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Happy Birthday, Israel

Thank you for your excellent issue commemorating Israel’s 60th birthday (“Faces of Zion” by Nicole Schiavi, May). Messianic Jews are blessed that Charisma’s parent company, Strang Communications, and its president, Stephen Strang, have been such good friends to Israel and Messianic Jews for decades.

I was particularly appreciative of the excellent article by Daniel C. Juster, Th.D., that addressed the problem of replacement theology (“Why Israel Still Matters”). Charisma is helping Christians understand their relationship to the Jewish people and Israel. This is an issue near to the heart of God.
Rabbi Barry Rubin, president
Messianic Jewish Publishers and Resources
Clarksville, Maryland

The May issue really went overboard on this Jewish thing. It made me conclude that you think Jews are a notch above the rest of the world in our evangelism efforts. 
Rev. Bill Cummins
Bear Creek Community Church
Stockton, California

J. Lee Grady’s article on Arab Christians in Israel touched my spirit (Fire in My Bones, May). I agree with you. We need to pray for our brothers and sisters of Arab origin. I hope other readers of Charisma agree with what you are saying to us as a church.
Rodney Adair
Page, Arizona

I’ve been following Brother Andrew’s work in the Middle East and have been challenged by the testimonies of Arab Christians he has come to know who are persecuted on all sides. Thank you for bringing to the forefront the needs of neglected Palestinian Christian brethren living in such a vital location. They have the hope of the nations living in them, and they need our support.
Debra Miller
Spring Green, Wisconsin

The Lakeland Revival

Thanks for reporting on the Lakeland Outpouring. I’m sure I represent thousands of Jesus followers in Lee County, Florida, and beyond when I fall on my knees and thank God for the miracle of authentic revival budding before our very eyes.
Lakeland is the epicenter of a move of God so miraculous that spiritually hungry and physically ill people are flowing in from all over the country and the world.  
Erik and Chris Jorgensen
Fort Myers, Florida

I wonder if there were no cameras, articles or God TV, would this event be as big? These types of meetings can be genuine if the gospel is preached, but they also give an outlet to people looking for a place to act out their warped emotionalism.
David Bauman
Baraboo, Wisconsin

I think Todd Bentley, the leader of the Lakeland Outpouring, is a sincere man of God who needs someone to lovingly advise him. He has a tendency to look like he is pushing people while they are receiving prayer.

And he would be well-advised to tone down the promotional rhetoric. It can potentially come across as self-serving.
D. Baker
Cartersville, Georgia

My problem with accepting Todd Bentley’s ministry is that the things he says do not line up with the Word of God. He said an angel appears to him every day and that he knows three of them by name. He has a school that teaches this doctrine.

Bentley also claims that a female angel, Emma, appeared to him. But there are no female angels in the Bible. I have heard very little to no preaching of the Word of God from Bentley’s pulpit.
Rev. Al Horta
Allenwood, New Jersey

The Grassley Inquiry

Regarding the investigation of charismatic ministries by Sen. Charles Grassley (News Briefs, May) we need to remember that churches report their income to the Internal Revenue Service like any other entity. If Grassley wants this information, let him go through the appropriate channels to obtain it.

I do not want my personal information or my giving record reported to a senator’s office. Grassley is demanding the name of all donors, their addresses and records of giving. That is a violation of my privacy.
Freddie Thronson
Pensacola, Florida

God has raised up the ministers who have been targeted by Grassley’s investigation. These preachers are teaching God’s children how to receive prosperity from Him. Everything these ministers are teaching is in the Word of God. 
Maxine Gaines
Star City, Arizona

Growing Up Gay?

I strongly disagree with a statement in your recent article on how to parent children who struggle with same-sex attraction (“What to Do When Your Child Is Gay” by Mike Ensley, June). The author wrote, “Believe me: Your son or daughter did not choose to have homosexuality as their issue.”

The Bible tells us where these desires come from. They are fleshly desires that we choose to act upon. We either follow the evil desires or we choose to be led by the Holy Spirit. It is so important to teach our children to filter these thoughts and cast them down.
Mindy Johnson
Fort Bragg, North Carolina