www.whyisrael.org
Webshop
Donate
Newspaper
Rev. Dr. John Tweedie B.A., M.Div., D.D.
Chairman Christians for Israel International
Chairman
Christians for Israel Canada
Born in N. Ireland U.K. 1945
Emigrated to Canada 1967
Rev. Dr. John Tweedie received a B.A (Psychology) from the University of Guelph in 1977 and a M.Div. (Master of Divinity) from Emmanuel College, University of Toronto in 1980. In September 2007, he received special recognition for his many years of service to the Christian Church, and for his efforts in support of the people of Israel, when he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree by Canada Christian College.
Ordained to the Christian Ministry in 1980, Dr. Tweedie he has served congregations in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario.
He is currently Senior Pastor at New Covenant Christian Fellowship in Brantford, Ont.
As Dr. Tweedie began serious study of the Bible, he became more and more aware of God’s love and purposes for Israel - the land, Covenant People and nation. Thus, Israel and God’s unchanging love and purposes for His Chosen People, as defined by Covenants, became a distinctive of Dr. Tweedie’s ministry, something he spoke passionately about at every opportunity. Gradually, he gained a reputation among peers as a pro-Israel Christian pastor and leader.
In 1997, and because of this concern for the well-being of the people of Israel,
Dr. Tweedie was asked to help establish a Canadian branch office of Christians for Israel International, a European- based ministry established in 1979 for the benefit of Israel and Jewish people.
Christians for Israel Canada was incorporated in 1997 and in Oct. 2005 received official recognition as a Canadian Charity. Its stated mission is:
“…. to declare God’s redemptive purposes for Israel and the Church, and to urge support of Israel through prayer and action according to the will and Word of God.”
This is a no-strings-attached mandate of support devoid of any attempt to proselytize.
On the contrary, Christians for Israel invariably works hand in hand with Jewish agencies and established Israeli charities such as The Jerusalem Foundation, Keren Hayesod etc.
Indeed, by working in cooperation with The Jewish Agency, Christians for Israel has already helped more than 80,000 Olim (Jewish immigrants) make Aliyah to Israel. Assistance is also given to support these new immigrants in the land including, but not limited to, the Falash Mura from Ethiopia. Ongoing financial assistance is also given to soup kitchens in Jerusalem such as Hazon Yeshaya and the Hineni Community Center, and many other worthwhile projects established for the benefit of victims of terror, the poor, and the marginalized.
Christians for Israel’s educational initiatives are directed toward Christians, both individuals and congregations, and include a bi-monthly newspaper sent free to all who subscribe as a means of creating new understanding of Israel while counteracting media distortions at the same time. In 2005, C4I Canada released an 8 unit DVD teaching series called ‘Why Israel?’ that is being used widely by churches across Canada. The series, which was filmed in Canada and on location in Israel, features Dr. Tweedie as he teaches on a broad range of subjects including the evil of anti-Semitism.
In 2008, C4I Canada released its second DVD series entitled, Israel: A Journey through Time. Filmed entirely on location in Israel, the new series offers a historic and biblical overview of Israel from Abraham’s divine call to Israel’s ongoing struggle to survive as a Jewish homeland in the hostile environment that is the Middle East.
Dr. Tweedie continues to serve as the Canadian Branch Chairman while also holding the position of Chairman of Christians for Israel International, an appointment he received in Nov. 2005. Having visited Israel for the first time in 1980, he also continues to lead solidarity tours to the land as a means of raising awareness among Christians concerning Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish nation within secure borders. The tours are a tangible way for Christians to express solidarity with Jewish people. This was especially true for tours which occurred during the Intifada (2000-2005).
In June 2002, and at the height of the Intifada, Dr. Tweedie was one of several Christian leaders who participated in a joint solidarity tour to Israel co-sponsored by Christians for Israel and B’nai Brith Canada.
For three years, 2003-2006, and as yet another way of standing with the Jewish community, Dr. Tweedie was a featured guest each Sunday morning on Zelda Young’s Toronto-based Shalom radio program where he offered weekly comment and words of encouragement from a Christian perspective to the primarily Jewish listening audience. He has spoken in synagogues and at various Jewish venues and has been a plenary speaker at Toronto’s Annual Meeting of Yad VaShem’s ‘Holocaust and Martyrs’ Memorial.’ He continues to serve as an honorary member of the Board of Governors of Yad VaShem.
In summary: Asked why he has accepted ever increasing responsibilities with Christians for Israel in addition to his church responsibilities, Dr. Tweedie explains that, over time, he began to understand that God had placed two calls on his life: one was to the Church as a serving minister, but the other was an unmistakable call to the House of Israel i.e., to speak out passionately in support of the Jewish nation and for the rights of Jewish people.