Since April 15th of this year, Dr. Christian Frach (CIU) had been the designated successor to Luca Hezel as head of Christians Standing with Israel (CSI). At the association's annual general meeting on June 27th in Korntal, Frach was elected as the new chairman of CSI. In this interview, he speaks of his love for the Jewish people, deeply rooted in his family history, and how four passions merged into a new calling. The questions were posed by Dr. Tobias Krämer.
Tobias Krämer: Christian, you're the new chairman of CSI. You've been with us for a few weeks now, so let me ask you directly: Was it the right decision?
Christian Frach: Now, of course, I can't say anything wrong (laughs). But seriously: I've rarely been able to answer a question so unequivocally with "Yes!" Let me put it this way: When I first stepped off the plane in Israel, I immediately had the feeling: "Now I'm home." And quite honestly – arriving at CSI feels pretty similar.
That's good to hear. Please introduce yourself in a few sentences. How old are you? Do you have a family? What is your living situation like?
I am 47 years old and have been happily married to my wife Julia for almost half of that time, 23 years to be precise. Together we have two wonderful teenage daughters. We live as a family in Moosburg an der Isar, northeast of Munich, where we also care for my elderly parents. As true Bavarians, mountains, lakes, and beer gardens are naturally part of our way of life. At the same time, we are deeply rooted in our community and the Landshut-Moosburg prayer house, where we continue to be actively involved.
Of course, your professional background is also of interest, and it's very diverse. Can you tell us a little about it?
Over the past few years, I've worn four different "hats"—and at some point, it became clear that it was time to focus. The fascinating thing is that these four areas converge directly in my new role at CSI.
First, there is the pastor: After my studies at the Evangelical University Tabor in Marburg, I worked for six years in the Christ Church in Zirndorf and subsequently for a total of 17 years in the Free Evangelical Church in Moosburg.
The second "hat" is that of the founder and director of the interdenominational prayer house Landshut-Moosburg. The passion for prayer and unity among Christians shaped me there for many years.
The third area is coaching and personal development. As a freelancer, I worked in both Christian and secular environments – including on topics such as vocation finding, team building, and personality diagnostics.
And it was at the fourth "hat" that we met: Through the Academy for World Mission in Korntal, I was able to pursue my doctorate at Columbia International University. My dissertation, titled "The House of Prayer Movement and Israel," connects precisely the two topics that are particularly close to my heart.
I myself would hardly have expected that theology, Israel, prayer, coaching, personnel development, and leadership would ever come together in this way. This combination seems to exist – almost – only in the role of the CSI chairman.
You say that the love you have for the Jewish people has been in your family for generations. What is this based on? Are there any stories to tell?
The village where I grew up was about a third Jewish before the Holocaust. Many of the surrounding houses belonged to Jewish families, and right in the middle stood my grandparents' and great-grandparents' bakery. They were devout Christians. They maintained close friendships with their Jewish neighbors and, even during the Nazi era, remained keenly aware of what was happening. The sometimes adventurous stories from that time, which unfolded right on our doorstep, deeply moved me even as a child.
I was also particularly influenced by a great-aunt who lived with us and prayed for us a lot. She instilled in me the thought of Corrie ten Boom: "You cannot love God without loving the Jewish people."
That leads me to my next question. You recently made the strong statement that Christianity without Israel is unthinkable. Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? Please explain what you mean by that.
Well, perhaps this statement sounds a bit exaggerated at first. But let's take a closer look. After all, being a Christian revolves around Christ. And that means, quite simply, that anyone who is a Christian follows a Jewish rabbi. Therefore, the approach of wanting to be a Christian and simultaneously rejecting Israel is contradictory.
But it goes even deeper. In the Old Testament, Israel is called the "Son of God" and was destined to keep the covenant. Because Israel failed to do so, God himself became human. But not just human, but Jewish. Jesus was born to a Jewish mother, circumcised, and lived according to the Torah. He not only lived humanity as God originally intended, but also Jewishness. As a Jew, Jesus kept the covenant, fulfilled the Torah, and at the same time bore the punishment. Through him, the covenant is now fulfilled from both a divine and a human—and therefore Jewish—perspective. Therefore, Jesus necessarily had to be Jewish—and remain so. And he is still Jewish today.
Now we, the people from the nations, come into play. Through faith in Jesus, the way to the Father is opened. As Christians, we are part of the body of Christ. But this body is a Jewish body. Perhaps with this thought we approach the mystery of the wild branches that—as Paul writes in Romans 11—are "grafted" into the cultivated olive tree. If we take this seriously, then the statement that being Christian without Israel is inconceivable is simply the logical conclusion.
You helped build a house of prayer where there is a lot of intensive prayer for Israel. Why should Christians do this, and what experiences can one have with praying for Israel?
Prayer isn't primarily about informing God about something he already knows. Prayer is above all about relationship: being close to him, to the Father's heart of God. It's about worshipping him because he is worthy, and about being transformed in his presence – by hearing his voice and allowing ourselves to be drawn into his plans.
When we adopt this attitude, we begin to love what He loves. Our heartbeat aligns with His. And it is precisely there, at the Father's heart of God, that we encounter Israel—the people He loves despite all their weaknesses and failings (Deuteronomy 7:7–8). Therefore, I would say that the first and most important experience of praying to Israel is that God transforms my own heart—my thinking, my attitude, and my perspective. Seized by His love, I become a person who loves, who wants to help, and who, as a Christian, stands with Israel. Even if there are still many things I haven't fully understood.
Let's broaden our perspective once more. As a pastor, you have a lot of experience with congregations. Why is the topic of Israel often so difficult, and how can one deal with it wisely?
There are certainly many reasons for this. For me, however, two points are central. The first reason is that we as Christians are strongly influenced by the individualism of our time. In its pious form, this sounds like: "My Jesus and I." In the Gospels, however, we see that Jesus proclaimed the "Gospel of the Kingdom." His vision, therefore, goes far beyond my personal salvation or my individual happiness. This applies to many topics in church life—but it becomes particularly clear in the case of Israel. The more we move toward the perspective of the Kingdom of God, the more readily we succeed in placing Israel back within the larger context of God's actions.
The second reason is our strong desire for harmony. We want to be nice to each other, not step on anyone's toes, and show the world that we're just normal people. That's all well and good. But sometimes it leads to difficult issues being swept under the rug. And when it comes to Israel, it's practically impossible to please everyone. Especially if you want to appear compliant or conflict-free, Israel is often left out. I view that critically.
A wise approach doesn't mean deliberately provoking. Rather, I try to talk a lot about God's love and faithfulness – and that naturally leads me to Israel. Or I outline the broad strokes of salvation history and God's vision for the world as a "big picture" – and place Israel within that framework. The relationship between the church and Israel remains challenging nonetheless. That's beyond question…
This topic will continue to be with us, that much is clear. Finally, a simple question: What are you most looking forward to in CSI?
Cheers to the team. As a Christian, you can do something for Israel in many ways. But being able to do it together with this highly motivated team is unique.
Thank you so much for this conversation and God bless your future work!
