Bishop Robert Stearns is urging Israel’s next government to develop a long-term national strategy to strengthen ties with younger Evangelical Christians amid changing political and cultural attitudes in the US.
Israel risks losing support among the next generation of American Evangelical Christians unless it makes a greater effort to engage with younger communities, Stearns, the founder and president of Eagles’ Wings, warned.
Speaking in the wake of the US midterm elections, Stearns pointed to shifting political and demographic trends in American society, arguing that Israel can no longer take Evangelical support for granted. He called on Israeli leaders to reassess their approach to the community and develop a long-term strategy focused on younger generations, whose views are increasingly shaped by changing political, cultural, and media environments.
“The historic and spiritual bond between the Evangelical community in the United States and the State of Israel is deep, rooted, and built upon genuine love and shared values,” Stearns said. “At the same time, the political results in Washington and intergenerational shifts show that reality is changing before our eyes. Israel is not only losing America, but also the Evangelicals who are the very beating heart of its support.”
He added: “While the founding generation viewed the alliance with Israel as a given, the younger generation is formed within an entirely different cultural and media reality. If we do not know how to plant deep spiritual and value-based roots within them, we risk losing them and witnessing the gradual drift of this strategic partnership.”
Stearns said that preserving the relationship would require greater investment in engaging young Christian leaders, creating personal connections with Israel, and reinforcing the shared values that have historically underpinned the alliance.
He urged Israel’s next government to make relations with the Evangelical Christian community a national strategic priority.
“The discourse of the past or relying on existing achievements is no longer enough,” he said. “The new government to be formed in Israel must establish a long-term national strategic plan to strengthen ties with the Christian Evangelical world, particularly with the younger generation. We must expose them to the true face of Israel, bring them on meaningful visits, and build bridges of trust and mutual understanding that will endure for decades to come.”
Stearns also stressed that the relationship extends beyond political and security interests, describing it as a partnership rooted in shared moral and spiritual values, with Jerusalem at its center.
“The bond between our two people does not rest solely on security interests, but on a moral commitment to liberty, human dignity, and justice. Jerusalem, the beating heart of the Jewish people, is a global beacon of prayer, peace, and interfaith tolerance. When the younger generation sees Israel leading with these values, this partnership will not merely be preserved – it will grow and flourish.”
Looking ahead, Stearns said the period following the US elections offered an opportunity to renew the relationship and strengthen ties with younger Evangelical Christians.
“The post-election period in the US offers us an invaluable window of opportunity. Out of responsibility for the future, now is the time to join forces, renew our commitment, and ensure that the fellowship between Israel and believers in America continues to shine for generations to come.”
Written in collaboration with Eagles’ Wings.