T r a i n i n g a N e w G e n In Israel, we have extensive children and teen ministries,
4 The Chosen People | MARCH 2019
reaching children from non-believing families in addition to
those who are part of Messianic congregations. We introduce
Jesus the Messiah to the children who do not know Him, and
for those who do, we help them learn to love Him more
through worship, Bible study, and fellowship.
Since we began these children’s camps eight years ago, more
than one hundred children have given their hearts to Jesus.
We offer four or five camps each year. Each camp has 125 kids
between the ages of eleven and fifteen, and forty leaders and
helpers. Many of our campers, especially the teenagers, are
only a few years away from army duty. Going to camp helps
them build a solid spiritual foundation that gives them
strength to remain faithful to the Lord during their season of
army service.
Ministry to Young Adults
This past December 27, 2018 through January 2, 2019,
approximately 150 young Jewish and Gentile believers from
the United States, Canada, Israel, Germany, England, Russia,
and South America gathered in Rome for our fifth Muchan
(pronounced mu-khan) conference. Past conferences have
been held in Berlin, Paris, Prague, and Madrid—each city
chosen for its unique Jewish history.
Muchan, which is Hebrew for “ready,” exists to impact young
believers between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five. The
conference helps connect these like-minded brothers and
sisters and serves to strengthen their faith and vision for the
future. They spend time learning more about what it means to
be a disciple of Yeshua and to consider the various
opportunities around the world for Jewish evangelism. All this
happens over a week through workshops, worship, prayer, and
intensive Bible study. The participants studied the Book of
Romans (of course—we were in Rome), the Jewish history of
Rome, Jewish evangelism, and more!
We believe these young Messianic leaders will shape the future
of Jewish ministry. For this reason, Chosen People Ministries
significantly subsidizes a large percentage of the costs so that
finances will not hinder any young person from attending.
For example, this year we had more than forty millennials
from Israel who really needed the financial help!
Ministry to Children
King Solomon wrote, “Train up a child in the way he should go,
even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
For more than a century, Chosen People Ministries has
conducted children’s camping programs. We value investing in
the next generation. Our camps for young Messianic children
are located on the East Coast, West Coast, and even in Israel.
Camp Sar Shalom is our children’s camp in California. Sar
Shalom means “prince of peace” and is a reference to
Isaiah 9:7. Camp Sar Shalom brings children and teens
together who would not regularly see one another throughout
the year. Many Messianic congregations have smaller
programs for their children, so camps broaden their
relationships with youth from Jewish homes or who are part
of Messianic congregations. At the end of the week, we have a
final evening campfire at which time many campers have
given their lives to Jesus and decided to live for Him.
The counselors share their own personal walks with Yeshua
through the small groups, time in the bunks, doing sports,
hiking, and during worship time. The counselors are with the
campers almost twenty-four hours a day. This allows them to
have a major impact upon the campers’ lives that they would not
normally have in any other setting. It is an excellent way to
develop leadership and organizational skills. We have had many
campers return as counselors and even go on to serve on the
staff of Chosen People Ministries.
Camp Kesher is the name of our camp in Pennsylvania. Kesher
is Hebrew for “connection.” We chose this name because
campers form lifelong connections and, thanks to social media
and regional gatherings, these connections stay strong all year
long. These campers encourage each other in the faith and help
each other feel part of a greater community in the Lord.
Camp Kesher is full of fun activities and traditions, along with a
strong focus on studying the Word of God. We combine
Scripture memory verses, devotions, and camper-oriented
messages from the Bible with an active schedule to create a Jesuscentered
community within a Jewish cultural context. During the
past three summers alone, fourteen campers, ages eight to
sixteen, have committed their lives to the Lord for the first time.
Countless others have recommitted themselves to the Lord.
Last month, we had our first winter weekend camp at the
Sandy Cove Retreat Center in Maryland! Kesher Ice will help
us maintain and build on the momentum created from our
summer camp.