Fruitful Summer Ministry in Germany
Every year, Chosen People Ministries—Germany trains dozens of participants from across the country on how to present the Messiah to people on the streets of Berlin and Munich, especially Jewish people. Every morning for a whole week, there are prayers and classes on the Bible, Jewish history and traditions, apologetics, and outreach, with street evangelism following in the afternoon and evening. Our staff’s goals are to bring Messiah Jesus back home to His Jewish people and to raise new leaders for this important ministry.
Earlier this summer, something special took place in the Messianic Jewish community in Germany. It only happens every other year and is always a powerful source of unity and encouragement—a Messianic Jewish Conference. This year, about 300 people from the approximately thirty Messianic Jewish congregations in Germany came together for fellowship, worship, prayer, and teaching. Our congregation in Munich was represented there with twenty-five participants! What a blessing!
Significantly, the conference’s leadership changed this year: a dear friend of the ministry who has been organizing it for the last twenty years will be retiring. From now on, this event will be in the hands of a new team of four young Messianic leaders—including one from our staff. Please pray for much wisdom and perseverance, as this conference plays a key unifying role in the Messianic Jewish community in Germany. Please also pray for much faith and the outpouring of God’s Spirit!
God Persists with Elderly Jewish Man!
Nathan* is a Jewish man who has been attending our Messianic congregation in Brooklyn, New York, semi-regularly. Now in his 80s, Nathan confessed he felt the Lord has been speaking to him and calling him since he was a small child. Although Nathan did not grow up in a believing home, both of his parents came to faith in Jesus when he was a young adult (praise the Lord!). Nathan has heard about Jesus and the gospel many times over the course of nine decades!
Our New York staff often sit with Nathan and engage in highly interesting conversations—some humorous, some serious. In a recent conversation with one of our staff members and his wife, Nathan made it clear he believes the Lord can heal him, and he believes most of what the Bible teaches about Jesus. But for some reason he is just not ready to accept Jesus as Messiah and make a full commitment to Him as Lord of his life.
As much as it is a joy to our staff to spend time with Nathan and hear his wealth of knowledge, and as encouraging as it is to hear him say how close he is to giving his life to the Lord, he is still not quite there. Please pray Nathan will finally yield to the Lord’s voice and make Jesus his Lord and Savior.
*Name changed
Combating Antisemitism on College Campuses
What do you think when you see a sign proclaiming, “The Final Solution”? For those in Jewish ministry—and Jewish people in general—the phrase clearly brings to mind the Nazi plan to rid Europe and the world of Jewish people during World War II. Yet, one of our staff recently saw a sign with this very slogan on a college campus in the United States! As if calling for the eradication of Israel was not enough, evil is rearing its ugly head and saying the quiet part out loud. Many anti-Israel protestors do not simply want the end of Israel but the end of all Jewish people, everywhere.
Our staff in the Chicago area recently visited the Northwestern University and DePaul University campuses to see the anti-Israel and antisemitic encampments. What they saw was shocking. The vitriol and hatred from the chants and signs were heartbreaking and caused concern about the safety of loved ones in Israel and the United States.
This was precisely why our ministry is planning a Courage Conference for college students. Our goal will be to gather believing college students to biblically encourage, pray with, and offer support and training to help them stand against antisemitism on campus. Topics will include biblical precedents of persecution and students’ rights on campus. Please pray as our staff plan the conference to be a force for good during this very troublesome time.
