The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry began in 1938 as a compassionate ministry to meet the physical and spiritual needs of Jewish people who were homeless and affected by the Holocaust during World War II. The ministry stands against every form of anti-Semitism and supports the right of the Jewish people to live in their ancient homeland, Israel.
The founding of the ministry was not by one person but a group of men who met in Philadelphia. Some were businessmen who provided the initial resources and others were key evangelical leaders, such as Lewis Sperry Chafer, the founder of Dallas Theological Seminary, and Harry Ironside, the pastor of Moody Church in Chicago. With the theological component of the ministry, the IRS allowed it to file as a “church.”
The ministry is motivated by the passage from Genesis 12:1-3:
“Now the Lord said to Abram: Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
The ministry produces a weekly radio program (FOI Today) which airs on more than 500 stations and various social media platforms. It also publishes Israel My Glory magazine.
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A sampling of current accomplishments includes:
- Provided more than 60 bomb shelters for Israeli protection
- Provided more than 10,000 free medical care to patients per year
- Provided about 600 Hanukkah baskets delivered to Jewish neighbors
- More than 85 tons of food and humanitarian aid delivered
The aim of The Friends of Israel is to build bridges and bring hope to the Jewish people by proclaiming Biblical truth about Israel and the Messiah, while bringing physical and spiritual comfort to the Jewish people.
MinistryWatch Donor Confidence Score: 81 (out of a possible 100) “Give With Confidence”
MinistryWatch Financial Efficiency Rating: 2 Stars (out of a possible 5 Stars)
MinistryWatch Transparency Grade: C
ECFA Member? Yes
Revenue in Most Recent Year Available (2022): $16,912,511
Five-Year Revenue Trend: Increasing (by about 28%)
Percent of Revenue The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry spends on Fundraising: 5%
Percent Peer Group Spends on Fundraising: 6%
President & CEO: Dr. Jim Showers
President’s Salary and Other Compensation: Not provided because of its IRS “church” status
The complete MinistryWatch profile for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry can be found here.
Find recent MinistryWatch articles mentioning The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry here.