Saturday, April 25, 2009

Information about Christian HolyLand Foundation

CHLF's Mission Statement

The purpose of Christian HolyLand Foundation, Inc. is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the Holy Land and its surrounding areas, and to establish and maintain a base of operations from which churches patterned after the New Testament order may be started. To aid in the accomplishment of this purpose, every practical and scriptural means may be employed, including educational centers, benevolent ministries, care facilities, and training centers.

The Christian HolyLand Foundation, Inc. (CHLF) is an independent organization formed in the early 1980s for the purpose of bringing the Gospel message to the Holy Land.

As a 501(c)3 charitable organization under the tax code of the United States, contributions are tax deductible. The governing structure of the Foundation includes the American Committee, and from that the Executive Committee, which directs the policies and budgets of the organization's operations. The men and women on these committees traditionally are leaders within Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. They are elected at annual meetings that coincide with the National Missionary Convention, another independent organization of like-minded Christians working to reach the world for Christ.

Financial support for CHLF ministry initiatives comes primarily from individuals and churches traditionally associated with the non-denominational Restoration Movement that began in the United States around 1800. That support is voluntary and is determined by each of the churches individually.

While there is no single Statement of Faith for the thousands of Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ around the world, elements that would be common among them, and which CHLF embraces, include:

The unity of Believers.

The authority of the Scriptures.

The deity and physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Triune God--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Salvation is a gift from God through His Son, Jesus; not through works.

Complete obedience includes submission to the Father through baptism by immersion.

Confidence that the Son will return to gather His church, and of an eternity with our heavenly Father.

Additionally, a number of individuals and churches holding similar beliefs but raised from other backgrounds have supported and do support the work of CHLF.

As part of implementing the CHLF Mission Statement listed on each page of this website, it is a significant task of the organization to educate Christians and their churches outside of the Holy Land about the struggles and opportunities for Kingdom building within the Arab-Israeli communities.

CHLF is non-political in its approach, focusing on the ministries that are leading Believers into deeper relationships with their Lord and welcoming converts that respond to the Gospel message that is taught from pulpits and from the lifestyle modeling of our Team of native Galileans.

CHLF avoids eschatological (end-time) debates because of the divisive history these issues have had between Believers in the Holy Land and Christians in other parts of the world, particularly the United States. We are not Christian Zionists, as some American evangelicals have been called; we are simply Believers in the teachings and the person of our Lord Jesus Christ and are reaching out to our brothers and sisters in Israel and beyond to help them as they respond to Christ's charge to teach and make disciples.

All monies received by the Christian HolyLand Foundation are used in direct ministry through a registered non-profit organization--or Amuta--in Israel with a small portion allocated to the task of awareness education and fundraising to support their work. We are not a grant-making foundation.

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