So why the title "Going Home"? Simple. That's where I'm headed. Yeah, I know. That seems kind of boring, but it is what it is. But the question of where home is, is still left out there. How to get there is the easy part.
When God moves you, it's best to hang on tight. And that's what I thought I was doing in the summer of 2007 through the summer of 2008. I was studying and learning. God was teaching me things that were completely blowing my mind. It seemed as if every time I sat down to read, God showed up in a HUGE way. And the more I learned, the more I wanted to teach. The more I taught, the more I wanted to learn. It was in 2007 that I stumbled upon a great teacher named Joseph Good. He was teaching at an online site called Universal Torah Network. His topic of study was The Return Of Israel. I was extremely fortunate to get in on this teaching at the first episode. It rocked my world!
During the study, Joseph Good had a guest teacher come in for a couple of weeks. His lessons were going to center around God returning the exiled "Lost Tribes of Israel" back to the land of Israel. Well, I had never really thought about what had happened to the lost 10 tribes who were taken into captivity by the Assyrians. In my Christianized mind, anyone who was a Jew had to be part of the 12 tribes of Israel. Anyway, the guest speaker wanted to touch on one specific area of the return and that is what God says He will do in those days.
Ross Nichols. A man from St. Francisville, LA with a small congregation of former Christians, current Messianic Jews, former Messianic Jews, and a group of people who call themselves followers of the "Abrahamic Faith." His lessons on the Return of Israel have forever shaped how I read Scripture. It is an inspiring look into the God's Heart and Mind.
Basically the theory goes like this. When the 12 tribes of Israel were split into the Northern and Southern tribes, 10 went into the north and 2 into the south. Neither group remained faithful to God. The northern 10 tribes (a.k.a. Israel/Ephraim) were captured by Assyria and taken into exile. They have never returned to the land. They were immediately assimilated into Assyrian culture through forced marriage. With them went their Hebraic religion and traditions. In the southern 2 tribes (a.k.a. Judah, from where we get the word Jew), we see that eventually their sins caught up with them as well and they were taken over by Babylon. For more on their exile, read the book of Daniel. Although they were exiled, God promised them they would only be in Babylon for 70 years. And true enough, after 70 years God returned them to Israel (Ezra, Nehemiah, etc.). Amazingly enough, God chose to use a gentile pagan named Cyrus to set the Israelite captives free. In fact, in Isaiah 45:1 we see that God called Cyrus His Messiah (Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ). But, this discussion is for another time.
So here we have the Jews (Judah) returning to the land just as God had promised. But where are the 10 tribes from the north? We know that they are promised a return as well. But to this day, it has never happened. As we track the history of that area of the world we see many kingdoms come and take over the assimilated northern tribes. Persia, Greece, and eventually Rome. The theory then goes like this: the Hebrew people who were captured and taken to Assyria eventually became Romans. Romans eventually became Christians. One day Christians will once again return to their Hebraic roots.
Now, none of this can be proven from Scripture so take it for what it's worth. But what does come from Scripture is this. 10 times is the phrase "with my whole heart, soul, and strength" (or a close variation) used in the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures). 9 of the 10 are how we are to respond to God. But, God says He Himself will do something with His whole heart and soul and strength. Return the exiled children of Israel to the land. All of them. Even though many of them will not know who their ancestors were, God does. Even though they have been in pagan religions, cults, and other forms of idolatry, God will return them to Himself. When they repent, He will hear them and return them from the four corners of the world and reunite them with their brothers (the Jews) in Israel. Amazing!
Where is this found? Start reading in Genesis. When you find the verses, write them down! ;)
Friday, January 29, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
When God Moves, You Better Hang On!
From August of 2008 through March of 2009, I was lost. No job, no prospects, confused about what God was doing, and not sure if the future would be any better. One positive though from being out of work... Tons of free time to study! And that's just what I did. Studied and prayed. My prayer went something like this. "God, please teach me your truth. Whatever it is, I'm ready. Just please show me where you want me and my family."
I was enjoying the few work hours that I did have as a weight instructor for the High School Swim Team at the local YMCA. Great kids and lots of fun! I was also getting to referee basketball games at the YMCA. Ironically, I was the referee for many church members from my former place of employment. It was awkward, but whatever.
March was the month. Of course I was oblivious at the time, but boy was it a big month. That was the month that the "cult group" (our friendly nickname for the 10 or so of us that were kicked out of churches) met Rabbi Yossi Friedman. For reasons only known to Rabbi Friedman and God, he agreed to come to Chelsea and meet with a group of Gentiles who were caught somewhere between Christianity and Judaism. It was about an hour of just questions from us, and amazing answers from him. I could not imagine what was going on in his mind. "Are these people serious?" "How did I end up here?" "I seriously think I'm the only Jew in this small town." But we peppered him with as many questions as we could think of. We learned more with each meeting. For me, I was cautious. The Jews were a mysterious group to me. I wasn't sure about them. I loved them, as any good Christian would. But there was always something about them. Something I didn't know, and wasn't sure I wanted to.
I will say this. Nearly 100% of everything I had ever been taught about the Jews came strictly from Christian sources and, was 100% WRONG. Way off doesn't even begin to cover it. Things like 1) legalistic 2) burdened by obedience 3) no real relationship with God 4) whitewashed tombs, etc. were at the forefront of my mind when we met with Rabbi Friedman. In just one short month, I could see that these labels were totally false. They are the basis for the subtle antisemitism in the church. Subtle antisemitism is what allows Christians to claim that they love the Jews, pray for the Jews, and respect their faith; but in the same breath admit that God replaced them with a better plan and better people. The church. It's not blatant and sometimes hidden. But it is there.
After meeting with Rabbi Friedman for a few months, I decided to venture out. One Friday night, I went to "the place." You know, that place where Jews go. OK, don't tell anyone, but I went to synagogue. What an experience! It was phenomenal. Once again, unlike anything Christianity had ever told me about "those Jews." It is a night I will never forget. Say what you will about signs from God, but that night I made a connection with The Almighty that still moves me to this day.
It was also around this time that I was challenged. By friends, fellow cult members. OK, no more reference to the group as a cult. In the way that only God can do, He confronted me with His truth. He did so with 3 questions. First, can God be a man? Second, who was Jesus? Third, who are you? I can't say for sure that God has a sense of humor, but I believe He does. The very things that were accused of me by the church were now being addressed in my life by God. See, God knew that as long as I was in church I would never even consider the deity of Jesus. To me, he would always be God, Messiah, High Priest, and greatest Prophet. And God also knew how much I loved the students at that church. I wasn't leaving on my own. It took an act of God to get me out of there. And he used the very issues to have me removed, that He would eventually bring full circle and rock my world! Classic!
Please let me reiterate. I was not looking for any of this. But God of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. And He had already marked my path. It is impossible for me to harbor ill-feelings towards my former church. Just as Babylon was used by God to bring about the repentance and redemption of Israel, so to was that church used by God to bring me home.
And that leads us to today. Someone who considers himself a member of the Abrahamic Faith. (read James Tabor's book by the same title) Neither Jewish (that I know of) nor Christian. But decidedly more Jewish than the former. Who knows where God is taking us. But I know He's calling us home. Home. But where exactly is my home? Well, stick around. The story's not finished yet...
I was enjoying the few work hours that I did have as a weight instructor for the High School Swim Team at the local YMCA. Great kids and lots of fun! I was also getting to referee basketball games at the YMCA. Ironically, I was the referee for many church members from my former place of employment. It was awkward, but whatever.
March was the month. Of course I was oblivious at the time, but boy was it a big month. That was the month that the "cult group" (our friendly nickname for the 10 or so of us that were kicked out of churches) met Rabbi Yossi Friedman. For reasons only known to Rabbi Friedman and God, he agreed to come to Chelsea and meet with a group of Gentiles who were caught somewhere between Christianity and Judaism. It was about an hour of just questions from us, and amazing answers from him. I could not imagine what was going on in his mind. "Are these people serious?" "How did I end up here?" "I seriously think I'm the only Jew in this small town." But we peppered him with as many questions as we could think of. We learned more with each meeting. For me, I was cautious. The Jews were a mysterious group to me. I wasn't sure about them. I loved them, as any good Christian would. But there was always something about them. Something I didn't know, and wasn't sure I wanted to.
I will say this. Nearly 100% of everything I had ever been taught about the Jews came strictly from Christian sources and, was 100% WRONG. Way off doesn't even begin to cover it. Things like 1) legalistic 2) burdened by obedience 3) no real relationship with God 4) whitewashed tombs, etc. were at the forefront of my mind when we met with Rabbi Friedman. In just one short month, I could see that these labels were totally false. They are the basis for the subtle antisemitism in the church. Subtle antisemitism is what allows Christians to claim that they love the Jews, pray for the Jews, and respect their faith; but in the same breath admit that God replaced them with a better plan and better people. The church. It's not blatant and sometimes hidden. But it is there.
After meeting with Rabbi Friedman for a few months, I decided to venture out. One Friday night, I went to "the place." You know, that place where Jews go. OK, don't tell anyone, but I went to synagogue. What an experience! It was phenomenal. Once again, unlike anything Christianity had ever told me about "those Jews." It is a night I will never forget. Say what you will about signs from God, but that night I made a connection with The Almighty that still moves me to this day.
It was also around this time that I was challenged. By friends, fellow cult members. OK, no more reference to the group as a cult. In the way that only God can do, He confronted me with His truth. He did so with 3 questions. First, can God be a man? Second, who was Jesus? Third, who are you? I can't say for sure that God has a sense of humor, but I believe He does. The very things that were accused of me by the church were now being addressed in my life by God. See, God knew that as long as I was in church I would never even consider the deity of Jesus. To me, he would always be God, Messiah, High Priest, and greatest Prophet. And God also knew how much I loved the students at that church. I wasn't leaving on my own. It took an act of God to get me out of there. And he used the very issues to have me removed, that He would eventually bring full circle and rock my world! Classic!
Please let me reiterate. I was not looking for any of this. But God of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. And He had already marked my path. It is impossible for me to harbor ill-feelings towards my former church. Just as Babylon was used by God to bring about the repentance and redemption of Israel, so to was that church used by God to bring me home.
And that leads us to today. Someone who considers himself a member of the Abrahamic Faith. (read James Tabor's book by the same title) Neither Jewish (that I know of) nor Christian. But decidedly more Jewish than the former. Who knows where God is taking us. But I know He's calling us home. Home. But where exactly is my home? Well, stick around. The story's not finished yet...
From Elation To Bitterness
Why is it that those you are closest with are typically the ones that hurt you the most?
It should not have been such a surprise to me. In fact, I was warned. By two different people in two different places. The first warning did come while I was at the church. I was an intern at the time but was about to become the interim youth pastor. See the man who had hired me was joining the Army. He was leaving to become a full-time pastor/Army Chaplain. It was his boyhood dream! And in one of our MANY late night discussions on ministry and life, he gave me a warning that at the time I did not or could not understand. "Nick, it is those who are closest to you, your best advocates, who you must watch out for." Watch out for? What on earth do you mean? "Those who are the loudest voice for you, often times turn into the loudest voice against you."
I thought he was crazy. Honestly. But for some reason I tucked the advice away and really paid it no attention. Until I heard it again. I was the Varsity Boys Basketball coach at a Christian school in town. The principal, who also happened to be the former basketball coach, was giving me some advice. It was my first gig. He had been coaching for decades. So when he spoke, I listened. And he said, "Your biggest friends can quickly become your biggest enemies." OK, OK, I get it. Well, obviously I didn't.
There are many details that need not be discussed here. So the short version will be enough.
In January, I had my 2nd meeting in 3 months with the chairman of the Personnel Committee. The first meeting was a chance for him to express some grumblings among parents in the youth group that I wasn't a great communicator. Without boring details, this can be said about my communication skills. Out of all the students in our group, only 2 or 3 EVER had an issue with not knowing what was going on. And, it was the same 2 or 3 every time. I even had kids whose parents attended other churches. And they were at every event, on time, knowledgeable about the event. So this made it quite easy to pinpoint who was doing the complaining (without coming directly to me). And honestly, after our first meeting I didn't give the issue much thought. This meeting was different. I could feel and sense the urgency in the meeting. We agreed that I would add several forms of communication to what was already taking place. Done deal, on we went.
And on we went to Germany. 29 people from our church halfway around the world. And back we came. And off to summer camp we went. And back we came.
Then the boy was born! July 6, 2008!
Then the storm came.
I was called into a meeting with the entire Personnel Committee. Several things were called into question about my "communication problem" as well as other "problems." Also on the docket, what was I teaching to the youth? Every question was answered with Scripture, which the Committee I must say was not prepared for. Every administrative concern was addressed and even discounted by parents on that very committee. To quote one parent in the meeting, "Sounds like a witch-hunt to me." And the hunt came to its conclusion in August. I resigned my position as youth pastor. I chose not to fight. I chose to leave myself some opportunity for future employment. It was far from perfect. But who can argue with God?
So I began my search for a new ministry position. And I searched. And I searched. But nothing was there. Then in September, I started getting emails and calls from friends in the area who had heard the "real" reason I resigned. Every call and email had the same 3 reasons. I didn't believe Jesus was God. I thought he was only a good teacher. And I thought that he was only a prophet. Seriously? I had never thought nor taught these things. I had never even considered them. But word was out and the decision about me leaving had its backing. I had fallen from grace and was now dabbling in heresy. Even joining a church-plant at a local church as their youth pastor couldn't save me now. I was out. And I was mad...
It should not have been such a surprise to me. In fact, I was warned. By two different people in two different places. The first warning did come while I was at the church. I was an intern at the time but was about to become the interim youth pastor. See the man who had hired me was joining the Army. He was leaving to become a full-time pastor/Army Chaplain. It was his boyhood dream! And in one of our MANY late night discussions on ministry and life, he gave me a warning that at the time I did not or could not understand. "Nick, it is those who are closest to you, your best advocates, who you must watch out for." Watch out for? What on earth do you mean? "Those who are the loudest voice for you, often times turn into the loudest voice against you."
I thought he was crazy. Honestly. But for some reason I tucked the advice away and really paid it no attention. Until I heard it again. I was the Varsity Boys Basketball coach at a Christian school in town. The principal, who also happened to be the former basketball coach, was giving me some advice. It was my first gig. He had been coaching for decades. So when he spoke, I listened. And he said, "Your biggest friends can quickly become your biggest enemies." OK, OK, I get it. Well, obviously I didn't.
There are many details that need not be discussed here. So the short version will be enough.
In January, I had my 2nd meeting in 3 months with the chairman of the Personnel Committee. The first meeting was a chance for him to express some grumblings among parents in the youth group that I wasn't a great communicator. Without boring details, this can be said about my communication skills. Out of all the students in our group, only 2 or 3 EVER had an issue with not knowing what was going on. And, it was the same 2 or 3 every time. I even had kids whose parents attended other churches. And they were at every event, on time, knowledgeable about the event. So this made it quite easy to pinpoint who was doing the complaining (without coming directly to me). And honestly, after our first meeting I didn't give the issue much thought. This meeting was different. I could feel and sense the urgency in the meeting. We agreed that I would add several forms of communication to what was already taking place. Done deal, on we went.
And on we went to Germany. 29 people from our church halfway around the world. And back we came. And off to summer camp we went. And back we came.
Then the boy was born! July 6, 2008!
Then the storm came.
I was called into a meeting with the entire Personnel Committee. Several things were called into question about my "communication problem" as well as other "problems." Also on the docket, what was I teaching to the youth? Every question was answered with Scripture, which the Committee I must say was not prepared for. Every administrative concern was addressed and even discounted by parents on that very committee. To quote one parent in the meeting, "Sounds like a witch-hunt to me." And the hunt came to its conclusion in August. I resigned my position as youth pastor. I chose not to fight. I chose to leave myself some opportunity for future employment. It was far from perfect. But who can argue with God?
So I began my search for a new ministry position. And I searched. And I searched. But nothing was there. Then in September, I started getting emails and calls from friends in the area who had heard the "real" reason I resigned. Every call and email had the same 3 reasons. I didn't believe Jesus was God. I thought he was only a good teacher. And I thought that he was only a prophet. Seriously? I had never thought nor taught these things. I had never even considered them. But word was out and the decision about me leaving had its backing. I had fallen from grace and was now dabbling in heresy. Even joining a church-plant at a local church as their youth pastor couldn't save me now. I was out. And I was mad...
Tradition vs. Truth
In the church there are 2 main positions on tradition. Love them. Hate them. There are very few churches who find themselves in between. Ironically, even those who hate traditions have made hating them a tradition!
Traditions cannot be avoided. But they can be changed. And by 2008, mine were changing at a rapid pace. Disillusionment with the church and its traditions, I found myself in deep study and longing for God to deliver me back to the 1st century way of doing things. Unfortunately, there were only a handful of people who were with me on this. And they were not people of power. But nevertheless, we saw every Sunday School class, every Bible study, every discussion about God as an opportunity to share truth as we saw it from Scripture. For years, we basically went unnoticed. But starting in late 2007 and into 2008, some started taking notice. But almost humorously, the challenges presented to our small group of 5 or 6 people were never about Scripture. They always were about traditions. "Well, the church has never thought that way." (not true) "We are Southern Baptists and our confession does not include your way of thinking." "Sunday is God's Sabbath." (Oy Veh!) And the list goes on. Little did I know, behind the scenes, my future was being shaped! Without me...
In 2005 I was ordained and hired as a full-time Youth Pastor. It is what I had gone to school for, prayed for, and felt that God had rewarded me for through all of my service to Him. And it was awesome! Never did I dream that I would have such an opportunity. My first church, a fairly large and established church, wonderful students, and endless opportunities. Oh, and did I mention wonderful students? These kids were not your normal teenagers. They were involved, intelligent, willing to be challenged, and willing to let God lead them rather than their traditions. I'm not sure if they ever grew out of anything I said or did, but man did I grow! Through all of our camps, mission trips to Germany, Bible studies, Underground Church events, (basically this is hide-and-go-seek in the dark, at church!) we were living God's will. No doubt. But I was faced with difficult decisions during my time as a Youth Pastor. One difficulty was how to teach Messianic Judaism in church. Or better yet, SHOULD I teach Messianic Judaism in church? I wrestled with it, I truly did. In the end, I felt God calling me to blend it. Don't remove everything they've ever known, not at one time anyway. But, truth cannot be ignored and so it should be shared as well.
So, best I could, I blended. Starting in 2005 I began to blend the two ideas (and they are separate ideas). I remember one of the first lessons I did was titled "There Is No Such Event As Good Friday". It definitely got some attention. The kids loved it. It is always so refreshing to learn something new! I taught for 1 full hour. No one got up to go to the bathroom. No one was texting. All eyes and ears were focused on their Bibles and on me. And so we walked through the Passover week that led to the crucifixion of Jesus. And then the bombshell... He was crucified on Wednesday. Now granted, some of them saw what was coming before I could get to the end of my dramatic presentation. Dramatic presentation is essential in youth ministry. And as I look around modern Christianity, it seems essential no matter what age group you deal with.
Well, all seemed to be going great that day. There was a genuine excitement amongst the group. They couldn't wait to come back that night and learn more. And so off we went to the church service. It wasn't until after the service that I began to see the battle between tradition and truth was alive in well in our church. One prominent parent came up to me and informed me that her son had told her about our Sunday School lesson. I asked her what he said. And for the most part he was right on it. It wasn't like him to pay so close attention so I was a bit surprised that he had remembered so many details. The mother then asked me where I got something like that. I told her straight out of the New Testament. She wanted to know where! So I gave her my notes to read over, including the Scriptures for my belief. I told her to read over it, study it, and pray about it and let me know what she thinks. She agreed. Before she left I told her that I would need those notes back because they were all I had at the time. She said, "OK." Well, it is January 16, 2010 and I still have not seen those notes! C'est la vie...
So time went on. The blending continued and people grew. Our group grew. Spiritually they exploded! It was so amazing to watch. Physically we grew slowly, but still we were growing. But in all honesty, slow growth was seen as failure during the last part of the 1990's and the first decade of 2000. So much time and effort was given to church growth at that time. Books, DVD's, conferences, etc. were all geared toward making your church HUGE! It was the in-thing. And the first thing a church must do to grow is evaluate the numbers. Only then can you determine the best direction to go in regards to growth. Numbers are really all that matter. The church hides that with spiritual catch-phrases and cute sermon titles that make everyone feel all warm and fuzzy. But the truth is, you are judged on your numbers. Well, this of course can lead to a whole host of problems. One is, well, cooking the books. LOL!!! Not financially, but numerically. It is totally embarrassing for a pastor to attend his monthly network meeting and hear about all the other area churches that are booming in membership when yours is not. "We had to bring in chairs into the aisles last Sunday." "We had to create a 'Traffic Committee' to handle all the overflow parking problems last week." "We had 30 come down front and 'get saved' last week." Oh the list goes on and on. But this was the attitude at the time.
So often, one unfortunate victim of this attitude is truth. Truth doesn't necessarily have to be compromised to grow, but it can be watered down. That way you are not really misleading people, but just withholding some information they don't need to know about. Things like Jesus' thoughts on numbers... "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:14 We can't have the people thinking that we need to be few! But anyway, enough about church growth.
2008. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. My wife and I found out we were pregnant and due in July. July 4th to be exact! We were already taking our prenatal classes and preparing a nursery and everything. We were excited. The people at church were excited for us. Not only was that going on, but we also were preparing for our 2nd mission trip to Germany. Unfortunately my wife wouldn't be going back with me this time. So we knew that the last week of May and first week of June were going to be tough for us. But God would help us through. After all, I was going to do the "Lord's work".
But in February of that year, I began to catch wind of something brewing behind the scenes at church. Allow me to give the Reader's Digest version of what was going on. In November 2007, our pastor went to Bolivia on a mission trip. While there, he became gravely ill. In fact, he spent almost a month in a Bolivian hospital on dialysis. We prayed fervently at home for his return. And finally it happened. He returned to us before Christmas, but was in no position to return to the pulpit. So we as staff had to scramble to cover for him. And we did so gladly. His recovery was slow, but he did regain strength. It truly was a modern miracle! But while he was out of action, there were some in the church who decided it was time for them to make their move. Whether they did it out of love for the church and our pastor, only God knows. But what they did set in motion a series of events that would change my life forever!
Traditions cannot be avoided. But they can be changed. And by 2008, mine were changing at a rapid pace. Disillusionment with the church and its traditions, I found myself in deep study and longing for God to deliver me back to the 1st century way of doing things. Unfortunately, there were only a handful of people who were with me on this. And they were not people of power. But nevertheless, we saw every Sunday School class, every Bible study, every discussion about God as an opportunity to share truth as we saw it from Scripture. For years, we basically went unnoticed. But starting in late 2007 and into 2008, some started taking notice. But almost humorously, the challenges presented to our small group of 5 or 6 people were never about Scripture. They always were about traditions. "Well, the church has never thought that way." (not true) "We are Southern Baptists and our confession does not include your way of thinking." "Sunday is God's Sabbath." (Oy Veh!) And the list goes on. Little did I know, behind the scenes, my future was being shaped! Without me...
In 2005 I was ordained and hired as a full-time Youth Pastor. It is what I had gone to school for, prayed for, and felt that God had rewarded me for through all of my service to Him. And it was awesome! Never did I dream that I would have such an opportunity. My first church, a fairly large and established church, wonderful students, and endless opportunities. Oh, and did I mention wonderful students? These kids were not your normal teenagers. They were involved, intelligent, willing to be challenged, and willing to let God lead them rather than their traditions. I'm not sure if they ever grew out of anything I said or did, but man did I grow! Through all of our camps, mission trips to Germany, Bible studies, Underground Church events, (basically this is hide-and-go-seek in the dark, at church!) we were living God's will. No doubt. But I was faced with difficult decisions during my time as a Youth Pastor. One difficulty was how to teach Messianic Judaism in church. Or better yet, SHOULD I teach Messianic Judaism in church? I wrestled with it, I truly did. In the end, I felt God calling me to blend it. Don't remove everything they've ever known, not at one time anyway. But, truth cannot be ignored and so it should be shared as well.
So, best I could, I blended. Starting in 2005 I began to blend the two ideas (and they are separate ideas). I remember one of the first lessons I did was titled "There Is No Such Event As Good Friday". It definitely got some attention. The kids loved it. It is always so refreshing to learn something new! I taught for 1 full hour. No one got up to go to the bathroom. No one was texting. All eyes and ears were focused on their Bibles and on me. And so we walked through the Passover week that led to the crucifixion of Jesus. And then the bombshell... He was crucified on Wednesday. Now granted, some of them saw what was coming before I could get to the end of my dramatic presentation. Dramatic presentation is essential in youth ministry. And as I look around modern Christianity, it seems essential no matter what age group you deal with.
Well, all seemed to be going great that day. There was a genuine excitement amongst the group. They couldn't wait to come back that night and learn more. And so off we went to the church service. It wasn't until after the service that I began to see the battle between tradition and truth was alive in well in our church. One prominent parent came up to me and informed me that her son had told her about our Sunday School lesson. I asked her what he said. And for the most part he was right on it. It wasn't like him to pay so close attention so I was a bit surprised that he had remembered so many details. The mother then asked me where I got something like that. I told her straight out of the New Testament. She wanted to know where! So I gave her my notes to read over, including the Scriptures for my belief. I told her to read over it, study it, and pray about it and let me know what she thinks. She agreed. Before she left I told her that I would need those notes back because they were all I had at the time. She said, "OK." Well, it is January 16, 2010 and I still have not seen those notes! C'est la vie...
So time went on. The blending continued and people grew. Our group grew. Spiritually they exploded! It was so amazing to watch. Physically we grew slowly, but still we were growing. But in all honesty, slow growth was seen as failure during the last part of the 1990's and the first decade of 2000. So much time and effort was given to church growth at that time. Books, DVD's, conferences, etc. were all geared toward making your church HUGE! It was the in-thing. And the first thing a church must do to grow is evaluate the numbers. Only then can you determine the best direction to go in regards to growth. Numbers are really all that matter. The church hides that with spiritual catch-phrases and cute sermon titles that make everyone feel all warm and fuzzy. But the truth is, you are judged on your numbers. Well, this of course can lead to a whole host of problems. One is, well, cooking the books. LOL!!! Not financially, but numerically. It is totally embarrassing for a pastor to attend his monthly network meeting and hear about all the other area churches that are booming in membership when yours is not. "We had to bring in chairs into the aisles last Sunday." "We had to create a 'Traffic Committee' to handle all the overflow parking problems last week." "We had 30 come down front and 'get saved' last week." Oh the list goes on and on. But this was the attitude at the time.
So often, one unfortunate victim of this attitude is truth. Truth doesn't necessarily have to be compromised to grow, but it can be watered down. That way you are not really misleading people, but just withholding some information they don't need to know about. Things like Jesus' thoughts on numbers... "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:14 We can't have the people thinking that we need to be few! But anyway, enough about church growth.
2008. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. My wife and I found out we were pregnant and due in July. July 4th to be exact! We were already taking our prenatal classes and preparing a nursery and everything. We were excited. The people at church were excited for us. Not only was that going on, but we also were preparing for our 2nd mission trip to Germany. Unfortunately my wife wouldn't be going back with me this time. So we knew that the last week of May and first week of June were going to be tough for us. But God would help us through. After all, I was going to do the "Lord's work".
But in February of that year, I began to catch wind of something brewing behind the scenes at church. Allow me to give the Reader's Digest version of what was going on. In November 2007, our pastor went to Bolivia on a mission trip. While there, he became gravely ill. In fact, he spent almost a month in a Bolivian hospital on dialysis. We prayed fervently at home for his return. And finally it happened. He returned to us before Christmas, but was in no position to return to the pulpit. So we as staff had to scramble to cover for him. And we did so gladly. His recovery was slow, but he did regain strength. It truly was a modern miracle! But while he was out of action, there were some in the church who decided it was time for them to make their move. Whether they did it out of love for the church and our pastor, only God knows. But what they did set in motion a series of events that would change my life forever!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Messianic Judaism
Christianity can be hard. Judaism even harder. But what happens when you are caught between both worlds?
Total chaos.
Judaism doesn't like you because you are still a Christian. Christianity doesn't like you because they think you are turning Jewish. It's quite an interesting place to reside. But who can run from God? When you pray and beg God for truth, consider 2 things. One, God will answer you. Two, are you prepared for His answer? As Jesus once said, "Count the cost..."
And there will be cost.
As I began to study with Eric, I was led to the world of Messianic Judaism. This movement can best be described as people who believe Jesus is the Messiah and also hold to the Hebraic roots of the Christianity. They take into consideration that Jesus, the disciples, the first church, and Paul were all Jews. They lived, taught, and thought in a Hebrew mindset. Greek influence was something that was trying to take over the Jewish world. Many Jews resisted, many did not. Those who did not eventually took over the church. Many of the most notable changes occurred during Roman Emperor Constantine's rule. This began the reign of the Roman Catholic Church. Messianic Judaism attempts to go back in time to the pre-Roman era of "Christianity" and to find what the first followers of Jesus did.
I was beyond excited to take on this endeavor. To think that we could actually live like Jesus did. Speak His language. Keep His festivals. Follow His Torah. All of this was worth the cost to me. And so I traveled this road. It was a tough road no doubt. 25 years of Gentile/Christian thinking had to be chiseled away. Greek thoughts, practices, and traditions had to be removed. It was a slow process as well. At times I found myself living the best of all worlds. Celebrating Christmas, Easter, Passover, Chanukah, Yom Kippur, Halloween, etc. It all seemed "kosher" to me. My excitement in what I was learning began to spill over into my church life. At the time, I taught Sunday School to 11th and 12th grade students. I began to slowly introduce them to new ideas and show them from Scripture why we had it wrong for so long. To my amazement, they saw it too! Well, those who were paying attention to me. I wanted everyone to know and see what I was seeing. Eric and I started a Messianic Synagogue and began to reach out to anyone who wanted to learn. Really, it was just us at first. We tried to share, but people just weren't interested. We would get discouraged, but we kept on fighting. I had to. I had a new focus! Not only did I think God wanted me to evangelize the Jewish people and lead them to their Messiah, but now God wanted me to show the church the errors of its ways too.
I did not think the church was completely in error. Not by a long shot. It was still God's vehicle for showing His truth to the world. It had just gotten slightly off track over the years. This could be easily fixed. All we had to do was educate the people. Once we did this, we could all return to the original intent of God's church. And so the work began. By this time I was teaching Bible at a Christian High School along with teaching at church. I had great venues to share God's truth at! It would all be amazing.
Naivete can be so cruel...
Truth is, people love their traditions. We all do. It is just a fact of life. You can change, destroy, or manipulate a lot of things in a person's life, but messing with their traditions is strictly off limits! This was one hard lesson to learn.
It is one I will NEVER forget!
Total chaos.
Judaism doesn't like you because you are still a Christian. Christianity doesn't like you because they think you are turning Jewish. It's quite an interesting place to reside. But who can run from God? When you pray and beg God for truth, consider 2 things. One, God will answer you. Two, are you prepared for His answer? As Jesus once said, "Count the cost..."
And there will be cost.
As I began to study with Eric, I was led to the world of Messianic Judaism. This movement can best be described as people who believe Jesus is the Messiah and also hold to the Hebraic roots of the Christianity. They take into consideration that Jesus, the disciples, the first church, and Paul were all Jews. They lived, taught, and thought in a Hebrew mindset. Greek influence was something that was trying to take over the Jewish world. Many Jews resisted, many did not. Those who did not eventually took over the church. Many of the most notable changes occurred during Roman Emperor Constantine's rule. This began the reign of the Roman Catholic Church. Messianic Judaism attempts to go back in time to the pre-Roman era of "Christianity" and to find what the first followers of Jesus did.
I was beyond excited to take on this endeavor. To think that we could actually live like Jesus did. Speak His language. Keep His festivals. Follow His Torah. All of this was worth the cost to me. And so I traveled this road. It was a tough road no doubt. 25 years of Gentile/Christian thinking had to be chiseled away. Greek thoughts, practices, and traditions had to be removed. It was a slow process as well. At times I found myself living the best of all worlds. Celebrating Christmas, Easter, Passover, Chanukah, Yom Kippur, Halloween, etc. It all seemed "kosher" to me. My excitement in what I was learning began to spill over into my church life. At the time, I taught Sunday School to 11th and 12th grade students. I began to slowly introduce them to new ideas and show them from Scripture why we had it wrong for so long. To my amazement, they saw it too! Well, those who were paying attention to me. I wanted everyone to know and see what I was seeing. Eric and I started a Messianic Synagogue and began to reach out to anyone who wanted to learn. Really, it was just us at first. We tried to share, but people just weren't interested. We would get discouraged, but we kept on fighting. I had to. I had a new focus! Not only did I think God wanted me to evangelize the Jewish people and lead them to their Messiah, but now God wanted me to show the church the errors of its ways too.
I did not think the church was completely in error. Not by a long shot. It was still God's vehicle for showing His truth to the world. It had just gotten slightly off track over the years. This could be easily fixed. All we had to do was educate the people. Once we did this, we could all return to the original intent of God's church. And so the work began. By this time I was teaching Bible at a Christian High School along with teaching at church. I had great venues to share God's truth at! It would all be amazing.
Naivete can be so cruel...
Truth is, people love their traditions. We all do. It is just a fact of life. You can change, destroy, or manipulate a lot of things in a person's life, but messing with their traditions is strictly off limits! This was one hard lesson to learn.
It is one I will NEVER forget!
So Now What?
What now? Marriage. That's right, June 25, 2005! What was she thinking? Just kidding. But one thing we did talk about was the spiritual journey I was on. But she was on one too. Growing up in a Church of God family, going to a Pentecostal church, and about to marry a Baptist minister. That's quite a journey in itself! But she was game. And neither of us knew what was around the corner.
Prior to 2004, I only have a few memories of Eric Herschberg. One was the guy who was seemingly always late to English class. Another was the guy who always fell asleep in English class. But the memory that mattered most was of the guy who updated us Christians on what was happening in Jerusalem and the Temple Mount as it related to the end times. To me, this was always fascinating! I always pondered the idea of the end happening in my lifetime. How amazing would it be? One thing was for sure. I was going to be ready. So anytime Eric had an update, I was all ears.
Given the events in my life at that time, I began to wonder what God was doing with my life. I was nearing graduation with no job and no clue as to what would be next. I had taken a basketball coaching job at a Christian school. Coincidentally, it just so happened to be the school that I met my wife at. I was offered a permanent teaching job there for the 11th and 12th grade Bible class. But I had gone to school to do youth ministry. So decisions were looming. One thing I did know was I was consumed with Israel and the Jewish people. I constantly found myself sitting in class thinking about Israel and trying to write things in Hebrew. I was attempting to teach myself this difficult language and it was going very slow. But I thought practice would make perfect. One thing I also remember doing is reading the Old Testament. Even in my New Testament classes. I had never spent much time in the Old Covenant. It just wasn't for us New Testament Christians. All we really needed from the former was the major stories. Headlines. The key people and stories that showed us why Jesus had to do what he came to do. It was really to shed light on how those stubborn Jews just didn't get it. This guy parting the Red Sea. That guy being swallowed by a whale. Someone else who was a dreamer of dreams. And of course, Adam and Eve. You know, the basics.
One class in particular always comes to mind when I think about my journey. Eschatology. This is just a fancy church word for "End Times." I don't remember tons of information from this class I will admit. But one discussion between the professor and myself is, even to this day, a monumental moment in my life. See, he was convinced that Israel and the Church were 2 separate entities. I was convinced they were the same. Why? I have no idea. It was not something I had ever studied, nor ever really heard of. But I knew, and fought to the death, that the Church and Israel were supposed to be the same. (OK, not to death...) The Church just couldn't be a "new creation" by God. This would signify a change from God that I knew wasn't supported in Scripture. But as I look back on the class, I fought with that guy! I fought and really didn't know what I was doing. But I also knew, he didn't have an answer.
This led me to Eric. I knew him well enough to ask him to help me with some things I was studying. He agreed to meet me at Barnes and Nobles one night so we could seriously approach Scripture from its origins. I didn't know what he meant, but eagerly wanted his help. So we met. Let me just say, he held nothing back that night. Nothing. Heretic is not a word I would lightly throw around, but after our discussion that night I was convinced that Eric was one! He hammered me with 3 things. First, Torah should be observed by everyone who loves God (including Christians). Second, Christians should be keeping the Sabbath. And third, Christians should be eating kosher. Whew, I at least had a simple understanding of #3. Even if I disagreed with his reasoning. But the other 2, well this was grounds for excommunication!
To say our meeting was a shock is quite an understatement. But in the spirit of Christian brotherhood I told him I would consider what he said. I also told him we should meet again in a week so I can show him all the many reasons why he is wrong! And so I left, determined to show my brother why he was in error and what the Scriptures really said about his ideas. It was the last time I approached Scripture from a Greek/Western mindset. A week or two later we met again. And I was totally humbled. I had searched and searched, read and reread, prayed and begged God to show me the truth. And in reality, He had. Through Eric. I could not argue any point that he gave me. Not one, unless I decided to twist the Scriptures and form my own translations. I was floored. I was concerned. I was scared! Everything I had been taught about God and Christianity seemed to be wrong.
The only thing left to do at this point? Pray and study!
Prior to 2004, I only have a few memories of Eric Herschberg. One was the guy who was seemingly always late to English class. Another was the guy who always fell asleep in English class. But the memory that mattered most was of the guy who updated us Christians on what was happening in Jerusalem and the Temple Mount as it related to the end times. To me, this was always fascinating! I always pondered the idea of the end happening in my lifetime. How amazing would it be? One thing was for sure. I was going to be ready. So anytime Eric had an update, I was all ears.
Given the events in my life at that time, I began to wonder what God was doing with my life. I was nearing graduation with no job and no clue as to what would be next. I had taken a basketball coaching job at a Christian school. Coincidentally, it just so happened to be the school that I met my wife at. I was offered a permanent teaching job there for the 11th and 12th grade Bible class. But I had gone to school to do youth ministry. So decisions were looming. One thing I did know was I was consumed with Israel and the Jewish people. I constantly found myself sitting in class thinking about Israel and trying to write things in Hebrew. I was attempting to teach myself this difficult language and it was going very slow. But I thought practice would make perfect. One thing I also remember doing is reading the Old Testament. Even in my New Testament classes. I had never spent much time in the Old Covenant. It just wasn't for us New Testament Christians. All we really needed from the former was the major stories. Headlines. The key people and stories that showed us why Jesus had to do what he came to do. It was really to shed light on how those stubborn Jews just didn't get it. This guy parting the Red Sea. That guy being swallowed by a whale. Someone else who was a dreamer of dreams. And of course, Adam and Eve. You know, the basics.
One class in particular always comes to mind when I think about my journey. Eschatology. This is just a fancy church word for "End Times." I don't remember tons of information from this class I will admit. But one discussion between the professor and myself is, even to this day, a monumental moment in my life. See, he was convinced that Israel and the Church were 2 separate entities. I was convinced they were the same. Why? I have no idea. It was not something I had ever studied, nor ever really heard of. But I knew, and fought to the death, that the Church and Israel were supposed to be the same. (OK, not to death...) The Church just couldn't be a "new creation" by God. This would signify a change from God that I knew wasn't supported in Scripture. But as I look back on the class, I fought with that guy! I fought and really didn't know what I was doing. But I also knew, he didn't have an answer.
This led me to Eric. I knew him well enough to ask him to help me with some things I was studying. He agreed to meet me at Barnes and Nobles one night so we could seriously approach Scripture from its origins. I didn't know what he meant, but eagerly wanted his help. So we met. Let me just say, he held nothing back that night. Nothing. Heretic is not a word I would lightly throw around, but after our discussion that night I was convinced that Eric was one! He hammered me with 3 things. First, Torah should be observed by everyone who loves God (including Christians). Second, Christians should be keeping the Sabbath. And third, Christians should be eating kosher. Whew, I at least had a simple understanding of #3. Even if I disagreed with his reasoning. But the other 2, well this was grounds for excommunication!
To say our meeting was a shock is quite an understatement. But in the spirit of Christian brotherhood I told him I would consider what he said. I also told him we should meet again in a week so I can show him all the many reasons why he is wrong! And so I left, determined to show my brother why he was in error and what the Scriptures really said about his ideas. It was the last time I approached Scripture from a Greek/Western mindset. A week or two later we met again. And I was totally humbled. I had searched and searched, read and reread, prayed and begged God to show me the truth. And in reality, He had. Through Eric. I could not argue any point that he gave me. Not one, unless I decided to twist the Scriptures and form my own translations. I was floored. I was concerned. I was scared! Everything I had been taught about God and Christianity seemed to be wrong.
The only thing left to do at this point? Pray and study!
How It All Began
"I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul." -Jeremiah 32:41
To my knowledge, this is the only thing God states He will do with His whole heart and soul. Return the lost tribes of Israel to the land. Amazing...
To know the exact time and location of your "re-birth" is quite Christian. Although, I will admit even in those days I had no clue as to when I was "reborn." So when I think back to the beginnings of this great journey, I must do so in general terms because I never knew it would lead me to where I am today. Needless to say, I was NOT looking for this. God found me. God shaped me. And who can run from God?
But as for this journey I can point to the year 2004 as a beginning point. I was still in school at Southeastern Bible College and was working the glamorous job of Hydra Spa associate in the Riverchase Galleria. I also was interning at Meadow Brook Baptist with the youth department. I felt that my life was well put together! I could only think of one thing holding me back. I felt horrible. Physically. My eating habits were that of a typical American college kid. Junk food + coffee + sugar + staying up until the weeeeee hours of the morning = blaaaahhhhh... I dabbled in vitamins and such for a time, but nothing seemed to help. I would be completely drained throughout every day. It was affecting me, my job, and those around me. I had to get some help.
One day while I was passing out amazing Hydra Spa massages, I recalled a book that my mother had read. "What Did Jesus Eat?" I began to ponder the idea of eating as God-on-earth ate. How novel! As I began to research this, I kept being drawn to one idea. One place in Scripture. Leviticus 11 is God's diet plan for mankind. Jews call it Kosher. Christians call it legalism. But one thing I knew, this is what Jesus ate! So I tried it. Unsuccessfully at first I will admit. It is extremely difficult to remember what is and is not kosher after 25 years of gentile eating habits. But nevertheless, I tried. And after a while, I did truly feel better.
It was also around this time that I developed an interest in leading a small prayer group at school. Spiritually I was growing at a rate that startled me at times and strengthened me at others. Leading a prayer group was one more step along the staircase. I had never done anything like that, but felt God was urging me to get involved. Who knows, it may have been a great resume addition!? But anyway, I contacted the person involved with assigning leaders for groups. As I recall, she said that she only had one group left without a leader and that I was welcome to take it. I assured her of my interest and asked what group it was. "Israel" she said. "Who?" "Israel." "Oh, OK I guess." I knew very little about Israel at the time. Basically, I knew Jesus lived there, along with those God-forsaken Pharisees. I remembered a little from the most recent fighting between Israel and the Palestinians, the "Intifada" I believe. Other than that, I knew I would need more information if I was going to lead a prayer group on those who had rejected Jesus.
So I studied. And I learned. And I studied more. And learned more. I began to develop a heart for these people. Granted, it was a missionary's heart. I wanted them to know Jesus just as any good Christian would. It began to be all that I could think about. In fact, it began to consume my thoughts. I could not study enough, nor learn enough about the Jewish people, their land, and their language.
Meanwhile, back at the spa, I had developed a great friendship with several Israelis who were temporary workers at the mall. We hung out a bit, complained about holiday shoppers, and began to develop relationships that still last to today. They tried to teach me Hebrew. I tried to teach them, well nothing actually. I kept waiting for the right time to share Jesus. It was going to be my breakthrough! I would lead these seemingly atheist Jews to their Savior. And who knows, maybe their family and friends as well. I was single-handedly going to prepare the Jewish nation to receive their "Christ." Just one problem. The opportunity never arose to share. I kept waiting and looking for that perfect chance. I prayed. I hinted. I hung out with them. I even participated in my first Chanukah with them. But nothing. Must not have been God's timing.
So there I was. A kosher eating Christian who hung out with Jews, participated in Chanukah, led a prayer group on Israel, and was awaiting my next orders from God. Enter, my good friend Eric Herschberg.
To my knowledge, this is the only thing God states He will do with His whole heart and soul. Return the lost tribes of Israel to the land. Amazing...
To know the exact time and location of your "re-birth" is quite Christian. Although, I will admit even in those days I had no clue as to when I was "reborn." So when I think back to the beginnings of this great journey, I must do so in general terms because I never knew it would lead me to where I am today. Needless to say, I was NOT looking for this. God found me. God shaped me. And who can run from God?
But as for this journey I can point to the year 2004 as a beginning point. I was still in school at Southeastern Bible College and was working the glamorous job of Hydra Spa associate in the Riverchase Galleria. I also was interning at Meadow Brook Baptist with the youth department. I felt that my life was well put together! I could only think of one thing holding me back. I felt horrible. Physically. My eating habits were that of a typical American college kid. Junk food + coffee + sugar + staying up until the weeeeee hours of the morning = blaaaahhhhh... I dabbled in vitamins and such for a time, but nothing seemed to help. I would be completely drained throughout every day. It was affecting me, my job, and those around me. I had to get some help.
One day while I was passing out amazing Hydra Spa massages, I recalled a book that my mother had read. "What Did Jesus Eat?" I began to ponder the idea of eating as God-on-earth ate. How novel! As I began to research this, I kept being drawn to one idea. One place in Scripture. Leviticus 11 is God's diet plan for mankind. Jews call it Kosher. Christians call it legalism. But one thing I knew, this is what Jesus ate! So I tried it. Unsuccessfully at first I will admit. It is extremely difficult to remember what is and is not kosher after 25 years of gentile eating habits. But nevertheless, I tried. And after a while, I did truly feel better.
It was also around this time that I developed an interest in leading a small prayer group at school. Spiritually I was growing at a rate that startled me at times and strengthened me at others. Leading a prayer group was one more step along the staircase. I had never done anything like that, but felt God was urging me to get involved. Who knows, it may have been a great resume addition!? But anyway, I contacted the person involved with assigning leaders for groups. As I recall, she said that she only had one group left without a leader and that I was welcome to take it. I assured her of my interest and asked what group it was. "Israel" she said. "Who?" "Israel." "Oh, OK I guess." I knew very little about Israel at the time. Basically, I knew Jesus lived there, along with those God-forsaken Pharisees. I remembered a little from the most recent fighting between Israel and the Palestinians, the "Intifada" I believe. Other than that, I knew I would need more information if I was going to lead a prayer group on those who had rejected Jesus.
So I studied. And I learned. And I studied more. And learned more. I began to develop a heart for these people. Granted, it was a missionary's heart. I wanted them to know Jesus just as any good Christian would. It began to be all that I could think about. In fact, it began to consume my thoughts. I could not study enough, nor learn enough about the Jewish people, their land, and their language.
Meanwhile, back at the spa, I had developed a great friendship with several Israelis who were temporary workers at the mall. We hung out a bit, complained about holiday shoppers, and began to develop relationships that still last to today. They tried to teach me Hebrew. I tried to teach them, well nothing actually. I kept waiting for the right time to share Jesus. It was going to be my breakthrough! I would lead these seemingly atheist Jews to their Savior. And who knows, maybe their family and friends as well. I was single-handedly going to prepare the Jewish nation to receive their "Christ." Just one problem. The opportunity never arose to share. I kept waiting and looking for that perfect chance. I prayed. I hinted. I hung out with them. I even participated in my first Chanukah with them. But nothing. Must not have been God's timing.
So there I was. A kosher eating Christian who hung out with Jews, participated in Chanukah, led a prayer group on Israel, and was awaiting my next orders from God. Enter, my good friend Eric Herschberg.
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