Building the Jewish-Christian Alliance: A Christian group stands with the Jewish State against its enemies.
By: Joseph Puder
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Dr. Jim Showers’ passion for Israel is clearly gleaned from his doctoral thesis titled, “May They Prosper Who Love You: A Case For Christian Zionism.” His devotion to the Lord and sincere love for Israel and the Jewish people are qualities everyone at The Friends of Israel value. Dr. Showers speaks at conferences, churches, and schools nationwide; is a frequent participant in events supporting Israel; and is a strong advocate of the country’s growing Jewish-Christian alliance. He also has helped lead two joint Jewish-Christian missions to Israel and is the leader of the semi-annual Friends of Israel Up to Jerusalem tours bringing hundreds of Christians to the Promised Land. Friends of Israel headquarters are located in Deptford, NJ.
Joseph Puder (JP): Would you please tell our readers about the work of your organization?
Dr. Jim Showers (JS): The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry began in the city of Philadelphia in 1938 as a group of Evangelical Christians came together to help Jewish people who were under the tyranny of Nazi Germany. Our founding name, The Friends of Israel Refugee Relief Committee, revealed the pressing need in 1938 to help Jewish refugees flee the Holocaust. Joseph Steele, a respected Philadelphia businessman and the first president of the newly formed Friends of Israel ministry was asked in 1956 why The Friends of Israel was founded. He replied, “Some years ago when the Jewish people were so mercilessly persecuted by Hitler, like so many other Christians, I felt keenly about their tragedy. I knew from the beginning that Hitler had sealed his own doom the moment he started his wicked mistreatment of the Jews, because God said to Abraham, ‘I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee.’ So when in 1938 I was asked to become the President of The Friends of Israel, in order to show practical Christian love to the Jewish people, and to be a witness for the Messiah, I gladly consented. For the past 18 years the Lord has in a marvelous way used The Friends of Israel to bring physical help, and above all, spiritual comfort to the Jewish people in every part of the world.” 85 years later, we continue the legacy of our founders to bring physical and spiritual comfort to the Jewish people while proclaiming biblical truth about Israel and the Messiah. What does that look like? In 2022, we granted over $1,000,000 in aid to humanitarian organizations in Israel and $850,000 to help Jewish refugees caught up in the tragic Ukrainian war. We also took two tour groups to Israel and a volunteer group of young adults to Israel to work at Leket, Israel’s national food bank. We have staff across North America and around the world connecting with Jewish people and helping them as needs arise. We operate a medical clinic in Buenos Aires, Argentina that offers free medical care to the Jewish community. We hold conferences to teach the Church about Israel and the Messiah. Our weekend radio program, The Friends of Israel Today, reaches millions on 500+ stations in North American and is available to thousands as a podcast.
JP: Why is Israel important to believing Christians?
JS: In short, the blessings we experience as a Christian come through Israel; past, present, and future. By God’s grace, we benefit from the covenant promises God made to Israel. In Genesis 12, God promised to bless the families of the world through Abraham’s seed, the Jewish people. We are indebted to Israel for the understanding of the one-true God, the written record of God’s word to man, and our Savior, who is Jewish. God also promised in Genesis 12 that He would bless those who bless Israel and curse him who curses Israel. Our founders understood this, and it moved them to get involved in helping the Jewish people. It wasn’t sufficient just to pray for the Jewish people, action was absolutely needed. Even our magazine name, Israel My Glory, which was first published in 1942, was taken from Isaiah 46:13 to remind us that our blessings in the future go through Israel. We believe the Jewish prophets who said God would return the Jewish people to the land of promise and rebirth the Jewish nation. Today, we are witnessing the miracle of modern Israel before our eyes, a fulfillment of God’s prophetic word.
JP: What differentiates your Ministry from the mainline Protestant churches?
JS: First of all, we are not a church. We are a Christian ministry representing tens of thousands of Evangelical Christians in North America and world over, all who consider themselves a friend of Israel. What separates us from many mainline Protestant churches is our view of Israel. Many mainline churches believe in supersessionism, otherwise known as replacement theology, a belief that because the Jewish people rejected Jesus, God has replaced Israel with the church. Consequently, they don’t support the existence of modern Israel and some of them embrace the anti-Zionism movement. We reject replacement theology because nowhere in Scripture does God say He has rejected Israel or superseded Israel with the Church. The truth is, God says just the opposite, that God loves Israel and has plans to bless and prosper Israel. As Christian Zionists, The Friends of Israel reaches out a hand of friendship to Israel and stands with Israel against her enemies while mainliners are inclined to embrace BDS and protests against Israel.
JP: The political-left, academia, and the media have become increasingly anti-Israel. How do you envision changing that?
JS: Our role is to expand the Churches’ understanding of Israel and what the Scriptures teach, which is a pro-Israel message. Unfortunately, surveys tell us the Church is losing its understanding of Israel, particularly among the younger generations. It’s not that they are anti-Israel as much as they don’t know what to believe about Israel because no one is teaching them about Israel. We are working to expand our digital footprint to reach more people with the biblical teaching about Israel. We are building a new studio to expand our video programming library. In the past couple of years, we have developed an online educational program, FOI Equip, and other online programs to enable Christians to reach out to Jewish people and help them. Our mission is to work through the Church to change the anti- Israel sentiment and the Internet gives us new channels through digital media to reach people directly.
JP: How, in your personal vision do you see Israel 50 years from now?
JS: Wouldn’t it be great if Messiah came before then and established God Kingdom through Israel. Then, 50 years from now, Israel would know the full benefits of the Lord calling Israel My Glory and all the world would be valuing Israel! Until Messiah comes, the opposition to Israel will remain. Those who hate God will always see in Israel the representation of God and hate Israel. It’s also been true that some who hold to replacement theology become anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist. However, the Lord in Jeremiah promised that as long as the sun, moon and stars exist, there will always be an Israel. Seeing how God is prospering Israel today, and the progress Israel has made over the past 75 years, it’s reasonable to expect Israel in 50 years will be even greater!