Welcome to the Friends of Israel Today. I'm your host and teacher, Chris Katulka. Listen, I want to encourage you to visit our website, foiradio.org, because it's there that you can keep up on all things related to the Friends of Israel Today program. You can listen to all of our broadcasts. That's 10 years worth of content with links to our featured products highlighted in the show. You can support our ministry, the Friends of Israel, by clicking on the donate button to help continue teaching biblical truth about Israel and the Jewish people. Hey, today we're going to feature one of the many ministries that we have here at the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. This episode is called our Friends of Israel in Action episode because, you know, the Friends of Israel isn't just a radio program, or maybe you know us through our magazine, Israel My Glory. There are so many ways that God is blessing the friends of Israel to be able to minister to Jewish communities around the world. And today we're going to talk about our equipping ministries, the ministries that are mobilizing Christians to get active in their Jewish community, to show and share the love of the Messiah with our Jewish friends. So you're going to want to stick around because maybe there's going to be something that you'll hear that will make you want to get involved with the friends of Israel. But before we get to that, let's look at what's happening in the news. Jordan's King Abdullah II told BBC that no nation is willing to send forces into Gaza for peace enforcement under U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point peace proposal. The king made it clear that while the international community might support a peacekeeping effort, enforcing peace through military means isn't an option anyone's prepared to take. Well, here is my take. King Abdullah's view of peacekeeping over peace enforcement just goes to show that these Arab countries don't want to put their troops in Gaza to enforce the peace agreement. The only country willing to provide peace enforcement is Israel. And those same countries don't want Israel in Gaza. The irony is that the majority of Jordan's citizens are Palestinians. See, you would think that King Abdullah would have vested interest in bringing stability to Gaza. When Jesus began his ministry, he made a statement that defines his heart and mission. He said in Matthew 15, 24, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. His earthly ministry began among his own people, the Jewish people, calling them to repentance, healing their sick, and proclaiming the arrival of the kingdom of God. Every parable, every miracle, and every prophecy he fulfilled echoed the faithfulness of God's covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then the Apostle Paul shared this same heart. In Romans 9, his anguish is palpable. He said, I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh, who are the Israelites. Paul's love for his Jewish brothers and sisters ran so deep that he was willing to sacrifice everything, even his own relationship with Christ, if it meant that some of them would come to faith in the Messiah, Jesus. This same compassion for Israel and the Jewish people burns in the heart of the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Why? Because we have passion for God's Word. In a world where anti-Semitism is rising, where Israel faces hostility on nearly every front, and where misinformation about God's chosen people abounds, even within the church, FOI's mission is clear, to proclaim Biblical truth about Israel and the Messiah, and to serve and bless the Jewish people, and most importantly, as well, is to equip Christians to do the same. Let me say that again, to equip Christians to love and bless the Jewish people. Through our Friends of Israel Ministry Mobilization Programs, we are equipping believers around the world to love their Jewish friends. Programs like FOI Equip, Bridges, Origins, Hesed, Encounter, and the FOI Equip Internship, along with our growing Tikvah Team Volunteer Network, we are training Christians to learn how to love their Jewish friends, share the hope of Jesus respectfully, and stand faithfully with Israel during some of her most difficult days. We're excited today to share ways that you can get involved today. So first, let me start with FOI Equip. FOI Equip began with a very simple question. What if believers could access biblical, theological, and cultural training to help them understand and connect with Jewish people right where they live? Through free online classes, live webinars, and resource-rich courses, FOI Equip invites believers into a journey of discovery. Participants learn about the Jewish background of Scripture, the meaning behind the Feast of Israel, the history of the hatred of the Jewish people, antisemitism, and the theological importance of supporting Israel. See, these courses are led by some of the most knowledgeable and passionate teachers in Jewish ministry. Men and women who not only teach, but also model genuine friendship and service to the Jewish community. You know, topics like Judaism today, or the guide to the end of the world, or the gospel according to Isaiah 53, and even understanding the feasts of Israel. All of these classes, this is just a handful of them, help Christians see the Bible through the lens of God's covenant faithfulness. Each session equips believers with something practical, like how to talk to their Jewish friends about their faith, or how to show support when Israel is under attack, or how to recognize and refute anti-Semitic tropes, that language of hatred toward the Jewish people. See, FOI Equip isn't just a program. It's a training ground for a movement of biblically grounded Christians who love the Jewish people because they love the God of Israel. So listen, I wanna encourage you to visit foiradio.org because you can actually sign up today to become an Equipper. All of our classes are free and on demand and you can watch them wherever and whenever you want. And let me just tell you, we've got some great classes coming up on November 6th at 7.30 p.m. Eastern Time. Dr. Andy Woods will be teaching live online a class called Navigating the Kingdom of God. And let me tell you something, Dr. Andy Woods is a specialist when it comes to dispensational teaching on the kingdom of God. We've been hard at work at building out next year's classes. We've already got great teachers like Dr. Mark Hitchcock, Dr. Michael Vlock, and Pastor Tommy Nelson, all teaching biblical truth about Israel, prophecy, and the Jewish people. So again, you can sign up today to receive information on when these classes take place and how you can participate all for free by going to foiradio.org. Look, FOI equip is a great way to dip your toe in the water of the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, but we always encourage our equip class to go a little bit deeper. And what does that mean? That means you go a little bit further with us and you join us for our Bridges Jewish Ministry Training Program. Bridges is a hands-on discipleship experience that helps believers move from education to engagement. It bridges the gap between understanding Jewish ministry and living it out in daily life. Participants in Bridges learn the art of connection, how to build friendships with Jewish neighbors, how to attend community events with cultural sensitivity, how to demonstrate the Messiah Jesus' love through presence and service rather than pressure. Here's the best part. You don't have to leave your home to be a part of Bridges. Bridges is a free live online class that meets once a night for nine weeks. You know, David, one of our Bridges graduates said this, he said, this was an amazing course. It could be a university level course. He said, I knew it was going to be good. I just didn't know how good. There are many Bridges participants who after graduating begin to build relationships at local synagogues. holocaust centers and Jewish community events. They volunteer, they serve, they engage in conversations that are transforming perceptions, showing that true Christian love for Jewish people is not rooted in politics or guilt, but in the gospel itself. You know, you can find out more information if you, again, if you want to join us for our Bridges program by going to foiradio.org, and there you'll see a link to be able to click to see all the programs that we have. And I'll keep reminding you of that during this particular program. Now, listen, we've been talking your ear off about the online programs that we have, which enable you to get equipped to love the Jewish people biblically right where you live. But community and serving God isn't meant to be lived out only online. We need to go, we need to step out of our comfort zones and serve the Lord with those He's called us to love. And that's why I'm excited to introduce you to some of our experience ministries. For young adults ages 18 to 28, FOI's Origins program is nothing short of life-changing. Origins takes Christian college students and young professionals to Israel for hands-on experience of ministry, biblical learning, and discipleship. Participants of Origins volunteer alongside Israeli citizens. They serve in hospitals, food banks, and even farms, and build genuine friendships with Israelis of all backgrounds. They walk where Jesus walks, study the scriptures in the land where they were written, and witness firsthand the resilience and beauty of modern Israel. But the heart of origins isn't tourism, it's transformation. See, these young adults partner with our church planters in Israel and return home as ambassadors for truth, ready to counter misinformation about Israel and speak boldly about God's ongoing plan for his chosen people. They've seen Israel not just as a headline, but as a living testimony to God's covenant promises. So in a generation often swayed by social media hostility toward Israel, Origins is shaping young believers to be informed, compassionate, and courageous about advocating for Israel and the Jewish people. Now maybe you're listening right now and you're saying, wait a minute, to serve in Israel, to volunteer in Israel, to give my time to the Lord and the Holy Land. That's something I want to do. I want to show love and support to Israelis, but I'm over 28. Don't worry. Don't worry. We have a program for you too. It's called Chesed. The word hesed in Hebrew means loving kindness, and this FOI initiative embodies exactly that name. Through hesed, volunteers of all ages travel to Israel to serve communities in need. They plant trees, they restore parks, they visit the elderly, they assist, yeah, with Holocaust survivors, and they partner at the same local hospital where our origins team goes during the summer. Each act of service opens doors of friendship and witness. As one Israeli woman told our Chesed volunteers, you came all the way from America, not to protest, not to argue, but to serve. Why would you do this? And that question becomes a powerful entry point for the gospel, shared not through debate, but through compassion. Chesed teams remind Israelis that Christians care, not abstractly, but tangibly. In a nation too often misunderstood, Chesed volunteers show the love of Jesus through work gloves, helping hands, and warm smiles. Their labor testifies that followers of Yeshua love the Jewish people because their Savior does. Now listen, when we come back, I'm going to share ways you can learn about the Jewish community and engage with them right here in the United States and Canada. So stick around. Welcome back, everyone. Today, we are highlighting the various ministries that we have here at the Friends of Israel that equip you. That's right, you listening right now to love the Jewish people. One of our popular equipping ministries at the Friends of Israel actually doesn't require you to get on a plane to travel to Israel. You can encounter the Jewish community right here in North America. Encounter is more than a trip. It's actually an immersive experience that places participants in the heart of Jewish life right here in North America. When you join Encounter, you'll visit synagogues, kosher restaurants, holocaust centers, and Jewish neighborhoods. You'll hear firsthand from rabbis, Holocaust survivors, and Jewish community leaders, which will give you a richer understanding of Jewish life today. At the same time, Encounter provides participants with biblical teaching that clarifies God's eternal covenant with Israel and his future promises, while emphasizing the need to share the hope of Jesus. This goal isn't to turn Christians into experts on Judaism. Actually, it's to deepen your compassion and understanding of God's chosen people. You know, many who go through Encounter return home with a renewed calling to serve the Jewish community in their own cities. They begin volunteering as well. They host Shabbat dinners with Jewish friends or organize prayer nights for Israel. Through Encounter, the fog of misunderstanding actually begins to lift. It's replaced by a clear vision of Romans chapter 11 that God has not rejected his people and that Gentile believers are grafted into a story that begins with Abraham and continues today. So if you would like to participate in one of our encounter trips, runs three times a year, you can reserve your seat for 2026 by going again to foiradio.org. Listen, our FOI equipping ministries like FOI Equip, Bridges, and Counter Origins has said we're not created to simply stuff more knowledge into your head. It's to equip you to love the Jewish people biblically. We want you to take the teaching and experiences that Friends of Israel provides to get involved in your local Jewish community. See, at the heart of FOI Equip's vision is the desire to raise up a new generation of representatives who will dedicate their lives to serving the Jewish people and sharing the hope that can only be found in the Messiah Jesus. Now, one of the ways that we are seeing God at work in mobilization programs is with our FOI Equip internship. And each fall, five to seven interns from across North America spend several months immersing themselves in Jewish ministry training. They study the biblical foundations for Israel. They engage in local outreach. They meet with rabbis and Holocaust survivors and learn directly from seasoned FOI representatives. The internship is intentionally biblical. It develops the heart, the head, and the hands of ministry. Interns not only gain knowledge, but also confidence. They learn how to navigate complex cultural and theological questions with gentleness and respect. They discover how to minister in cities and campuses where Jewish communities thrive. Many of these interns go on to serve full time with Friends of Israel, and some of them go into other areas of ministry. Either way, they carry a lifelong love for Israel and the Jewish people. See, in a world where hostility toward Israel is often very loud, these young men and women become gentle but powerful voices of truth and compassion. Listen, to serve full-time with Friends of Israel, or any ministry for that matter, you need to have a special calling from the Lord. Many participants who take our classes get trained by FOI and they even travel to Israel to volunteer in the Holy Land, and they want to be trained and equipped to love the Jewish people biblically, but they don't feel called to full-time ministry with FOI. And you know what? That's okay. And that's the reason why we developed our Tikva Volunteer Network. The Hebrew word for Tikva means hope. It's the HOPE team, the Tikva team, and it's a growing network of volunteers across North America who bring that hope into Jewish communities through practical service and presence. From delivering Hanukkah baskets to volunteering at Jewish community events, Tikva team members embody everyday kindness that builds trust and opens doors. They write notes of encouragement to Holocaust survivors. They participate in FOI outreaches and pray regularly for the peace of Jerusalem. Each Tikva volunteer is part of something larger, a movement of believers like the Biblical Watchmen of Isaiah 62, which we talked about last week. They refuse to stay silent. They remind their Jewish neighbors that not all Christians are indifferent or hostile, but many are deeply committed to standing with them in friendship and faith. Through the Tikvah team, believers discover that ministry to the Jewish people doesn't require a passport to go over to Israel or a pulpit to have a voice to be able to teach the Bible. Actually, it just requires a willing heart and a love for Jesus. To be part of our growing Tikvah volunteer network, first you have to be trained through our Bridges program. And again, you can find out more information there by going to foiradio.org. Listen, each of these programs, FOI Equip, Bridges, Origins, Chesed Encounter, our internship, our Tikvah team volunteers, they form part of a greater mission to equip Christians to love the Jewish people with sincerity, knowledge, and faithfulness. We live in an age when misinformation about Israel spreads faster than truth, when anti-Semitism once again finds a home in mainstream culture, and when Christians struggle to understand Israel's place in God's plan. In such a time, FOI's mission is both urgent and needed. Our calling is to help believers recover the heart of Jesus who wept over Jerusalem. to rekindle the passion of Paul, who longed for his kinsmen's salvation, and to remind the Church that the story of redemption is inseparable from the story of Israel. When Christians grasp this truth, their faith deepens, the Bible comes alive in new ways, and their witness to their Jewish friends becomes not a program, but a privilege. Through education, service, ministry, volunteerism, and most importantly, relationships, FOI Equip is preparing believers to be light in dark times, to bless Israel when she is surrounded, to comfort Jewish hearts when they are afraid, and to proclaim the unchanging hope found in the Messiah of Israel, Jesus. I'll leave you where I left us last week when we were talking about Isaiah 62. When we think about these programs that we have here at the Friends of Israel that are mobilizing Christians and equipping them to love their Jewish friends biblically, I'll leave you with this. For Zion's sake, I will not keep silent. For Jerusalem's sake, I will not remain quiet till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. Now, Apples of Gold, a dramatic reading from the life and ministry of Holocaust survivor, Zvi Kalischer. My watch stopped running recently, so I took it to a watchman in the ultra-Orthodox section of Jerusalem. Two Ascetic men entered the watchmaker's shop with me and started to speak about their study of the Talmud in the Yeshiva. One of the men told the watchmaker, even if you are on vacation, you must study the great rabbi's books. I listened to them for a long time, and then I decided to enter the conversation. If you are so faithful to God, I commanded, you should know that study alone will not get you into heaven. You must bow down on your knees and pray to God. Even after such a brief statement, they all rose against me. What are we, Christians, that we should bow down? I replied, Was Daniel a Christian when he bowed down three times a day before God? Many times in the Bible are great prophets bowed down before the Lord. David wrote in Psalm 95 6, how co- David wrote in Psalm 95, verse 6, O come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. Was David a Christian? And what about you, Anyan Kapur? You bowed down many times and cried, Adonai, Adonai. If, as you say, only Christians bow down to pray, then you are just like them. Never, they shouted. One of the men said, how a rabbi would be able to answer you? I asked, how is it that you have studied all your lives, and yet you cannot give correct answers about your faith? These men displayed all the outward signs of being religious, but they were empty inside. Then they ask, why do you try to act so religious? We can tell you are not, yet you want us to do what you say. I replied, I have never said you should do as I say. God has told us to obey the law of the Lord and not to follow other gods, but you are wasting your life studying the writings and traditions of men. The watchmaker then said, This reminds me of an occasion a few years ago when a man came into my shop and spoke just like you. He was a missionary. Are you one of them? I told him, I believe in the living God, Messiah ben David. You sing about him every Sabbath, but you do not believe in him in your heart. Did you know the words Messiah and Christ mean the same thing? At this they all jumped around as if they had been bitten by a snake and they said, this can never be, we will ask our rabbi. I replied, I'll be waiting for his answer. You never know how the Lord will use such a situation. And he has said in Isaiah 55 11, that his word will not return to him void. I pray these men will remember our conversation and turn to the Bible the true word of God. Hey everybody, thank you so much for joining us on today's episode of the Friends of Israel Today. Next week, we're gonna actually look at the temple architecture, how it was designed in understanding the holiness of God and how people approached the holiness of God, but then ultimately what Jesus did according to the book of Ephesians to tear down that middle wall of partition and to offer the way for us to all come and worship God. our Father through Jesus Christ. So again, join us. We're gonna have a three-part series on temple architecture and really how it defines the holiness of God and how we relate to God as well. Our mailing address is FOI Radio P.O. Box 914 Belmar, New Jersey 08099. You can call our listener line, that's 888-343-6940. Today's program was engineered by Bob Beebe, edited by Jeremy Strong, who also composed and performs our theme music. The late Mike Kellogg, Red Apples of Gold. Lisa Small is our executive producer. Sarah Fern is our associate producer. Steve Conover is our executive director of the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, and I am your host and teacher, Chris Katulka. The Friends of Israel today is a production of the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Passion for God's Word. Compassion for God's chosen people.