{"id":633296,"date":"2026-10-01T15:38:12","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T15:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/633296\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T15:38:12","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T15:38:12","slug":"ynet-global-to-broadcast-awake-jerusalem-live-as-christian-leaders-from-51-nations-ga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/633296\/","title":{"rendered":"ynet Global to broadcast Awake Jerusalem live as Christian leaders from 51 nations ga"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than 550 Christian leaders from 51 nations have arrived in Israel for a major gathering of international faith leaders, culminating this week in Awake Jerusalem, a night of music, prayer and solidarity at Jerusalem\u2019s Tower of David.<\/p>\n

ynet Global will broadcast Awake Jerusalem live on October 3 on its website and social media channels, bringing the event to audiences in Israel and around the world.<\/p>\n

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Bishop Robert Stearns <\/p>\n

(Photo: Eagles\u2019 Wings)<\/p>\n

The concert is part of a 10-day delegation organized by Eagles\u2019 Wings and led by its founder and president, Bishop Robert Stearns. Taking place during Sukkot and in the days leading up to the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks, the visit brings Christian leaders, dignitaries and officials to Israel for meetings, briefings and encounters with Israelis directly affected by the past three years.<\/p>\n

For Stearns, who has been coming to Israel since 1992, this visit feels markedly different. \u201cI feel that nationally there is a greater sense in the nation of dependence on God for help, and a spiritual component that has renewed,\u201d he said on an interview ahead of the events. But he said the change he sees is not only spiritual. He has also noticed Israelis taking greater personal responsibility for explaining their country and experiences to the outside world.<\/p>\n

Stearns recalled having lunch with three Israeli businessmen who had nothing to do with politics, yet each was thinking about what role he could play in Israel\u2019s struggle over international public opinion. Israelis, he said, understand the military battles being fought by the IDF, but increasingly recognize another arena as well: what he describes as an \u201ceighth front\u201d – the battle over Israel\u2019s story. \u201cI sense a tremendous level of personal responsibility that Israelis are taking for telling the story and being a \u2018shaliach\u2019, a messenger,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

That idea lies at the heart of the Eagles\u2019 Wings delegation.<\/p>\n

Among those participating are senior Christian leaders whose churches and networks collectively reach tens of millions of people worldwide, including Bishop Dr. David A. Sobrepe\u00f1a, founder and senior pastor of Word of Hope Christian Church in the Philippines; Rev. Ricardo Castillo Medina, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God in Costa Rica and president of the World Hispanic Assemblies of God; and Brazil\u2019s Rev. Dr. Reinaldo dos Santos.<\/p>\n

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Delegations from Kenya and Nigeria are also participating. They include Kenya\u2019s First Lady Rachel Ruto; Ogiame Atuwatse III and Olori Atuwatse III of Nigeria\u2019s Warri Kingdom; and Nigeria\u2019s Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa.<\/p>\n

Stearns said the delegation represents networks reaching some 100 million people globally. \u201cWe are here to pray. But to act,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are not just here to sing. We are here to become educated, empowered, and go back to our nations.\u201d<\/p>\n

During their stay, delegates are scheduled to meet Israeli leaders, IDF and Foreign Ministry officials, faith leaders, returned hostages and bereaved families. Strategic briefings are also intended to give participants a deeper understanding of Israel\u2019s security challenges and the impact of the past three years.<\/p>\n

Stearns believes there is still a significant gap between the support Israel receives from evangelical Christians and Israelis\u2019 understanding of that community. \u201cThere\u2019s very little bridge of connection,\u201d he said, noting that Israelis sometimes approach evangelical support with uncertainty or suspicion.<\/p>\n

His answer is direct engagement. Eagles\u2019 Wings says it has brought some 45,000 people to Israel over the years, including thousands of pastors and influencers. Stearns said that when participants are asked afterward about the most memorable part of their visit, the answer is often surprisingly simple: Shabbat. \u201cWhen we saw women lighting candles, fathers blessing sons and daughters, when we saw the phones go off, traffic die down, and the beauty and power of the simplicity of family and friends coming together,\u201d he said, describing what visitors tell his organization.<\/p>\n

Such experiences, he argues, can have more impact than political arguments. He recalled speaking recently with a German businessman visiting Israel for the first time. His reaction, Stearns said, was straightforward: \u201cThis place is nothing like the media says.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just a human being experiencing the land,\u201d Stearns said. \u201cIsrael tells its own story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked what prayer can accomplish at a time of war, division and rising antisemitism, Stearns said prayer without tangible action is insufficient. \u201cPrayer is everything. And prayer must have with it action,\u201d he said, citing the Bible\u2019s teaching that \u201cfaith without action is dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must pray, but we must become the answer to the prayer that we are praying.\u201d For Stearns, that means participants returning home better equipped to speak about Israel, confront antisemitism and engage their own communities.<\/p>\n

He also sees the current moment as an opportunity to deepen Christian-Jewish relations while acknowledging the real differences between the two faiths. \u201cWe have genuine theological differences, and they should be respected, mutually,\u201d he said. \u201cBut we are united in 95 percent in our view, and we must build this gesher for the sake of humanity, so there is a brighter future.\u201d<\/p>\n

That bridge will take a musical form on October 3. Awake Jerusalem will bring Christian artists from around the world to the Tower of David for an evening centered on Jerusalem, faith and solidarity with Israel.<\/p>\n

According to Stearns, public interest was immediate. \u201cWe opened to sell tickets, and we sold out in four hours. Gone,\u201d he said. The vision, he explained, is deliberately youthful and joyful, using music to rise \u201cabove the noise\u201d at a moment dominated by conflict and political division.<\/p>\n

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\u201cDavid was not only a warrior, he was also a musician,\u201d Stearns said. \u201cSo the City of David should put the music\u201d at the center. He hopes Awake Jerusalem will continue to grow, with ambitions for an even larger event at Sultan\u2019s Pool next year.<\/p>\n

Engaging younger Christians is becoming an increasingly important part of that effort. Stearns said Eagles\u2019 Wings recently brought 100 college students to Israel, part of a broader attempt to expose a new generation to the country beyond what they encounter through social media, campus activism and international news coverage.<\/p>\n

Many evangelical Christians grow up with a strong connection to the biblical Israel, he said, but often know far less about the complexities of the modern state and the conflict surrounding it.<\/p>\n

Bringing them to Israel allows them to encounter that reality themselves. \u201cYou shape people\u2019s views by telling stories,\u201d Stearns said. \u201cIsrael and the land of Israel tell a story that the nations can learn from.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Stearns, the events of the coming days are part of something larger than a single delegation or concert. After more than three decades of bringing Christians to Israel, he believes the challenge now is turning affinity into meaningful relationships, and relationships into action. \u201cIt\u2019s time for tachles,\u201d he said, using the Hebrew and Yiddish expression for getting down to practical matters. \u201cWe have to stand together shoulder to shoulder.\u201d<\/p>\n

And on October 3, that message will begin with music in the heart of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

ynet Global will broadcast Awake Jerusalem live from the Tower of David on October 3 on our website and across its social media channels.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"More than 550 Christian leaders from 51 nations have arrived in Israel for a major gathering of international…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":633297,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[85,46,43],"class_list":["post-633296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-israel","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=633296"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633296\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/633297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=633296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=633296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=633296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}