Jerusalem Congregational Update

Ahavat Yeshua

Jerusalem

Testimony

We had three native Israelis who are not yet believers visit recently. We also had two others referred to us from online inquiries through a dear friend and pastor from Haifa named Stefan. We are so grateful for their work in Kerem El Congregation! It’s amazing to reach out to these native Israelis – not as missionaries but as fellow Jews, fellow Israelis, fellow Hebrew speakers, fellow military veterans – and talk eye to eye. May God touch their hearts as we discuss sin, salvation, forgiveness, baptism, and so much more! We are grateful for them and we are grateful for you! Keep praying! Keep supporting!

Prayer Requests (Please take a moment to pray!)

• Finances

• Pray for our finances as we ended 2025 with a deficit.

  • Pray for our 2026 budget to be balanced and achievable.

  • Pray for faithful giving by our members that opens blessing from God through monthly overseas partners as well.

• Not-yet Believers

• Pray for T and H who are young native Israeli women who have not yet made professions of faith, but have enjoyed coming to our Shabbat services. 

  • Pray for N, the young man referred to above, who believes in Yeshua but has never been discipled or baptized, to get plugged in and make the next steps.

Hype v. Help – Imparting a Spiritual Gift

I once heard a nice statement about congregational growth. It went, “Whatever you attract through hype, you will need to retain with hype.” It was a reminder that congregational life is not a sprint and not a show. Congregational life is supposed to be communal life. Real relationships. Real vulnerability. Real help.

In Ahavat Yeshua, we’ve been blessed to be the congregational home of amazing worship leaders like Levi and Rebecca Davis (Solu Israel) who oversee all our worship teams. Also, Evan Levine who is one of the most prolific songwriters I’ve ever met. We also have world-class musicians like David (last name withheld for privacy) and in years past J&J (singer-songwriters), and Chaim (liturgical cantor). We’ve been blessed with congregational services that are deeply anointed and some might say, exciting! But as exciting as it is to worship God in downtown Jerusalem in Hebrew as Israelis… we don’t build through hype.

We are intentionally building deeply connected community dealing with all the issues that are included in the messiness of a fallen world and an enemy who hates us. In home groups and personal counseling we discuss the storms of life, questions of faith, fears, pornography addictions, same sex attraction, child raising, teenager raising, evangelism strategies, etc.

We build on helping one another, not hyping one another. We build on long-term intimacy, not short-term thrills.

Congregational News

• The new home group in the Armon HaNatziv neighborhood is going great!

• We finished the season of Bar and Bat Mitzvahs! Continue praying for these amazing youth!

• We just held a special thank you meal for all our “Faithful Servants” in the congregation. It was attended by 90 people - amazingly almost everyone is serving!

“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house – a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Messiah Yeshua.” (1 Peter 2:5)

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