maoz is an elder at our church in the Seattle suburbs. He previously pastored a Reformed congregation in Israel (Grace & Truth Congregation) for many decades, and was one of the few confessionally Reformed pastors there before moving the US. Happy to put you in touch with him.

That would be very much appreciated Sherwin. Perhaps you could send me his details? Many thanks.

 

[alhembd]

There aren't really many Christians in Israel, only about 2% of the population is Christian (almost 80% of these Christians are actually Arabs who happen to be Israeli citizens) and many of the Churches composed of mostly Israeli Jewish converts are, sadly, more into the whole dispensational and kind of Pentecostal movement from what I have been told by friends/family. Christians also actually face a lot of hard realities in Israeli territories, and there are quite a few examples of Churches being vandalized and stuff.

I know there are very few doctrinally strong Churches in places like Jerusalem and to some extent Tel Aviv and many of these actually have both ethnically Jewish and Arab believers worshipping together. Most people who consider themselves Christians in the region are either Maronite or Eastern Orthodox (most of them, again, being Arab), there aren't many Reformed Churches that I am aware of. From what I've seen most Jews who end up coming to Christ and also joining a doctrinally strong Church are people who live outside Israel (Usually in places like the US and Europe), and the same can be said about Arabs who mostly become Reformed (or just 'overall protestant' to put it some way as is more common) while living in the diaspora (My dad for example was raised Orthodox since he came from a long line of Orthodox Christians in Bethlehem but ended up becoming protestant here).

I know there are a few people who do evangelism in Israel though, someone already sent a link to One for Israel ministries who are mostly Jewish converts to Christianity who go out sharing the gospel, they are dispensationalists and are very vocal about it but they still have brought many Jews to recognize Christ as the Messiah. The State of Israel is very unfriendly towards missionaries however, so many non-Israeli citizens who go out and try to preach the gospel face the threat of being deported. I know there are a decent amount of people in Bethlehem and other cities both in Palestine and in Israeli territories that try to go to cities or into settlements (They usually are less welcome in the settlements) and preach to Jews, and from what I've understand many of them have been relatively successful despite everything seemingly being against them.

Nahum's assessment of the situation in Israel is pretty much spot on. I know one chap who considers himself Reformed, but he really is not. Some think that any kind of sympathy with John MacArthur makes them Reformed. But John MacArthur is anti-Sabbath, and full-blown dispensational. Sadly, Israel was neglected too long by the Reformed churches.


Al Hembd
Jerusalem.

 

[alhembd]

There aren't really many Christians in Israel, only about 2% of the population is Christian (almost 80% of these Christians are actually Arabs who happen to be Israeli citizens) and many of the Churches composed of mostly Israeli Jewish converts are, sadly, more into the whole dispensational and kind of Pentecostal movement from what I have been told by friends/family. Christians also actually face a lot of hard realities in Israeli territories, and there are quite a few examples of Churches being vandalized and stuff.

I know there are very few doctrinally strong Churches in places like Jerusalem and to some extent Tel Aviv and many of these actually have both ethnically Jewish and Arab believers worshipping together. Most people who consider themselves Christians in the region are either Maronite or Eastern Orthodox (most of them, again, being Arab), there aren't many Reformed Churches that I am aware of. From what I've seen most Jews who end up coming to Christ and also joining a doctrinally strong Church are people who live outside Israel (Usually in places like the US and Europe), and the same can be said about Arabs who mostly become Reformed (or just 'overall protestant' to put it some way as is more common) while living in the diaspora (My dad for example was raised Orthodox since he came from a long line of Orthodox Christians in Bethlehem but ended up becoming protestant here).

I know there are a few people who do evangelism in Israel though, someone already sent a link to One for Israel ministries who are mostly Jewish converts to Christianity who go out sharing the gospel, they are dispensationalists and are very vocal about it but they still have brought many Jews to recognize Christ as the Messiah. The State of Israel is very unfriendly towards missionaries however, so many non-Israeli citizens who go out and try to preach the gospel face the threat of being deported. I know there are a decent amount of people in Bethlehem and other cities both in Palestine and in Israeli territories that try to go to cities or into settlements (They usually are less welcome in the settlements) and preach to Jews, and from what I've understand many of them have been relatively successful despite everything seemingly being against them.

With regards to "One for Israel," sadly, many of them are full-blown antinomians, of the Zane Hodge/Charles Ryrie strain. Many of them have studied at Dallas Theological Seminary, which seems to be getting worse.