Help earthquake victims in Turkey
CMJ partner Derech Avraham, with the help of an Israeli entrepreneur, is working to build tiny-house shelters in Diyarbakir that can protect a family from the elements.
Where are we going
In 2012, Christ Church Jerusalem hosted the first historic At the Crossroads gathering. Muslim background believers in Jesus, Messianic Jews , Middle-Eastern Christians and internationals met in Jerusalem to worship together and to hear God's heart for their region. Out of this first meeting grew the Derech Avraham Initiative which encourages believing communities beyond the strategy of survival and the nationalist church mentality to a view of the region that reflects the Isaiah 19 Highway and the Kingdom of God.
The goal is to facilitate a reunion of Isaac & Ishmael – the nations of the Middle East – that will build a highway to bless the nations.
The inspiration
In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.” (Isaiah 19:23-25 NIV)
How we get there
During the gathering in 2012, participants commit to a number of resolutions, a roadmap for the expansion of God’s Kingdom in the Middle East.
- Gather together both nationals and internationals from around the Middle East who work on the ground in different spheres of ministry (Discipleship and Church Planting, Social Justice, Relief and Mercy Ministries, the House of Prayer Movement) to worship, bless and encourage one another at very important historic places.
- Encourage and resource ongoing strategic initiatives (birthed out of the gatherings) in the region. (Example: Syrian refugees, helping to birth new church communities, discipleship and training programs, etc.)
- Mobilize the Israeli and Palestinian disciples to walk together in unity across the Isaiah 19 Highway to see the Lord’s kingdom extended throughout the Middle East.
- Communicate to the nations that these three (Egypt, Assyria, and Israel) are a blessing together on the earth so that they view the Middle East in light of God’s covenants, promises, and prophetic plans.
- Recognize that both the restoration of the Jewish people back to their ancient homeland together with the emergence of the Church in Asia (and specifically in China through the Back to Jerusalem Movement) represent two of the most significant spiritual movements of the last 100 years.
In order to be faithful to these priorities, we meet together from year to year
- to worship and pray at the ancient gates of Jerusalem
- to meet at different points along the highway
- to strengthen the bonds of fellowship
- to explore more practically how together we can build a Highway
- to fulfill the Great Commission in our region by training and mobilizing disciples.
We have chosen Abraham as our model recognizing that we are called to follow his example obeying the voice of God and risking all to bless the nations.
