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Sharing Jesus with your Jewish friend

Sharing Jesus with your Jewish friend
Ziggy Rogoff
Ziggy Rogoff

You are an evangelical wanting to share the gospel with your Jewish friend.

Last year, you invited them to the carol service at Christmas, but they didn’t want to come. In January, you tried again to open a conversation about Jesus at the water cooler, and they shut you down with the answer, 'But I’m Jewish; this is not for me!'

To the Jew first
a Jewish Christian perspective

To the Jew first
Joseph Steinberg
Joseph Steinberg

As a leader in Christian mission to Jewish people, I often hear people quote Romans 1:16 where Paul writes, ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.’

But recently I was asked to speak from Paul’s corresponding words a few verses later in 2:9 where he writes: ‘There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.’

Israel: How outreach is changing

Israel: How outreach is changing
Luke Randall
Luke Randall

A Ukrainian-born Jewish missionary says his evangelistic approach to Jewish people has changed since the attacks on 7 October 2023.

Misha Vayshengolts, who works for International Mission to Jewish People and lives in Tel-Aviv (interviewed by en last year), revealed that he has had to change how he communicates with Jewish people since Hamas attacked and killed over 1,200 Israelis.

Antisemitism is on the rise

Antisemitism is on the rise
David McIlhiney

Antisemitism is on the rise. We all know it; you know it and your Jewish friends certainly know it. In the first half of last year, there were a reported 1,978 antisemitic incidents (compared with 964 in the same period of 2023).

We have just had the festival of Hannukah, a festival which commemorates (amongst other things) the victory of the Jewish Maccabean rebels over the forces of the Seleucid Emperor, Atiochus IV Epiphanes. The revolt was prompted by the antisemitism of this deranged Emperor’s forces and, as Jews across the UK gathered to celebrate God’s provision in those days, conversations would have turned to antisemitism today.

'What do you mean?': The most important question in mission

'What do you mean?': The most important question in mission
Ziggy Rogoff
Ziggy Rogoff

When sharing the gospel, we seek to contextualise without compromising, so that people can better understand concepts of sin, salvation and Messiah without being waylaid in unfamiliar ‘Christianese’. But we also remember that it is God who works through these interactions, and only He can save.

People bring their own attitudes into gospel interactions, ranging from hostile to friendly, and while their response is beyond our control, our commitment to godliness remains unwavering as we strive to make Jesus known. In fact, when people get mad with us it means something in their heart is moving.

Do we need to become conversant in Judaism?

Do we need to become conversant in Judaism?
Daniel McIlhiney
Daniel McIlhiney

There are as many kinds of Jews as there are people. Some are religious and some are not, but like all other people Jews will bring assumptions to the reading of Scripture, to the concept of God and to the claims of Yeshua, Jesus.

For a Jewish person, religious or not, these assumptions are likely influenced, directly or indirectly, by the Tanakh, the Jewish Hebrew Bible. These are also the assumptions that Jesus Himself, along with His followers, held.

Reaching our Jewish friends with the gospel

Reaching our Jewish friends with the gospel
Ziggy Rogoff
Ziggy Rogoff

I work with the charity Jews for Jesus. I live in a Jewish area. My neighbours are Jewish, the clubs I attend draw many Jewish people, and those I meet along the way are Jewish. However, all this said, most Jewish people hear the gospel from a gentile.

So, the first thing I encourage you to think about is, how do I go about meeting Jewish people? Do you meet Jewish people in your neighbourhood, or at work or on holiday?

Not ashamed
a Jewish Christian perspective

Not ashamed
Joseph Steinberg
Joseph Steinberg

As someone who has been in missionary work in the UK for over 35 years, I have noticed that the church and Christians have grown less confident in sharing Jesus with those around them.

Many fear being ridiculed by identifying themselves as Christians. This is nothing new; Christians have often suffered a fear of rejection because of their faith, thus the Apostle Peter’s exhortation in 1 Peter 3:15 to always be ready to give an answer to anyone who enquires about the hope you have within you.

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