A Forgotten Persecution

The plight of Eritrean asylum seekers in Israel has been identified by the Barnabas Fund. It’s a story that needs to be told.

Holot was originally built in 2014 for Eritrean and Sudanese refugees, but now mainly houses Eritreans. Behind the wire and searchlights are over 3,000 men, 95% of whom are Christians. Women, children and the elderly Eritreans are not detained: most eke out a living doing menial work in Israeli cities, sometimes assisted by aid organisations such as the Eritrean Women’s Community Centre (EWCC) in Tel Aviv, which is funded by Barnabas Fund. 1

The majority of Eritreans fled their home country because of either religious persecution or conscription: military service is indefinite and can last years, even decades. About 36,000 Eritrean asylum seekers currently live in Israel, but are not recognised as refugees. They are unable to access education, employment, healthcare and social services. The estimated 7,000 Eritrean women are particularly isolated.

A Friendly Address To The Jews

(Newbury, 1787)

A Heart and Soul matter

Jerusalem: everyone has an opinion. As a Christian, have you fallen out with God?

Shalom from Jerusalem, Israel's eternal capital! Last year ended with political fireworks! On December 6th US President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, advancing the fulfillment of Zechariah 12:2-3.

A Hope FULFILLED ...

Hopes and dreams are a fine thing, even more so when the Lord is at the centre of our plans. Chris Hill explains

The call of the Lord on the life of John the Baptist came early. In fact, according to Luke 1:15, it came in the womb! But it seems John did not give voice to his ministry until he emerged from the Judean wilderness at the age of thirty (Luke 3:2ff). Some gap – but clearly a godly gap. That lengthy period was essential preparation for what followed.

When there is a gap between promise and fulfilment it can test us sorely. 

A Jewish man’s intellectual journey leads to Jesus

Let me start by saying that my upbringing was very firmly secular. My family made it clear from a young age that belief in a supreme being was the folly of the idiot or those on the lower echelons of society. We were intellectuals and therefore did not hold to any belief other than those based in ‘science’. My family were however, Jewish by race and so we did partake in the Jewish holidays and festivals and even attended the local reform synagogue on a semi-regular basis, however it was constantly affirmed that these were merely cultural exercises and nothing more.

My grandmother was a Jewish communist and was responsible for my firm Jewish identity, herself being brought up in a kosher home. However this also instilled me with socialist principles from a very young age. In fact at a young age I can remember going on Anti-War marches and even telling teachers that I was communist, laughing at those who subscribed to the Christian faith.

Despite this, since I can remember, I have had a keen interest in politics, philosophy and religion. I can remember being eager to go to synagogue at around age nine, not for religious purposes, but again for a sense of heritage. On my tenth birthday I was given a kippah by my mother and father (along with a Complete Works of Shakespeare).

A Letter to Mr. D. Levi

Answers to Objections to the Christian Religion; Remarks on his answer to the Letters which Dr. Priestly addressed to the Jews (Newbury, June 11, 1787)

A life changed at Foundations 7

How truly exceptional Foundations 7 was!  I have not been to any of the previous Foundations conferences but for me Foundations 7 was quite literally the best Christian conference that I have ever attended.  And I am not prone to exaggeration – knowing full well that exaggeration is a form of lies.

a matter of choice

Choices have consequences – what if you don’t choose life…?

A new decade of decadence

The world may be optimistic, but what does the Spirit say?

Optimism for a new beginning in this New Year was high. But our immediate future is built upon the restraining of Godliness, and the societal respectability of decadence and rebellion. The rebellion is to reject God and His way, to live and achieve in man’s way. There is the rebellion to save and govern our world without God, whilst wilfully displaying a bold independence from God. The decadence is disguised by the so-called new morality.

A new kind of Christian conference

They should be places where folk can really connect with each other, with God … and with themselves, all within the framework of solid Biblical teaching and an exploration of our Hebraic roots. They should be times where there is space for God to act, where there is freedom to explore, rather than acting as directed. We believe that the newly-launched Foundations Regional conferences can provide such a place. Have a quick read of these testimonies to see what God did at Foundations 7 national conference:

Pages