Contact: Ari Morgenstern, Christians United for Israel, 404-898-1278

ATLANTA, May 1, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- On Thursday, more than 2,500 people gathered at First Baptist Church Atlanta (FBA) for a Night to Honor Israel. The event was organized by Christians United for Israel (CUFI), the nation's largest pro-Israel organization, and hosted by FBA.

Photo: Dr. Charles Stanley (R) greets Pastor John Hagee (L) on stage at the First Baptist Church Atlanta Night to Honor Israel.

Dr. Charles Stanley, senior pastor at FBA, served as the event's host. He was joined on the stage by keynote speaker Pastor John Hagee, CUFI's founder and Chairman, and Opher Aviran, Consul General of Israel to the Southeast.

"Dr. Stanley's lifetime of support for Israel has made him an important leader within the Christian Zionist movement. I am so glad that he has joined with Christians United for Israel to ensure that pro-Israel Christians are speaking with one unified voice on this issue. I pray that Dr. Stanley will help lead many of his fellow Southern Baptists into this important movement," Hagee said.

"I have been a pastor for over fifty years, and I have supported Israel every one of them," Stanley said in his opening remarks.

"I want to thank Dr. Charles Stanley for graciously hosting the event at First Baptist Church. I was amazed to witness such a clear outpouring of love by the Christian community for the Jewish people and Israel. The presence of so many local Rabbis and Jewish leaders was a testament to the strong alliance between Jews and Christians who support Israel. For me, one of the most profound moments happened when Pastor John Hagee proclaimed before an audience that included several Holocaust survivors his resolve to fight against anti-Semitism and stand up for Israel, the Jewish State, now and forever," Aviran said.

Christians United for Israel is the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States and one of the leading Christian grassroots movements in the world. CUFI spans all fifty states and reaches millions with its message. Each year CUFI holds hundreds of pro-Israel events in cities around the country. And each July, thousands of pro-Israel Christians gather in Washington, D.C. to participate in the CUFI Washington Summit and make their voices heard in support of Israel and the Jewish people.

CUFI's mission is to provide a national association through which every pro-Israel church, parachurch organization, ministry or individual in America can speak and act with one voice in support of Israel.