Israel
Over 1,000 evangelical Christian pastors and influencers make historic trip to Israel
It’s the largest group of American Christian leaders to visit Israel since its founding
December 8, 2025 14:06
It’s the largest group of American Christian leaders to visit Israel since its founding
December 8, 2025 14:06Over 1,000 evangelical pastors and influencers have made a historic trip to Israel – the largest group of American Christian leaders to visit the Jewish state since its founding.
The delegation, which was brought together by the Friends of Zion initiative in collaboration with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, touched down in Israel on Tuesday and embarked on an ambitious itinerary which included a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
The group also visited the site of Hamas’s October 7 massacre at the Supernova music festival – accompanied by former hostages Emily Damari, Tal Shoham, Moran Stella Yanai, and Aviva and Keith Siegel – and went to Christian and Jewish holy sites.
Dr Mike Evans, who founded the Friends of Zion Heritage Centre in Jerusalem, is a confidant of President Donald Trump and has known Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for 45 years.
He told Fox News Digital that over 2,000 pastors applied for the trip, explaining “we chose those best suited for this first trip. These 1,000 pastors represent tens of millions of Americans and have major media and social media influence.”
He added: "We believe the president respects us and that we have his confidence and ear. We would not have had the hostages back without him. He will stand with us and will not cave in to Jew-haters’ intentions regarding Judea and Samaria or a Palestinian state. He will try everything he can to help Israel.”
Explaining what he hoped to gain from the trip, Pastor Mike Atkins told Fox News Digital: "We are seeking to unify – and demonstrate that unity – between evangelical Christian leaders in America, Israel and the Jewish people, and to counter any perception that this community is divided on the issue, because it is not."
He went on: "To the youth, I say: join the movement. Commit to never again allowing the poisonous deception of antisemitism to penetrate our culture. Take a stand, speak up and do not remain silent.”
Another member of the delegation, Tamryn Foley, told Fox News Digital: "I am going back home with a fire to make sure young people in my country know the truth. It’s one thing to understand something intellectually, and another to come here, meet people who have been affected, and connect with them on a heart level.
"There is so much negative propaganda in our country. It’s loud, and we need to do a better job of educating young people. They’re capable of seeing through the nonsense and lies – I don’t think we give them enough credit. We need to present them with the truth and plant the seed for lifelong support for Israel.”
Speaking to his motivation for organising the trip, Evans did not hold back, telling Fox News Digital: "These devils that hate Jews hate Christians just as much. What is being said against the state of Israel is one hundred times worse than what the Nazis said on their party platform in 1920, and everyone is ignoring it. They don’t realise how dangerous this is.”
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