Our Messianic Fellowship is a living proof that God loves the Jewish people and His promises stand strong.
Messianic Judaism is worship and lifestyle that dates to the 1st Century. It is decidedly Jewish in its practice and perspective because, for Jews who believe Yeshua is Messiah it is a calling and covenant before God. Yeshua, and therefore the Scriptures, do not teach that Jews are no longer Jews. We embrace who Jewish Believers are and will always be: Jewish.
Our Messiah is Jewish and the early Believers were Jewish. As Believers, we seek an authentic expression of Judaism as people who believe Yeshua is the Messiah, that He atoned for our sin, He died in the flesh and was raised from the dead by the Father.
We are anchored in the Shema. to Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear O’ Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One,” or in Hebrew, “Sh’ma Yisraeil, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad.” There is only one God and He is able to manifest Himself as Spirit and flesh (Yeshua).
We believe that both Jewish believers and Gentile believers have a part in Messianic Judaism as we demonstrate the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 18:18, 22:18, 26:4). We also believe that while Jewish believers may be obligated to be identifiable as Jewish people, Gentiles are not (Acts 15, etc). While Gentiles have the freedom to take on Jewish traditions and customs, they are under no obligation to do so. Scripture forbids forcing Gentiles to take on the traditions of Judaism (Judaizing). We recognize that the desire to do so is imparted by the Holy Spirit and the level of observance widely varies from believer to believer.
Scripture is clear that in Messiah we maintain our distinctions. We are a unity in Messiah Yeshua, but we are not uniform. The Kingdom of God is the drawing together of Jewish people and gentiles, still distinct but beautifully brought together in Him.
We seek to maintain the norm of worship, instruction and fellowship as found in synagogues since Babylonian times. Worship is fundamental to our relationship with God, we can only properly understand and worship God through Bible-based education, and our fellowship grows stronger the closer our relationship is with God the Father and His Messiah Yeshua.
Who can be part of a Messianic Fellowship?
All believers, Jewish and Gentile (non-Jewish).
Is Messianic Judaism really Judaism?
For Jewish believers, Messianic Judaism is Judaism expressed in the acceptance that Yeshua is the promised Messiah. Messianic Judaism aligns itself with Judaism, not Judaism plus Christianity and not Christianity with a Jewish flavor. We believe that Messianic Jews ought to maintain their Jewish identity, avoid assimilation, worship the Lord in a Jewish way and raise their children as Jews. God has maintained throughout Scripture that boundaries need to be maintained.
How does this mesh with Judaism today? All modern branches of Judaism different beliefs: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstruction. We hold to the basic tenants and traditions of Judaism, Jewish Believers identify as Jews and we hold to the Shema. Our unique position is that we believe we are in the Messianic age (Messiah has come and will come again). Nevertheless, Messianic Jews are still Jewish and, like other branches of Judaism, we believe that Jewish lineage should not be broken through assimilation.
Are you Christians? The Messianic Jewish and Christian communities are united by faith in Yeshua (Jesus). “Christian” means a follower of “Christ” or “Messiah.” We are not a church in the traditional sense because we are firmly rooted in the 1st Century context and culture, in the Jewishness of the faith, while the traditional “church” and traditional “Christianity” has sought to distance itself from its Jewish roots.
We see the ekklesia (the community or congregation) of Messiah as a fellowship of distinct Gentiles and distinct Jews blessed by the shalom found in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (Yeshua). We follow the traditional Jewish holidays (holy days).
What differentiates us is that we believe Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah.
