Memorial

“We take comfort in the knowledge that Barry's suffering is over, after so many years of health-related challenges, and that now he's with the One he served so faithfully for so long.”
–Dr. Gary Hedrick

IN MEMORIAM
Barry Berger – 1942-2015
CJFM Director of Missions, Emeritus

To withhold the Gospel from the Jewish people is the greatest form of anti-Semitism.”
—Barry Berger

On Thursday, September 24, we said good-bye to our coworker and friend, Barry Berger, whom the Lord called home to his eternal reward. For the past 23 years, Barry Berger has served CJF Ministries as Director of Missions, and Director of Missions, Emeritus. He has been an evangelist, teacher, writer, and leader of a Messianic fellowship in Phoenix known as Tikvah Ba Midbar (Hope in the Desert).

Barry was born to conservative Jewish parents in Chicago in October 1942 (his mother was an immigrant from the Russian city of Minsk—today the capital of Belarus; his father was born in Detroit). He received his Bar Mitzvah at age 13, but within a few years became dissatisfied with God and religion. A black friend witnessed to him and asked his church in Chicago to pray for him. Two years later, in January 1975, thanks to the faithful prayers of this Baptist congregation, Barry became a believer in Yeshua HaMashiach and dedicated his life to serving the Savior. The Reverend and Mrs. Reid—the parents of Barry's friend (both of whom were Moody Bible Institute graduates) discipled Barry, instructing him in the Scriptures in their home every day for six months (Sundays excepted). Reverend Reid is now deceased, but thanks to a phone call, it was Mrs. Reid's voice that Barry heard just before breathing his last.

Before coming to CJF Ministries in August 1992, Barry served as pastor of a Messianic congregation in Chicago and served for nine years as a national ministry representative for another Jewish mission organization.

Despite a number of health challenges in later years (at one point Barry even received a lifesaving kidney transplant from a CJFM coworker), Barry continued to lead, teach, counsel, and proclaim that Jesus is the promised Messiah of Israel. In his Arizona congregation, Barry provided a place where Jewish people could learn from their own Scriptures that their long-awaited Messiah is in fact, Jesus of Nazareth. For the saved and unsaved alike, he taught the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, focusing particularly on subjects like “Israel in Prophecy,” “The Messiah in Prophecy,” “The Feasts of Israel,” and “Jewish Perspectives of God’s Word.” Not only did Barry use every opportunity to share his faith (he even led doctors and nurses to a personal relationship with Messiah), he also labored hard to counter the false teachings of replacement theology found in so many churches today. Barry also designed and conducted Jewish Evangelism Training (JET) camps—to equip believers to share their faith with Jewish people. For 22 years, Barry also co-led Tikvah Ba Midbar's Annual City-Wide Passover Seder, attended by hundreds each year.

In addition to his teaching ministry, Barry produced several helpful written works. His tracts: Sharing Your Faith with Jewish People (Some Do’s and Don’ts) and The Jewish Prophets Show the Way—are especially useful for Gentiles who wish to share the Gospel with their Jewish friends. Barry also leaves us with a Messianic version of the Passover Haggadah, where he demonstrates that our Messiah Jesus is revealed at every step of the service. Barry’s Haggadah has also been translated into Russian.

His life and ministry have been a witness and blessing to so many. We offer our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Vi, to his congregation, and to all his family and friends. Barry will truly be missed.

If you would like to send a note of encouragement to Vi, or share a story about Barry, feel free to email us at info@cjfm.org or post on our Facebook page at facebook.com/cjfministries.