The Latest on Christian Zionism

A Palestinian and an Israeli Spoke at Urbana

January 2026

On New Year’s Eve at Urbana, the triennial missions conference sponsored by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a panel discussion featured a Palestinian Christian leader and a Messianic Jewish leader. Over 7000 students listened as they wrestled publicly with Palestine, Israel, Scripture, and the gospel.

According to one of the participants, Fares Abraham, “The strongest response from students was not anger or ideology, but relief. Relief that Christian leaders were willing to name suffering without defensiveness. Relief that Scripture was not being used to silence compassion. Relief that the gospel could still speak truthfully to one of the most painful conflicts of our time.”

The report on “What Happened When a Palestinian and an Israeli Spoke at Urbana” was published on January 13, 2026 in CHURCHLEADERS. The author, Dr. Fares Abraham, is a Palestinian-American born in Bethlehem and the founder and president of Levant Ministries. He serves as an Adjunct Faculty at Liberty University.

To read the article: Click here