Today's Red Alert is co-hosted by Amy Zewe and Shelley Neese

Reframing the Apostle Paul: A Conversation with Ryan Lambert

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Ryan Lambert, author of The Weird Apostle: The Strange Jewish Mission of a Global Game Changer, to explore one of the most misunderstood figures in the New Testament: the Apostle Paul. Ryan’s lifelong fascination with Paul has led him to uncover a deeper, richer narrative—one that challenges long-held assumptions and invites both Christians and Jews into a more honest and fruitful dialogue.

Paul: Not a Convert, but a Called Jew

One of Ryan’s central insights is his challenge to the traditional idea that Paul “converted” to Christianity. Instead, Ryan argues Paul experienced a vocational calling, not a religious departure. His encounter on the road to Damascus was not the birth of a new religion, but a commissioning within Judaism—a mission to bring the nations into the family of God without erasing their identities or severing his own Jewish roots. This reframing matters. When Paul is removed from his Jewish context, his writings become distorted, and the bridge he intended to build becomes a barrier instead.

Recovering Paul’s Jewish Context

Ryan emphasizes that Paul’s teachings cannot be understood apart from his Jewish identity. The Hebrew Scriptures, Jewish tradition, and the covenantal story of Israel shaped his letters, mission, and theology. When we overlook this context, we risk misinterpreting Paul—and misrepresenting the very faith he lived and taught. Paul’s mission, Ryan explains, was never about replacing Israel or negating the Torah. It was about expanding the family of God, not shrinking it. His work was bridge‑building at its core.

Why This Matters Today

Misunderstandings of Paul have had real consequences throughout history. When Paul is portrayed as the founder of a new religion or as someone who rejected Judaism, it has fueled division, supersessionism (replacement theology), and even antisemitism. Ryan calls us to approach Paul with humility, accuracy, and respect—recognizing the harm caused by misreadings and the healing that can come from better understanding. By recovering Paul’s true context, Christians can engage more meaningfully with Jewish communities and foster healthier interfaith relationships.

Key Takeaways from Our Conversation:

Paul’s story is a vocational calling within Judaism, not a conversion away from it.

We cannot understand the New Testament without Paul, and we cannot understand Paul without his Jewish identity.

Historical misreadings of Paul have contributed to division and antisemitism, making accurate interpretation essential for healing and dialogue.

Go to www.BridgeBuildersForum.com and check Ryan Lambert’s Olive Tree Campaign, Podcasts, and Learning Resources, including the book, The Weird Apostle (available on Amazon).

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Today's Guest: Steven Jaffe, Chair of Northern Ireland Friends of Israel
In this episode, we welcome Steven Jaffe, Chair of the Northern Ireland Friends of Israel, joining us from the United Kingdom to shed light on the realities facing the Jewish community in Northern Ireland and the broader region.
Steven shares encouraging news: Israel and the Jewish people have many Christian and non-Jewish allies who stand with them. Yet he also explains the difficult truth—political hostility toward Israel often spills over into hostility toward local Jewish communities.
Raised in Northern Ireland, Steven grew up within his Jewish family surrounded by a Christian community that embraced and supported the small Jewish minority. Only later did he recognize the wider undercurrents of antisemitism and anti-Zionism shaping the region. This realization led him to partner with non-Jewish allies to counter misinformation, challenge false accusations, and build bridges rooted in shared values and truth.
Steven also walks us through the deep historical ties between Ireland, the Jewish people, and the State of Israel—including the remarkable legacy of Chaim Herzog, the Irish-born 6th President of Israel, and his father, Isaac Herzog, the first Chief Rabbi of Ireland.

Find Northern Ireland Friends of Israel on Facebook, follow, like, share, and pray!

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In this episode of The Red Alert Report, we are joined by Aaron Fruh, President of Israel Team Advocates. As a speaker, author, and Bible teacher, Aaron has dedicated his life to advocating for Israel around the world. He brings a powerful message about why remembering the past is essential if we hope to change the present—especially within the Christian community.

Aaron explains how Replacement Theology, Marxism, Wokism, and Islamism have converged to erode Christian support for Israel and the Jewish people. These ideologies distort Scripture, rewrite history, and sow confusion among believers. But as Aaron reminds us, knowledge is power. Biblical literacy and historical accuracy are indispensable tools for resisting deception and strengthening our commitment to truth.

In this conversation, Aaron unpacks why so many young Christians are losing their understanding of Zionism—and what we can do to reverse that trend. His insights challenge, equip, and encourage believers to stand firm in a cultural moment where clarity and courage are desperately needed.

Note: The first few minutes of audio have minor imperfections due to connectivity issues.

Links and resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

• Aaron’s Organization Israel Team Advocates: www.IsraelTeam.org
• American Center for Law and Justice, Stuart Roth: www.ACLJ.org
• Book: The Casualty of Contempt: The Alarming Rise of Antisemitism. Available on Amazon
• Aaron’s Fall 2025 Article in Middle East Quarterly: “Three Reasons why Evangelicals are Turning Against Israel.”

If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow/subscribe, like, and share it to reach a larger audience. Consider making a recurring or one-time donation to The Jerusalem Connection so we can keep bringing you content like this.

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Israel has been at war for two years. Could joy return to the birthplace of Jesus?
British journalist Paul Calvert, who has lived in Bethlehem for over two decades, joins us to start the 2026 Red Alert Report season to share a firsthand account of Christmas in the sacred city of Bethlehem—where faith, history, and conflict converge.
Paul brings encouraging news to start 2026: after two years of war in Gaza and strained relations among Christians, Muslims, and Jews, Bethlehem is once again celebrating the birth of Jesus. The streets that had fallen silent are now echoing with carols, processions, and the voices of pilgrims returning to honor the nativity.
Though the region is still scarred by conflict and age-old tensions, signs of healing are emerging. International visitors are once again walking the ancient paths of Judea. The nativity season, which stretches into January through Orthodox and Armenian Christian traditions, is being observed with renewed reverence and cautious joy.
Tune in to hear how light is breaking through the darkness in Bethlehem—and why the celebration of Jesus’ birth matters more than ever.

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Operation Life in Israel and the Christmas Season

In this special Christmas episode, host Amy Zewe is joined by Sandy Shoshani, director of Be’ad Chaim—an outreach ministry supported by The Jerusalem Connection through Operation Life for Israel. Also joining is Shelley Neese, president of The Jerusalem Connection, for our annual update on how mothers in crisis in Israel are being ministered to and supported in choosing life though the work of Sandy and her team.

What You’ll Hear

• Sandy shares her heart for the women and babies of Israel, reminding us of the season when we celebrate the birth of the most precious baby of all—our Savior, Jesus Christ—born in Judea to Jewish parents facing crisis.
• Updates on the growth of Be’ad Chaim, the resilience of its staff, and their unrelenting desire to minister to mothers from all backgrounds, including those grieving loss or abortion.
• How you can partner in this ministry, commemorate a lost child through the Garden of Life program, and receive monthly updates directly from Israel.

Why It Matters

At Christmas, we remember the miracle of life and God’s gift to the world. Operation Life continues that legacy by helping mothers in Israel choose life and find hope in the midst of crisis.

· Learn more and partner with this ministry: https://thejerusalemconnection.us/operation-life-for-israel/

· Participate in the Gardens of Life to plant a tree and receive a certificate in honor of a lost child: https://thejerusalemconnection.us/the-gardens-of-life/

· To sign up for the newsletter or weekly prayer sheet: https://www.beadchaim.com/contact

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In this episode, host Amy Zewe sits down with filmmakers Justin Kron (The Kesher Project) and Todd Morehead (Grafted Ministries) to discuss their powerful new documentary: October 7: Bearing Witness to the Massacre.

This unique film explores the causes and consequences of the October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, offering a perspective that goes beyond other important documentaries on the subject. Justin and Todd share their motivation, creative process, and how their deep faith in Jesus Christ—the Jewish Messiah—shapes their work and commitment to truth.

www.October7film.com

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As the Christmas season approaches, we turn our eyes to Bethlehem—the birthplace of our Savior. British journalist Paul Calvert, who has lived in Bethlehem for over 20 years, joins us with an encouraging update from the “capital of Christmas.”
After two years of hardship marked by war and uncertainty, optimism is beginning to resurface in Bethlehem. Tourism is slowly returning, and a celebratory spirit is reawakening in the city. For a place that has endured so much, this renewed joy is a powerful reminder of resilience and hope.
The Christian population in Bethlehem continues to face significant struggles. False political doctrines often distort theology, obscuring the truth of the Gospel and the call to love one’s neighbor. Yet the very sites preserved to commemorate the birth of Jesus testify to His Jewish identity and the enduring truth of Scripture. Light will revisit Bethlehem, and the Land continues to speak.

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Shelley Neese, President of The Jerusalem Connection, recently returned from leading a group of Gen Z pilgrims through Israel during the Feast of Tabernacles in early October 2025. They were there as part of the ICEJ USA Feast of Tabernacles celebrations that have been going on for over 40 years. Each journey to the Holy Land carries its own unique blessing, drawing visitors closer to God. But experiencing Israel through the eyes of first-time travelers—especially young believers—is profoundly moving and deeply inspiring.

This year's trip was especially meaningful. Shelley led the group through biblical sites that follow Jesus' footsteps, helping them connect more closely to their Savior in a real and life-changing way.

But the pilgrimage also intersected with history in real time.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow/subscribe, like, and share it to reach a larger audience. Consider making a recurring or one-time donation to The Jerusalem Connection so we can keep bringing you content like this.

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