Community Church of Joy in Phoenix, Arizona
with Keynote Speaker Bill Koenig
Friday, May 1st and Saturday, May 2nd, 2009
Mission Statement: This conference is organized by volunteers who sense God’s leading to help bring about a spiritual healing between the Bride of Christ (the Church) and Israel by helping people learn God’s truth about Israel.
The small nation of Israel continues to be a focal point of discussion and interest by the news media and among all the nations of the World. Do the promises of God still apply to this tiny nation? Are there benefits for believers, God’s church, and the United States to affirm the nation of Israel in these times? Does God call us to do so? Are the Jews still the “Chosen People” in God’s eyes? Has the Church taken the place of the nation of Israel in Scripture? Does Israel have a God-given right to its land? What exactly does God’s Word say about the small nation of Israel, and does what is said in Scripture still apply in today’s world? These are important questions, and all of God’s children should have a clear understanding of what the Bible says about these issues.
We live in times of great deception. Much of what the Church believes today about Israel is based upon what the world says through its media and world leaders, rather than upon God’s Word. Anti-Semitism is pervasive throughout the nations of the world and is found in many Christian denominations even here in the United States. Anti-Semitism distorts much of the news we hear about Israel. Some Christian leaders seem to have lost sight of the fact that Jesus was on Earth as an Israeli Jew (Romans 9:5), and that mistreating those who share his ethnic heritage dishonors Him. As God’s children we have a responsibility to understand what God has said about this nation and understand if what He said still applies in our time.
As Christians we aspire to live out God's love for all people of the world. But historically and even now, some Christian leaders don't show the people of Israel the Christian love which we are commanded to express towards all people. Even if you believe that Israel does not have a special place in God's plan, it is nevertheless disturbing that many Christians have treated Israel without the same empathy and compassion extended towards other nations.
On May 1 and 2, 2009 (starting two days after Israel Independence Day), there will be an informative conference on the topic of Israel for the purpose of answering the above questions and many more. Keynote Speaker Bill Koenig is a nationally-known author and expert on Israel’s place in God’s plan. Jack Zimmerman of the Jewish-Christian organization Jewish Voice Ministries International will speak and serve on a Question and Answer panel.
You may register for the conference at christiansandisrael.com (preferred) or at the door. To help offset the costs of the conference, you are requested to consider giving a love offering at the time of registration. During the conference, an offering will be taken to cover the expenses of Keynote Speaker Bill Koenig.
The conference will be Friday, May 1, 5:30PM-6:30PM (registration), 6:30PM-9:00PM (program) and Saturday, May 2, 8:30AM-6:00PM. There will be speaker presentations, times of prayer and worship, and a Question and Answer panel discussion. The last hour of the conference on Saturday will be a worship service with sermon by Bill Koenig.
We are also offering the opportunity to enjoy an Israeli lunch at the conference on Saturday, May 2 for just $6.25. Tentatively, this lunch will include Israeli salad, Mediterranean-seasoned grilled chicken and rice, pita bread, dessert, iced tea, and coffee. So that we can gauge the required lunch seating and amount of food, you are requested to pre-pay for this lunch at the conference website, christiansandisrael.com. However, if space is still available, we will also provide the opportunity for you to purchase a lunch ticket on Friday, May 1 between 5:30PM and 6:30PM. To ensure that we have sufficient food and lunch seating available, all lunches must be prepaid no later than 6:30PM Friday, May 1.
This conference is open to pastors, lay leaders, and members of all Christian denominations.
This conference is a non-profit event, and is being organized by volunteers who sense God’s leading to help bring about a spiritual healing between the Church and Israel. In blessing Israel through this conference, all those who attend will be blessed.