---

"Is your church Israel-friendly?" I stare at my dialogue partner a little irritated. "Do you have a prayer group for Israel? You celebrate Passah? You blow the  Schofar horn? You support Messianic churches financially?" In such discussions Israel can easily become an 'apple of discord', not only in world politics where some level of excitement about Israel is common.  "A cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling" - this is what the prophet Sacharja called Jerusalem in Sach. 12:2. Among believers as well emotional discussions can be seen. One might found too much of the topic in one's church, others wish more. This edition of GEISTbewegt!, the regular BFP journal, deals with the topic which commission we have for Israel.

Dr. Jürgen Bühler made clear at a conference in February in Munich what the commission of Israel is and that we as the Christian church are like debitors to Israel. We recommend to start reading from page 4 on. How can our commission get into practice? How is the situation of the Messianic churches? What does the life of a Pentecostal pastor in Germany look like, who was born in Nazareth? What initiatives do exist here, which I can join to do something practical?

Our series about the regions of the BFP has now arrived at its full start, in this edition dealing with South Bavaria. On page 20, our deputy reductional leader Hennelore Illgen treats the topic how to deal with Muslims. All these topics are exciting, relevant for today's life, inspiring and challenging to act.

Off course, you can also read GEISTbewegt! while taking a sun bath in your garden, and still keep on relaxing. Should you read it on a trip to Israel, we would have been happy to accompany you...

Frank Uphoff

Quelle: www.bfp.de

---