Take a Stand Campaign

What can my church and I do to help?

Every Christian is facing a moment of truth as a massive ethnic persecution threatens to eliminate Christians and their Muslim neighbors from the Holy Land. Churches, as moral and community leaders, can play a powerful role in advocating for justice and peace. Below is a list of meaningful actions churches can take to help end the violence and oppression faced by Palestinians, including occupation, ethnic cleansing and genocide. We must act as if our own lives were at stake.

1.  Speak out publicly

  • Include prayers and sermons in your worship addressing the suffering of Palestinians and calling for peace with justice. Refuse to be silent!

  • Issue statements condemning violence against civilians, collective punishment, and violations of international law.

  • Use church platforms (newsletters, social media, worship services) to raise awareness.

 2.  Educate congregations

  • Host educational events: panels, film events, lectures, and book groups focused on Palestinian history, culture, and contributions.

  • Start a book club to read and discuss books about the Palestinian experience.

  • Invite Palestinian Christians, Palestinian authors, and human rights experts to speak. (The Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace and Friends of Sabeel North America can help.)

  • Share theological reflections on justice, nonviolence, and solidarity with the oppressed.

3.  Advocate politically

  • Join your faith community’s Israel/Palestine network.

  • Call on elected officials, both local and national, to:

    • End military aid and arms sales to Israel until human rights standards are met.

    • Support international investigations and accountability for war crimes.

    • Ensure independent investigations into settler attacks.

    • Push for an end to the illegal occupation and blockade.

  • Join or initiate interfaith and ecumenical coalitions to advocate for policy changes.

 4.  Stand in solidarity with Palestinian Christians

  • Build relationships with churches and Christian communities in Palestine (e.g., via the World Council of Churches or Kairos Palestine).

  • Share their messages, such as the Kairos Document, which calls on global churches to act against oppression.

  • Support Palestinian Christian ministries, schools, and relief organizations.

5.  Don’t do business with companies supporting Israel’s occupation

  • Review church and personal investments and divest from companies that profit from war and occupation (American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) has a good list here. A list has just been issued by the United Nations and will be published soon on our website).

  • Become an “apartheid-free” congregation. See https://apartheid-free.org/about/

  • Encourage parishioners to make consumer and financial choices in line with justice for Palestine.

6.  Engage in nonviolent action

  • Participate in or host peaceful protests, prayer vigils, and public witness events.

  • Join or organize pilgrimages or delegations to Palestine to witness conditions and build solidarity. Be sure to spend time with Palestinian Christians and shop/stay in their towns.

  • Display banners, signs, or art in church buildings calling for peace and justice in Palestine.

7. Offer humanitarian and legal support

  • Fundraise for medical aid, refugee support, trauma care, and rebuilding efforts in Gaza and the West Bank. Heal Palestine, the Rebuilding Alliance and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund are some of the groups offering good ways to engage.

  • Support legal aid organizations helping Palestinians facing eviction, imprisonment, or displacement.

8. Challenge anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia as well as antisemitism

  • Educate your church about anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim discrimination.

  • Promote interfaith dialogue with Muslim and Jewish partners who support justice.

9. Learn about and reject Christian Zionism

  • Re-examine theologies that justify occupation or overlook Palestinian suffering.

  • Promote a theology centered on freedom, equality, and peacemaking.

  • Use the Christian Zionism toolkit on the FOSNA website.

10. Offer resources for learning and engagement

Interfaith: Jewish Voice for Peace, If Not Now, American Muslims for Palestine

Secular: Defense for Children International, Institute for Middle East Understanding

You can also make a difference by contacting your elected officials. Let them know you believe in equal rights for all in the Holy Land. The main number for Congress is 202-224-3121. The number for the White House is 202-456-1111. Leave a message if you prefer. Every phone call counts! Remember that faith requires action (James 2:17).