Aggressive missionary group targets Ukrainian refugees in Israel, already baptizing 15

Chosen People Ministries “warmly welcomes” refugees, already plans to baptize 15 new arrivals before Passover while assisting them with their physical needs.

By Atara Beck, World Israel News

The Chosen People Ministries, a New-York based messianic Jewish non-profit that openly engages in Christian evangelism to Jews, is now targeting Ukrainian refugees fleeing to Israel.

According to its mission statement, the Ministries’ purpose is “to glorify God, proclaim the Gospel to the Jew first and also to the Gentile, and develop resources and programs to accomplish this task.”

The messianic group is in fact taking advantage of the tragic situation in Ukraine by missionizing traumatized refugees while helping them settle in Israel. “Ukrainian families find warm welcome in Israel with Chosen People Ministries,” its website states.

Indeed, they are planning to baptize 15 people before the holiday of Passover, which falls in about six weeks from now.

According to the website:

Neriyah A. has given much time and effort to help four Ukrainian families relocate in Israel after fleeing the war zone. He writes, “We not only met them in the airport, but also found and furnished the apartments for them, thanks to donations from the congregation. These people have attended our congregational meetings and some of them have already received the Lord.

“Before the Passover, we are planning to baptize 15 people. Please pray for more leaders that can help in our congregation. On a regular basis we have about 70 adults, plus children. Now, we need a bigger sanctuary.”

‘Crisis situation’

“No doubt we are in a crisis situation, and the Israeli government is in an “all-hands-on deck” state right now,” with thousands of people in need of humanitarian aid. The missionaries are taking gross advantage of the situation, and this particular group makes no effort to hide their intentions,” Shannon Nuszen, founder and director of Beyneynu, a non-profit organization that monitors missionary activity in Israel and abroad, told World Israel News.

“They’re grossly taking advantage of their vulnerability. They boast to their supporters that they have set up shop at the airport, offering humanitarian aid and sharing Jesus. Most disturbing is that they are reporting that they have already converted 15 people and are planning to baptize them before Passover.”

Furthermore, “in a conference call we obtained, they also describe how they are targeting the women and children who are here without the men and want to provide Bible lessons for these children.”

Targeting minors against the law

Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, “we are in a crisis situation, but at the same time we have an obligation to our Jewish brothers and sisters,” Nuszen said.

“They are fleeing from a very real physical threat seeking to take their lives, only to land in the Holy Land and be greeted at the airport by those seeking their destroy their souls.”

“The State of Israel must be a safe place of refuge for Jewish people, and this must not be allowed,” she stressed.

Nuszen also noted that targeting minors is against the law in Israel as well as offering goods or services in exchange for conversion. “The work of Chosen People Ministries is clearly crossing lines on both of these fronts.”

BeyneynuChosen People MinistriesEvangelical ChristiansJewish refugeesMessianic JewsRussia UkraineShannon NuszenUkrainian Jews