Letter to Evangelicals Now

I sent this letter to the editor of Evangelicals Now earlier today in response to an item in their October edition. Please pray that it will be published and will prompt British Christians to pray intelligently for Israel.

Dear Sir

Missions in Israel

October’s Evangelicals Now featured a News In Brief item (p. 11), drawn from the Religion Today website, regarding American missionary Ron Cantrell, who has recently been ordered to leave Israel after two decades. Whilst the details regarding Mr Cantrell are not in dispute, neither EN nor Religion Today is correct to suggest that Israel “bans” missionary activity. Israel’s constitution provides for full freedom of religion, including the freedom to evangelise. The only restrictions are on offering financial inducement to change religion, and on evangelising minors without parental consent. Although in practice, Christians do often face discrimination and harassment, the National Evangelistic Committee unites Messianic Jews and Arab evangelicals in open evangelistic outreach. Various foreign-based missions operate in Israel, including Jews for Jesus, Christian Witness to Israel and The Church’s Ministry among Jewish People.

As Mike Moore’s encouraging article on Jewish mission on p. 18 of the same edition indicates, there is now an unprecedented openness to the gospel among Israelis. There are today more Jewish believers in Jesus (10-15,000) in the land of Israel than there have been at any other time since the days of the apostles. Along with Arab evangelicals, they are surely in need of our prayers and support.

Yours sincerely,