Since 1977 we are in contact with the Brethren Assemblies in Israel. Their members are Jewish and Arab believers. They meet in Jesus’ name on NT principles like we do:

• confession of all the Holy Scriptures
• baptism of born again persons
• common priesthood of all believers
• Jesus is the Messiah (Greek: christos, Latin: christus) - Hebrew: Jeschua HaMaschiach
• waiting for His coming return as the rapture of the believers
• being One in Christ with all believers through the Holy Ghost

They meet regularly for conferences. So Jewish and Arab believers show in public that in Jesus their Lord they are one.

In Israel the term "messianic" is more known than the word „Christian“, which comes from the Greek. Some of those groups who are known as „Messianic Churches“ still have Old Testament (Jewish) principles, in contrast to the Brethren Assemblies.

Most of the Assemblies have come into being after World War I, but some of them had to start again after the establishing of Israel as a state in 1948.

Today they preach the Gospel either personally or in their halls. Good media for evangelizing are Bible Correspondence Courses and invitations to meetings together with handing out tracts to personal contacts, but also websites and sermons via YouTube. Missionary groups from foreign organisations and churches help with these labours.

• Jaffa (2): the Hebrew Assembly does strong evangelistic efforts, because of the increase and a good number of children they need more room, foreign help is appreciated

• Haifa (3): the Hebrew Assembly has increased very much, but only after a long time the local authorities have allowed an expansion of the hall inside the building. There is an extra building for children's work and offices nearby. The GLO Bread of Life help with the furtherence of the Gospel
• Nazareth (4): the Arab Assembly does an intensive evangelistic work in Galilee (e. g. Emmaus-Bible-Courses and tract distribution), one of the Elders has got the right of registering marriages from the Religious Authorities

• I'billin (5): having come into being through the efforts of believers from Nazareth. Now being independent the Arab Assembly is going to build an own hall because of lack of room

The Jewish Assemblies work hard amongst Russian Jews. All over the country there are scattered Home Bible Study groups. Some brethren labour hard for the distribution of bibles and evangelistic literature (book-hawkers; e. g. at Haifa and Eilat).

There is a certain religious freedom, but the believers get more and more difficulties through militant ultra-orthodox Jews and fanatic Muslims, especially at those places where a new testimony starts. They pray for continuing freedom in gospel preaching.

In Israel there are nearly all denominations. In addition quite a number of secret believers („Nicodemus“-Christians) are supposed to exist. But believers in Israel inform that there aren’t many thousands of believers as some make us believe. It is the same „small group“ here, too. The number of believers varies between 5,000 and 15,000. Sometimes information and photos give a false impression of the local situation and one has to be careful in believing those reports. Only the true Church passes on the Good News of Jesus in Israel in an authentic way.

• So: "Test the spirits to see whether they are from God“(1 John 4:1).
• Jesus says: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).

• „You (Jews) are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. ... When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you ...“ (Acts 3:25-26)
• „I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile“ (Romans 1:16)
• „I ask then, did God reject his people? By no means! “ (Romans 11:1)
• „For they were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. ... Indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings“ (Romans 15:26-27)
• „Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure“ (Psalm 122:6)

• „You do not support the root, but the root supports you“ (Romans 11:18)

Board: A. Franke (Königswinter), R. Schumacher (Plettenberg), W. Franke (Bad Honnef)

Tasks:

• contacts to Brethren Assemblies and Institutions in the Holy Land
• reports from the Lord’s Work in the Holy Land
• forwarding of financial aid
• information meetings, newsletters, and bible studies