From Our Missionaries

Coming-to-Faith Testimonies of the Jewish People

Our missionaries evangelize Jewish people all over the world in obedience to the Word of God, which says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19), and as a mission to the Jewish people, we pay careful attention to the inspired words of the apostle Paul who wrote, “the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Our missionaries share the good news of Messiah around the world with both Jewish people and Gentiles.

Here are some first-hand accounts from our staff, recounting the stories of some who have come to faith in Yeshua as their Messiah, two of whom are Israeli travelers from Japan and one from the United States.

Since October 7, 2023, the people of Israel and the State of Israel have been going through one of the most painful and difficult periods since the Holocaust. In these days, the wars with Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and the Houthis have deeply affected not only the nation itself but the hearts of an entire generation.

Many young Israelis who had long since completed their mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces were called back into reserve duty. They spent long months on the front lines—both in the south and in the north of Israel—defending their people and their country. After completing this intense and exhausting service, many of them seek to get as far away as possible from the tensions of the Middle East so they can physically and emotionally rest and recover.

As a result, staff at the Chosen People Ministries guest houses—including me—are increasingly meeting young Israelis who take a break of several months to a year and travel around the world. Some of them make it all the way to Japan. During their travels, a number of them stay here with my team in Tokyo and Hokkaido. We spend hours with them, enjoying their company and talking to them about the love of Jesus the Messiah. While many may appear outwardly energetic and joyful, they often arrive emotionally and physically drained. 

One such guest was a young man in his early 30s named Nathan.* He served as a reserve medic in the Israel Defense Forces. Nathan received professional medical training and, despite his young age, treated hundreds of wounded Israeli soldiers as well as Arab civilians injured in terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas. While caring for others, he himself suffered deep emotional wounds because of the trauma of war.

Nathan came to Japan for several months in search of inner peace. He attempted to find that peace through meditation, hoping to quiet the pain and anxiety in his heart. During one of these meditation sessions, he learned from another Israeli about our Israeli guest house and decided to stay with us. Remarkably, at the same time, I also traveled from Tokyo to Hokkaido, which allowed us to spend several evenings together. During this time, we had meaningful conversations about the peace that can only be found in the Prince of Peace. We studied how the prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) were fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus). In time, Nathan opened his heart and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Messiah.

Along with the rest of our team, I praise God for how He is working through Chosen People Ministries volunteers in Japan. Through the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the love of Yeshua, hearts are being opened, and hope is being restored—something clearly visible in the eyes of these young men and women. I can testify with confidence that today, more than at any time in the past two thousand years, Israelis are open to the gospel. We are grateful to be God’s hands in this field.

Let me also tell you about Eran,* a young Israeli who completed his military service in the Israel Defense Forces and came to Japan to pursue his studies. Soon after he arrived, he met me and others who are also part of the Chosen People Ministries outreach team in Japan. He first enrolled in a Japanese language program, and his plan was to continue his studies in Japan at a music college.

Even before arriving in Japan, Eran was somewhat familiar with Japanese culture and had a basic knowledge of the language. However, after relocating, he shared with me that he struggled with loneliness and a deep sense of separation from his family and friends in Israel. Living in a completely different cultural and linguistic environment, he found it challenging to adjust to life in Japan.

Like many Israelis, Eran had been following my social media content related to Japan. He reached out to me through Instagram, and I invited him to attend one of our evangelistic worship services at the Chosen People Ministries Center in Tokyo.

At the service, Eran was overjoyed to meet other Israelis. The atmosphere of love, acceptance, and fellowship deeply touched his heart. At the end of the evening, he came to me and said, “I have been following you on social media for a long time. Now, I was finally able to visit in person. I still have much to learn, but I feel love in this place, and I want to be part of this community.”

These words opened the door to deep and meaningful conversations. During one of the meetings between Eran and I, we opened the Scriptures together and studied Isaiah 53. Through this powerful passage from the Old Testament, I was able to clearly present the gospel message of the Messiah’s sinless life, His sacrificial death for our sins, and His glorious resurrection.

Since Eran is living in Japan on a student visa, the two of us have had the opportunity to continue meeting and regularly study the Bible together. We examined Isaiah 53 more deeply using the biblical explanations taught by Mitch Glaser, president of Chosen People Ministries, in his book Isaiah 53 Explained. Over time, Eran came to understand that faith in Yeshua does not contradict Judaism but rather fulfills the messianic promises given through the prophets of Israel.

By God’s grace, Eran placed his faith in Jesus as his Lord and Messiah. We also discussed the meaning of water baptism, and shortly afterward, Eran was baptized, publicly declaring his faith and new life in Messiah. Please continue to pray for Eran—that the seed of God’s Word would take deep root in his heart, that it would bear fruit, and that the Lord would guide his steps. 

We at the Chosen People Ministries center in Japan are deeply encouraged to see how God is drawing young Israelis to Himself, even here.

The Sabbath is one of my favorite times of the week. In my neighborhood, people close up shop early and rush home to prepare a big family meal, because the Sabbath is coming! The Friday evening Sabbath meal provides a wonderful opportunity to sit across a table with people from all backgrounds and stages of their faith.

One night, a few of us on staff at a Chosen People Ministries center in the United States hosted an evening Sabbath meal. Surprisingly, one of our Jewish guests responded to our Scripture reading and asked if Jesus can really hear us as we pray. We affirmed that the Messiah is in the midst of us, and we do not need to have formal words to pray—rather, we can simply open our hearts and speak with Him. This individual desperately wanted to believe in Him, but was afraid to acknowledge this because it went against everything they had been taught growing up. Our friend asked how to pray and what to say, and if perhaps they could try praying right then and there. Someone from our group prayed first; then our Jewish friend took a deep breath, and after a long moment of silence, began to pray: “God, I don’t even know if you can hear me, but if Yeshua is the Messiah, show me.” It was a holy moment, and an emotional one for all.

As the evening went on, we sang songs of worship, and there was great joy throughout the house. The Holy Spirit was moving in our friend’s heart. As we all said goodbye, one of our staff walked this person out, and while in the foyer of the building, the Lord brought our friend to tears as they were moved to place their faith in Jesus right there. They prayed, wept, and rejoiced! This individual is now a passionate disciple of Yeshua and eager to share the good news with their community.

These testimonies are evidence that God is actively working among the Jewish people! The work of Jewish evangelism that began in the New Testament times in Israel has not ended and is ongoing to this day. May these testimonies of Jewish people coming to faith in our Messiah Jesus from our missionaries encourage us to continue the work of Jewish evangelism that God has commanded us. We can trust that the Lord will grow fruit from the seeds we plant as we spread the gospel among His chosen people.

*Names changed for privacy.