David Brickner

{{short description|Former head of the Messianic Jewish missionary group Jews for Jesus}}{{Infobox person

| name = David Brickner

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|09|29}}

| birth_place = Beverly, Massachusetts

| nationality = American

| education = Moody Bible Institute

Northeastern Illinois University

Fuller School of World Mission

| known_for = head of the Messianic Jewish missionary group Jews for Jesus

}}

David Brickner (born September 29, 1958) is an American ordained Baptist minister[http://www.jewsforjesus.org/files/pdf/newsletter/newsletter-1996-07.pdf]"Meet our New Executive Director, Jews for Jesus Newsletter, July 1996 who was head of the Messianic Jewish missionary group Jews for Jesus from 1996 to 2024.[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/04/nyregion/04push.html Jews for Jesus Hit Town and Find a Tough Crowd], Michael LuǍo, July 4, 2006, The New York Times

Background and family

Brickner was born in Beverly, Massachusetts.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}} Brickner describes himself as a fifth-generation Jewish believer in Jesus.David Brickner, "Elephant in the Room," Christianity Today, May 2004 [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/may/22.67.html?start=2] His mother was raised as a Jewish Christian, the descendant of a Hasidic rabbi in Russia, and his father was raised as a traditional Jew.{{cite journal |last1=Burnett |first1=Louise |date=September 22, 1980 |title=Disorderly conduct or free speech? An interview with David Brickner |journal=Christian Legal Society Quarterly |volume=1 |issue=4 |pages=A3 }}{{cite news |last=Broadway |first=Bill |date=March 1, 1997 |title=Looking at Christian Evangelism From Both Sides; Messianic Jew's Mission Unwelcome In Some Quarters |newspaper=Washington Post }} He has two children, Isaac and Ilana.{{cite web

| url = http://www.jewsforjesus.org/index.php?option=com_content&Itemid=50&catid=639&id=4963&view=article

| title = Meet our New Executive Director

| date = July 1996

|website=Jews for Jesus

| last = Rosen

| first = Moishe

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060707/http://jewsforjesus.org/index.php?option=com_content&Itemid=50&catid=639&id=4963&view=article

| archive-date = March 4, 2016

}}{{Cite web |url=http://roshpinaproject.com/2010/11/30/chosen-people-missionary-sues-jews-for-jesus/ |title=Chosen People Missionary Sues Jews For Jesus |access-date=2013-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610221651/http://roshpinaproject.com/2010/11/30/chosen-people-missionary-sues-jews-for-jesus/ |archive-date=2015-06-10 |website=The Rosh Pina Project}}

Education

1981 Graduated Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL. Diploma in Jewish and Modern Israel Studies
1986 Northeastern Illinois University in conjunction with Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. B.A. in Judaica, Minor in Music
1994 Fuller School of World Mission, Pasadena, CA. M.A. in Missiology, Concentration in Jewish Evangelism/Judaic Studies

Career

Brickner began his career as a missionary with the Chicago branch of Jews for Jesus. He led the New York City branch until May 1996, then was elected by a council of his peers as the organization's second executive director. Brickner has been in ministry for over thirty years and has appeared many times on secular television and radio programs.[http://jewsforjesus.org/staff/david-brickner] David Brickner He stepped down as executive director in 2024.{{cite news |last=Elia-Shalev |first=Asaf |date=June 3, 2024 |title=With a New Leader and Revamped Strategy, It’s a Second Coming for Jews for Jesus |url=https://www.jta.org/2024/06/03/united-states/with-a-new-leader-and-revamped-strategy-its-a-second-coming-for-jews-for-jesus |work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |access-date=February 5, 2025}}{{cite news |last=Brickner |first=David |date=2024 |title=Jews for Jesus Has a New International Executive Director! |url=https://www.jewsforjesus.co.za/newsletter/jews-for-jesus-has-a-new-international-executive-director |publisher=Jews for Jesus |access-date=February 5, 2025}}

Controversial statements

On August 12, 2002, representatives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Council of Synagogues signed a joint statement that Catholics should no longer try to evangelize Jews because they "already dwell in a saving covenant with God." Evangelical groups, including Jews for Jesus, strongly objected to the statement. A Los Angeles Times article reported that "the controversy has touched a nerve that underlies religious relations." The article went on to say, "And the ever-controversial Jews for Jesus movement, which believes that Jesus is the Messiah that Jews have been waiting for, also stepped in. David Brickner, the group's executive director, said the bishops had 'crossed the line' and betrayed their responsibility to spread the Gospel. 'Jews need to hear the Gospel. Period. Excluding my Jewish people from Christian witness is theologically and biblically untenable, yet this is exactly what American Catholic bishops' did, Brickner said.""Catholics Called Wrong Not to Evangelize Jews," The Los Angeles Times, September 2, 2002 [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-sep-07-me-religevang7-story.html]

Brickner was reported to have said on 17 August 2008 that the deaths in the Jerusalem bulldozer attack were God's "judgment" for Jews having failed to convert to Christianity.The [http://www.wasillabible.org/sermon_files/2008_Transcripts/The%20Jerusalem%20Dilemma.doc full transcript] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105104419/http://www.wasillabible.org/sermon_files/2008_Transcripts/The%20Jerusalem%20Dilemma.doc |date=2011-11-05 }} and [http://www.wasillabible.org/sermon_files/2008_Sermons/wbc080817.mp3 audio recording] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728170958/http://wasillabible.org/sermon_files/2008_Sermons/wbc080817.mp3 |date=2011-07-28 }} of the Aug. 17, 2008 speech is on the Wasilla Bible Church website.{{cite web|title=McCain team: Palin rejects views of church's Jews for Jesus speaker|first=Ben|last=Harris|date=2008-09-03|publisher=Jewish Journal|url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/elections/article/mccain_team_palin_rejects_views_of_churchs_jews_for_jesus_speaker_20080903/|access-date=2008-09-07}}, {{cite web|title=Palin attended Anti-Jewish sermon given by Jews for Jesus founder 2 weeks ago|date=2008-03-09|publisher=Israel e News|url=http://www.israelenews.com/view.asp?ID=3005|access-date=2008-09-07|archive-date=2008-09-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906224940/http://www.israelenews.com/view.asp?ID=3005|url-status=dead}} The comments created further controversy because they were made at the Wasilla Bible Church, where Sarah Palin is a member; Palin was chosen a week later to be the Republican candidate for vice-president in the 2008 United States presidential election.{{cite magazine |first=Sarah |last=Pulliam |title=Jews for Jesus director defends remarks |url=http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctpolitics/2008/09/jews_for_jesus.html |magazine=Christianity Today |date=9 September 2008 |access-date=4 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207144403/http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctpolitics/2008/09/jews_for_jesus.html |archive-date=7 February 2009 |url-status=dead }} Political analysts speculated that Brickner's remarks would cause the Republicans to lose Jewish voters.{{cite news |first=Ben |last=Smith|title=Jewish voters may be wary of Palin |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13098.html|publisher=Politico|date=2 September 2008 |access-date=4 September 2009 }} In an interview with NBC news David Brickner responded to this assessment of his guest speech by saying "That's not what I was saying ... That's not what I believe. The violence is evidence that sin has marred our human condition and because of sin and non belief, God's judgment rests on all humanity.""Jews for Jesus Head Defends Speech, by Domenico Montanaro,Sep 9, 2008 http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/09/1368740.aspx {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911161448/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/09/1368740.aspx |date=2008-09-11 }}

Books

Mishpochah Matters: The Jewish Way to Say Family : Speaking Frankly to God's Family, 1996
Future Hope, 1999
Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles, 2006
Christ in the Feast of Pentecost, 2008