Paul Calvert spoke with Dr Garth Gilmour, the Executive Director of CMJ, about their work pioneering modern medical treatment in Jerusalem, and Christian education.

We also have a Heritage Centre there, which explains our history. It's where many local people and foreigners come to find out more about our role in the history of this region, because it was critical.

Then we have a travel agency called Shoresh, which specifically focuses on bringing gentile Christians from abroad to Israel, to study the Jewish roots of the Christian faith.

Those are all at Christ Church in the Old City in the compound there.

There is the school that you mentioned, which is about 1km away in Jerusalem, in the centre of West Jerusalem.

Then in Jaffa we have a guest house also in a Heritage Building. It's the earliest villa built outside the Old Walled City of Jaffa in the 19th century, called Beit Immanuel. Again, another Heritage Centre there that is visited by thousands of Israelis every year.

Then up in the north, overlooking the Sea of Galilee, in the little village of Migdal, which is where Mary Magdalene would have come from, we have a small guest house, and prayer and retreat centre called Beit Bracha, the house of blessing.

Paul: Are you making a difference today in the Land?

Dr Gilmour: I think we are. There are many things that we see that we need to be discreet about, and don't like talking too much about, both because we don't want to boast, and also because we are working with people and we want to respect their privacy. But we are seeing things happen in the Land today that we're a part of and that we have been part of for nearly 200 years.

Much of Jerusalem emerging in the 19th century happened because of our pioneering activities, and the deeds of my predecessors, as Directors of this ministry here in the Land back then. We stand on very big shoulders and we see great things happening in the Land today that are very exciting.

We are also a focal point for many pilgrims and tourists who come to the Land, and love going to Christ Church and the compound there, simply because of the historical testimony that it represents; the long term faithful service to Israel and the Jewish people. That in itself is critical. As more and more Israelis find out about our ministry, and learn about us and recognise our contribution to their history, we're making a difference in this Land.

Paul: It must be exiting to be part of something that has such a rich history.

Dr Gilmour: It is.

I need to stress something. If I could mention a scripture that has become increasingly important to us in these last few years that I have been here. It's from Romans 1:16 and Paul says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." That is not a sense that to the Jew first, but also it's not that the others come after the Jews, but there is a pre-eminence to the Jewish people that comes from their status in God and we recognise that.

We are here as a ministry that was founded very specifically to work with Jewish people; to take the gospel to Jewish people, and to stand with and encourage the Jewish people. To also inform the gentile Church about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. But that is not our only focus. We work with, alongside and towards, the Arab population of this country as well.