Strong Congregations Make a Strong Body

Above: New believers from Tiferet Yeshua congregation being immersed in the Judean hills near Jerusalem

Shalom from Jerusalem!

       It’s no secret that in times of war and turmoil in the Bible, the Jewish people would turn to the God of Israel and cry out for help.  

       It’s like a default that happens. Though there were times where the desire was there, but the knowledge of God’s Word was sorely lacking. In Nehemiah 8, when Ezra gathered the returning exiles to read to them from the books of Moses, the Scriptures describe the attentiveness of the Israelites who had returned from decades of life in foreign lands.

       In fact, so many were weeping from the reading of the Law that the Levites had to encourage the people, “Don’t grieve! What is happening is good! Go eat a feast and celebrate before the Lord!” True repentance was taking place when the people understood God’s message to them. 

       As the many enemies that surround Israel today proclaim their goal to utterly destroy her, many Jews are experiencing that fresh pull to again seek God. Soldiers are praying together and putting on tefillin trying to reach out to God. Civilians are turning to traditional prayer books and even singing popular songs from the radio whose lyrics are entirely scriptures. They are grasping for what they have available to them.   

       This is why we release a new worship song every other week in Hebrew, English and Arabic. This is why we are a publishing company that prints and distributes books that explain the ways of God for our Jewish people.  

       This is why it is so amazing to have congregations across Israel available to nurture seeds of this yearning for God. Through them we can do more than just temporarily reach those who had to flee their homes.  

       Just this month several Israelis came forward to give their lives to God at Congregation Tiferet Yeshua. (Tiferet Yeshua is the congregation Ari and Shira founded in Tel Aviv that is now pastored by Gil and Tamar Afriat.) Together they embraced the New Covenant promised to the Jewish people in Jeremiah 31.   

       A couple of days later, another four followed Yeshua in emersion. One is a soldier, who through a life and death situation in Gaza returned to the Lord. A second came to the Lord following the fervent prayers of her husband and family. Yet another has been delivered from a background of Jewish mysticism and the occult. 

       The effectiveness of outreach through Israeli congregations is why supporting Messianic Congregations and their leaders across the country is an important part of Maoz’ vision.  Every year Maoz gives hundreds of thousands of dollars to make Israeli congregations stronger. And now, more than ever we have a chance to build a strong Body of believers!   

The Kingdom of Heaven is advancing! And you can be a part of it!  

Kobi and Shani Ferguson