Targeting Jews

As I stepped out of my car one morning, upon arriving at work, I heard a voice calling to me. I turned to see a young Jewish man (a Lubavitcher as I learned later) approaching me.

“What kind of a place is this? It looks like a synagogue, but any knowledgeable Jew would know that a synagogue would not have the words “New Covenant” in their name, unless they attended a synagogue like _______ (he named a large reform synagogue). But then, those are probably the Jews you are targeting.”

“Oh, targeting Jews,” I responded. “Well, if you know anything at all about evangelical Christians, you will know that we ‘target’ the whole world. We are interested in talking about Jesus with anyone who is open to speaking with us.” I then went on to explain that many evangelical ministries focus on specific people groups, and that the ministry I represented was committed to sharing the gospel with anyone, giving a particular focus to the Jewish community.

We often face objections from both Jews and non-Jews about our desire to explain the gospel to Jewish people. But we are convinced that Christians have a responsibility to share their faith with everyone, including the Jewish community.

The New Testament Scriptures are clear, all people should hear the gospel. It was Jesus himself who commissioned his followers to “go and make disciples of all nations” [Matthew 28:19 NIV*] The Apostle Paul (the former Rabbi Shaul before coming to believe in Jesus as Messiah and Savior) wrote:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (gentile).” [Romans 1:16 NIV]

There was no question in Paul’s mind but that the gospel message - salvation, the forgiveness of sins - is a message that must be shared with all, beginning with the Jewish community. How tragic it would be if we failed to share the message of Messiah Jesus with those who have been “entrusted with the very words of God” [Romans 3:2 NIV].

While we ”target” Jews no more than any other people group - we speak with far more Gentiles than Jews - we make no apology for seeking to “Encourage Conversation about Jesus” with the Jewish people we meet.

Without reservation we believe Jesus is our only hope of salvation. It was the Apostle Peter (a Jewish believer in Jesus) who declared to the Jewish religious leaders of his day:

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” [Acts 4:12 NIV].

As long as God gives us the ability, we will share this wonderful news of salvation in Yeshua (Jesus) with everyone who is willing to listen, including Jewish people.

We’d love to talk about this with you.

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NIV = The Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

I vividly recall a conversation I once had with a friend - a devoutly orthodox Jewish man. We were talking about my vocation as an evangelical Christian pastor, and in particular, about my desire to share the gospel of Jesus (Yeshua) with Jewish people. As we talked, he said:

“I don’t like what you do, but I understand why you do it. You are simply doing what Christians are supposed to do. Christians are supposed to share their faith with others, including Jewish people.”

In saying this, my friend was concuring with something the Apostle Peter wrote to first century Christians scattered throughout the ancient world of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia (1 Peter 1:1). To them he wrote:

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1Peter 3:15 NIV).

As Christians we have been called to go into the entire world, seeking a hearing for the gospel. We have the words of Yeshua to that effect.

“Jesus came to them [his disciples] and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV).

A few years ago a Lubavitch young man accused me of “targeting Jews” in my work at New Covenant Forum. I replied:

“If you know anything about Christianity, you will know that Christians ‘target’ the whole world. We are interested in speaking with anyone who is not a follower of Messiah Jesus. And in our desire to share our faith as widely as we can, we share that message with Jewish people also. Why would we go to the whole world and neglect to share our deepest beliefs with our Jewish friends and neighbors?”

As implausible as it might sound right now, there is a day coming when thousands upon thousands of Jewish people will acknowledge Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth) as their Messiah and Savior. Rabbi-turned-gospel-preacher, Paul, wrote to the ancient church at Rome about a coming time when many of his countrymen, Jewish men and women, would turn to Messiah in repentance and faith (See Romans 9-11). We work in anticipation of that coming day, and we look forward with eager anticipation for the time when the Apostle John’s vision becomes current reality.

“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb [Jesus]. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb’” (Revelation 7:9-10 NIV).

My friend was right. I am simply doing what Christians do. I’d love to talk with you about that if you care to post a comment.