One of the major burdens of Bible believers has always been how to reach God's chosen people, the Jews.

Historical events have conspired to seal the Jewish mind against anything Christian. Henry Benach does not remember hearing the name of Jesus until he was about 13.

When he showed an interest, his parents told him to have nothing to do with Christians. If necessary, walk on the other side of the street to avoid them.

He learned later that, to the Jew, "Christian" meant persecution. He was taught that the holocaust, the crusades, and other acts and attitudes of anti-semitism were instigated against the Jews by people who called themselves Christians.

Over the centuries, the Jews have come to hate the word and all it stands for. This has made it doubly difficult to witness to the Jew.

Benach is now president of Jewish End-time Ministries. His path to Christ led through an empty valley of teen rebellion and rock music confusion. At one point, a friend attempted to explain the gospel but he doesn't remember anything he said.

"But I believe a seed was planted because later when I was desperate to find some peace in my life, somehow Jesus stood out in my mind as a possible source for the peace that I was looking for," says Benach.

During that time he received a "wrong number" phone call from a lady who ended up inviting him to church.

He went and accepted the pastor's challenge to follow the Lord. Later he entered the ministry to reach his own people. Since becoming witness to the Jewish people, he has led thousands of Jews to Christ. In witnessing to a Jew, Benach begins with an intense interest in their understanding of their Jewishness. This way he learns where they are so he knows how to begin guiding them to the Messiah.

Benach describes his approach: "There are Jewish people who don't believe in God so you have to start with the very basics to share with them the truth of what the Word says. A lot of them have heard about the prophecies but they don't know what they are, specifically.

"Often I say, 'Well, do you believe in the Messiah?' They say, 'Yes.' Then I ask, 'How would you know who the Messiah was? How could you identify him? What if someone came to you today and said 'I am the Messiah?' Would you be able to understand who he is? How would you know so you don't make a mistake'"

Helping them find Jesus in the Old Testament is the key to leading them to Christ, says Benach. The new Chick tract, Where's Rabbi Waxman lists numerous Old Testament scriptures that can be used for this.

Benach's ministry has other resource material that is useful in guiding a Jew to Jesus. Contact him at:

Jewish End-time Ministries
P.O. Box 300
Graysville GA, 30726
Tel: (423) 602-8600
Email: shalom@jem-missions.com