Pastors Return to the Holy Land After Years of COVID Restrictions

JERUSALEM, Israel – Since early 2020, few visitors have been able to travel to Israel.  Now, doors are beginning to open and CBN News met with one Christian group that's finally back in the holy land. 

These pastors got the chance to visit Israel thanks to Eagles' Wings ministry, a group focused on advancing biblical mandates such as spiritual community. 

“We are so glad, after, you know, two and a half years that we couldn't come back to the land to bring these pastors, almost 30 pastors from all over America, from the UK and from Canada, because we're living in a moment in the Christian Church that we're reconnecting to the Jewish roots of our faith and standing in support of the modern State of Israel," Bishop Robert Stearns, founder of Eagles' Wings tells CBN News. "And these pastors are just every day gaining a sense of focus and clarity and commitment to what God is doing in this place.” 

Pastor Malik Edwards of Relentless Church has been to Israel before. He says this trip was different.

“I've been here a few times, but this particular time it's really touched me, not only to, you know, to tap into my Christian roots but really to tap into the Jewish roots,” says Edwards.

For these pastors, it is a chance to experience the land where the Bible comes alive. 

“Honestly, it means finding history and bringing it to life for me,” says Pastor Graig Pridgen, pastor of True Bethel Baptist Church. “You know, we read the Bible constantly. I preach from the Bible and over these past nine days, I've actually walked the Bible.” 

At one point, the group gathered around a piano on the promenade and began spontaneous worship. 

Pastors reflected on how this trip will enrich their ministry, especially first-time visitor, Pastor Joe Reeser of Ramp Church in Manchester, UK.

“It's planted a seed. It's made an impact that, and I'm convinced of this, there's probably not an area of my ministry, my leadership, my future, my planning, my strategizing, that is not going to be impacted,” says Reeser. “By the influence of the land and the people and what God is doing, not just what he has done historically, but what he is doing through this place.”

Stearns says the pastors “are having their paradigms shifted.”

“They're having their hearts, softened and awakened,” he adds.

For years, Stearns has led the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem, and he says, it’s more important than ever. 

“Even during COVID we went virtual around the world because we believe,” says Stearns, “at least one day a year, the hearts of the global church should turn back to Zion, should turn back and, and pray for the coming of our king, the return of our king.  And so, this has taken on all over the world … we want to have our nation praying for the peace of Jerusalem. So ,I invite all believers to set aside the first Sunday of every October as the global day of prayer for the peace of Jerusalem.”

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