It's Christ in the Passover Tour Time

It's almost Easter time, which means it is Jews for Jesus Christ in the Passover Tour Time.

JFJ will send out missionaries to places all over the country to do speaking tours. Each will recite a standard rehearsed script and share the work of JFJ with churches every day for a period of approximately three weeks.

In the middle of the presentation, a Ministry Talk will be given and an offering will be taken for the work of Jews for Jesus. There will be the "Tradition of Tearing the Involvement Card" followed by a short talk on how every believer can be involved with the work of JFJ.

Missionaries going on such tours will be traveling great distances and be traveling alone. Some of the driving they will be doing will be in dangerous weather. Nothing will get in the way of the missionary being at the churches hosting the presentations though.

Some of these JFJ workers actually enjoy the chance to travel and meet new people on these tours. It is nice to get a break from the routine of the regular missionary work too.

Married couples don't usually travel on these tours together though. It is considered better use of the JFJ ministry's funds and time to send married couples out individually in order to gain more contacts and supporters for JFJ.

As one commenter states, if JFJ had to depend on the offerings they got at these CIP's, JFJ would have been long, long gone. So why does JFJ continue to send missionaries out on these tours?

http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

What ever happened to...the hundreds of former staff who served with Jews for Jesus?

What ever happened to...the hundreds of former staff who served with Jews for Jesus?



http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Pain Training

The following is on a public JFJ discussion board:

"In a biographical book about the founder of Jews for Jesus, I read a section which refers to this 'pain training'. I am not a staff member with Jews for Jesus but I was actually very interested. The truth is, as a Jewish believer, when I first accepted the Lord, simply saying to my fellow Jews that I believed Jesus is the prophesied Messiah caused some in their anger to spit on me or some to even hit me. This is very unusual but there are a few who do react with this level of anger. As people, our automatic reaction to pain (being hit), psychology is 'fight or flight'. As a believer in Jesus, neither is a satisfactory reaction. I want to be able to share about Jesus without worrying about reacting with either a fight or flight should someone get angry and hit me. So, my understanding is Jews for Jesus as part of the training used to have one time where they slapped their missionaries. The missionaries were then told to think about how that hurt, index the pain level between 1-10, and then if someone on the street hit them, they should compare that pain to the pain they felt from the slap. This took the fight of flight reaction to the other side of the brain to one of analysis. While, Jews for Jesus according to the book, no longer uses the slap, they do explain the process of comparison. This 'pain training' and learning about it has been a great blessing to me. I understand that this is a technique used by others who wish to reach out to those who may react violently. It was a technique used by such peaceful people as Gandhi so that he might face pain. Again, we are talking about very few people who would react violently but the NT says that no one will be neutral about Jesus. As a believer in Jesus, I want to thank Jews for Jesus for teaching me this technique so I can share the gospel peacefully, with my own people. "

http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Let's read the bible together

All new missionary trainees in JFJ had to read the bible outloud every morning at 7:00 AM on the phone for a period of one year.

This actually sounds nice! It is a great idea to have morning devotions and read the bible!

BUT.........

.... there were problems with this idea when done under JFJ's rules.

Even on your day off (after working a 70 to 80 hour week), you were required to set your alarm for 7:00 AM and have the bible and phone next to your bed and get woken up to read the bible outloud with your supervisor reading every other verse outloud with you for at least a half hour.

Doesn't it seem like a punishment to have to wake up at 7:00 AM to read the bible even on your day off? What would have been wrong with sleeping in and reading the bible by yourself on that day? Or what would be wrong with getting a day off from any contact with JFJ and just being on your honor and reading the bible by yourself and maybe even taking the time to think about what you read?

Soon, reading the bible became tedious since you are not allowed to comment on anything that may have put joy into reading the bible.

If you did interject with any thoughts, you are reprimanded and told to get back to reading outloud like a child in an elementary school classroom.

So reading the bible became torture for some thanks to Jews for Jesus.

http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Trickery in Jews for Jesus

In Jews for Jesus we were taught to use trickery. We were not instructed to lie; instead, we were instructed to somehow be "up front," but not always give quite the whole truth. By doing this, we helped to make Jews for Jesus look more powerful.

Here's an example:

During Summer Witnessing Campaign in New York City, there were about twenty to twenty-five Campaigners. We were told by the Campaign Director that we needed to fool New York City into thinking there were many more than just our little group; that is, Jews for Jesus needed to give the appearance that there were hundreds of us spreading JFJ literature throughout the city.

In order to do that, we changed the color of the t-shirts we wore every other day. (I imagine there was a punishment for showing up wearing the wrong colored shirt, but I don't remember what it was. In fact, the shirts we wore were called "Colors.")

If someone asked how many of us there were, we were not supposed to give out that information. We were supposed to answer with, "Oh, yes, there is also a blue team," or with something similar. We were supposed to be vague.

Also, we were not supposed to give out our real names to people we met on the streets.

As a Christian, I found being taught to use tricks as I shared about Jesus very uncomfortable. Jesus taught about honesty and in order for me to do things the way Jews for Jesus wanted me to do them, I had to be deceptive. This just did not seem right, but I followed JFJ's guidelines.

In San Francisco, I observed discussions among the JFJ executives where discussions on ways to use trickery on an individual could be used for JFJ's advantage. Individuals could be "set-up" to be taught a lesson too. Once I was "set up" and being the scapegoat of one of JFJ's leadership's lessons was not a good experience.

Also, JFJ leadership did not always tell the whole truth and sometimes was not always consistent in the things told to me and others. The pattern of not being totally honest makes everyone who has ever worked with JFJ very suspicious of what trick JFJ may pull next.

http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Everything has its place in JFJ

In JFJ everything had its place. Here's an interesting parallel:


One of my favorite Masterpiece Theater series is a series called UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS.

It is about the life of a household in England during the early part of the 20th Century.

The life of the servants and how they relate to their betters is the focus of the series. The head servant is Hudson, the butler. Hudson reminded me of a JFJ Branch leader. Servants had to get his permission to do about anything and everything and were expected to do so without question. Even permission to leave the household to take a short walk or run an errand had to go through Hudson.

The servants worked hard and long hours and received one half day off per week. Even what they did on their partial day off was sometimes questioned. All meals were eaten together and the servants became very close. Everyone knew anything and everything about each of the servant's private lives.

Senior servants directed lower servants. For example, the Head-Parlourmaid would train and direct the Under-Parlourmaid. The Cook supervised the Kitchen Maid and the Scullery Maid. Hudson reported to Lady Bellamy whose job was to run the household. Lord Bellamy only stepped in when manners with the servants needed special attention. Anything related to the servants was really Lady Bellamy's department.

Many, many times the item of "knowing one's place" was discussed in the series. The servants enjoyed knowing their place and who to report to. Children of the wealthy classes sometimes mixed with the servants when they were young, but were expected to take their place in society when they came of age. A very moving scene is when Rose, the Head-Parlourmaid and also sometimes Lady's Maid to Georgina, the niece of Lord Bellamy, explains to the young girl how important it is that everyone know their place so that order continues to exist in the household and also in British society.

In JFJ, everything and everyone also had a place. There were even ranks within the organization. Everyone knew who they had to report to. Everyone knew who their "betters" were.

Branch leaders and other people directing departments or teams dealt directly with the Executive Director. Missionaries reported directly to their Branch leader. Administrative staff reported to their department heads. Co-Laborers reported to the Co-Laborer Coordinator. Trainees reported to a trainer. Campaigners reported to a team leader. Volunteers usually were the contacts of a certain missionary and received direction on how to volunteer through that misssionary.

Fascinating that JFJ and the society of UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS is so similar!


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

JFJ and their former staff

When someone has completed their term of United States military service honorably, they are given a discharge certificate that says "honorable". They are know as "Veterans" and are treated with respect. Former JFJ staff deserve nothing less than to be treated with respect and not as traitors.
People who are on staff still should not "shun" ex staff, which is a cult-like activity. The universal excuse is now JFJ staff is "too busy", but it is obvious what is happening.
Worse yet, former JFJ staff members have been persecuted by vindictive JFJ leaders who tried to get them fired from new jobs, ruin their reputations and interfere with their marriages. Even though people gave three months notice to the organization that they were quitting, it is still difficult to leave without some sort of scene being made and being labeled as having left "not on good terms". This behavior has made having the name "Jews for Jesus" on your resume a detriment rather than the asset it should be.
The Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marines, the Coast Guard all can release people from service with dignity, so why can't JFJ?


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

In JFJ we were not always nice

One reason I was interested in Christianity when I first was introduced to Jesus was because there was this wonderful joy about the Christians I met.

There really seemed to be love coming out of many of the people I met that were Christians. As a young Jewish person, I wondered how so much love and joy could come out of these people who told me that Jesus had transformed them into truly new creatures and I wanted to be like them.

Another thing I noticed was the words and actions that I oberved from Christians was kind.

Yes, sometimes the Christians I knew made mistakes, but generally, I saw great love from these people.

When I became a believer, I strove to do good and to think happy thoughts. I tried to see good in everyone and everything, even in food in restaurants!

Then I joined JFJ and found that in JFJ it was okay to be mean. It was okay to laugh behind someone's back and it was okay to make fun of people and to put people down.

It was even okay to play tricks on people!

I have never quite recovered from JFJ teaching me to be pushy, rude, and mean. I have to check myself when I think about playing tricks on people and I know those in JFJ do still play tricks. I wish I could be the loving person I once was before JFJ, but it is not easy. The mentality of the JFJ organization was one where those who caused hurt were admired.

JFJ taught us that because we were Jewish that we needed to not be too nice. On Campaign Training, we were even given instruction on how to snap back. Those of us who were too nice were told we'd never make it in the organization or in life.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

JFJ: An Abusive Organization

In 1992, Ron Enroth wrote a landmark book called Churches that Abuse. In this book he showed how many evangelical Christian organizations (both churches and parachurch groups) were abusive to their members or employees, in the following ways:

• The leader has absolute control.



• Individuals are manipulated.



• A rigid, legalistic lifestyle is required.



• Any criticism is viewed as persecution.



• Leaving the group is painful, and shunning often occurs when someone leaves.

Sound familar?

Enroth's book can be ordered through Amazon.com or any bookstore. It's an eye-opener.

Also try a Google search for "abusive churches."


http://exjewsforjesus.org

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com

Good comments

This post is designed as a place where commenters can leave positive comments about anything related to this blog.


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Silence of the Turkeys

I have been told that exposing this organization's abuse of employees is going to tarnish the work of evangelism. But this idea seems to contrary to the honesty and openess I associate with God. Surely God can spread the Good News without abusing the spreaders! But this organization has consistently tried to silence abused staff. Such a silence is NOT golden.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

DO NOT SHIFT BLAME

JFJ had a guideline that I recall went like this:

DO NOT SHIFT BLAME.

Doesn't it seem like JFJ did nothing BUT shift blame?

When something did not go right, it seemed like the only way to get out of being blamed was to blame someone else, or to find a scapegoat. Once someone was blamed, the person who shifted the blame could feel free and clear; the person that was to blame had to live forever in shame and never was forgiven.

JFJ did and keeps doing some very horrible things. Instead of looking at themselves, the blame for these wrongs has to be shifted to those who have been hurt. JFJ is never sorry really because JFJ just continues to shift the blame for the wrongs they've committed to the people who JFJ has hurt.

JFJ hurt so, so many people. JFJ has somehow been able to get many of the people who have been hurt to be silent. Those who speak out are evaluated and blamed for causing the wrongs that JFJ committed.

And the mindset most of us experienced with JFJ has not changed. It is easy to blame ourselves instead of our abusers. It is easy to criticize one another rather than support one another.

Yes, JFJ does shift blame. On this blog, we need to not be afraid to blame JFJ.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Caseloads or These Contacts Are MINE, MINE, MINE

Before joining JFJ staff, I actually believed that the phone calls I received and the visits I received from JFJ staff were sincere.

How nice that someone wanted to take the time to come by my house and talk about Jesus and act like they were interested in me and give me the impression that they thought of me as a friend.

It was puzzling that the missionary acted like he was always in a hurry and limited our time together to about 45 minutes to an hour, but, it didn't matter, I liked seeing the JFJ missionary anyway.

Then, I joined JFJ missionary staff, and I found out that I was just part of a CASELOAD. Now I had to make sure I visited at least 10--12 people a week, and at least 10 of them needed to be (excuse the JFJ lingo) UJs!

Well, as time passed, I built up my CASELOAD and I could get on the phone on Monday nights and call these people that really thought that I cared about them and try to narrow down a time to visit them during the week.

Most of the time, finding 10 unsaved Jewish people (UJs) to visit was very, very hard. The JBs (Jewish believers) were more than anxious to see me, but under JFJ rules, I could only see two of them a week and I really wasn't supposed to see the same believers weekly; every two weeks was the limit.

To make things even more difficult the "Contacts" we made were ours like a pair of shoes (actually more like a pair of pajamas). We didn't share contacts. If you got a good contact, that person was like a piece of property.

As I reflect now, I do not quite understand the logic of not sharing people to share the gospel with. Would it really have mattered if more than one JFJ missionary or even a JFJ volunteer, had taken the time to share Jesus with an individual?

What is even more disturbing is how deceptive we were. The people I visited really believed we were friends. They had no idea that I just needed to add their name to my Caseload so that I could fill up 48 plus hours a week of pretending I was doing work for God.

JFJ took any real desire to want to do the work of God away. All JFJ staff eventually became robots only interested in developing caseloads and reaching goals.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Postcards

Have you ever received one of JFJ's "personal" hand written postcards? Weren't you thrilled! Someone from Jews for Jesus took the time to write you personally to thank you for your support of Jews for Jesus or ask you how you were or invited you to an event or asked for prayer or told you they were thinking of you!

Wow....whoever sent you the note must think a lot of you! You are almost close buddies! Oh what a happy day to get a personal note from Jews for Jesus!!!

Did you know that the entire missionary staff of Jews for Jesus is required to write 60 postcards (yes that is SIX in the ten's column followed by a ZERO in the ones column) per week?

Come to think of it, I wonder if there is a punishment for not getting the 60 quota done? (Probably extra postcards!)

Your name was in a stack of what I remember was called NODs (notices of donation) and all this great info on your donation history is on the NOD and sometimes what you need prayer for too and your life history is there and the JFJ worker takes your NOD, addresses a beautiful and artistic JFJ postcard to you and writes you a personal note that he or she has also written to the same person over and over! Then, the writer of your note tears up the NOD with your name on it since you are "done."

There are at least two postcard meetings a week where JFJ people write postcards together and talk. The meetings are an hour long and it is very important to get at least twenty of these notes done during these meetings or the 60 a week goal will not be as fun to do.

Actually, before joining JFJ, I liked writing postcards to friends and relatives once in awhile. Today, I won't buy postcards. I won't write postcards. I won't mail out postcards. And....I don't read postcards (especially the ones that come from anyone in or close to JFJ!).


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Being a JFJ Staff Wife

One day I received a phone call from the wife of another missionary at my Branch.

I was told I was not following the correct JFJ protocol and to get with it. I was told that a proper JFJ Staff Wife needed to be a bit like a "Stepford Wife." I needed to be very supportive of the work my husband was doing with JFJ; I needed to stop the independent streak that she and other staff wives had observed.

News had reached JFJ Headquarters that I had not agreed to baby sit someone's children who were coming to San Francisco for a JFJ Council Meeting. News had also reached the Executive Director that I had not agreed to give a ride to someone for the Jews for Jesus Ingathering. I had even had the nerve to turn the ringer off my phone one night so I could get some sleep!

Did I want to ruin my husband's chances for advancement in Jews for Jesus? Did I want the women who had tried so hard to take a submissive role within Jews for Jesus to not accept me into the inner circle?

Honestly, at that point I had enough of Jew for Jesus, but my husband felt called to serve with JFJ and it was the most important thing in his life at the time. I had no desire to ruin his chances in the organization, but something also made me wish to pull away from the group.

I didn't want my children to become JFJ clones. I began seeking other opportunities for my children to interact with children not associated with the organization.

I tried to develop outside interests. When I was called by the Branch leader to volunteer for certain events, I had no problem saying I was too busy or booked and to find someone else.

I didn't always attend Branch events. If help was needed, I sometimes complied, but not always.

As I look back, I realize that I just did not fit in with the JFJ structure. Other women did. I saw those women became swallowed up by the organization and their children also suffered. Many JFJ children really grew up with no father in the picture since "The Work" took their father away.

Of course marriages did end. Of course some of the children of JFJ staff have left the faith. I have heard that one child of a JFJ missionary did turn to drugs.

I remember hearing that a certain JFJ missionary failed because his wife did not support him. Did this missionary really fail because of his wife? No. JFJ failed. That family was torn apart because JFJ did not care about anything except the good of JFJ.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

JFJ Friendships -- were they real friendships?

During my first few weeks with JFJ, I was asked by my Branch leader how things were going one night for me and my spouse. I replied that moving to a new place and adjusting was difficult and we'd found a church and hoped to make friends there eventually.

I was told at that point, that in JFJ, we were not expected or really permitted to make friendships with outsiders and all new friendships we made while living in the new city we'd settled in should be with those on JFJ staff.

Of course, we obeyed this directive/suggestion and as time went on, we thought we'd made some neat friendships among the JFJ staff. Afterall, JFJ staff was our family. I admit I remember having some neat holiday celebrations with JFJ staff, eating some good meals together, and also doing some fun things together once in awhile. In fact, sometimes the social part of JFJ is what kept me and my spouse from not dreading our lives when we were with JFJ.

When we left JFJ staff, we were disappointed. Some JFJ staff, who we really thought of as friends, dropped us. We didn't have much in common and JFJ staff business was no longer our business.

As time has passed, we've been shunned by some people we loved dearly. That is why people we've been contact with through Ex Jews for Jesus have been so important to us. Through Ex Jews for Jesus, the common bond that once linked us has been rekindled and we've realized that some of the friendships we made indeed were real.


http://exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com

Speaking of Food.....how about Donors?

Speaking of Food...how about Donors?
I remember eating a fine restaurants with the Executive Directors (Rosen and Brickner) of Jews for Jesus, and at different times with other Senior Staff of Jews for Jesus.

It was common to have bills in excess of $500 for a party of 4-7 people. Fine wine, fine food.

For example, I remember sitting in a restaurant in New York City eating steaks with Rosen. It was one of the Top 10 steak houses in the country (still is), and getting to see the $800 bill! There were only five of us eating!

I remember another time sitting at dinner with Brickner in San Francisco at a Sushi restaurant and getting to see that $700 bill (about $100 per person)!

I remember another time in at a restaurant in Brooklyn, NY with another senior staff person and having a $600 bill for five people!

And these weren't few and far between examples, either! These were at least once a month or more experiences!

What would the donors of Jews for Jesus do if they knew how freely their $5 monthly donation was spent on this kind of stomach Evangelism?


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

The JFJ Class System

When I entered the JFJ Branch, my Branch leader sat me down the first day, and explained to me "The Rules."

It was made clear to me that I no longer had rights and was the lowest of the lows in the Branch.

I was reduced to the status of scullery maid now.

I was expected to obey my trainer and others who were directed to supervise me without question.

I was not allowed to speak to the Branch leader directly -- I had to go through my trainer first. (I remember being discussed about while I was in the room like I was a dog.)

I was told to clean the bathrooms, wash the dishes, make coffee, and fetch.

Yes, within the Branch, the Branch leader was King, but he too, I observed was reduced to a low status in Executory.

Within JFJ, there were classes or castes. The vocational staff seemed to have more status than the administrative staff. Jews had more status than Gentiles. Volunteers didn't know it, but their status was lower than paid staff. Co-laborers seemed to know they were there to serve, but weren't on the same level as paid staff. Wives and families of Senior Staff did not mix with those below them.

At the top, of course, were those in leadership. They had it made. But, within leadership, there was also knowledge of who had more power. Of course, the Executive Director had total control and could on a whim take all the status someone had built up away with one blow.



http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

UJ, JB, GB, UG

JFJ abbreviates all people in the world and puts them in the following four categories.

UJ = Unsaved Jew
JB = Jewish Believer
GB = Gentile Believer
UG = Unsaved Gentile

It just seems very rude to categorize all people of the world into those four categories.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

http://exjewsforjesus.blogspot.com/

LECTURES

Remember memorizing this:

"Deputation is that ministry whereby we win the hearts of God╒'s people to our cause, encouraging them to pray, give, and witness to the end that Jewish people will be saved."

Remember if you didn't memorize those words exactly on the test that followed listening to that lecture, you would have been in major trouble?

In fact, remember that you had to listen to dozens and dozens of of pre-written lectures that were read to you word for word that took an hour each to read and taking notes like mad because you knew there would be a test soon and you'd better not miss more than two questions on that test?

As I reflect, I wonder why in the world so many pre-written training lectures had to be read outloud to us word for word?


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Why did JFJ Witnessing Campaigns have to be so hard?

Why did JFJ's Witnessing Campaigns have to be so hard?

Why couldn't we have just done a noon sortie and a rush hour sortie and enjoyed New York City a bit?

We would have still had a full day. We could spend the mornings enjoying New York or we could have done some writing or studying. Maybe we could have sung songs or had a bible study.

After the noon sortie, we could have had the time to perhaps go to lunch or explore New York. Maybe we'd fit in a nap?

We could done a rush hour sortie so that we'd have the evenings free to take advantage of the New York nightlife or sing together or just watch a movie. Or maybe we could have used the time for evangelism and actually enjoyed sharing the gospel with those who were willing to hear.

If we had not had to be out so late and had to wake up so early, maybe we would not have been so, so exhausted. Maybe we wouldn't have dreaded going out on the streets?

Maybe people would have returned year after year to go on Campaign?


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

We may have been sleep deprived, but we weren't food deprived...

JFJ did seem to keep us busy. I do remember being tired most of the time and never seeming to be able to catch up on sleep, but I never went hungry.

Many staff meetings seemed to be centered around food. I found myself trying exotic dishes like sushi. I even was instructed how to properly make the most of using chopsticks.

I learned that there was different qualities of bagels. The store bought bagels just didn't match up to the ones from good bagel shops.

Cream cheese and lox also could be judged for quality. It was very important that you didn't run out of these items.

I do not remember missionaries being directed to go on a diet very often.

Sometimes we were given extra postcards and fines, but, fortunately, we were never punished by being told we could not eat.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Whatever you liked, JFJ took away.

Whatever you liked, JFJ took away.

It seemed like JFJ figured out quickly which things gave an individual pleasure. If you liked to write music, you were given no chances to write music. Instead, you'd be given a job in the Department of Mobile Evangelism.

If you liked to lead worship, you were told to usher instead.

If you could sing and lead music, you were not allowed to sing the songs you liked.

If you wanted to do drama, you were told you would do childcare instead.

If you liked being with your spouse, JFJ saw to it that you were separated as much as possible.

If you liked to write, none of what you submitted for publication was ever published by JFJ.

If you wanted to teach, someone else was selected to teach in your place.

If you didn't want to cook, you ended up being put in charge of banquets and potlucks.

If you wanted to travel far to meetings, you ended up being scheduled close to home.

If you liked Chinese food, you were told you were not allowed to eat it because it gave you too much pleasure and you needed to suffer in order to do "the work."


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Israeli Messianic Jewish view of JFJ

When I have chance to mix with Messianics here in Israel,
I have told some that I was once involved with the Jews for Jesus cult.

100% of those I have spoken to seem to agree that JFJ is a cult with no prompting from me...
must be the great face that JFJ cannot put on to all the churches here!

Standardized Rehearsed Scripts

Jews for Jesus certainly could win churches over with presentations. There seemed to be wonderful smiles on the faces of the speakers. People loved the excitement JFJ brought to churches.

People attending these presentations did not know that the entire Christ in the Passover presentation was a fifteen-page rehearsed script that had been drilled into the missionary.

The missionary had to know each part word for word and was not allowed to change anything. Even the set-up of the table, where the person stood in certain sections of the presenatation, and how his or her voice was used were standardized. There were even standard eye, head, and arm movements and standard jokes!

Not allowing any creativity or individuality in these presentations took away any joy in sharing the work of Jews for Jesus with churches. For every missionary, eventually, doing the presentation became tedious.

Many of the JFJ missionaries were very, very talented and creative people. They could have presented a Christ in the Passover presentation or another subject beautifully, but were not given permission to deviate at all.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

The Beautiful JFJ People

When I first came into contact with Jews for Jesus, I thought JFJ was the best, best group of people in the world. Everyone on JFJ staff especially seemed to be one of the "beautiful people." To me, JFJ people were super-human creatures who could do no wrong.

I was surprised, after a training week with JFJ, when one of the trainees complained and complained about JFJ's people and training methods as I drove her to the airport.

How could anyone not think that JFJ was a perfect ministry? I was so, so puzzled, but put her negative comments aside and continued to believe JFJ and my affiliation with JFJ was a gift from God.

Whenever I heard about someone leaving JFJ, I thought inside that it had to be for the best and for the good of the organization. I would not allow anything to ruin my perfect picture of Jews for Jesus.

Most people will continue to believe in that "perfect" Jews for Jesus. I, for one, am glad that we can use this blog to tell the true story.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY and JFJ

Have you ever read the book THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY?

In the story, a beautiful man gets a portrait painted of himself. Yes...he was handsome.

Although the man was beautiful on the outside, on the inside, he was evil.

Every time he did an evil act, a wrinkle or scar would appear on his portrait. Eventually, the portrait became so hideous that he had to hide it.

But the man stayed looking beautiful.

JFJ is like that portrait. On the outside, JFJ still looks beautiful, but the inside is filled with something bad. Those ugly scars are never shown to the public.

Now, the bad is is showing up here, on this Ex Jews for Jesus Blog, on the Ex Jews for Jesus Website, and across the internet. More and more "ugly wrinkles" are appearing on JFJ's flawless portrait. The PICTURE OF JEWS FOR JESUS is no longer hidden and buried away.

Every time we log into this blog, it seems like a new ugly "wrinkle" is exposed.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/

Does this sound like we were in a CULT?

Does this sound like we were in a CULT?
1) We were told where to live.
2) We were told who we could date and marry.
3) We were required to work long, long hours.
4) We were not allowed to refuse an order.
5) We were punished.
6) We had to get permission to travel.
7) It was encouraged to make friends with those in the group only.
8) We were allowed to see our family, but contact with family was always a concern. WE WERE TOLD THE GROUP WAS OUR FAMILY.
9) One man had ultimate control over everyone and everyone seemed to be afraid of him.
10) Those who hated "the work" considered themselves as failures.


http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/