The Messianic Times - International Messianic Jewish News and Information

Romans 11 says, “I say then has God cast away His people? Certainly not! Even so then, at this present time, there is a remnant and the rest were blinded…I say then, have they stumbled that they shall fall? Certainly not! But through their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness? For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”

In this season, God is raising up individuals to stand with Israel. Two such people are George and Marilyn Woodward. With two other couples, the Woodwards have recently begun a non-profit organization called Israel’s Peace Ministries, the purpose of which is to stand with Messianic leaders and congregations in Israel that are under persecution, primarily from their own Jewish brothers whose eyes are still blinded at this time.

How did this call to pioneer Israel’s Peace Ministries begin? It began with a simple sentence that George Woodward heard in early 2006, while listening to an interview with the director of this very publication, The Messianic Times, on the Miracle Channel. He said, “There are Messianic leaders and congregations that are being persecuted and oppressed in the Land of Israel.” George heard these words over and over and knew that God was speaking to him to do something about it.

With the calling, the Woodwards sought God’s will for how to help. They teamed up with two other couples. The three husbands felt directed to take an exploratory trip to Israel to see the need for themselves and meet face to face with Messianic leaders in the Land. With the help of Avi Mizrachi’s Tel Aviv congregation, Adonoi Roi, meetings were set up for Fall 2007. The team then began a ten-day journey, visiting congregations from the north to the south of the Land.

What did they find? The men saw the fruit of a tremendous move of God’s Spirit in the Land, and in the face of this, strong opposition—particularly in certain areas. They visited sixteen Messianic leaders and heard their stories. A leader in Tiberias shared how his congregation had been put out of their rented building, and actually met in the forest for two years until they could secure another building. Some Messianic leaders spoke of their meetings being disrupted, their wives being harassed, their houses being damaged, their windows broken, and their meeting places being set on fire. Opposition was clearly more intense in regions where there is a strong ultra-Orthodox movement. It is in such places that Israel’s Peace Ministries feels called to stand with the Messianic leaders and congregations.

When the team remarked on how difficult it must be to be going through so much, the Messianic leaders’ response was, “It is a great privilege to serve the Lord.” They did not hear one word of complaint or hardship. In spite of opposition, the leaders remain joyful, cheerful, and full of love, even for those who are persecuting them. Moreover, George reports, “No one asked for money, but rather only said, ‘It would be wonderful to know that people in Canada are pray- 3George Woodward, founder of Israel’s Peace Ministries, visiting an Israeli congregation that has had difficulty finding a place to rent and is temporarily meeting in an apartment building. ing for us.’ However, they need support so they don’t have to work two jobs as well as lead a congregation. They need equipment to do the work. They need funding to go to towns that have no Believers and start new Messianic works.”

The year 2008 is the 60th anniversary of Israel’s rebirth as a nation—a significant year in which many Christian Believers are going to Israel. Marilyn Woodward received a prophetic vision of a baton being passed from Gentile Believers to the Jewish people; this baton was the gospel. She explains: “The Jewish people need to see the real gospel—the gospel in action—as Yeshua showed them miracles.” Israel’s Peace Ministries seeks to be a part of this miracle by standing with Messianic works in the Land at this time, helping them to flourish.