Jewish Group Rips Southern Baptist Convention

A leading Jewish organization is condemning the Southern Baptist Convention for using a group of "messianic" Jews -- people who have already converted to Christianity -- in its evangelism.

Anti-Defamation League director Abraham Foxman said the effort is offensive because the Southern Baptists are using Jews who have converted to Christianity "to go after other Jews."

"If people convert, that's their individual business," Foxman said. "But don't use them as a tool to convert other people."

At the heart of the ADL's complaint is a decision by the Southern Baptist Convention executive committee to ask its missionary boards to study the idea of recognizing the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship as "an evangelistic mission to Jewish people."

The fellowship is made up of about a dozen congregations in the United States. Its Web site says its mission is "to encourage Jewish believers that their ethnic and historical heritage need NOT be lost upon their commitment to Yeshua (Jesus)."

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I have to be honest here: I do not understand what the ADL is upset about. It is a tenet of the Christian religion to evangelize all non-believers. This evangelism is non-violent, and in any country where freedom of speech and freedom of religion are allowed, Christians should be able to evangelize.

Messianic Jews provide a very strong testimony about Christianity, especially when they reach out to other Jews due of the commonalities involved. Why should Jews find this to be offensive, any more than Christians should find other religions' efforts to convert them to be offensive? Whenever you have different religions competing for the hearts and souls of people, there will of course be some conflict, but as long as there is freedom of choice and non-violence, what's the problem?

It's not like Christians are singling out Jews as the only ones they want to convert. Christians want everyone to experience the love and joy of salvation through Jesus Christ. If Christians want to try to do that as effectively as possible, how is that an affront to anyone else? Each of us is a "tool to convert other people" in our obedience to the Great Commission (even though it is the Holy Spirit which will do the actual work). Even though Mr. Foxman uses the term in what appears to be a disparaging manner, I believe most Christians would embrace it.

I'm not sure how this can be seen as a "threat" to Jews, or how it can be viewed as any kind of "defamation" of Jews. As Mr. Foxman indicates, if Jews want to convert, that's their business. And if Christians want to encourage those conversions by reaching out with the Gospel, that's our business.

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