Building Leaders in Israel and the Nations

Happy New Year from Jerusalem!

   My grandfather, Gordon Lindsay, was 63 years old when he announced to our family he was going to start a Bible school. My mother, Shira, initially told him he was too old, but when he insisted the Lord was in it, she got behind him and even helped come up with the name—Christ for the Nations.

   It was three years later, on the first of April 1973, that Gordon was preparing to speak at the school on a Sunday afternoon. My grandmother, Freda, was at the pulpit inviting a Jewish man to come give his testimony. It was at this moment, when my grandfather, who was sitting with other school leaders on the stage, took a deep breath, exhaled—and died. 

   In a unique move for the time, in terms of women in ministry, my grandmother, Freda Lindsay, was handed the baton to lead the school. She led for several decades until she passed the torch to her son Dennis. Today, his children, a third generation of leaders, are embracing the mantel of growing a young generation into tomorrow’s leaders.

   Since then, Christ for the Nations has some 80 schools that were either established by CFN or who use their curriculum to train leaders in the ways of integrity, spiritual maturity, congregation planting and worship leading.

   It is rare that we visit a country where we don’t meet ministry leaders, worship leaders and even business owners who come up to us to tell they graduated from CFNI. I share this to say, that seeing potential in people and developing them into leaders has been a family passion and calling for generations.

   For more than 50 years, our family has prayed together for God to raise up a Spirit-filled, Hebrew speaking Bible school in Israel. Through the years, Maoz has sponsored many Bible study classes and seminars, and even founded a publishing company for Spirit-filled books to educate new Israeli believers in the knowledge of Yeshua the Messiah.

Yeshua said, “the Jews seek a sign” which is why it is crucial that as Israeli believers we are able to demonstrate miracles, signs and wonders.

   Until now, Spirit-filled congregations in Israel have not had a place to send their congregants to be trained and mentored. This is why we are so excited about the Jerusalem Bible Institute that just opened its doors in November!

   JBI has already raised half of the annual budget of $200,000! Get in on the ground level of this collective vision to see Israelis learn of the presence and power of the God of Israel!

In His service,

Kobi & Shani Ferguson