More than 2,500 people gathered at First Baptist Church Atlanta (FBA) recently for a Night to Honor Israel. The event was organized by Christians United for Israel (CUFI).
Charles Stanley, senior pastor at FBA, hosted the event. In his opening remarks, he said, “I have been a pastor for over 50 years, and I have supported Israel every one of them.”
Stanley was joined on the stage by keynote speaker John Hagee, CUFI’s founder and chairman, and Opher Aviram, Consul General of Israel to the Southeast.
“Dr. Stanley’s lifetime of support for Israel has made him an important leader within the Christian Zionist movement. I am so glad that he has joined with Christians United for Israel to ensure that pro-Israel Christians are speaking with one unified voice on this issue,” Hagee said. “I pray that Dr. Stanley will help lead many of his fellow Southern Baptists into this important movement.”
Each year CUFI holds hundreds of pro-Israel events in cities around the country. And each July, thousands of pro-Israel Christians gather in Washington, D.C. to participate in the CUFI Washington Summit and make their voices heard in support of Israel and the Jewish people.
“I want to thank Dr. Charles Stanley for graciously hosting the event at First Baptist Church. I was amazed to witness such a clear outpouring of love by the Christian community for the Jewish people and Israel,” Aviram said. “The presence of so many local Rabbis and Jewish leaders was a testament to the strong alliance between Jews and Christians who support Israel. For me, one of the most profound moments happened when Pastor John Hagee proclaimed before an audience that included several Holocaust survivors his resolve to fight against anti-Semitism and stand up for Israel, the Jewish State, now and forever.”
