Annual Report 2005 for LCJE Australia/New Zealand
By Lawrence Hirsch, LCJE Coordinator for Australia/New Zealand
This is a report compiled from short reports of four Jewish mission organizations that operate in Australia and New Zealand and who are part of the LCJE family of ministries. The reports are listed in alphabetical order.
Celebrate Messiah Australia
The year 2005 represented some extra ordinary challenges and opportunities for Celebrate Messiah Australia. In February Celebrate Messiah celebrated its 10th anniversary of ministry since it was founded in 1995 by Lawrence and Louise Hirsch. We now have 5 missionaries operating in the states of Victoria and New South Wales with two messianic congregations planted in Melbourne.
During this year Celebrate Messiah consolidated its first ministry overseas in the Jewish Autonomous Region of Far East Russian called Birobidzhan. We now have two workers (local Jewish believers) working amongst the “forgotten” Jews of this region. They hold regular bible studies and a Shabbat service and have reported Jewish people coming to faith in Yeshua in small numbers on a regular basis.
Celebrate Messiah has also been holding regular National Messianic Conferences in both Australia and in New Zealand that have been well attended and have resulted in several Jewish people coming to faith in Yeshua in both countries.
In 2005 Celebrate Messiah has increased its financial commitment to Chosen People Ministries work in Israel regular supporting one of the missionaries in the Land.
We are excited about continuing to build the work in Australia and overseas by God’s grace.
Christian Witness to Israel
We rejoice to hear of Jewish people coming to faith through the witness of Christians and the churches, and as conversions by such means comprise the majority we have put more effort into speaking at churches, Bible colleges and conference seminars and into assisting witness in the workplace. We have been involved in the start of a quarterly day of fellowship to encourage Jewish believers who are committed to their local evangelical church. A volunteer witness will soon begin in Melbourne after a two-week outreach of door-to-door visiting, book table ministry and a well-attended public meeting in all of which there were many positive encounters with all sorts of Jewish people. The regular book table ministry in Sydney has continued with an increase in volunteer helpers and the usual contact with Jewish people, especially Israelis.
Towards the end of '05 steps were taken towards engaging new workers from Korea who have previously lived in Israel and who will work among Israelis in Sydney.
David House Fellowship
The ministry of David House Fellowship Inc is through The Vineyard magazine. Available in English and Russian The Vineyard magazine enjoys a worldwide distribution of 35,000 magazines each month.
The Vineyard magazine is compiled with the Jewish reader in mind. Articles are gathered from various sources in an endeavour to stimulate and provoke Jewish readers toward the Lord their God and Yeshua, the Messiah.
The Vineyard magazine is also keenly used by kindred ministries in their endeavour to reach out, follow-up and maintain regular contact with Jewish friends and acquaintances.
A regular source of challenge and comfort The Vineyard magazine continues to be enjoyed by the Believing community with a wide ranging readership from different backgrounds and Church affiliations.
A Hebrew edition of The Vineyard magazine is currently being considered.
Jews for Jesus
Jews for Jesus in Australia was very busy again in 2005 with a couple major events, new programs and continuing ministry to people. That which defines us is the one-to-one visits with enquirers which netted more salvations again in 2005. We also are well known for street evangelism and last year we distributed well over 130,000 tracts one by one on the street corners of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and throughout the region. During "Behold Your God" Melbourne and our other outreaches in Australia and New Zealand, we secured the names of hundreds of Jewish enquirers and others who want to know about our message, that Jesus is the Saviour and Lord of all.
Our book store in Sydney's Bondi Junction attracted vandals 3 times costing thousands of dollars to repair, but also attracted national media attention. We've had no trouble since June.
The book store sees Jewish visitors weekly and we are beginning an outreach Bible class from it in 2006.
We are days away from becoming a company in Singapore to allow us to carry on ministry throughout Asia.
God knows our needs and wonderfully continues to supply to His glory. For that we are very grateful.
Lawrence Hirsch
lhirsch@celebratemessiah.com.au