Posted on 02/27/2006 6:59:23 AM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
The anti-Israel, mainline denominations (the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Episcopal Church USA, the United Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the United Church of Christ) have 18 million members and are declining.
The pro-Israel evangelicals have twice as many members and are growing.
Some would say this fact alone is worth noting.
Some would say those who bless Israel are blessed, and those who curse Israel - even if they convince themselves that they are not really cursing Israel, but acting out of a noble desire to be pro-Palestinian, even if that means enabling a little terror along the way - may hear Him say, "Depart from me, you who are cursed... for... whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."
Isaiah 52:7 says nothing good about those who bring judgement to Israel, or who point out the error of her ways, or who divest from her to strike at her economy, or come up with catchy slogans to diminish her, or force her to tear down the walls which protect from mad terrorists. Nor does it say anything about imposing a deity from the outside on Israel, where the one true G~d has set His Name as a sign for the whole earth.
This is what it says: "ýHow beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good tidings, that announces peace, the harbinger of good tidings, that announces salvation; that says unto Zion: "Your God reigns!" So we have chosen to stand for Israel, and to encourage Christians to do so, also.
Evangelical Christians are the best friends Israel has, not because they will convert Jews to worshipping Jesus, nor because they will hide their light under a bushel and pretend that their faith is no great part of who they are, but because, in worshipping the G~d of the Jews and in being who they are, they will fulfill the calling of the Messiah. Evangelical Christians will be the greatest friends Israel could have on this earth when they see Israel not as a dot on the prophecy charts, a step in the progression to apocalyptic glory, but the outworking of G~d's plan in the earth. Evangelical Christians can provoke Jews to jealousy by loving the G~d of Israel so much that the Jews are ashamed not to love and obey Him.
It is when Zionism is founded on the G~d of Israel that it will be founded on the Rock of Ages a bulwark never failing.
http://fzs.blogspot.com/2006/02/evangelical-christians-forming-pro.html
Yes, it does appear that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed. The mainline protestant denominations who push the divestment from Israel agenda are declining, while the evangelical Christian churches who are supporting Israel are growing.
How are the Methodists anti-Israel?
I beg to differ with the writer. It is not that we see Israel as more than a blip, nor any reason other than God said we are to befriend Israel. Any motivation other than obedience to God is worthless.
The Christ was born from the womb of a jewess. That alone is enough for me. And the tribes of Israel are not descended from a bas---d.
If you will take a look at the National Council for the Methodist Church you will see that they have defined for the Church some amazingly left wing positions.
I have been a member of the Methodist Church all of my life. I am withdrawing my membership and will find a church that is interested in religion and not politics. I have been looking into this for some time now, the Church has become misguided.
The so called leadership of the Methodist Church believes it has the right to establish a political position for the membership. I will not be a part of this. Do your own homework but when you discover what your money is supporting you will probably be, as I was, appalled.
"How are the Methodists anti-Israel?"
Here are a couple of examples: The Methodists are the largest financial supporters of the National Council of Churches and NCC is not a supporter of Israel.
The Methodists are members of the World Council of Churches and the WCC has issued a divestment from Israel policy.
..Pro-Israel, Literal Bible Interpretation Bump...
You might also direct that inquiry to the UMC home page, go to topics, select one and then look at the official position of the UMC.
Here is one:
http://archives.umc.org/interior_print.asp?ptid=4&mid=6855
They have lost their minds.
Yeah, I was trying to figure that out too...
This article smells funny.
Christians should not only be pro-Israel, but they should also pray for the peace of Jerusalem(namely that they will see that the Messiah has already come and is coming again). For someone to claim Christ as Lord and is anti-semitic makes me question whether or not he/she is Christian.
I don't know if it smells funny. I grew up in an independant charismatic church. I grew tired of the constant fads coming and going.. not to mention drama and church splits. I was looking for stability and found a really great UMC church to join. My husband and I are still members, but I'm just really confused and not sure if I should stay or if I should go. My church is great, but I hate that my money goes to the head of the denomination which is supporting all kinds of stuff that I find repugnant. Problem is, I am in a blue state in a blue area and trying to find a church that has a liturgy and is conservative is completely impossible. My husband is an ex-Catholic and wants to sing hymns and light candles (me too!). It's tough up here.
Hard thing if you like your church but not the mantra of its affiliated group.
What is the counter methodist organization to UMC?
Stand with Israel...always have.
There are many sources of information about the United Methodist Church available on the internet. For example, a google search with the keywords: israel+ divestment+ "united methodist" yields 18,500 results.
Another resource to check out is The Confessing Movement within The United Methodist Church
http://confessingumc.org/v2/
www.ifcj.org
Thank you for the link to the Confessing Movement. I'm going to explore it! I would love for the UMC to be renewed. My entire mother's side of the family is UMC and I feel it's in my roots.
I looked into the Presbyterian church, too. Unfortunately, it's all PCUSA around here :(
Let me say the UMC is a better choice over the PCUSA. The UMC does have its problems, but there is also a chance for its renewal that the PCUSA has squandered.
“I have been a member of the Methodist Church all of my life. I am withdrawing my membership and will find a church that is interested in religion and not politics. I have been looking into this for some time now, the Church has become misguided.”
Since you're looking for a new denomination...might I suggest: Don't...that is look for a new denomination…with 25,000 in existence, you’ll be at it forever (if Truth is really what you seek).
Look instead for the, One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church that Christ said "The gates of Hell will never prevail against" and that "The Comforter, The Spirit of Truth would guide in all Truth".
Does it exist? Judge for yourself.
1) It should have existed for at least 2000 years…unchanged (Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever).
2) One that doesn’t change its worship every decade to appease a new generation (people centered worship), but maintains worship based on how Christ taught His disciples by word and deed (God centered worship…Liturgy). One that Celebrates only 4 Liturgies, the newest written in the 5th century and the oldest written in the 1st by St James, the brother of Jesus (think real hard about that claim…a Liturgy written by someone who actually performed Liturgies with St John, St Paul, and St Peter, sat on the 1st Synod in Jerusalem, and has remained unchanged for nearly 2000 years [a claim that even Vatican II can't make with all it's changes, innovations, and peter paul and mary concerts during mass]).
3) The one from which Rome, the first Protestants, broke from, and subsequently all other denominations.
4) The one that created the Nicean Creed, determined the NT Holy Cannon, held the 7 Ecumenical Councils of the 1st millennium (before there were any denominations). Defended, against constant heresy, that Christ was God, and the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.
It really does exist…study History (and it doesn’t hurt to read Greek either [or humble yourself to someone that does], for so many of the modern English translations only confirm the bias of Rome and the subsequent Protestant bias to separate and distance themselves from Rome).
Why does it matter? Three words…”Eternal Life”, and “Church”.
When Nicodemus came by night to Jesus, Jesus told him “Amen, Amen I say to you that unless you are born from above you cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven” and “Amen, Amen I say to you that unless you are born of the water and the spirit you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven”.
But did you also know that using the same imperatives Jesus tells the Jews in John chapter 6 that “Amen, Amen I say to you unless you drink my blood and eat my body you have no life in you”? Did you also know that Jesus was speaking in a contemporary language the Jews understood (so they did not misunderstand and think that he was talking about grape juice and crackers)?
Did you know that in verse Jn 6:66 (coincidence? I think not!), that those that perceived this to be a hard teaching turned their backs on Jesus and “Walked with Him no more” as also happens today…as it remains a hard teaching for many.
What more does the Devil need to do if you have no "Eternal" life in you?
Did you know that St Polycarp, a 1st Generation disciple of St John, and Bishop of Smyrna at the time St John received the Revelation on the Island of Patmos, wrote to 1st century Christians that those who did not believe that what was in the cup, that is Christs' real body and blood, were Antichrists and teaching heresy? Did you also know that the omnipotent God, Jesus Christ, that is the one that knows all things, including what St Polycarp was teaching and writing in the Church of Smyrna (note: in Greek Angelos means messenger) was one of only 2 of the 7 churches in Revelation to receive A+’s instead of F’s. Even more, did you know that as St John wrote what Jesus revealed to him, that he also knew what his disciple was teaching and writing about (confirming St John’s dissemination of what he learned from Christ); and that neither Christ nor St John corrected the teachings of the Bishop of Smyrna, but instead recorded, for all generations to follow, that St Polycarp was correct (I find it hard to believe more in a man 2000 years removed, claiming that those who were one step removed from the Apostles had already fallen into apostasy and only he [or his main stream reformed church] has the correct interpretation of Gods word…Personally I think that kind of claim is Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit who was promised to lead the Church in “All” Truth).
Did you know that the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church emphatically claimed nearly (if not all) of the modern teachings outside Orthodoxy to be heretical? They’ve only come full circle. From the earliest writings to the end of the 1st millennium, many of today’s Roman and Protestant concepts met with a single unified Christian witness concerning heresy. Questions such as is the Church only invisible or is Christs' Church also a visible body; is what we do in remembrance only or is what is in the cup truly the body and blood of Christ; is there apostolic succession (and conversely outside of it is there a church); were questions the early Church answered. Don’t take my word for it…read about it.
Or better yet…worship God rightly at an Orthodox Church near you. Founded, 33AD.
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