Berlin was the location chosen for the Muchan Conference: the first-ever worldwide gathering of Messianic young adults. In the very city where senior officials of the Nazi regime met to plan the "Final Solution to the Jewish question," we gathered to worship the God of Israel and of all the nations! Whereas Hitler and his party planned to bring death to the Jewish people, we are actively working to bring life - the eternal life found in Jesus the Messiah.
As we prepared to visit Auschwitz, we experienced a range of reactions. For some of us, it would be a deeply emotional experience; others wondered if we would feel anything at all.
The night before our visit to the camps, we heard a talk by Dr. Michael Rydelnik, who is a Professor of Jewish Studies at Moody Bible Institute and a son of Holocaust survivors. He began with the historical progression of the increasingly severe legislation against Jews in Germany, and showed how the "Final Solution" evolved into harassment, violence, and finally enslavement and extermination. Dr. Rydelnik described the perpetrators of the Holocaust, as well as the bystanders, telling how ships full of Jews fleeing the Nazis were turned away by other nations. Finally, he discussed some of the historical causes and effects of those horrific years - not only were six million lives lost (representing one-third of the world's Jewish population), but also Jewish people had become psychologically scarred and spiritually weakened, asking the inevitable question: where was God?
Over 100 people participated in Muchan, and the major countries represented were the U.S., Germany, the U.K, Russia, Australia, and Israel. Although we came from many different places, we felt strongly bonded by our shared faith and Messianic culture. It was inspiring and encouraging to spend time with other young adults with a heart for the Lord and for reaching Jewish people with the Gospel. We rejoiced as we heard reports from what the Lord is doing in our communities across the globe. Here is a small sampling:
