The hand-picked delegation of evangelical Christian leaders will visit memorials, meet hostages’ families, and learn strategies to combat anti-Israel messaging globally
A historic mission of Christian pastors and faith influencers from across the US is visiting Israel for a series of security briefings, meetings, and memorial visits. Organized in partnership with the Israeli Foreign Ministry, organizers say this will be the largest gathering of American evangelical leaders ever brought to the country for an organized advocacy effort. The aim is to train them as advocacy ambassadors in what they describe as the battle for truth.
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Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center and the driving force behind the project, told The Media Line that the size of the group reflects what he sees as an urgent need to support Israel. He pointed to the radical Islamic ideology behind Hamas and noted Israel’s small numbers, at just 0.12% of the world’s population. “They need our help,” he said.
Evans said the pastors attending were chosen for their influence and commitment. “We have 1,070 major hand-picked evangelical pastors. We have over 200 connected to Donald Trump and the White House,” he said.
These pastors include prominent media figures and social media influencers with a wide reach. Evans said they can shape the views of tens of millions of followers, describing this moment as the first time in Israel’s history such a concentrated effort has been undertaken in the international media arena.
The pulpit has to become much louder than the propaganda
He stressed that the visitors “are not coming on a tour,” but to step into roles as official ambassadors and advocates prepared “to combat antisemitism and reach the youth of our generation.” Some will preach in their churches, while others operate on YouTube or additional platforms where they can make their voices heard.
Evans noted that both traditional and digital media now shape the conflict in ways many people underestimate. “The pulpit has to become much louder than the propaganda,” he said. “The new wars are economic wars, they’re ideological wars, they’re media wars, and they’re proxy wars.”
New technologies are also raising concerns, he warned. “You now have a new devil in town … called AI,” he said. He explained that automated systems can flood young users with negative comments when they say something positive about Israel, and with positive comments when they say something negative.
“Billions and tens of billions of dollars is being invested in AI to try to poison the minds of the young people of America and the world,” he said. “We have to counter that with a massive ideological campaign,” he added.
The pastors will visit locations connected to the October 7 attacks, as well as major national landmarks. Evans described a program designed to create a deep sense of connection with Israelis, including meetings with former hostages Emily Damari, Tal Shoham, Moran Stella Yanai, and Aviva and Keith Siegel.
According to him, delegates will travel to the site of the Nova massacre “to embrace the hostages and their families to show solidarity.” At the Western Wall, he said, participants will place notes bearing the names of those murdered, and at Mount Herzl, they will lay flowers on soldiers’ graves.
The group will also visit ancient Shilo, where they will gather in a mass prayer near the site of the tabernacle, and participate in the Ambassadors Summit in Jerusalem alongside senior government officials and leading experts across several fields.
“This is not a tour to Israel,” Evans said. “This is a high-level briefing to commission these evangelical pastors to be partners with the State of Israel to achieve its ultimate objective.”
Evans emphasized the shared risks faced by Jews and Christians under radical Islam, adding that the ideology of groups like Hamas aims to eradicate both populations. He cited 9/11 as evidence of global attacks associated with radical Islam, arguing that Israel acts as a critical firewall.
He told The Media Line that decades-old mistrust between Jewish leaders and evangelical Christians has diminished. “Everything that happened under Donald Trump’s first term for Israel happened because of evangelicals,” he said, describing them as “Israel’s greatest friends.” Evans added that “most of the Zionists in the world are not Jewish. They’re evangelical Bible believers.”
The initiative, he said, will expand far beyond the current delegation. “We’re going to initiate a massive campaign to reach 1 million pastors globally next year,” he said.
Plans include an online university and international outreach programs to teach what Evans described as a biblical, historical, and legal understanding of Israel’s connection to the land.
We’re not ending with 1,000. We’re going after 1 million.
“We’re not ending with 1,000. We’re going after 1 million,” he said.
Reflecting on his motivations, Evans said his focus is unchanged. “The number one priority is saving Jewish lives,” he said. He also reiterated his longstanding relationship with President Donald Trump, saying, “He knows me. He knows how much I admire him, respect him. And I believe basically the president’s going to stand by Israel.”
As the delegation prepares to arrive, Evans expressed confidence that mobilizing influential Christian leaders can help Israel confront what he describes as a broad ideological and informational battle.