Historic churches forget their Israeli Jewish brothers in Christ
Pastor says statement by Jerusalem clerics asserting sole authority over all Christians of the Holy Land ignores evangelicals, reduces Jewish believers to a political ploy
On January 18, 2026, most of the heads of the historic churches in Jerusalem issued a statement concerning Christian Zionism and their authority over Christians in the Holy Land.
They said, in part, that "local individuals who advance damaging ideologies, such as Christian Zionism, mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock. These undertakings have found favor among certain political actors in Israel and beyond who seek to push a political agenda which may harm the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the wider Middle East."
They also said, "The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem reiterate that they alone represent the Churches and their flock in matters pertaining to Christian religious, communal, and pastoral life in the Holy Land." Read the whole statement here.
There have been responses by Ambassador Mike Huckabee and the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. However, the best, most thorough response has been by Israeli Pastor David Zadok. We share an excerpt below. You can read the whole essay at All Israel News.
As an Israeli Local Messianic Jewish pastor, I felt compelled to respond to the recent statement by the Patriarchs of Jerusalem, published on January 18, 2026. The short statement of condemnation did not make any claim that activities by or which local individuals “mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock,” except mentioning “such as Christian Zionism.”
As a pastor of a congregation that will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary in the land of our fathers, we see our historical roots in the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua, and in the first Apostles, the authors of the New Testament and the first Believers, who were all Jewish. As such, the congregations in the land are no less historical, if not more so, than the Roman Catholic, Eastern and Western Orthodox Churches.
I, and many other Messianic Jews and ministers of the Gospel love the Lord Jesus the Messiah, love and care about His Church, no less than others. I was born in this land, served for many years in the Israel Defense Forces, serving Christ and at the same time am a faithful citizen of Israel. In fact, part of the membership covenant of our congregation states: “We will submit to the authority of those over us in the Church, in society and in government. We will endeavour to be exemplary citizens, faithful church members, and devoted servants of our God.”
I respect the historic churches of the Holy Land and the centuries of faithful witness they have borne, often under great hardship. Their presence is an undeniable part of the Christian story in this land. But at the same time, I read the statement with a sense of disappointment and sorrow, because a large and very important part of Christ’s Church is entirely absent from the picture that is presented by the statement. The evangelical part of the Church, in which we as the Jewish Believers in Christ are part has been totally neglected. One wonders, how in the name of unity, as even quoted in the statement and referenced from the Epistle of Paul to Romans 12:5, a vital part of that body, namely, Jewish believers in Jesus, the Messianic Jews, who live, worship, raise families, and serve the Lord here in Israel, is neglected.
We are here, and we belong to Christ
The “Historical Church” for two millennia has not only ignored its older Jewish Brothers, but has rejected the Jewish roots of their faith, adopting some of the pagan traditions and customs. As Messianic Jews, we are not newcomers to the Gospel, nor are we a political movement. We are Jews who confess Yeshua as the Messiah of Israel, the Lord of the universe, and the Savior of the world. The One that our prophets of old, like Moses, Isaiah, Hosea, Micah and others, prophesied about Him. Many of us are second and third generation believers and have deep roots in this land even before 1948. Our congregations pray in Hebrew, read the Scriptures in their original languages, and seek to follow Jesus faithfully within our Jewish identity, culture and tradition. Today, there are some 280 evangelical congregations in Israel and the number of Jewish believers is continuously growing, especially among the younger generation. We are not separate from the Church; we are part of it. And yet, when statements about “the flock of Christ in this land” are issued without any acknowledgment of our existence, it leaves us wondering if the “historical church” has not learned any lesson from its history.
Read the rest of the essay at All Israel News.
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