Nicole Jansezian reports

Nicole Jansezian

A team of young Israeli-born Arab men have pioneered the first known movement of its kind in their community: a spirit-filled ministry comprised of believers all born in Israel and raised in traditional Christian homes.

Arab Christians are a minority in their populations, but born again Evangelical Arabs are a minority among minorities. "Christian" in the Middle East usually refers to Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Maronite, Armenian Orthodox or Coptic demonimations. Though Christians fiercely cling to their beliefs in the region, they are outnumbered by Muslims and in Israel, Muslims and Jews.

Evangelical churches do exist, however, and are growing. But an even further minority in the Christian scene here, which appeared to be nonexistent even till now, are spirit-filled Arab Evangelicals. Lately, however, spirit-filled Arab believers are emerging from among the sparse population of Christians, one group of which established Upper Room Ministries last year.

Fashioned after the early disciples' community in the Book of Acts, Upper Room's eight elders share stewardship of the ministry, which holds weekly meetings in East Jerusalem every Wednesday. They prefer to remain nameless and have no specific leader among them - another first in the Arab community and most Christian and Messianic organizations, which usually operate under the leadership of one person. Those interviewed asked that their names not be used.

Despite being relatively young, the ministry is making big waves in their communities. The ministry of Upper Room is community-oriented and is seeking to see the fire of God again in their Jerusalem neighborhoods, just like it was after the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples in this very city.

"The West is great, but we need to start doing things by ourselves," one minister said.

The message has gone out to the world, notes another of Upper Room Ministries' elders, but "is far away from this city. Jerusalem is far away from revival."

The ministry's website states its first goal is personal revival and then the community. "We pray that believers and non-saved people will be filled with the Holy Spirit and experience the power of God in their lives and live a victorious life as a Christian," the website reads. "The desire of our hearts is to minister to our people and for the entire country to experience what the disciples experienced in the Upper Room in Jerusalem more than 2000 years ago."

The collective heart of these ministers is to see their communities turn to Jesus. In light of that, Upper Room sponsored a series of meetings aimed at igniting a first-century revival in Jerusalem this summer.

"We are praying that revival will come down and that Jews and Arabs will worship together," said one of the elders of Upper Room Ministries. "Jesus prayed for unity of believers and we are hoping this will bring believers of all backgrounds who are coming together to worship."

Indeed, Israeli Jews joined Arabs and foreigners at these meetings where they testified to being touched by the Lord. In a show of unity, many local Messianic and Christian congregations were involved in the meetings.