A Pastoral
Briefing

The Silent Tsunami in Your Pews

You may not see it on Sunday morning, but a battle for the minds of your congregants is raging Monday through Saturday.

As a pastor or ministry leader, you are likely over the age of 40. You may not have felt the sudden, chilling shift in the cultural atmosphere. But regardless of whether you lead a pro-Israel non-denominational church or a Reformed Sovereign Grace congregation, the statistical reality is undeniable: there are people in your pews who are being radicalized by a new wave of "Christian" antisemitism.

1. The Algorithm is Discipling Your Flock

While the church gathers for a few hours a week, online influencers are catechizing your people for hours every day. This is not fringe content anymore; it is mainstream, verified, and massive.

The Reach: The primary voices identified in The Truth in Love Declaration—Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, and Nick Fuentes—command a combined audience of over 74 million monthly views/listens. And there are many others.
The Demographic Split: This issue is often invisible to leadership because algorithms target specific demographics:
- Young Men (20–35): Are often targeted by the rhetoric of figures like Nick Fuentes and Tucker Carlson, who frames Jew-hatred as "Christian courage," or sophisticated foreign policy, or as "real" history of WWII and forbidden knowledge.
- Middle-Aged Women: Are increasingly consuming content from Candace Owens—again, amplified by Carlson and many others—who mainstreams historical falsehoods and blood libels under the guise of "asking questions" and seeking truth.
- The Disconnect: If you are not in these algorithmic bubbles, you may remain completely unaware. But outside church, a congregant may start repeating Holocaust denial talking points, or a "blood libel" myth during Bible study.

2. If You Don't Teach It, They Will

What is not addressed from the pulpit will be taught to your people by the world. And right now, the world is teaching them that the Jews and Israel are a unique evil and that reviling the Jewish people is compatible with following the King of the Jews.

We cannot view this merely as "internet drama." These influencers are actively reviving ancient lies—claiming Jews consume Christian blood, that their nation is uniquely bloodthirsty and genocidal, and that they worship Satan. They are revising established history of the Holocaust. This is a moral transgression that violates the biblical standard: "You shall not bear false witness."

Your Mandate:

Speak Up: You must address this from the pulpit with Scriptural backing. As the Declaration states, invoking the name of Jesus to sanitize hatred against the Jewish people is a blasphemy that requires correction.
Silence is Complicity: We are reminded of the words attributed to Dietrich Bonhoeffer: "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless." Whatever the church does not actively draw a line against will inevitably seep into the church.

3. Positive Action: Reaching Out to Jewish Neighbors

It is very possible there is a Jewish community or synagogue near your church. You do not need to be a "political" church to act as the Gospel calls us to act.

Practically Speaking: Reach out to the local synagogue or Jewish community center. Let them know you are there for them. Ask if they have safety concerns. Ask if they need any help. Other pastors have found that a simple phone call has become very meaningful.

The Crucial Caution: Use extreme pastoral wisdom. Because of a long and sordid history, most synagogues believe that Christians would never show Jews love if it were not with ulterior motives to lure Jews away to convert to Christianity. For any genuine love and support to shine through, it must be shown to be done with no strings attached, but love for its own sake.

4. Educate Yourself: This is Your Bonhoeffer Moment

God has placed you in leadership for this specific hour. We are facing a wave of Jew-hatred that can—without hyperbole—be compared to the atmosphere preceding World War II. Never since the Holocaust has the Western church so quickly entertained Christian antisemitism.

The average Christian is often ignorant of the extent to which the church has persecuted Jews in the name of Christ. The pages of history we have forgotten are the very ones the Jewish people have committed to memory. You can change that for those who hear you.

This is our responsibility. We must rise to meet the call.

Suggested Resources

Start here to understand the history, theology, and threat. These books come from an array of perspectives, weather Anglican, Jewish, Catholic, or otherwise. Pray and find the right material to equip yourself for the battle.

Study The Truth in Love Declaration and its "Supporting Evidence" to see some of what you are up against.

Christian Antisemitism: A History of Hate by William Nicholls (Jason Aronson, 1993). A comprehensive scholarly history tracing antisemitism from New Testament interpretations through church fathers, medieval pogroms, and the Holocaust, arguing that Christian theology has often fueled it. Well-reviewed (4.5/5) in evangelical academic circles for its rigorous documentation and call to repentance, it's used in Bible-believing seminaries to confront church failings. Nicholls, an Anglican theologian, emphasizes reform in the church.

Christian Antisemitism: Confronting the Lies in Today's Church (FrontLine/Charisma House, 2021). This book delivers a unique and urgently needed contribution by systematically documenting and confronting modern antisemitism within evangelical and broader church contexts—exposing conspiracy theories, debunking myths, and critiquing flawed theologies. Few books available confront the current dire needs so directly. It provides clear biblical discernment tools and advocates gospel-centered love and reconciliation. Widely valued (4.5/5 average reviews) in Bible-believing churches for its direct, evidence-based analysis and practical guidance on a topic few resources address so comprehensively today. (Note: While biblical truth stands independent of any messenger, this listing focuses solely on the content’s scholarly value; no endorsement of the author’s life or ministry is intended.)

Hitler's Cross: How the Cross Was Used to Promote the Nazi Agenda by Erwin W. Lutzer (Moody Publishers, 1995). This book explores the spiritual roots of Nazi antisemitism, the complicity or deception of the German Church under Hitler, and lessons for Christians on separating church from state idolatry. It's highly appreciated in evangelical churches for its biblical warnings against compromising with evil ideologies, with strong reviews (4.7/5 average) praising its accessibility and application to modern church vigilance. Lutzer, a respected evangelical pastor, draws from Romans and church history.

Why the Jews?: The Reason for Antisemitism by Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin (Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, 2003). This seminal work by Jewish authors Dennis Prager and Rabbi Joseph Telushkin examines why antisemitism has persisted uniquely throughout history, rejecting superficial explanations (like economic jealousy or scapegoating). The authors survey seven historical forms (pagan, Christian, Muslim, Enlightenment/secular, leftist, Nazi, and contemporary anti-Zionist). Highly appreciated (4.5+/5 average on Amazon, Goodreads, and Christian sites) for its accessible yet rigorous analysis, logical structure, and moral clarity, it’s frequently recommended in Evangelical circles.

Constantine's Sword: The Church and the Jews by James Carroll (Houghton Mifflin, 2001). This examines 2,000 years of Christian antisemitism, from the Gospels to Vatican II, critiquing how church doctrines like supersessionism contributed to events like the Inquisition and Holocaust. Despite its Catholic author's perspective, it's appreciated in broader evangelical and reformed discussions (e.g., cited by C.S. Lewis Institute) for prompting self-examination, with positive reviews (4.3/5) highlighting its narrative style and biblical reevaluation.

The Church and the Jews: The Biblical Relationship by Daniel Gruber (Elijah Publishing, 2017). This book by Daniel Gruber, known for challenging traditional Christian constructs, examines the biblical portrayal of the relationship between the Church (or ekklesia) and the Jewish people, emphasizing Israel's central role in redemptive history. Gruber analyzes historical Christian views from the likes of Justin Martyr, Augustine, Luther, and the Puritans, arguing against separating faith from its Jewish roots. Appreciated in Bible-believing circles for its provocative biblical analysis and call to rethink ecclesiology without dispensational emphasis.

Israel Matters: Why Christians Must Think Differently about the People and the Land by Gerald R. McDermott (Brazos Press, 2017). Respected Anglican theologian Gerald McDermott draws from two decades of study to present a compelling "third way" beyond traditional supersessionism and dispensationalism. The book argues that the church is not the replacement for Israel, and both the Jewish people and the biblical land remain significant in God's redemptive plan, rooted in Scripture, accessibly for pastors and laypeople. Valued in evangelical circles (positive reviews from Regent University, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) for rethinking assumptions thoughtfully and biblically.

The Truth About Palestine: Israel, The Bible, and The Battle for Truth by Lars Enarson (Kindle Edition, 2024). From a seasoned Christian Bible teacher with over five decades of full-time ministry experience—much of it lived out in Israel—this book offers straight, unvarnished biblical and historical insight into the current Middle East conflict. It addresses key questions like Palestinian origins, two-state solutions, widespread narratives about Jews, and the land's future, grounding answers in Scripture and often-overlooked facts amid media noise. For pastors and leaders seeking clear, Scripture-centered truth on controversial topics, it provides a direct resource to navigate these challenging times biblically. (4.0/5 average from reviews; valued for its foundational clarity.)

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