I went to Abilene Texas to visit Beltway Park Baptist Church in January with 7 other Messianic leaders. We went to spend time with Pastor David McQueen and his leadership team/staff. It was an amazing trip on so many levels (read about it here). Pastor David has relationships with many Messianic leaders and has great insight into our community and leadership in general. He made a statement concerning Messianic leaders that has stuck with me. He said, "It seems to me that unless an idea is Jewish in its inception many Messianic leaders will not consider using it." Boom! I have found this true, even in myself, far too often.
Ideas are not legitimate/illegitimate because of who/where they come from. Great ideas and bad ideas come from everywhere. In particular, the Church has so much to offer Messianic Judaism. I know, "They don't get us" or "They are theologically opposed to us". I know. But, that shouldn't keep the Messianic Movement from using great ideas that come from the Church, especially when it comes to reaching people through culture and working to reach this present generation. We make statements like "Well, that works for them but Jewish people are different." Are we so sure we get our own people? Sometimes I think we forget that people are people. We are all affected by culture. We all have the same hurts and pains. We all need the same Yeshua (salvation).
I recently had coffee with Pastor Joe Fuiten from Cedar Park Church in Seattle. He is an incredibly gracious and well-rounded charismatic pastor. He made some observations that were fantastic. I asked him for some tips on congregational growth. He said, "Messianic's have a tendency to think that growth will/and should come from the specific message you offer. But, real growth will come from people having encounters with God." Shazam!
I believe in what I preach. I believe that we need to restore the Jewishness of the Gospel. I believe Messianic Judaism is an end-time fulfillment of prophecy. But, if people's lives are not changing, who cares? If people are not having encounters with the God of Israel, Yeshua, our Messiah, why does any of it matter?
I am grateful to these two men of God and the time they gave me. Let's be real, Messianic Judaism isn't working in my generation. The message isn't the problem. Yeshua is still king over all the earth. Perhaps some of the things we hold to as "this should never change" or "but that's how we have always done it" are actually holding us back from doing our part to build the Kingdom of God?
What do you think?
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Good word, Rav Rosenberg! It's the kingdom of heaven and many roles and many servants are in it!
ReplyDeleteNice blog, Matt. You're asking a great question.
ReplyDeleteWhen I say MJ, I tend to think of it as discipleship of Yeshua, in the context of Jewish tradition and practice. Just so my context is clear. I realize not all that identifies with MJ sees it that way.
MJ occupies a difficult niche between Church (which historically did not permit any expression of Jewish tradition or practice) and Judaism (which counts any Jewish follower of Yeshua as having "left the faith"). We draw from both wells, yet don't belong to either. The movement is challenged because we aren't mature enough yet as a movement to have our own well to draw from. When we are always defining ourselves in terms of "other" it is going to be a slow and unsteady growth pattern because its a lack of clear identity.
Is the question - how to engage people in life-changing spiritual growth and to be a facilitator of that process? What gets people energized to move beyond their own needs and start serving the needs of others? This is something that MJ is uniquely suited to do.
Wow. Lol people need to post the slew of comments here!!! Its everywhere else! Pay attention people! Hehe. Hey Matt! Great Read. I think the sermon on the link below by D. Thomas Lancsster has a relevant message and insight to what you shared him. He wrestled with the vision of his own congregation and makes some thought provoking points. Blessings brother!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bethimmanuel.org/audio/content/messianic-judaism-reloaded
I have to admit that Messianic Judaism is totally new to me. In my experience if you were Jewish you did not believe Jesus was the son of God. I like the idea of using the purest form of God's teachings, one that hasn't been altered for self serving reasons & following the same faith as Jesus. That is what brought me to the Jewish faith. In the beginning my set-back was I believe Jesus is the son of God who died on the cross for my sins, but Judaism didn't follow that belief. However, I found your podcast and it's been great! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIf I could make 1 request, that would help bring more followers; if you could start from the beginning and explain the Jewish traditions more, that would be great for us beginners. I think people are standoffish concerning Messianic Judaism because it's a lot to learn in the beginning and it's intimidating.
Thanks again!
~ Jennifer D (Annapolis, Maryland)
We are always trying to break out of the box. Thanks for the reminder to keep trying. However, do you think that not only is MJ not working in your generation, your generation is trying to live outside of faith. Is it only in Messianic congregations that young people are not being reached?
ReplyDeleteNice post. Being a gentile messianic means I am free to adopt new ways to worship. I tend to play handel's messiah when I'm getting ready for shabbat on Friday mornings. I mentioned this to someone in Israel and she horrified me with the knowledge that prisoners getting of the trains at auchqitz heard that music! Terriblr - and part of me whispered to myself - if you can't listen to the words of Isaiah from the Tanakh set to beautiful music then in a way haven't they won?
ReplyDeleteWe live in a world that can easily choke the Word if we are not careful.
Hello Sir: I like the title of your blog, and would most resemble the Messianic Gentile who posted about listening to songs from Handel's Messiah on a Shabbat morning. I am a Lutheran by upbringing, and for 7 years have had a keen interest in Jewish Roots which is changing my life and making me more authentic before others and our Lord. Example Avot 4:2, the idea of being enabled to live out the commandments of God as opposed to giving into instant gratification, i.e. sin. One mode offsets the other seems to be the ideal conveyed. My denominational upbringing would seldom to never teach such, as the founder for which it is named strongly believed one cannot by their own reason or strength come to the Father. The upshot of that is, sermons refer to believers as 1st century Christians or ... century Christians not Jewish believers per se. I wrote a novel about my experience thus far, titled, Winds Of Change, published last year by CrossBooks. My 20-something kids are disinterested in what dad believes or studies nowadays. Anything that challenges one's comfort zone is not welcomed these days generally speaking. Change may only occur when one has a crises of faith or a crises of life when it's realized the old ways no longer work.. I only know of your blog because Gev from RoshPinah Project refers readers like myself to your post, but it's like that first cup of coffee in the a.m. Bring it on brother! FInally, another blog I like is titled Not Another Episcopal Blog which is more for those of us who grew up in a main line denomination that is maybe changing for the wrong reasons.. I guess, despite our apologetic we are all in this together! Amen and amen.
ReplyDelete