This is a heart-warming personal account of the author's attendance at a conference called At the Crossroads, organised by CMJ and held at Christ Church, Jerusalem, in 2014. The aim of the conference was to bring together, by special invitation, Arab Christians and Jewish followers of Jesus to support and encourage each other and to deepen bonds of fellowship.
As a retired journalist of 40 years standing, Gardner has the required skills and experience not only to report on the specifics of the conference but also to comment on the current situation in the Middle East, which he does later in the book.
At the conference, he witnessed Arab and Jew embracing each other in the name of Jesus and realised that here was something remarkable: a reconciliation that ran contrary to all political attempts at a peace process. What human efforts could not produce internationally, the Prince of Peace was achieving in individuals, breaking down barriers and creating 'one new man' (Eph 2:14-16). Moreover, this was not just a future promise on his return but happening now.
Gardner tells how Muslims have been experiencing supernatural personal encounters with Jesus, adding that more have come to Christ in the last four years than in the previous 400. He also tells of his time with Canon Andrew White, the so-called Vicar of Baghdad and tireless worker for reconciliation in the Middle East, who made a significant impact on him. And for those not familiar with the work of CMJ, there is some useful information on the organisation.
In the second half of the book he tackles wider issues concerning the Jewish state and the Middle East. This is a loosely connected series of items but nonetheless fascinating and compelling. Gardner helps us understand why the world is failing to secure peace in the Middle East, and indeed cannot ever succeed while wrong attitudes prevail towards the Jewish people. He sheds light on recurrent anti-Israel propaganda, and explains how judgment falls on individuals and nations who defy God and his chosen people. He ruthlessly exposes the myths and half-truths which abound concerning Israel as occupiers and aggressors, and his revelation over the amount of money that has gone from the EU to the Palestinian Authority leadership (rather than the Palestinian people) is truly eye-opening.
Gardner also demonstrates how the Church has succumbed to worldly propaganda rather than biblical views, and challenges it to return to its Hebraic roots in order to get God's perspective. He asserts that churches divorced from their Jewish roots open themselves up to the demonic spirit of anti-Semitism, a matter that will require repentance and new attitudes. He states unequivocally that "Instead of provoking the Jews to jealousy by displaying the love of Christ, the church has repeatedly caused them offense while arrogantly proclaiming that the church replaced Israel as God's chosen people" (p157).
The books ends with a lengthy bibliography of books and articles, including his own from the conference at the time, which will enable the reader to follow up in more detail the events he witnessed there.
Here is an author who clearly enjoys writing. He communicates in a lively and engaging style. You sense he is simply wanting to chat with you and share the joy of what he is learning. This account is only journalistic in that it often reads like a journal. For some, the 'then I did this, then I did that' approach might be a little frustrating at times, making you wonder if we are actually going to get to the conference (which occurs about a quarter of the way into the book). Nevertheless his personalised and friendly approach creates an easy read that enables you to rejoice over what God is doing in this region and encourages you to pray more for his continued work there.
Purchasing information: RRP £18.95, available on Amazon for £7.14 (paperback) or £4.49 (Kindle). Click here for more information from the publisher.
About the author: Charles Gardner is a Cape Town-born journalist who spent the early years of his career as a Fleet Street-based correspondent for the South African Press Association, having been ‘called’ to write through the preaching of Rev John Stott. He has since worked mainly for the secular press in Yorkshire while at the same time launching several Christian publications.
