REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK:

Sunday, December 7, 2025, marked the conclusion of the Ambassador Summit, a weeklong conference in Jerusalem, bringing together more than 1,000 pastors, ministry leaders, Christian educators, bloggers, and social media influencers, from across the United States.

This historic event is the largest Christian delegation to visit the Holy Land since Israel’s modern birth as a nation in 1948. The delegation received a formal invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with Friends of Zion, led by Dr. Mike Evans.

Dan Oryan, Director of Civic Diplomacy for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, shared why it’s important for visitors to hear Israel’s story, by being where tragic events have actually taken place. This is to understand the ideological war that Israel faces. It’s a kind of living diplomacy when groups come to the land. Dan Oryan, Director of Civic Diplomacy at the Israel Foreign Ministry, spoke to Christian leaders at Mt. Herzl. Photo by the MFA. Used with permission.

“After two very hard tough years, with a huge fight, in what we call the 8th front (the media war), we are in a difficult situation… still.  It’s very comforting to have 1,000 pastors and influencers coming here to hear the truth and share it with their communities. It makes a difference. It’s not just hearsay, but someone telling you what happened,” Oryan said.

He explained that it gives Christian leaders a full picture, “and they get the sense of the problematic situation Israel is facing.” According to Oryan, this Ambassador Summit is the first stage in bringing large delegations to Israel. Future groups can see what has happened here, from first-hand testimonies.

During the Summit week, much to the relief of conference leaders, the weather cooperated. The events taking place at meaningful Christian and Jewish sites, displayed a remarkable unity among participants, who reached out in friendship and compassion to Israeli citizens.

Of particular significance were the testimonies of the survivors of the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre. These included eye-witness accounts from hostages who were kidnapped on that fateful day, and later freed from captivity. It also included statements from soldiers who fought during the subsequent two years of war. There were family members who shared heartbreaking stories of how they lost loved ones in these battles.

Many of the Christian leaders were eager to listen and communicate with local civilians, gaining a better understanding of life in Israel under the constant threat of terrorism and war.

On the first day of touring, Wednesday, December 3, 2025, Summit participants went first to the site of the Nova Festival attack. Many then visited communities near the Gaza border where the October 7th massacre also occurred.

Reflecting on the past two years, Colonel (res.) Golan Vach, in charge of IDF search and rescue teams, and a specialist in life-saving techniques, spoke to the conference visitors. He mentioned showing up to try and defend Kibbutz Re’im, only to find out his son’s unit was fighting Hamas. He asked a soldier in-charge, if his son was one of the casualties. The soldier let the colonel know that his son was alive. IDF leader, Colonel (res.) Golan Vach, speaks to Christian leaders at the Nova site. Photo by Carrie Hart.

“I didn’t realize, that this moment would repeat dozens and hundreds of times in these two long years. Who is alive, who is dead?” Vach explained. He admitted that Israelis, during the war, kept asking this question, making the whole story very difficult. However, reflecting on the war, he said, “the eternal people are not afraid of a long journey.”

Since October 7, 2023, Colonel Vach and his friends in the IDF, have spent more than 450 days in Gaza. Vach pointed to a place on the ground. “There is a sign here: ‘Beware you are in a rocket threat area. If there is a siren, enter the bomb shelter.’  Our job is to make sure this sign is irrelevant; that this will not happen again.”

Tal Shoham was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7th. He spent time in the Gaza homes of his oppressors, and then spent more than 8 months in the Hamas tunnels. He miraculously found strength and faith there. He was released in February 2025, and united with his wife and children. He described it as a moment of “rebirth.” He experienced courage and compassion in captivity.  Shoham encouraged everyone to choose life in the darkest moments, hold on to love, and refuse to allow terror to steal joy.  He said to the Christian leaders, “I believe that true friendship is revealed in difficult times. You stood with us when much of the world criticized Israel for defending itself against radical Islamic terror.” Released hostage, Tal Shoham, tells his story, to Christian leaders, on December 3, 2025, at the Nova site. Photo by Carrie Hart.

Moran Stela Yanai was kidnapped on October 7, and released on November 29, 2023. She explained what she believed, by faith, during her captivity, “I know that every single day I chose life over darkness. And, no matter who was going to stand in front of me, and try to tell me that nobody cares for me, and I don’t have a country, I don’t have a people who are searching for me…. Well, I know who are my people, and I know that they had my back every single day!” Jewelry designer, Moran Stela Yanai was kidnapped at the Nova Festival on October 7, 2023. She was freed on November 29, 2023. Photo by Carrie Hart.

Released abductee, Idan Alexander, stood on the platform at the Nova grounds in an IDF uniform. He described how he was kidnapped from his base near the Gaza border on October 7, 2023. He spent 584 days in Hamas captivity, released on May 12, 2025. Alexander had access to Al Jazeera and CNN, bringing hope to Israeli journalists that their stories were reaching the people they were praying for, below the ground! Idan Alexander was kidnapped at a post on the Gaza border, on October 7, 2023. He spent 584 days in Hamas captivity, before being freed by Hamas. He tells his story at the Nova site. Photo by Carrie Hart.

Keith and Aviva Siegel also spent time in Hamas captivity, abused by the terrorists. Aviva said, “I will never forget. I am standing here for the next generations, to tell the truth. And, we are all going to be strong for them and stand for them.” Keith and Aviva Siegel share with Christian leaders what they experienced as hostages during their captivity in Gaza. At the Nova site, Aviva asked for prayer. Photo by Carrie Hart.

At the Summit conference, I spoke to Pastor Tim Post from Bethel Baptist Church, Bastrop, Louisiana. He was one of the Christian participants who felt, that the time at the Nova site, was the most significant moment of his visit to Israel.  “I don’t think I will ever get over exactly what took place there. We see it in the media back home, but it’s such a different perspective when you are standing there. To stand there, and see the memorials and hear the stories, and even go to the Border Police and see some of the footage, it was heart wrenching.”

After a full day of touring at various sites in the south of Israel, Wednesday evening, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, gave a passionate speech that expressed the goals of the Summit. He thanked Christian leaders for being ambassadors of the truth; for being the greatest friends of Israel and the Jewish People. Sa’ar stated: “There is a huge global movement today trying to erase the proven historical connection between the Jewish People and our ancient homeland and capital. They try to challenge our sovereignty over it. They deny our historical biblical roots here. But, around us the Bible is present… In the book of Psalms, King David wrote, ‘If I forget you Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.’ Ever since the Jewish People have prayed for Jerusalem, we have never forgotten, and we are here now to stay forever!”

The Israel Foreign Ministry, under the direction of Sa’ar, intends to continue the close cooperation between Israeli and Christian leaders in 2026. In this new formed alliance, he hopes to strengthen global partnerships, and expand the circle of influence in forming deeper connections with evangelical believers.

The Ambassador Summit brought delegates to Mount Herzl Military Cemetery on Day 2, Thursday, December 4, 2025.  They laid wreaths and Israeli flags on graves of IDF soldiers who fell during the Iron Swords war. That war with Hamas is in a fragile ceasefire since October 2025.

Pastors Rubin and Susan Mendez of Iglesia Shalom Church in San Antonia Texas, spoke to me about their visit to Israel. Rubin has been to Israel five times. It’s the second visit to the land for Susan. She explained about their time in southern Israel, and at Mount Herzl.  “The Israeli guides showed us the pain. We talked to the survivors of Nova and the families. They showed us that this is a plight. This hasn’t been a one-time thing for Israel, but they were optimistic. We were in the cemetery of the soldiers (Mount Herzl). The guides said, ‘this doesn’t look like a cemetery. It looks like a park.’ They had the optimism that if God is for us, who can be against us. The promises are greater than the pain and the plight.”

The groups of Summit participants also visited the Western Wall, where they held a prayer and worship service on the Southern Steps. They met with Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz who recited the Song of Ascents. They also visited the Mount of Olives, and key landmarks in Jerusalem’s Holy City. One of the most meaningful visits for several of the Christian leaders I spoke with, was in ancient Shiloh.  At the site, Dr. Mike Evans stated that Shiloh was the first capital of the state of Israel, and the place where the Tabernacle of God stood. He claimed that Israel’s sovereignty over Judea and Samaria is part of the scriptural divine covenant of God with His people, beyond mere political considerations.

Israeli Deputy Director General for Public Diplomacy Yacov Livne, who was at the site, texted on ‘X’.  “Our deep bond to this land runs from Shiloh to Jerusalem; from the Temples to exile, and from longing to return.” He thanked Christian leaders for their friendship.

Wherever they went, Summit leaders prayed for the peace of Jerusalem and for all Israel. They also received training and action points from Israeli government leaders, as well as from Israeli experts in the field, who specialize in public advocacy, defense, security, and intelligence, including monitoring the activities of Israel’s enemies.

On Sunday night, at the close of this remarkable week of faith-filled events, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee encouraged Christian leaders. “Today, you will be commissioned as ambassadors to go back to the United States, to your pulpits, to your platforms… You are going to go back home, I hope, with some extraordinary memories and experiences that I pray are deep within your soul. I don’t know how you can come to this country and not experience that.”  Huckabee said, in addition to taking the message home, of what conference attendees experienced in Israel, they should bring others with them on their next trip to Israel, in their new role as ambassadors. U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee spoke several times during the Ambassador Summit for Christian leaders. Photo by Carrie Hart.

These newly appointed Christian ambassadors received official certificates of appreciation. On each certificate the words said: “In recognition of your commitment and on-going work, to combat antisemitism, and in encouraging the youth of this generation to stand with Israel.” At the Ambassador Summit, a group of Christian leaders take a picture with their certificates of appreciation.  Photo by Carrie Hart.

Christian ambassadors are expected to work to strengthen Israel’s image in their cities, their communities, on university and college campuses, and in their pulpits. The pledge is to stand strong, as an advocate for Israel, engaging and winning the information media war, that has affected public opinion, in regard to the lives of 15.8 million Jewish People, worldwide.

At the Summit, these leaders heard from their own members, who exhorted them to do more to help Israel and the Jewish People. Evangelical Christian, Johnnie Moore, said that they should make Israel part of their life mission. “Be an ambassador, a warrior of truth. Be a righteous one among the nations,” he claimed. And, added, “We want to say to the Jewish People, one more time, we have your back. We say to our God, Father thank you for the covenant You made, and the scriptures You gave, and the Savior who came to us through this people in this land.”

Moore ended his speech declaring that “for the love of God, may He find His Church standing exactly where we ought to stand in this moment, shoulder to shoulder on the side of His promises and on the side of His people.”

This significant visit of Christian leaders to Israel may well be remembered as the first of many global public diplomacy initiatives to follow. As Israel has gone from tragedy, to resilience, to remembrance, pro-Israel Christians are now bonding with the Jewish nation to see victory in this battle for truth, accuracy, and justice. As this outreach continues, the hope is that it will have great impact throughout the world.

In this bond of friendship, may both Jews and Christians recognize the God of Israel who watches over His land. May they observe that, as it says in Psalm 121:4, He neither slumbers nor sleeps on behalf of His people. More than 1,000 Christian leaders pray at the Nova site, on December 3, 2025, for Israelis that were kidnapped during the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre. These survivors were freed, in several hostage releases, and they tell their stories of what they experienced in captivity. Photo by Carrie Hart. At the Ambassador Summit, Christian leaders listen to testimonies of survivors of the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023. Photo by Carrie Hart.