Another Year, Same Old Same Old
(I know it needs proofreading. Be patient.)
It is the end of the 2023 year and a war is raging here in Israel. So many organizations are using this difficult time to raise funds for pet projects. There is an outpouring of concern and goodwill towards this country, and the astute know this is an excellent time to make a financial profit. Hey, everybody is doing it.
The Southern Baptists in Israel are no exception. This time of year, and especially this year, people are in the giving mood and the IMB of the SBC will make a big push to see that they get a piece of the action💰. So as in years past, we'll take a look at their current shameless pitch for missions funds.
(First of all, Why do this? Well, by the date of this post you can see that I am not attempting to stop anyone from giving wherever they wish. No, this is just for the sake of accountability and the historical record. You know, to see if they actually do the things they claim they will do with the funds they raise. Take a look back at the past years I've highlighted their fundraising efforts here. Maybe ask someone if these things they said they would do actually happened. I live here and haven't seen what they have described (and believe me I'm looking for it!). It follows that if you ask for a buttload of money every year because of the utmost importance of the things which you claim need to happen, you can surely bet your life they have happened, right?)
First up is the Baptist Village funnel racket, or AKA the Black Hole of missions dollars. Found here: https://www.imb.org/give/project/jewish-evangelism-and-discipleship/
The plea is for $225,832 THIS YEAR. Go back and see how much this property wants to chew through each year, because never in its existence has it ever been able to come close to breaking even. In fact, that has never been the goal. You🫵 pay for it because leadership doesn't want the locals to bother. They couldn't if they wanted to, which is why they have always depended on it being paid for by someone else. WHICH IS FINE, but God forbid they tell you that up front.
Instead, in Lottie Moon's name they ask for money for (drumroll) "Jewish Evangelism and Discipleship" which will "provide discipleship and evangelism training camps for Jewish youth and adults". I won't go into my same tired rant about why this is a joke being played on you, but see previous posts👇 if you want a detailed explanation.
To quote them: "Jewish people of all ages can receive evangelism training and discipleship in a camp setting through this project. Your gift will help elementary, middle, and high school students develop their leadership skills by teaching them to disciple those who are in younger grade levels. A discipleship and activity center will offer training in relational evangelism.
The camp also hosts leadership retreats to develop new evangelism initiatives and global networking with all workers and partners who minister to the Jewish community worldwide.
Your partnership with this ministry opportunity will build a solid base for the Jewish Cluster’s enhanced implementation of evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development among Jews globally. The Jewish Cluster is committed to see all Jewish peoples in a New Covenant relationship with the Messiah and begin serving as a light to the nations. Your gift will provide discipleship and evangelism training for Jewish youth and adults through training camps and retreats."
If by reading this you have the perception that there will be camps and conferences throughout the year specifically about how to reach the lost with the gospel, you have been duped as intended.
They explain that "Jewish people of all ages can receive evangelism training and discipleship..." Did you catch that? They "CAN" receive evangelism and discipleship training", not "They WILL receive...". So there you go - even they know that it is crossing into full blown BS territory to say with certainty that evangelism and discipleship training will happen.
And I won't even go into what they might be meaning by "leadership retreats to develop new evangelism initiatives and global networking with all workers and partners who minister to the Jewish community worldwide." Frame this weasel word salad which has been freshly pulled out of someone's backside.
Down below you can click a "Field Update" from October 2, 2023 called "Growth Seen through Discipleship" (nice passive voice there), where you get this:
"Thank you so much for your generosity to this ministry and the Jewish people God calls us to reach. Your prayers and sacrificial giving help believers develop their leadership skills by teaching them to disciple those who are less mature in their faith. The discipleship and activity center you support offers training in relational evangelism and hosts leadership retreats to develop new evangelism initiatives and global networking with all workers and partners who minister to the Jewish community worldwide.
Growth seen through discipleship. God has blessed this ministry, and this year, your gifts helped the scope and impact of the gospel continue to expand. Youth ministry and discipleship have grown this past year from events with a maximum of 300 people to more than 550 people. Many view these events as a lifeline for spiritual growth as they strive to be “ambassadors for Christ” among people who have rejected the Messiah (2 Cor. 5:20).
Your generosity allowed us to conduct three three-month, live-in discipleship programs with 20 young adults each. These trainings have proven instrumental in disciplining young men and women and equipping them to disciple others when they return to their congregations.
This year, we have developed a survey app to help people begin spiritual conversations that lead to the gospel. This app has been effective in training new workers to share Christ in a Jewish context and volunteers to share when they return to their home churches.
Please join us in prayer.
Pray for boldness among Jewish believers.
Ask God to use the new app to help us share Christ with Jews in our neighborhoods.
We are so thankful for you, our partners, who make this project possible. Your sacrificial gifts and intercession are truly transforming lives as we partner together to solve the world’s greatest problem, lostness."
A few notes:
1. Anyone who claims to be in missions and does training in "relational evangelism", run the other way. If a so called missionary wants to do relational evangelism, let them do it on their own dime. You want to support those proactively and intentionally getting the gospel to the lost, then give to that actual missionary. There are enough church sent people on paid vacations here and around the world.
2. The Baptist Village they want you to believe is now a "discipleship and activity center". Of course. Instead of giving money to things like helping the "scope and impact of the gospel ... expand" and some "survey app" (Baptist Village funds?), why not give directly to the ministries which are actually the ones doing these things described (don't tell me you think the Baptists themselves are doing these things)? Give to Netivah - https://www.netivah.com/english-netivah - and/or to Lech Lecha who do the month long programs (Netivah people can help you there). Why give it to the slippery middle man?
3. Back to the survey app. The biggest obstacle we face getting the gospel to the lost is not the lack of programs, resources, or apps. The biggest obstacle is the lack of spirit filled believers who actually will get out and share the gospel with the lost. Baptist missionaries are not proactively doing it (with the rare exception of course). You want to talk about a waste, start with Baptist personnel in Israel - on the whole, pretty useless when it comes to personally getting the gospel to the lost.
4. "Lostness." Pure modern missionary talk. "Lostness" is the state of man. I would argue that the world's greatest problem is every believer who is not being obedient to carry out the Great Commission as Jesus commanded. Don't listen to anyone who seriously uses the word "lostness".
I could go on but I'm done with that one.
The next initiative is for the Baptist albatross in Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Prayer Center, which I've talked about in detail before below👇. This year's appeal is found here: https://www.imb.org/give/project/international-prayer-center/
and titled "Strategic International Prayer Center", subtitled "Stirring up and strengthening prayer for the nations".
They are asking for $120,000 this year. The base budget for the prayer center is pretty much completely donation based. There are some itemized points for donations like:
$1,200 for paper and cleaning supplies(?) ($100/mo)
$26,000 for building and grounds maintenance(!) ($500/wk)
$12,000 for utilities ($1000/mo)
$2,000 for stone wall repair
(That's $41,200 right there)
These are pretty much continual, ongoing costs as long as the place is open and functioning. Who knew prayer was so expensive?
The appeal is as follows: "DL Moody once said, “Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” For decades, guests from around the world have visited this strategically located prayer center, each praying for God to move in some way. Many come to be still before the Lord in prayer; all leave hearing that, through Christ, they can have the access to God they so desire!
Inside the prayer center, visitors experience a peaceful interactive prayer space with Scripture verses and activities focused on praise, confession, and intercession. The gardens offer additional space, opportunity, and encouragement to pray for the nations. Upkeep and maintenance are required to ensure the safety and comfort of the thousands of guests who visit each year. Your gift will provide the resources necessary to keep this vibrant center open so that the great work of prayer can continue in this city. We invite you to support this eternity-changing work today!
“Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.” -Oswald Chambers"
A few points:
1: While the DL Moody quote is true, I'm pretty sure he was more of an advocate of prayer in the back room of one's house, not a multi million dollar property which resembles more the corrupt established church factions of this part of the world. Just spitballing there.
2. Should missionaries and mission organizations be in the business of providing physical institutions dedicated to the "experience" of prayer, which contradicts everything evangelicals (and Bible principles) stand for regarding praying and faith?
3. There is the concept that when you have invested millions and millions of dollars into certain projects, to stop and change direction is an admission that it all was for nothing and a waste. And so you often see that in missions, often the scam HAS to keep going to justify all the money you've spent/wasted thus far. You sort of need the Prayer Center (and Baptist Village and Tabernacle in park Timna) to keep the money coming and the ruse ongoing. GOD FORBID there are simply missionaries out there getting the gospel to the lost without any of that.
4. The "Field Update" below from "Monday, July 3, 2023" titled "Expectant Prayers Reap Extraordinary Results" (text below) gives a testimony about the results of prayer at the prayer center. Praise the Lord that someone's prayer was answered, but you are being led to believe that the Prayer Center had something to do with God answering this person's prayers. That is flat out nonsense.
5. Again, praise the Lord someone's prayers were heard. The Prayer Center is not going to make a difference in the gospel getting to the lost in Israel. No, PRAYER is going to make the difference. A better idea would be to, instead of an expensive place for the random person/tourist to pray, why not just use that Prayer Center money to support a full time evangelist or two, and send the personnel currently assigned to the place back to the USA to spend their time going from church to church encouraging the millions of Baptists to be on their knees in prayer for this country (and the world)? Just a thought.
In short, in case you can't figure it out on your own, it's all a racket people!
FIELD UPDATE for the Prayer Center
Thank you so much for your generous support of our team, the prayer center, and those who live in our city. Your gifts provide the resources necessary to keep this vibrant center open so that the great work of prayer can continue in this vital international city.
At the prayer center, we always tell people to pray with expectancy. It is a place where all are welcome to come and pray in a quiet room filled with different verses and prayer prompts designed to lead people to the feet of Jesus. Here is the testimony of a person whose life was transformed because of your generosity:
A young man about 21 years old came to the prayer center with his aunt, uncle, and grandmother. After nearly an hour in the room, the young man began to leave, but his aunt called him back inside. She took him around the corner where a basket of stones sits on the floor below a banner that reads, “ . . . and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ez. 36:26-27).
She told him, “Three years ago, I came to this prayer center and wrote your name on a stone. I held it high and pleaded with God to soften your heart and bring you to salvation.” The young man was stunned because he had been in a dark place three years prior, involved in a rough, ungodly lifestyle. But, all the while, his aunt continued praying for God to change his life. This prayer written on stone was a tangible answer from God.
He came running downstairs and took my hands. He looked at me and earnestly said, “You have to tell people those things upstairs you do as you pray. . . God hears those prayers.” He rejoiced, eyes bright, “I am a new creation like you’ve never seen a new creation before.”
The young man radically encountered God and shared how God changed him. He went on to tell of his decision to move to another Middle Eastern country to work as a Christian intern in a refugee camp.
Before coming to the prayer center, the young man’s aunt had never told him the story of the stone, but she brought him to the center before he left so she could pray for his upcoming, sharing the gospel in the same place she had prayed for his salvation. God hears and responds; He can melt a heart of stone.
Thank you so much for your kindness, generosity, and partnership! Your prayer and gifts are truly making a difference through this ministry!
