Imagine David Brickner Talking About What's Happening With Jews for Jesus

We can imagine David Brickner talking to the Lord about recent Jews for Jesus happenings:

'Lord, you gave us instructions not to sue other believers. Chosen People Ministries is not a believer, it is a corporation.

What about Marcello you ask? Lord, you gave us the names of your children who supported us. Those people now belong to us, not to anyone else. Remember we asked you to intervene and you didn't, so rather than get taken advantage of, we had to sue.

Oh, you mean what about firing him? Come on Lord, He broke the rules. We asked you to give us wisdom and we felt you tell us to fire him. I know he didn't sign the covenant, but we told him we didn't care if he signed it, we were going to enforce it, don't bother us with details. Come on Lord, why are you brining grace into this, it doesn't apply.

What about my staying on the job after Patti divorced me after I required others to resign? Well Lord, when I realized Patti was going to leave me, I saw the need for Jews for Jesus to show some grace to people, so I had the rules changed. You understand that, right?

What, what did you just say, "depart from me for I knew you not?" But Lord...Lord...'

We Are Gathering Information For a Book About Jews for Jesus - How Did Jews for Jesus Affect Your Life?

A book is going to be published as an anthropological study on how Jews for Jesus affected the lives of people who worked for the organization.

Real names will be used only if individuals want their names used.

If you ever were employed by Jews for Jesus, how was your life affected? Did you have trouble adjusting to life outside of that ministry? Was your faith affected?

In addition, we are interested in hearing from the children of those who were employed by Jews for Jesus. Did your parents' commitment to the group affect you? Did Jews for Jesus have a positive or negative impact on your life?

We'd also like to hear from people who had positive experiences with Jews for Jesus. It would be great to hear from people still working there, in fact.

If you would like to share your story, feel free to comment on this post. If you wish to respond anonymously, that is fine.

Hannukah 2010 - The effluence is hitting the rotating cooling device - again!

Make of these what you can:

• Chosen People Missionary Sues Jews For Jesus
  
• Breaking the Jews for Jesus code
• Evangelical group, ex-missionary suing

So Much Sadness In Jews for Jesus

In the spring of 2010, Moishe Rosen died.

Shortly after that, it was then announced that Jews for Jesus' Executive Director, David Brickner, is getting a divorce.

In 2008, Baruch Goldstein, one of of the Jews for Jesus founders, passed away.

Now we've heard that Holly Meyer, the wife of Jews for Jesus Los Angeles' Branch Leader, Stan Meyer, is very, very ill with a horrible progressive illness that leads to a slow death.

Today, we are thinking about Ceil Rosen, Ruth Rosen, Lyn Rosen Bond, (and Moishe's grandchildren), Patti Brickner (and David and Patti's children), Baruch Goldstein's widow, his children, and his brother Efraim Goldstein.

Also, our prayers are with Holly and Stan Meyer and their adopted daughter.

Although some of us involved in Ex Jews for Jesus remember things about Jews for Jesus that may be unpleasant, we do remember that those in Jews for Jesus once were our family.

When Death or Illness Strike Jews for Jesus

Happy Hannukah - Light One Candle!

Some of the lyrics below hit home for those involved with Ex Jews for Jesus. Some of us are "still suffering," but we do not wish for "anger to tear us apart."

Like Martin Luther King Jr., we once had a dream that we could could all fellowship together. Most of us believe now that true reconciliation could never happen; however, we don't want what we believed in doing when we served with Jews for Jesus to die.


Happy Hannukah and Don't Let the Light Go Out!

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LIGHT ONE CANDLE
Peter Yarrow- ©1983 Silver Dawn Music ASCAP

Light one candle for the Maccabee children
With thanks that their light didn't die
Light one candle for the pain they endured
When their right to exist was denied
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand
But light one candle for the wisdom to know
When the peacemaker's time is at hand

chorus:
Don't let the light go out!
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our love and our tears.

Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe
And light one candle for those who are suffering
Pain we learned so long ago
Light one candle for all we believe in
That anger not tear us apart
And light one candle to find us together
With peace as the song in our hearts

(chorus)

What is the memory that's valued so highly
That we keep it alive in that flame?
What's the commitment to those who have died
That we cry out they've not died in vain?
We have come this far always believing
That justice would somehow prevail
This is the burden, this is the promise
This is why we will not fail!

(chorus)

Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!

Discussion Topic: If Change Could Happen In Jews for Jesus, What Would It Be?

Let's have a discussion:

If you could choose what to reform at Jews for Jesus, what would it be? Why?

Star Wars Parody: The Ex-JFJ vs Jews for Jesus SAGA Resumes

(Note: This parody may only make sense to those who have been involved with Ex Jews for Jesus in the past. Can you recognize who some of the characters or places represented?)

(Disclaimer: None of this is meant to hurt anyone. It just adds some humor to something that is actually very serious. Ex Jews for Jesus' purpose is to support those who have been hurt. Laughing once in awhile is needed!)

The Ex-JFJ vs Jews for Jesus Saga RESUMES

The times of peril in the Galaxy continue....

Jabba the Mo has died
Darth B's marriage has ended

The Borg Queen temporary took the throne
But some of the clone generals decided that Darth B should continue to control the Empire

Darth B's queen has fled, but his offspring are still involved with the Empire
The Empire may be crumbling

For many years, most of the rebels were in hiding
A remnant of the destroyed Rebel Base did remain
They are now leaving their hiding places

A New and Secret Base now exists

The spell Darth B and his Queen put on the Princess has been broken
The Princess and her banished First Advisor have reunited and joined forces
Some of rebel soldiers are waiting....

The SAGA resumes!

What Has Jews for Jesus Become?

Jews for Jesus has left its strong evangelical Christian moorings by allowing their divorced leader to stay on the job. Now, they have abandoned the Biblical mandate not to sue another believer.

What has Jews for Jesus become?

Jews for Jesus Is Being Sued By One of Its Former Missionaries

Marcello Araujo was once Jews for Jesus missionary. He was fired in 2005 for allegedly violating the Workers Covenant. Why was he dismissed? He got married without JFJ's permission!

Apparently, Araujo never signed the Workers Covenant since he thought it was "cultish." He is now suing Jews for Jesus for wrongful dismissal.

• Lawsuit pits one messianic Jewish group against another - From Canada's The Globe and Mail
  
• Evangelical group, ex-missionary suing - From Arca Max Publishing Religious News
  
• Missionary Sues Jews For Jesus - From The Rosh Pina Project
  
• Jews for Jesus Workers Covenant - (Not the most recent copy)
  

Divorce Doesn't Matter In Jews for Jesus?

The Jews for Jesus Workers Covenant used to say that that vocational staff could NOT stay on Jews for Jesus staff if divorce occurred. It didn't matter who was at fault. The person had to resign.

Not anymore.

David Brickner is staying on as Executive Director of Jews for Jesus anyway.

We've learned that some of Jews for Jesus' staff have left the organization because of this decision. They say they can no longer support the organization's leadership.

Moishe Rosen would have probably insisted that David resign.

Has Jews for Jesus credibility changed in your eyes because of this decision?

Press Release: Book About How Jews for Jesus Affected Lives to Be Published

An offer has recently come up for a book to be published as an anthropological study of how Jews for Jesus affected individual lives. A real publisher would publish the project.

There would even be stories about people that are still with Jews for Jesus!

The book would tell the facts and also talk about those who maybe at first were on bad terms with Jews for Jesus after leaving or later, but eventually made peace with the organization. In other words, the book would tell all sides of a story that should be told. Real names don't have to be used, but could be used by those who want to grant permission for their names to be used.

Those who have already written stories about their experience with Jews for Jesus want their stories to be told. It is a shame that they've just sat in a pdf file for the past 8 years.

From Christianity Today - "Remembering Moishe Rosen"

Ruth Tucker, the author of Not Ashamed: The Story of Jews for Jesus, has written a very honest account about Moishe Rosen and Jews for Jesus. We know first hand that Jews for Jesus did not like this article and asked Christianity Today to remove some of what is included in the piece.

• Remembering Moishe Rosen - By Ruth Tucker, Christianity Today
  

Brickner Marriage

The inserted image scan is from a recent Jews for Jesus newsletter informing of Executive Director David Brickner’s impending divorce.

It is shocking and saddening. Some close to the Brickners have attested to the Brickner’s marriage being strained for a long time (years) and that also David Brickner’s extensive travels (which he himself, in a recent JFJ newsletter said was a significant percentage of his time) was definitely not conducive to maintaining a good marriage.

Knowing of all too many other JFJ people who have found their marriage imperilled by JFJ - the article reminds us of “closing the door after the horse has bolted”. We have also received a number of emails from current serving Jews for Jesus staff extremely sad, hurt and perplexed about this situation. Some saying how Mr Brickner, the executive director of Jews for Jesus had the Worker’s Covenant changed because he knew this divorce was on the way. One particular insider has informed us that Mrs Brickner did not say what is written in this article.

Read on and make up your own mind.

-------------------------------------------------


PRAYER PROMPTERS


AN IMPORTANT WORD FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR, DR. JIM CONGDON…

Because your trust is important to us, it’s my duty to reluctantly inform you that Patti Brickner, David’s wife of 30 years, has told him that she intends to dissolve their marriage. I’m sure this sad news comes as a shock to you, as it has been to all of us who serve closely with him, and we continue to pray for God to heal their relationship.

Our worker’s covenant requires a Staff member whose spouse files for divorce to offer his or her resignation. David did so as soon as his wife revealed her intent. From the outset, David has been opposed to divorce and immediately sought pastoral accountability and marriage counseling. He made every effort to do whatever he could to save his marriage, including offering to leave the ministry to spend more time with his wife, but to no avail. Mrs. Brickner has said that David has been a good and loving husband and wonderful father, and is not to blame for the circumstances surrounding her decision, which do not reflect on his character or treatment of her.

Our policy provides two exceptions for retaining divorced staff: “in the case when a believing partner was abandoned in the marriage or divorced against his or her will .”

The Board appointed a special committee to weigh all the circumstances and receive input from all parties. After much time in prayer and a rigorous decision-making process, we, the board of directors on June 18 made the decision to retain David as our executive director. The board is confident that David is still God’s man and the right person to meet the needs and biblical imperatives of his unique position. We unanimously recommitted to support David’s leadership of Jews for Jesus, as he has done so capably for the past fourteen years. We further granted David’s request to take a full leave of absence for two months and a partial leave of absence for the following two months to devote time to his personal life

We want you to share our sense of peace amidst the grief, that God is in control and that we did what He would have us do. We are determined not to be distracted or hindered from the great work God has in store for us. The Bible is full of stories of people who overcame personal setbacks to accomplish great things for Christ. We are convinced that this will be the case with David.

Please pray for our ministry as we continue a mission that is challenging in the best of times. With your prayers, support and understanding, we feel we just might be on the verge of a great breakthrough for the cause of Christ.

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Note:

In light of our knowledge that Jews for Jesus is a litigious organization, we would like you to know that this selection from the Jews for Jesus newsletter is copyrighted to Jews for Jesus © 2010 and was received by ourselves directly from them and not via a third party. We are quoting it as fair use so as not to misrepresent this sensitive information. The purpose of the quotation is for informative purposes only and educate those who may be interested. There is no commercial motivation in our quotation.

Divorce is not allowed in the Workers Covenant

There is a rumor that a divorce within Jews for Jesus may happen soon. Will the organization crumble if this particular divorce goes through?

From the Worker's Covenant:
"In the event through unscriptural divorce, the covenant worker must offer his resignation."

• Jews for Jesus Worker's Covenant

What's Going to Happen Now?

What's going to happen now? Will Jews for Jesus really be the same without Moishe Rosen? Of course, JFJ could not/would not be the same. Will the organization split up? Will the organization crumble? Will some of the jobs that people have had for years end?

Moishe Rosen Memorial Service Video - 6-1-10

• Moishe Rosen Memorial Service Video 6-1-10
  

Moishe Rosen Memorial Service from Jews for Jesus on Vimeo.

Moishe Rosen Died On May 19, 2010

Moishe Rosen died on May 19, 2010.

• Moishe Rosen Memory Website
• Remembering Moishe Rosen - From Christianity Today
  

Moishe Rosen Is Dying

The word is out that the founder of Jews for Jesus, Moishe Rosen, is very sick and has stopped chemo treatments and is about to die.