Statement on Antisemitism

A Call Against Antisemitism

North American Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism

June 9, 2021

The annual gathering of the North American Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism met in Irving, TX on June 6-9, 2021. Twenty-five agencies, seven congregations, and many individuals were among more than 80 attendees who, together, put out this “Call Against Antisemitism”

Antisemitism is on the rise across the globe and we are seeing an alarming increase here in North America as well. Findings published in the new Pew Study on American Jews report greater than 75% of the Jews surveyed say there is more antisemitism in the U.S. today than five years ago and six in ten report having direct personal experience with antisemitism in the last 12 months.

In the aftermath of the rocket attacks on Israel, incidents are taking place in the U.S. and Canada at an unprecedented rate. The Anti-Defamation League reported that in the week after the fighting erupted (May 7-14), “it found [on Twitter] more than 17,000 tweets using variations of the phrase ‘Hitler was right.’"

Hate speech is only part of the attack. Jewish places of business are being vandalized, synagogues graffitied with swastikas, individual Jews assaulted and worse. This reprehensible venom of hatred for Jews being spewed out is reminiscent of a past that culminated in the Holocaust.

We, as Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus, lift our voices in unity with and love for the global Jewish community to address this scourge now in the strongest of terms. While our society is polarized in many ways, we respond with one voice to express the love and hope our Messiah brings to a broken world.

We know God’s heart is grieved when “the apple of his eye” (Zechariah 2:8) is under attack. We affirm that help for the Jewish community comes from on high. We grieve as well and affirm with the psalmist who declared,

“My help comes from the Lord,

 the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—

 he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel

 will neither slumber nor sleep.”

Psalm 121:2-4

Life in Messiah
Statement on Antisemitism

Ratified on August 17, 2017

In view of the rising tide of antisemitism, including acts of violence against Jewish people and property, we call on the Church to stand with us in support of our Jewish friends, and against antisemitism in all its forms.

With deep and growing concern, the Board of Life in Messiah recognizes the clamors, divisions, threats, and violence that have come to define our times. Our Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth), warned His disciples of coming troubles and evil days such as these: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).

We urgently call for people who name Jesus as Messiah and Redeemer to “guard your hearts.” The first and greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind;” the second command is to “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). As followers of the Lord Jesus we are to love all people (Matthew 5:44).

Mankind is made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). We have a shared humanity, and all ethnicities have equal value: “He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:25-26). Therefore, we deplore any effort to connect “Christian” with racism.

Never forget . . .

  • the hostilities and brutalities executed upon God’s people Israel – in history, in living memory, and in the present.

  • the repeated failures of good people, sadly including many followers of Jesus, to take a stand and raise their voices against this kind of evil and to overcome it.

  • that Scripture teaches, “To fear the Lord is to hate evil, pride, and arrogance” (Proverbs 8:13).

Always remember . . .

  • the faithfulness and watchfulness of God who is just and who judges those who attack Israel, “the apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:8).

  • the courageous faith of many who aligned their hearts with God’s heart for the Jewish people and protected them, and did not turn their eyes away but opposed evil when they saw it.

  • that God said to Abram, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse: and all peoples on the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3).

Will you join us in demonstrating your love for God, for humanity, and especially for the Jewish people? Click Fight Antisemitism for practical ideas that might help you in this regard.

For over 130 years, Life in Messiah has been building bridges of understanding between Christians and the Jewish people. [See 1891 Blackstone Memorial as an early example.] Pray for us in these days that we would be strong in and for the Lord – for justice, righteousness, and especially the gospel which is good news for all people.

Amazed by and thankful for God’s unchanging goodness in all times,

John Devine | Board Chairman 

Levi Hazen | Executive Director

For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man (2 Corinthians 8:21).