American Christian Leaders for Israel: A Decade of Impact
By: Shelley Neese, ACLI Coordinator
American Christian Leaders for Israel (ACLI) celebrated its tenth anniversary at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Dallas, Texas. Under the massive steel-framed atrium at the Gaylord Texan Resort, over 100 of ACLI’s members gathered to mark the occasion and applaud the growth of the network to over 3,000 Christian leaders who support Israel, representing tens of millions of Americans. NRB’s convention of nearly 6,000 attendees has become the largest annual pro-Israel Christian event in the United States.
Troy Miller, president and CEO, stated, “NRB is partnering step-in-step with ACLI on all its initiatives and activities going forward.” Troy explained that because ACLI, as a coalition, represents millions of Christians across the country, it has the power to affect change. In addition, Bishop Robert Stearns of Eagles’ Wings Ministries and Dean Michele Bachmann of Regent University, School of Government, spoke about their own roles as members of ACLI’s Advisory Board. Dean Bachmann pointed to the Bible as the inspiration and founding charter responsible for unifying Christian voices in defense of Israel. Bishop Stearns repurposed a famous quote attributed to Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, who said Golda Meir was “the only man” in his political cabinet. In recognition of ICEJ USA President and Director of ACLI Susan Michael’s quiet strength and determination in bringing the group of leaders together, Bishop Stearns likened her to “our Golda.”
The History of American Christian Leaders for Israel
Susan recalled the founding story of ACLI. On January 20, 2015, a pivotal moment unfolded in Washington DC as President Obama pursued a controversial nuclear deal with Iran. A group of 12 Christian leaders—including the president of NRB—met to share their deep concerns over the existential threat posed by a potentially nuclear-armed Iran.
They decided to form an informal alliance called American Christian Leaders for Israel, a network of leaders similar to the “Conference of Presidents,” an umbrella organization that coordinates the activities of numerous American Jewish organizations. The idea was that an organized network could respond more quickly to threats and crises, and that a united voice of many Christian leaders truly representative of tens of millions of Christians in America would have far greater impact than any individual leader or organization.
Within weeks of ACLI’s founding, the first crisis was at the doorstep. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the extraordinary step of addressing the US Congress directly. ACLI was poised and ready to support Netanyahu’s position, warning the American people that the proposed deal would not prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons but instead pave the way for it.
Since that time, ACLI has responded quickly and collaboratively to every other threat to the Jewish people or crisis facing the nation of Israel. ACLI’s advocacy efforts continued in 2016, seeking to clarify presidential candidates’ positions on Israel and ultimately helping to secure Donald Trump’s commitment to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. In the wake of Hamas’ brutal attack on October 7, 2023, ACLI took swift action by issuing letters to President Biden and the Secretary-General of the United Nations. They also addressed over 300 university presidents, urging them to combat antisemitism on campus and enhance security measures for Jewish students.
ACLI is a collaborative platform that brings Christian leaders together, so they have a louder impact as one. “No single voice is loud enough to speak on behalf of 70 million Christians in America,” said Susan, “but when we unite, we can represent the voice of millions, speaking to them and for them.”
The success and impact of ACLI over the past decade can be attributed to its dedicated Advisory Board. Key members of this esteemed board include Gary Bauer, president of American Values; Gordon Robertson, president of the Christian Broadcasting Network; Joel Rosenberg, founder of All Israel News; Johnnie Moore, president of JDA Worldwide; and Sammy Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. Their collective wisdom and commitment have been instrumental in guiding ACLI’s initiatives and strengthening its voice.
Prior to the NRB, President Trump said he would articulate America’s position on Judea and Samaria in a matter of weeks. Dr. Susan Michael said, “We are at a moment in history where there is a conversation taking place in Washington, DC, about Judea and Samaria, and we can speak to its significance as Israel’s biblical heartland.”
ACLI put together a resolution outlining the biblical history of Judea and Samaria. The resolution calls for the American government to refrain from pressuring Israel to relinquish its biblical heartland. This milestone event not only celebrated ACLI’s decade-long commitment of supporting Israel also demonstrating the organization’s ongoing influence and readiness to address critical issues affecting US-Israel relations. With each passing year, ACLI aims to strengthen its impact, unite more Christian voices and leaders who support Israel, and further its mission of unwavering support for the Jewish State.
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