This year marks 30 years since Rabbi Marty received the original vision (which ultimately became TJCII) given to him by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit). Over the rest of that year, 1995, and the following year, many others joined in the vision as it began to take shape. Rabbi Marty and the others had no idea what the Lord had in store for them as they began those first meetings! It was not yet known exactly what the next few years would bring, but what became clear early on regarding the TJCII vision was the focus on repentance, reconciliation, and waiting on the Lord. There were times during those early years that the ILC (International Leadership Council) had plans, but the Lord stepped in during times of waiting and redirected those plans. The ILC realized during those years that this vision would take a great deal of intercession, patience, humility, and full reliance on the Lord in all areas. As we mark 30 years since the first vision was given, let’s look back and remember those early lessons learned and go back to the pillars of TJCII, one of which is intercession.
The following excerpt is from Handbook for TJCII Intercessors
By Fr. Peter Hocken With Help from Elisabeth & Hans Heimbucher, Ann & Rene Leitner, and Dave & Raquel Pyles
“When the first structures were established in TJCII in 1996, a Spiritual working group was established that took responsibility for the organization of prayer journeys undertaken in 1998 and 1999. When TJCII was re-structured in October 2000, “it was recognized that the Spiritual working group would have two major responsibilities: (1) to encourage more prayer journeys as appropriate for the expression of repentance for sins against the Jewish expression of the Church and (2) to organize intercessory prayer support for every aspect of the work of TJCII.”
The call of the TJCII intercessors is to intercede on behalf of the body of Messiah for the reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles. We pray for the healing and restoration of Christians and Jewish believers in Yeshua, especially the whole Messianic Jewish movement, and for a second Council of Jerusalem in preparation for the return of Yeshua to the earth.
The work of TJCII has many dimensions. They have been classified as diplomatic, promotional, spiritual and theological. However, we must understand that the whole calling of TJCII is a profoundly spiritual task. The vision of TJCII is a radical vision that calls for a reversal of the way that the whole Body of Messiah and most of all the Churches have treated Jewish believers in Yeshua throughout almost all Christian history. Such a radical vision calls forth deep opposition that expresses itself in many ways. But the deepest opposition is the spiritual opposition of the powers of darkness for whom the concept that God has rejected the Jewish people is a mighty stronghold. For this reason above all, TJCII can only move forward toward the realization of its goal of Jewish-Gentile reconciliation in the Body of Messiah when it is being prepared and accompanied by a constant and deep work of intercession that is humbly repentant for the historical deviations from God’s plan for his chosen people and their role in the Body of Messiah. In fact, it took the TJCII leaders several years to wake up to this realization.
In the first years there were people praying for TJCII and in 1998-99 prayer teams accompanied the executive members on some key journeys to sites of great historical significance. But there was at that time no regular organized intercession for TJCII. The depth of the spiritual opposition to the TJCII Vision became much clearer around 1999-2000, when the initiative almost collapsed.
When the executive committee regrouped in October 2000, a new importance was given to the Spiritual Working Group and it was realized that a strong intercessory base for TJCII had to be developed. David and Raquel Pyles of Dallas, Texas, were then asked to take on responsibility for the international oversight of the intercession for TJCII under the guidance of the executive members responsible for the Spiritual Working Group. Since that time, TJCII intercessory groups have been established in over 29 countries. In addition intercessors have been present on site during the executive meetings and at every consultation held to promote the TJCII vision. Throughout this history it has become clear that the spiritual dimension in the work of TJCII has been growing in importance as the initiative has been moving forward.”