Tuesday, March 10, 2015

SONGS IN THE NIGHT l "Do Christians Need To Rethink How They Support Israel?" l Dominick Hernandez l CCCM l Devotions l LAST CALL l VidDevoChurch

Do Christians Need To Rethink How They Support Israel?

A few years ago I was engaged in a spirited discussion with a seasoned Israeli pastor. The topic was Western Christian Zionism in relationship to Gospel proclamation in Israel. This pastor acrimoniously summarized what he perceived to be Western Christian Zionist support for Israel:

“I (says the Christian Zionist) am willing to fight for Israel to the very last drop of your (Israeli) blood!”
Wow! Ouch!

What this pastor was trying to communicate is that Christian supporters of Israel are generally willing to support Israel in realms which are not dangerous, or that will not threaten their good relationships with their Israeli friends (i.e. political, financial, tourism and, humanitarian aid). The eagerness to support Israel in these areas is generally based upon the theological belief in the uniqueness of ethnic Israel in the plan of God. This theological understanding is often transformed into a support of Israeli that incorporates endorsing the realization of land promises to the descendants Abraham through Isaac. Consequently, Israel’s military self-defense is perceived as a divinely given right. Indeed, many Christian supporters of Israel interpret Israel’s past and present military conflicts to be an essential part of end-times prophecies. Thus, what my Israeli pastor friend was communicating was his perception that Christian “supporters of Israel” are more than willing see Israelis go to war and be on the right side of end-times cataclysmic events. They are prepared to support these ideals at the cost of Israeli blood. This is not, by any means, authentic support of Israel.

Striving to understand Bible prophecy in light of current events is certainly a reasonable ambition, and there is no denying that Israel plays a significant role in eschatological sections of scripture. Yet, as believers in Jesus, we are compelled to think through Israel’s complex political issues, and even our theological and political assessments of Israel, with a “Gospel-first mentality.” As ministers of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, we must consider how our viewpoints bring honor to God through encouraging people towards repentance for the remission of sin and new life through faith in the Jesus. Supporting Israel through the “go get’em” mentality is not as constructive as inspiring Israeli people to restore their broken relationships with a loving God.

After having lived in Israel for several years, I have noticed that supporters of Israel actually support Israel quite abstractly as opposed to pragmatically. That is, they support the idea that Jewish people should have a homeland. They support the idea that Israel retains a special place in the plan of God, and they love the theological concept that “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26). However, every Christian supporter of Israel should consider the following question: “Does my ideology produce pragmatic Gospel-centered action?”

This issue is particularly important when considering that Israel is essentially an unreached nation for the Gospel. Though it is challenging to conjecture (and it is notoriously difficult to define what a “Christian” is in Israel) it is safe to say that the absolute highest percentage of the population who identify themselves as Christian in Israel is 2%. Yep, you read correctly. Roughly two out of every one hundred people in Israel claim to have an affiliation with any type of Christian church (this includes Roman Catholic Churches, Orthodox Churches, Messianic Jewish Congregations, and Evangelical Christian Arab congregations). This information makes Israel one of the most unreached places in the world. In fact, in Israel most people are unaware of Jesus’ real name and refer to him by the unflattering nickname, “Yeshu.” Given the clear necessity there is for Gospel proclamation in Israel, maybe we “supporters of Israel” have been mistaken in equating our ideological/theological stances with backing Israel by fulfilling a practical need for Gospel.

How then, can Christians who love Jesus and desire to support Israel be an asset to Gospel proclamation in the land where there is great need? This can be done by overcoming our misconceptions of “support” and redirecting our efforts to the primary call of the Gospel. There are, in my opinion, a few misconceptions that have diverted the attention of the Church away from more overt Gospel ministry in Israel:

The misconception that tourism is support.

Every year, countless Christian tour groups come to Israel to explore the land of the Bible. In this way, Christians certainly support the Israeli economy and visiting believers are blessed through a fuller understanding of their Bible. It, however, is difficult to claim that tourism is the best form of support Christians can provide the Nation of Israel when the lion’s share of the population that benefits from the tourism industry is not Christian. Regardless of whether or not Christians use Christian tour agencies, the truth remains that Christians steadily travel to Israel without supporting any local Gospel ministry—or even visiting a local church. Tourism supports Israel’s economy, but it barely supports Israel’s greatest need of knowing Jesus.

Misconceptions that Israel is a moral & biblically literate place.

Because Israel is the land where most of the biblical events took place, many assume that Israelis are reasonably biblically literate. This misconception has led people to believe that (esp. religious Jewish) Israelis innately honor God, and consequently do not need to hear about the grace provided through the person and work of Jesus the Messiah. However, Israel deals with the same moral issues that Western countries do. Abortion is legal, prostitution is a problem, and Israel has had its share of political corruption (i.e. Israel’s former president Moshe Katsav is currently in prison for rape and Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been convicted of corruption and will be joining him soon). Simply because there is great religious tradition in Israel does not mean that there is great moral character.

A misconception of who the Israeli people are. This point is multifaceted.

It begins with a misunderstanding regarding the ethnic demographics of Israel, and leads to misconceptions concerning Gospel proclamation to all the people. Initially, it is important to remember that Israel is not solely ethnically Jewish. A conservative estimation is that there are 15-20% Arab Israeli citizens. These Arab people are, in theory, equal citizens of Israel and retain the same Israeli passport with an impression of a menorah stamped on it. This means that in any given place in Israel you may rub shoulders with an Arab person who may very well be a brother or sister in the Lord. Hence, it is important to remember that proclaming the Gospel in Israel, and supporting Israel politically, is not just for the Jewish Israeli; but also for the Arab Israelis, and all others who constitute the Nation of Israel.

A misconception that Israeli people are easily offended.

Christians tend to avoid ministry in Israel because they are concerned about offending people and not being able to maintain close connections with influential Israelis. Those who have spent a significant amount of time in Israel know that Israelis are very difficult to insult, especially if you talk to them in a respectful manner. Believers must not be overly concerned about offending people in Israel when conversing about what Messiah Jesus has accomplished for humankind. Christians should be genuine, using the same terminology they would use if they were talking to a neighbor. If an Israeli does not want to talk to you about Jesus, don’t worry! They will have no problem ending the conversation.

As Christians, our temptation at this juncture is to hide behind the smokescreen of what we have been doing in the past as authentic support of Israel. Our tendency is to develop a theology that makes us less responsible to support Gospel proclamation in Israel (i.e. hastily appealing to Israel’s hardening in part alluded to in Romans 11:25). Please don’t fall prey to these erroneous ideologies. Consider the following question: If you deem yourself a supporter of Israel, are you willing to make Gospel-centered ministry in Israel your theological and functional priority? If so, please take the first step and pray towards this end, for the sake of the inhabitants of Israel, as well as for the workers on the ground in this land.

SONGS IN THE NIGHT l "Hippie Love and John MacArthur" l Fred Field l CCCM l Devotions l LAST CALL l VidDevoChurch

Hippie Love And John MacArthur

AUTHOR: Fred Field

Like many of my peers, I was caught off guard by the comments by John MacArthur at his “Strange Fire” conference, especially towards Calvary Chapel. I don’t think anyone missed the subtle insult (see Leviticus 10:1 for the source). I’ve been equally impressed at the level-headed responses by Brian Brodersen and some of the other Calvary Chapel leaders as they try to correct some of McArthur’s obvious misconceptions. MacArthur’s accusations seemed very inconsistent with past dialogue, and he’s undoubtedly aware of the thousands of listeners to his radio programs that are at the very least Calvary Chapel sympathizers. McArthur’s conservative views certainly resonate with many of today’s Calvary Chapel attendees.

As one of the “original” hippies of that little country church on the edge of town—and, incidentally, one of the musicians that MacArthur alludes to in his comments on the emerging musical genre—I’d like to voice my disappointment at the loathsome tone of his characterization of hippies in general, particularly of us as taking Eastern religious thought and mixing it with biblical doctrines. Mr. MacArthur demonstrates a very shallow understanding of what the hippy mentality was like—he was obviously not there to witness the tremendous transformation of lives.

First of all, not every one of the young people who were attending those meetings in 1970 was a hippy. Many were privileged kids from nearby Catholic high schools. I remember once asking a rather large audience at the Costa Mesa church how many were current or ex-Catholics. I would say, impressionistically, that most people raised their hands. And, not every guy with long hair and a beard or girl in a granny dress was a philosophical hippy. Like any social movement, there were those who copied fashion trends, and the wannabes who just wanted to take advantage of “free love” and experiment with drugs to see what all the buzz was about (“Turn on, tune in, drop out”).

A changing society had a tremendous impact. Many of us Boomers were raised by survivors of the Great Depression and WWII—and we rejected their reticence and extreme frugality. In 1964, the Beatles landed, and hairstyles and attitudes towards drugs were affected worldwide; Bob Dylan—the spokesman for a generation of Americans—released his prophetic “The times they are a-changing” that same year; Barry McGuire’s anthem “Eve of Destruction” was released in 1965. The Kennedy assassination, the Civil Rights Movement, and forced desegregation in the South marked a nation divided, much as it is today. The institutional church was behind the government we criticized, and, therefore, irrelevant to our search for meaning. No one had room for us sinners, and we had no room for religious dogma or leaders who could not be questioned. Anti-war protesters and peaceniks were real in my cultural milieu.

The summer of 1967 was called the “Summer of Love,” and you couldn’t miss how the media portrayed what was happening...”just wear a flower in your hair.” However, like many of my compatriots, I spent the Summer of Love on the other side of the Pacific in Vietnam as a 20-year old draftee. My first day in country, I met an obviously deranged young man who was part of the infamous My Lai massacre. He gave me gruesome details of his “interrogation techniques.” My experience working with military intelligence gave me a behind-the-scenes peek at a government that concealed information—still only coming out today. And, when we returned home, we were treated as social pariahs, not heroes like today’s veterans. No one thanked us for our “service.” To say I became cynical is an understatement. I took drugs to still the pain, and psychedelics because I’d heard you could find “god.” I was desperate, looking for an answer, any spark of hope. I read Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book (more than once), and I waited for the overthrow of the political system that sent children to a war nobody wanted, like lambs to the slaughter—a deep conviction held by many of my peers.

While Mr. MacArthur shows disdain for the hippy lifestyle (we were, after all, filthy rotten sinners), Chuck Smith welcomed ex-hippies like me with a loving smile and open arms. We had not been intentionally evil, only idealists testing the façade of the establishment. (Like Eve, we were deceived and tasted the fruit.) As that lifestyle resulted in more death, God intervened in our personal histories in profound ways, and we were delivered from a panoply of deadly addictions. The relationships that I and other members of Love Song had with Pastor Chuck were deep and life-changing. He was our mentor; he took the time to answer my questions, more of a dad to some of us than our own fathers. He was, indeed, “Papa Chuck.”

Yes, I had embraced Eastern religious thought, probably since the Beatles. However, Pastor Chuck pulled no punches; he used his encyclopedic knowledge of Scripture to counter any influence it might’ve had. He was well-versed in the surface similarities and fundamental differences (e.g., biblical concepts of rebirth and the judgment versus reincarnation; sowing and reaping versus karma). Chuck could recite huge blocks of Scripture; start a verse and he’d finish the chapter—I think he even memorized some of the genealogies. The one influence that may have survived was an ability to spot apparent contradictions in particular passages and hold them in suspension, pending further investigation. I could sense concepts in tension, and tried to view the occasional paradox from a biblical perspective—e.g., time in God’s economy.

At any length, I am very grateful that there was a place like Calvary Chapel and a man who took his role as pastor very seriously, where “feed my sheep” meant something.

Monday, March 9, 2015

MEDITATIONS l Walk on Water l Kay Arthur l Who will speak to your neighbor? l MidDay Devotions l VIDDEVOCHURCH

Articles By Precepts from God's Word

Who will speak to your neighbor?

Kay Arthur

Share with your friends

Did you take Vasile’s challenge? He took a God-ordained trip with a Pakistani taxi driver on an unmarked road to Kabul and used it to share the hope of Jesus Christ with someone who knew the Koran but had never heard the gospel.

Have you asked God for your divine opportunity to share Christ with someone since our last article?

When I returned from training our leaders in Hungary, having seen their discipline in studying the Word of God and sharing the Gospel, I was so burdened for America—not just for those who so desperately need to hear from God, but also for those who would speak His Word to them.

It seems we are so focused on ourselves—our possessions, ambitions, desires—so entangled in the affairs of this world. We have forgotten that we are soldiers on active duty (2 Timothy 2:3-4). My passion—our passion at Precept Ministries International—is to activate every child of God we can: to teach them how to study God’s Word for themselves, to train them how to reach others, and then to give them the tools they need to reach everybody, everywhere, any time, any place, any age, any language with one message: the Bible; and one method: inductive.

How grateful we are for those who in God’s sovereignty and for the sake of Christ have discovered the value of this ministry and come alongside us, enabling us to send out multitudes of godly people like Vasile to the four corners of the earth not just to proclaim Christ but also to establish people in God’s Word so that they can live lives of reverence for Him…for the sake of Christ.

Oh may the voice of our Savior continually echo in the chambers of our hearts: “Go into all the world . . . . you shall be My witnesses” (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8).

The One you are going to tell and teach others about is the Lord Jesus Christ—He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one, Beloved, canexperience life without Him. No one will ever come to the Father apart from Him. Those who do not know Jesus—who do not believe or follow Him—will spend eternity in darkness, in an everlasting fire that was not prepared for man but for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Life is short, eternity is forever; so we must be about our Father’s business.

Will you go with us for the sake of Jesus? Take a good long look at your feet, dear one. They were given to you for the purpose of serving Jesus—walking in His ways. You don’t need to go any farther than to your neighbors, coworkers, or associates. Be a witness in your“Jerusalem,” your home territory. As you are faithful there, God will let you know where to go next. He will lead you step-by-step. All you have to do is be willing—to say, “Here am I, Lord; send me!” (Isaiah 6:8-9). You will find yourself being used by Him for the furtherance of His kingdom.

An encouraging tool to help you “get going” is one of our 40-Minute Bible studies. Read the suggestions for leaders (How to Use This Study) at the beginning of the book, pray and ask God whom you should talk to, and you will be prepared to go. We write these studies so that the Word of God will speak directly to the hearts of people you know. Sometimes all we have to do is get people to sit down and read. From there, God’s powerful Word “takes over.”

I speak for all of us at Precept Ministries—we can’t wait to hear how God leads you.

Learn more about the many Bible Study resources that are available by visiting Precept Ministries e-store.