Israel (MNN) — These days, if you see images of Arabs and Jews in one place, you’ll often see conflict, shouting, or violence. It is rare to see a Star of David and a keffiyeh side-by-side in peace.
But Israeli and Arab pastors are defying expectations to elevate the Gospel.
Pastor Konstantin Tsivin is an assistant pastor with Beit Hallel Congregation in Ashdod, Israel. He recently traveled to a conference in Turkiye with other pastors from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Pastor Tsivin says, “They gathered together and prayed and preached. It was amazing because we also shared that, yes, we are now in Israel and we pray for you. We pray for Muslim countries, we pray for Arab countries because we know that we are brothers. And we know a lot of Christians now there are also standing and praying for Israel.”
It’s a profound picture of radical love in Christ — when most of what the world sees in the region is radicalized hate.
(Photo courtesy of Pastor Konstantin Tsivin/Beit Hallel Congregation)
Additionally, ever since Hamas’ attack in Israel on October 7, Beit Hallel Congregation gathers believers in Israel for one hour every morning and evening to pray.
“We pray for peace – peace for Jerusalem, peace for Israel, peace for our neighbors here [and] neighbor countries,” says Pastor Tsivin.
These prayers, too, are profound when you understand that even in the midst of praying, “Every day, we hear a lot of sirens and rockets fly above us and get intercepted by our Iron Dome.”
In many parts of Israel, people are trying to get back to a semblance of daily life. But in border areas where they still see frequent rocket fire, “Our government and our military spread information for civilians that it’s better to stay at home, not go away. Because if you go outside, you can find yourself under the fire. On the street, it’s hard to hide somewhere.”
Yet, despite all this, believers in Israel are praying for the terrorists who shoot the rockets.
Pastor Tsivin says, “We bless Hezbollah, we bless Hamas because God told us you need to bless your enemies. So we bless them. It’s tough, very tough. But we do as our God told us to do.”
You can link arms spiritually with our Christian brothers and sisters in Israel and throughout the MENA region. Pray that both Jews and Arabs would know and follow Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to open the eyes of terrorists so that they may abandon a life of violence in favor of the Prince of Peace.
Header photo of a steeple in Jerusalem, Israel. (Photo courtesy of Jonny Gios/Unsplash)
