[05.06.08] The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) released a statement recently that called on all evangelicals to “forthrightly” share the love of Jesus Christ with the Jewish people.

Dozens of prominent evangelical leaders signed the statement, dubbed “The Gospel and the Jewish People,” which acknowledged Christianity’s marred history of anti-Semitism, but argued “the most loving and Scriptural expression of our friendship toward Jewish people” is telling them about Jesus and encouraging others to do the same.

“Increasingly, Jewish evangelism is being marginalized and even dismissed as irrelevant, inappropriate, unethical or deceptive by some segments of the church,” said Geoff Tunnicliffe, WEA’s international director.

The statement ran as a full-page ad in The New York Times, other secular publications and in Christian print as well, including Charisma magazine.

Meanwhile, a survey published in the Jerusalem Post on April 10 showed more than 80 percent of American Christians still believe they have a “moral and biblical obligation” to support the state of Israel.

Conducted by the Washington, D.C.-based Joshua Fund, the study indicated pro-Israeli sentiment cut across all denominational lines.