Sir,
In his article, “What really Motivates Evangelicals” (Dec. 8, 2014), Pastor Robert Stearns attributes Jewish skepticism toward Evangelicals to Jewish fears of proselytizing and historic antisemitism. This is simply not the case.
Evangelical Christianity remains a classic missionary movement by definition, even without overt proselytizing. It remains a faith-based, Christ-centered movement, directed at building theological bridges and breaking down theological walls. Evangelicals draw people close to Jesus through humanitarian service, charitable contributions and political lobbying.
At the recent “Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem”, an interfaith event sponsored and hosted by Stearns and his Eagles’ Wings Ministry, Stearns openly asked Jews to witness and observe Christian worship. Not only that but Israeli messianic missionary leaders were keynote speakers. One of them, Rick Ridings, has called for a Jesus revolution among Israeli youth.
So, too, Stearns’ Christ-centered missionary agenda was evident at the recent ICEJ Feast of The Tabernacles, when Stearns preached directly to 300 IDF soldiers about the Jewishness of Jesus.
Pastor Stearns concludes by claiming that “sometimes people just want to be your friend”. This is a simplistic and misleading view of a complex faith-based relationship involving religion, politics and money. Friendly overtures by evangelicals towards Israel require accountability, red lines, guidelines and a respect for differences between Jews and gentiles, especially within the Jewish homeland.
Shulamit Leibler
Public Relations Director
JewishIsrael.com
Source: http://www.jpost.com/landedpages/printarticle.aspx?id=384266
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Comment
I agree, but I didn't base my judgment of the particular individual on that one event but from a long series of encounters carefully monitored and kept private. I am avoiding having anything to do with the "industry" and prefer to educate privately. Keep up the good work.
Yehoshua, first of all, from the testimony of former christian missionaries who became Gerei Tzedek and from Jews who were formerly missionaries who did teshuva, they all say that they would have lied through their teeth when answering your questions, in order to fully win your trust for bigger prizes another day.
It's all nice and dandy that there are truly christian individuals who are truly looking for the truth. And we should help then when we can, as long as that does not put other Jews at spiritual risk. But this has become a big financially profit-making industry and we Jews have simply opened the flood gates, thinking that we were born to tread water. Good intentions. Road to hell.
I couldn't agree more when you are talking about the high-profile preachers with a track record as you correctly portray it. But with the rank and file and even some leaders who are not that locked into the movement and the agenda, the direction could be different. There are lower-level leaders, who have to be carefully examined, of course, who give a higher priority to the "roots" or "younger brother" aspect as opposed to the evangelizing of Jews for JC. I myself have connections with Christians, one of whom says, flat out, "evangelize me". I have heard many evangelical Christians who say they would not proselytize religiously committed Jews but would not hesitate to answer all questions at length about what they believe and even approach Jews who are unaffiliated and especially in a life crisis when they need help. So great was my surprise when a few years ago Pastor X sat with me and a rabbi with whom he had come on a trip from the US. I asked the pastor what he would say if a Jewish guy came to him saying that he was in trouble and needed spiritual help and his friend Tim told him to go to Pastor X who would tell him all about Jesus. He pointed to the rabbi and said that is where he would send him. I admit that so far those people are a small minority, but we still have to search for them and cultivate them without giving them an enthusiastic public "hechsher".
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Started by Miriam Harpaz in Member Feedback Nov 18, 2013.
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