Our New Website URL
http://www.rapturebibleprophecyforum.com
For Fair Use Discussion and Educational Purposes


http://www.raptureready.com/rap15.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Facebook Page Rapture Bible Prophecy Forum: Please Check it out:LIKE it!




Pro Peace. Pro Palestinian. Pro Jesus. Pro Israel?

I attended Catalyst East this week, in Atlanta. It is one of the largest gatherings of young evangelical leaders in America. Catalyst had its genesis with The Leadership Network, a key group aligned with Rick Warren, Andy Stanley, and others.

My primary interest was to observe up-close new trends toward Israel, among evangelical leadership. I’ve been writing about this for some time. To paraphrase a description once of James Cagney, these young evangelicals are what they appeared to be.

That is, largely pro Palestinian.

Mentoring leadership, such as that of Lynne Hybels, contributes to this. Hybels presented a workshop based on her understanding of the Arab-Israel conflict. We disagree on a great many things but to her credit, she agreed to an interview with me in several weeks, after she returns from a heavy travel schedule.

Among other things, Hybels presented no context with regard to physical conflicts between Israel and her Arab neighbors. For example, in her admittedly brief overview of the region, war seemed to spring up out of nowhere. No mention of Arab invasions of Israel in 1948 or 1973, or the cataclysmic decisions of Egypt’s Nasser in 1967, which led to Israel administering the disputed territories of Judea/Samaria, or as the world largely knows it, the West Bank.

I also spoke with Bobby Gruenewald, a leader with LifeChurch.tv, in Edmond, Oklahoma. LifeChurch is perhaps the fastest-growing church in America, with its emphasis on video links with satellite church locations. Gruenewald and Hybels were willing to engage me in conversation about this subject although, to be fair, the Palestinian issue is not Gruenewald’s issue. One of his passions is the furtherance of “YouVersion,” Bibles people can download to reading devices, including their smartphones. Gruenewald told me that last month, Lifechurch tracked two billion minutes of reading time among YouVersion readers.

All that is to be commended.

For the purposes of this discussion, though, it is quite clear that evangelical leadership (Bob Roberts, Jr., Shane Claiborne, Lynne Hybels, etc.) has moved away from the pro Israel leadership exemplified by folks like Jerry Falwell. I have noted a strong affinity with the Palestinian position in churches like LifeChurch, WillowCreek, and others.

Everything I saw at Catalyst confirmed this drift. In dozens of random conversations, I noted that “Millennials,” the 20-somethings who are quickly dominating the evangelical scene, expressed solidarity with the Palestinians, and annoyance with Israel. This is a seismic shift in the American Church, a serious, serious threat to Israel’s one traditional area of support.

For example, Hybels and others have begun framing the issue in terms of “Pro Peace, Pro Israel, Pro Palestinian, and Pro Jesus.” Others, such as Glenn Stassen, David Gushee, Brian McLaren, and Tony Campolo, savage Christian Zionists in the most odious terms. Hybels presents a softer, gentler side of Palestinian advocacy.

One area of dispute I have with Christian Palestinianists like Hybels is that if one is “Pro Palestine” in the sense of embracing the diabolical “land for peace” initiative, or even the “two-state solution,” one cannot in any real sense be pro Israel. There are myriad issues related to Israel’s security that simply don’t square with this latest plank in the PLO strategy to destroy the Jewish state.

That is a bridge I’m not confident we can build together.

Several young people I spoke with at Catalyst displayed little actual knowledge of the conflict, yet they soak up “story” and “narrative.” In other words, facts no longer work. Some data I read from LifeWay indicates that 71 percent of Millennials don’t read the Bible. This is probably similar to that of the rest of the country, but it represents a reality that leaves me dismayed.

If you ask a person like this if they know the PLO was formed in 1964, three years before the Six Day War, they stare at you and blink. After a moment, though, they will begin to rattle-off the usual list of alleged Israeli “crimes,” such as detaining pregnant women at checkpoints. They have absorbed the talking points put into their hands by Palestinian change agents.

But they don’t understand reality.

Couple this with an alarming trend of what I’d call quasi-Replacement Theology, in which celebrity pastors like Steven Furtick lift OT passages dealing with the Jews and Israel, and use them to stoke the already growing narcissism present in humanity. In other words, the story of God’s protection of His Chosen People in the example of Joshua becomes, in Furtick’s hands, a lesson in self-help and reaching for God’s “Greater” vision for your life!

Or in the account of David and Goliath, we see evangelical leadership now teaching congregations how to “slay the giants in your life.”

On and on it goes.

Pro Israel leadership has a serious problem on its hands in America. Unless Millennials can be reached with the message and legitimacy of Zionism, Israel will see her allies in America dry up to nothing.



jim@prophecymatters.com



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Zechariah 12:3,9:
And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people; And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Disclaimer: Rapture Bible Prophecy Forum, ( http://www.rapturebibleprophecyforum.com ) does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article posted on this site. We do however, encourage a healthy and friendly debate on the issues of our day. Whether you agree or disagree, we encourage you to post your feedback by using the reply button.

If you are new to this site and would like to post articles, opinions, youtube videos that are appropriate for this site just e mail me at

stevensandiego@ymail.com

I will send you a PASSWORD

Ybic

Steven

Our New Website URL
http://www.rapturebibleprophecyforum.com

Facebook Page Rapture Bible Prophecy Forum: Please Check it out

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee (those who hate Israel also despise God), because thou hast left thy first love (to Israel as God loves Israel too).(Rev 2:4)

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.(Rev 2:5)

I have reminded them by writing this as it will swiftly happen to them who oppose Israel the burden of Yerusalem, they will be cut into pieces....

Hi Gimel,

LOVE all your comments on this site THANK YOU!


Amen...


ybiC,

Steven