LCJE AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND
ANNUAL REPORT 2001
By Lawrence Hirsch, LCJE Coordinator for Australia/New Zealand

Recently I saw a bumper sticker that read, "I am not suffering from insanity, I am enjoying it." It reminded me of the Apostle Paul who said, "If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Messiah's love compels us..." (2 Cor. 5:14).
	From a worldly point of view, we must be meshugge to be bringing the Message of Jesus to our Jewish people. Who are we to think that we can make a difference to the more than 120,000 Jewish people in Australia. We must be out of our minds! But Messiah's love compels us. And what's more, God is blessing the efforts of Jewish evangelism in Australia.
	It may be because Australia hosted the best Olympics ever, that there has been a greater interest in Jewish evangelism on this continent during the past year. CWI has announced that they are sending a seasoned missionary Paul Morris to start work in Sydney, and the International Board of Jewish Missions have sent Kyle and Jamie Sutton to work amongst Jewish people also in Sydney.
	LCJE activities on the ground in Australia have been very limited this year, although I did attend the LCJE CEO's conference in Norway. This proved to be a very fruitful and worthwhile time in getting to know the leaders of other Jewish missions around the world. The conference provided the opportunity to pray together and build relationships that would hopefully continue to bear fruit into the future. Personally I appreciated the opportunity to be exposed to the issues that face the leaders of Jewish missions around the world. I benefited from the stories that were told and the lessons that had being learnt through the combined experience of all those present.
	Here are some reports of some of the Jewish missions active in Australia listed in alphabetical order.

Celebrate Messiah Australia in partnership with Chosen People Ministries
(Director _ Lawrence Hirsch)
This year, we have seen over 30 Jewish people come to faith in Jesus. It moves me to tears when I hear the testimonies of those who have come to faith. Last week I spoke to an elderly Russian Jewish man who comes to our Saturday outreach service. In 1941, he had been falsely accused by Stalin's government for spying for the Nazis. He was incarcerated in Siberia for many years and saw many horrific events. A few years ago he was able to immigrate to Australia and just a few weeks ago, after coming to our services for a short while, he prayed to receive the Lord.
	Another Jewish couple came to Australia via Israel two years ago. Recently they were invited to join with our "travelling synagogue" (ie. organised bus trips out to the country). It was on one of these bus trips that they heard the testimonies of other believers and later responded to the Lord. Their whole families, including their parents visiting from Israel, are coming to a special Messianic Jewish camp that we are hosting in December.
	Jewish people are accessing the grace of God through Jesus the Messiah and this just thrills my heart. It is the Messiah's love that compels us and it is He who reaches out to Jewish people through us.
	In February 2002, Celebrate Messiah Australia will be 7 years old. During this time we have been faithfully preaching the Gospel to Jewish people in Australia and have seen over 160 Jewish people come to faith.
	We have taken on a new missionary family, Roni and Elisheva Mechanic, to help oversee the two congregations that we have planted. This gives me greater freedom, together with our Russian Jewish worker Rita Ivenskis, to concentrate on new missionary endeavours. Next year, our efforts will be concentrated on reaching out to the younger generation Jewish people in Australia.
	In partnership with Chosen People Ministries, we are also completing a video project as a special outreach to mixed marriages. We also have a long_standing vision to create a Messianic Centre in Melbourne. This ministry centre would be a place from which various types of outreaches can be exercised, both evangelistic and community based projects. Already we are offering English Language classes for new Russian Jewish immigrants, but we would like to do more.
	We believe that God has us on a threshold of a fruitful year in Jewish evangelism. Please would you pray with us that God would pour out on his ancient people a spirit of grace and supplication that they may see Yeshua. 

David House Fellowship Inc
(Director _ Mark Warren)
THE VINEYARD magazine continues to be a faithful witness among the Jewish community worldwide, each month, and now has a new wardrobe, thus being published in full colour in five languages. In view of the new format, we fully anticipate that the Lord will begin to awaken new interest and increase the field of witness, as He searches out His sheep.
	The distribution of THE VINEYARD magazine continues to grow, especially through our UK office and among our Russian Jewish contacts. Of the more than 30,000 copies currently being distributed each month, some 25,000 are in the Russian language.
	David House Fellowship is currently exploring new ways in which to use the Vineyard magazine in cooperation with other Jewish missions. It is our desire that the resources God has given us would benefit the work of Jewish missions worldwide.

International Board of Jewish Missions
(Kyle Sutton)
I responded to the Lord's call to go into the fields among the Jewish people three years ago as I was nearing the end of my four_year Bible college training.
	Working with the International Board of Jewish Missions in Chattanooga, Tennessee, my family and I arrived in Sydney August 1, 2001. We find working among the Jewish people of Sydney a challenging task, but already a very rewarding one. I have begun by street evangelization, a Friday night Bible Study, and some door_to_door outreach while following up on various contacts. Some interesting relationships have been developed thus far.

Jews for Jesus
(Chief of Station _ Bob Mendolsohn)
Jews for Jesus, Australia has been working in the country since 1998. This year Barry Buirski joined the missionary staff and James Devitt joined the administrative staff (August 2001). Both are Jewish believers, Barry from South Africa and James from Australia. Their involvement began as volunteers a few years ago and now has brought wider capacity to the team.
	Beth Messiah continues as a weekly focus for many in the Jews for Jesus ministry. Each week an average of 17+ attend the service (this up from 15+ last year). It meets each Sabbath morning, using a Church of Christ building in Chatswood, a major shopping area.
	2001 saw the major events of Passover Banquet (April 11) (420 attend, up 16% from last year), and the Yom Kippur service (Sept 26) (120 attend, up 19% over last year), with lots of unsaved Jewish people at both. The production of the "Survivor Stories" video (July) has helped evangelistically and is helping to put the ministry concern of reaching Jews into the minds of many Christians.
	We conducted (28 September _ 1 October) our first in country Messianic Ingathering, like we have in the US (since 1974). 62 attended the initial event from 3 different states or territories. Next year, we anticipate doing it again with a wider representation. A full children's program, a talent night, Walnut Hunt, Bible characters, etc, added to the ordinary retreat/houseparty feel of the Bible based teaching and singing plenary sessions.
	All up, this was another growing year for JFJ Australia and we anticipate God's leading us again to be more for the Jewish people in 2002.
Lawrence Hirsch