Why do Christians REALLY give to Israel?
Heather Johnston on Leadership and the Kings and Queens of Our Era
In this episode of You Are What You Give, I speak with Heather Johnston - one of the most innovative and consequential Christian partners to Israel - about calling, purpose, and why giving is often about living out identity before it’s about any specific need.
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This is a conversation about faith, responsibility, leadership, and long-term commitment.
Why do Christians choose to support Israel, and what sits at the heart of that commitment?
Heather Johnston is a pioneering Christian leader whose work has shaped leadership education in Israel and influenced how senior U.S. lawmakers understand the region.
Heather is a woman of deep faith, and her faith infuses her worldview. Her language and frames of reference are drawn directly from scripture. For listeners who do not share that worldview, some of her terminology may sound unfamiliar. But listening carefully offers rare insight into how millions of people think, decide, and act.
What This Episode Explores
Why Christian support for Israel is rooted in a personal and communal calling
How faith and pragmatism work together rather than in opposition
How giving can reflect the purpose of the giver more than the needs of the recipient
What long-term commitment looks like when it’s driven by belief rather than trends
Work Highlighted in This Episode
The Ariel National Leadership Center, which has hosted more than 130,000 participants, cultivating leadership grounded in responsibility, values, and service
Supported by JHI: https://jhisrael.com/The U.S.–Israel Education Association, which brings senior Members of Congress to Israel on both sides of the Green Line to engage directly with Israel’s leadership, security, and societal realities: https://usieducation.org/
Additional Resource
Heather’s book, Uncommon Favor, explores the themes of calling, faith, and responsibility that shape her life and work: https://www.heatherjohnston.org/
A Core Takeaway
Giving isn’t always about meeting the needs of the beneficiary.
Often, it’s about living out the purpose of the benefactor.
We give because life is bigger than us.
Because responsibility doesn’t end where comfort begins.
Because, in the end, we are what we give.
This Episode’s Giving Challenge
Pause and ask yourself why you give.
Not where your giving goes, but what within you compels it.
Then take one small step that aligns your giving more clearly with your sense of purpose.
Thanks
Special thanks to Victoria Hearst for supporting You Are What You Give and making these conversations possible.
If this episode gave you a new lens on giving, consider sharing it with someone else. Expanding the conversation is itself an act of generosity.
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