Largest-ever US Christian delegation arrives in Israel: ‘The pulpit must be louder than the propaganda’
Yesterday approximately a thousand Christian pastors, leaders, and influencers arrived in Israel – the largest Evangelical group ever to visit from the U.S.
The huge delegation have come for the “Ambassador Summit” to extend support and offer solidarity at a time when Israel is reviled by so many around the world.
Their itinerary includes high level security briefings from experts, memorial visits, and training in Israel advocacy.
In addition to more traditional tourist activities such as praying at the Western Wall and visiting ancient Shilo, delegates will also have the opportunity to visit key sites where the Oct. 7 massacre took place, and pay their respects at soldiers' graves on Mount Herzl.
The program for the Ambassador Summit was organized by Friends of Zion (FOZ) together with Israel’s Foreign Ministry and includes the opportunity to meet Israeli officials and leaders including President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, and U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
On Wednesday evening, the opening ceremony of the Summit took place at the Nova Festival Memorial Site. The pastors and Christian leaders stood together physically and metaphorically alongside former hostages and survivors, honoring the memory of all those murdered there.
Declaring, “The pulpit must be louder than the propaganda,” the Summit invited pastors to come and say “hineini,” which means “Here am I” in Hebrew, coming together as an expression of their commitment to faith, unity, and healing.
Jon Simmons from London told ALL ISRAEL NEWS, "From day one the Israel Summit 2025 has been an incredible opportunity for Christian leaders to learn from locals and show solidarity for the nation of Israel. Leaders from all over America are demonstrating their commitment to what God is doing in his land with his people.”
“What an honor and a privilege to be here for such a time as this,” he added.
“I'm just really excited to step into the Holy Land,” enthused another delegate, arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport. “I think that we need to awaken more courage inside believers around the world and to speak up for Israel,” she added.
“Just staying here and being an advocate for Israel and for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the midst of this land is truly an honor,” said another.
The summit comes at a time when antisemitism from the extreme right is threatening to split the evangelical world, turning some Christians away from Israel.
At the end of their trip, the group will be commissioned as “Friends of Zion Ambassadors” according to the organization, which asserts their influence extends to tens of millions in the U.S.
The Friends of Zion organization began after Evans purchased the Corrie ten Boom house museum in Haarlem, the Netherlands, back in 1983. He founded the Corrie ten Boom Fellowship which eventually evolved to become FOZ. He later established the Friends of Zion Heritage Center and Museum in Jerusalem in 2015 and this trip falls on the museum’s tenth anniversary.
Many evangelical Christian organizations and individuals have come to Israel since Oct. 7, 2023, to express friendship and support, many even coming to serve and volunteer during the war. However, this delegation marks a massive mobilization of Christian solidarity with the world’s only Jewish state on a scale that hasn’t been seen before. If Evans is correct about the group’s influence, they could encourage many more to come in the future.
Jo Elizabeth has a great interest in politics and cultural developments, studying Social Policy for her first degree and gaining a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Haifa University, but she loves to write about the Bible and its primary subject, the God of Israel. As a writer, Jo spends her time between the UK and Jerusalem, Israel.
