What Will You Remember about 2022?
As we reflect on 2022, we want to celebrate the goodness of God we witnessed here in Israel. Many have come to know Yeshua as their Messiah, new immigrants received assistance, and congregations have been discipling young adults.
That’s just a few of the exciting developments of that year. But the past twelve months have also brought heartache and pain. The moment we started enjoying an ease from pandemic restrictions, Russia invaded Ukraine and a heart-wrenching war broke out.
The USA experienced a breakthrough in the fight for the unborn, and at the same time many have struggled to provide for their families due to inflation. The UK lost their beloved Queen of 70 years, and Israel held the fifth round of elections in three years. Ups and downs, highs and lows.
A year ago, we showed you how God was at work in Israel, despite the sometimes gloomy news headlines. We feel that we have even more reasons to be grateful for 2022, and the hard things motivate us to expand and grow in the work we do.
Celebrate what God did in Israel in 2022
Today, we want to share with you some highlights from last year, so together we can celebrate what God did in Israel in 2022:
MINISTRIES RELEASE NEW ONLINE RESOURCES IN HEBREW AND ARABIC
Did you know that in Hebrew, the number 1 religious search term online is the word “Yeshua”? It definitely confirms that there is great curiosity and spiritual hunger among the people of Israel.
But it also points to the fact that we need resources online that answer the right questions and connect seekers with a community.
A local partner of FIRM has invested time and resources to create such a space online both in Hebrew and in Arabic. It is wonderful to see that the people of Israel can look up answers to their questions and even chat with believers online.
LOCAL BELIEVERS HOST JEWISH UKRAINIANS FOR A PASSOVER SEDER
Since the beginning of the war last February, over 60 thousand displaced Ukrainians arrived in Israel in search of safety. It has been heartbreaking to hear their stories and about what has been happening in their homeland.
Ministries like REACH, ICF Tel Aviv and more have impressed us greatly with how quick they were to offer help to the new immigrants in the land. What is more, we know of at least 20 Ukrainian refugees who accepted Yeshua as their Messiah since arriving in Israel!
On top of practical assistance, the local ministries showed what Biblical hospitality is all about. The Ukrainian refugees were invited to take a seat at their Passover table. At a special event hosted by believers, weary Ukrainians were honored, “loved on,” and treated to a wonderful meal.
A ROUNDTABLE OF LEADERS STRATEGIZE TO SERVE THE NEXT GENERATION IN ISRAEL
Many of FIRM local partners have a heart for the next generation of Israelis. They want to invest in the young people, show them they care and are ready to disciple and mentor them. What is even more encouraging, many of the leaders expressed a desire to work together and learn from one another!
The desire to do more together lead to a unique roundtable event for the purpose of collaboration. Over 30 leaders from different parts of Israel gathered to discuss their experiences and strategize for the future. Together, the leaders brainstormed how to do things better and what steps the ministries could take.
The meeting was so successful that the next roundtable is already scheduled for this year.
FIRM TRIBE SURPASSES 1,000 MEMBERS
While we celebrate what God did in Israel in 2022, we also want to celebrate how He has opened the doors for believers worldwide to sow into His land and His people. By deciding to bless the people in this land through FIRM, you are enabling local ministries to focus on their work on the ground.
They are transforming lives in Israel with the power of the Gospel thanks to the generosity of Christians. And this is how the Tribe came to be – it is a program for monthly giving that forges a stronger connection between generous givers and local ministries.
By the end of 2022, already a thousand of you are willingly sowing treasures into God’s work in His land. We celebrate you, Tribe members, for making a real difference in Israel!
Not a member of the Tribe yet? Don’t wait any longer! You can learn more about it here.
WITH THE BORDERS REOPEN, ISRAEL TOURS REACTIVATE!
We are so thrilled that we can once again welcome visitors to Israel. It feels like the travel restrictions lasted sooo long, and we missed you! In 2022, Israel welcomed around 2.5 million tourists! Wow, it feels so refreshing to write that, and we are excited for more.
Last year, FIRM has once again hosted tours to Israel as well. More than that, we have also organized Jerusalem Praise Experiences for visiting groups. We love to give opportunities for believers who come all this way to learn, pray and praise God.
Have you been back to Israel yet? We would love to see you!
THE UNVEILED CAMPAIGN SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON THE LIFE-CHANGING IMPACT OF THE GOSPEL
In 2022, as we shared that Israel is in fact an unreached nation (with less than 1% of the population knowing Yeshua), we launched the Unveiled campaign. It has been heavily pressed on our hearts to “lift the veil” from the hearts of the Israeli people: But “when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed” (2 Cor 3:16).
The campaign came out of the desire to see the impact of the Gospel in action. Thousands of believers worldwide, like you, joined us on this journey to encourage Israel’s believing Body to shine brightly in the midst of darkness. And the local believers have been unstoppable! An unprecedented number of people have been coming to know the Lord in 2022.
One Israeli shared with us his excitement to learn about Yeshua and discover the New Testament: “This is the New Testament? That God is Love? And I was missing this?… when I see broken people today, I know exactly what to do and how to help…” We will continue to share more stories with you of how the local believers lift the veil for people in Israel.
FIRM LOCAL PARTNER CELEBRATION BRINGS OVER 100 LEADERS TOGETHER
We could not celebrate what God did in Israel in 2022 without mentioning our favorite gathering of the year! In December, FIRM hosted the annual Local Partner Celebration where over 100+ leaders from this land. They represented over 50 local ministries all across Israel! At this very special and joyous event, we enjoyed dinner together and had an opportunity to pray over each other. We also heard testimonies of transformation from multiple ministries throughout the evening. It gave us an opportunity to truly celebrate what God did in Israel in 2022! To top it off, we are especially grateful for 8 new ministries that joined our fellowship in the past year. It is such an honor to lift up the arms of the local body of believers as we watch God use His people to transform lives throughout our nation.
Grateful for 2022 and Excited for 2023!
The reality of our local partners in Israel is that the greater the hardships, the more impressive their work becomes. As FIRM, we want to offer them the necessary support along the way, and we want to give you opportunities to get involved!So once again, as we celebrate everything God did in Israel in 2022, we invite you to be a part of His great plan in 2023! Through FIRM you can show continuous support for ministries in Israel!
How to Pray for Israel: Free PDF Download
Today, more than ever, Israel needs your prayers. Learn three simple and effective ways to stand with Israel in prayer, today.
We’ve put this guide together for you so that you are even better equipped to bless Israel as you pray for Her.
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