The Strategic Connection between Israel and the Citywide Church of KC

I’ve had the privilege of traveling to Israel more than 15 times, leading or co-leading tour groups the vast majority of those times (including the tour with our 2020 Israel Trip Team pictured above at Abraham’s Gate at Tel Dan in Northern Israel).  Now…I’m looking forward to being there again during January of 2023 as we take a diverse team of 26 people to Experience the Holy Land.

There are so many blessings one receives when visiting Israel. I love God’s Word, and the Bible comes alive in a new way when you are in the Land of the Bible. Great friendships and community are built among our Israel Trip team members, too. And of course, there is always much to learn when visiting the Holy Land. New archaelogical discoveries continue to add supportive evidence for the Bible and for understanding the reality of the Lord God.

There is, however, much more to this strategic connection (between Israel and the citywide Church of Kansas City) than trips to Israel.

I believe Israel (both the Land and the Jewish people) still has a vital role in God’s purposes as we press toward the return of Jesus Christ, the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem. I am not a proponent of Replacement Theology, also called Supersessionism, which basically says the Church has replaced Israel in God’s purposes and plan.

God has a special place in His heart and plan for the Jewish people and the Land of Israel, the Holy Land. It is a holy piece of geography, set apart by the Lord for a unique role in His missional, redemptive, and prophetic timeline. The Jewish people and the Land of Israel should not be separated from God’s mission. As the citywide Church of KC carries out its missional activity, the advancement of God’s Kingdom will be best accomplished as we unite in Jesus – the Jewish revolutionary – and His mission which strategically includes the Jewish people. 

We are blessed to have some Messianic Congregations in the KC metro area, including Or HaOlam, led by Rabbi Shmuel Wolkenfeld. Messianic Jews have put their faith and trust in Jesus the Messiah. Many times the Messianic Jewish community gets overlooked by both the Jewish community and the Christian community. 

As followers of Jesus, we should be blessing the Jewish people, including the Messianic Jewish believers. We should have the mindset that Paul (a Jew) expresses in Romans 11:14: “for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.” 

So…how can we do this? What are some ways that a follower of Jesus in the KC metro area can bless Israel (both the Land of Israel and the Jewish people)? For starters, as a vital foundation, renounce and stand against all anti-Semitism, which is tragically increasing. Also, build friendships with Jewish people, pray for them, and genuinely show them the love of their Messiah. If you are able to do so, go visit the Land of Israel.

Our next Israel Trip, after the January 2023 trip, is planned January 2024. You are invited to apply for that trip. Go to the following link for more info: January 2024 Israel Trip

Just by going to tour the Holy Land you can be a blessing to the Land of Israel and the Jewish people. In addition, you can visit a KC-area synagogue and/or Messianic congregation, and let the Light of Jesus shine through you by expressing the love of Jesus the Messiah and building genuine friendships. For more info regarding any of these next steps, send an email to info@thesendingproject.org – we will be glad to help you move forward in these efforts.

This is all a part of connecting with our Jewish roots. As followers of the Jewish Jesus, our roots go back to Abraham, the father of the Jewish people.

The Sending Project is planning to start a KC Loves Israel Network and we invite you to connect with that network as a part of your journey to bless Israel! The first gathering of this network is expected to be scheduled for sometime during the first half of 2023.

I’ve had the immense blessing of hearing some of our Sending Project staff members (and many others) teach on a Bible passage on location during our Israel Trips, including: Clint Hall (2020) teaching on the Mount of Beatitudes about the Sermon on the Mount; Mark Davis (2018) and Kerry Stalder (2020) teaching at the Pools of Bethesda in Jerusalem about Jesus healing the invalid; Karen Blankenship (2017) teaching at the Shepherds’ Field in Bethlehem about the angel announcing Jesus’ birth to the shepherds; Dr. Asefaw Indrias (2018) teaching in Nazareth about Mary and other women in the Bible; David Tucker (multiple trips) teaching on the North shore of the Sea of Galilee about the resurrected Jesus’ restoration of the Apostle Peter; and Gary Ascanio (2020) teaching in the Garden of Gethsemane just outside of the Old City of Jerusalem about Jesus and prayer. It is difficult to sufficiently emphasize the blessing and encouragement this has been to me! It has increased my faith and energized my love for Israel, the Bible, the Jewish people, and Jesus the Messiah!

Take a practical step to connect further with your Jewish roots. Let’s shine the light of Jesus brightly from KC as we seek to bless the Land of Israel and the Jewish people in KC, Israel, and around the globe!

Additional Application and Benefit of Connecting with Your Jewish Roots and Understanding Jesus’ Strategic Approach

As we connect with our Jewish roots, we’ll understand God and the Bible better, and I believe we’ll be more effective in strategically reaching other people groups with the Good News of Yeshua (Jesus)! Jesus strategically focused his efforts primarily on reaching one people group, the Jewish people, and then he commanded his followers to make disciples of all nations (people groups). We can learn much from Jesus’ strategic approach for reaching the Jewish people and apply that to reaching all other people groups.