Honestly, I’m not fond of statements of faith. It implies that we have studied these things and are unwilling to consider other beliefs, or those who believe differently are not welcome. Both are not true, although don’t get uptight if we disagree with you. The key is respect. We respect you if you respect us. So don’t let this statement of beliefs scare you away. I think it is good for you to know ahead of time where we are at before you get here.

    Before I get to the details, I want to clarify who we are. As much as I don’t like labels, it becomes necessary to use them to define who we are. We are not Jewish. Modern Judaism is a construction of the Rabbis since the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE/AD. Due to the lack of a temple and priesthood, as well as a desire to combat conversion by a largely gentile and anti-Semitic church, many changes have been made to the faith of the Bible by Jews, resulting in a faith which is only partially Biblical and certainly in opposition to any teaching of Yeshua as Messiah. We are not Christian. Though we believe in Yeshua as the Messiah, Christianity does not follow Torah, believing that Yeshua fulfilled the Law, replacing the bondage of law with the freedom of grace. This too, along with a melding of Biblical doctrine with Roman paganism, has resulted in a faith that is equally contrary to Biblical faith as Judaism. The closest label which describes us and is at least somewhat known outside of our walls is Messianic. Technically, all this means is that we have some relationship with the Messiah. However, this term has come to imply that we believe in Yeshua as the Messiah as a means of justification through faith and follow Torah as a means of sanctification through obedience to God’s ways. This, however, has also come to imply that we have a strong focus on Jewish tradition and Hebrew as part of our faith. For us, though these can be helpful tool for study and our life with Messiah, they are not necessary or expected. It has also been my experience that Messianic congregations lack in the area of evangelism, especially to gentiles. This is a gross negligence that we undue with regular outreach events and a desire to help those in need any way we can. We seek to use principles of Torah to be a light in our community, making us evangelical. As the term Hebrew means “to cross over”, and Believers have crossed over from a life of sin and death to a life of obedience to God which leads to life, the most comfortable description for us is Evangelical Hebrew Believers in Messiah Yeshua. For convenience, brevity, and some degree of recognition, I am satisfied with Evangelical Messianics. Now for the actual doctrinal stuff:

1.     God      

a.     Hear, O Israel, the Lord is God, the Lord is One. (D’varim/Deuteronomy 6:4) The nature of God is a compound unity (Heb: echad) expressed in the persons of Abba (father), Yeshua (salvation, the Son, Messiah), and Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit/Breath) (Matthew 28:19) This in no way contradicts the unity of God. Though difficult to explain, we see all three persons in both the Old and New Testaments.(B’resheet/Genesis 1:1-2; Mishlei/Proverbs 30:4) Each human, made in God’s image functions with mind, body, and spirit. God functions in a similar way.

b.    We believe that God is our Creator and our King. He is in control of all human affairs. He does not create evil, but allows it to accomplish His purposes. He gives human beings free will, but punishes those who live against Him, and blesses those who seek after Him with all their heart, mind, and strength.

c.     We believe that Yeshua/Jesus is the Son of God. He was born of a virgin and lived to prove His deity and die to provide the final atonement for sin for all mankind so all who believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life. During His human life, He lived and taught Torah, exposing the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders. He did not do away with Torah, rather seeks to bring His people back to it. (Isaiah 53; John 3:16)

d.    We believe the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God sent to Believers to guide, encourage, and empower them to perform God’s will. (Yochanan/John 14:16,26) The gifts of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22) are available to Believers today.

e.     We do not hold to any particular names of God or His Son. Generally we refer to the Son as Yeshua, His Hebrew name, but we use this interchangeably with Jesus, as this is His common name in our culture. Adonai is often used for YHVH in the Hebrew, simply because this is what is used in the CJB.

2.      God's Word

a.     All Scripture is the Word of God, and is to be used for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16) The Bible is the Word of God written in the words of men. Scripture is written on different levels. Most only read on the surface, but the Spirit has much more to teach us than what is written in the 66 books of Scripture. Because of these levels, the Word of God is as eternal as God Himself.

b.    Apocryphal books, as well as the Talmud, and other Biblical works and commentaries, though helpful for studies, are not the inspired Word of God. Much is debated about this, however, the 66 books that are considered inspired by most Believers stand the tests of unity, history, science, and living faith. Truth only becomes evident when Biblical principal is acted on in faith. (Messianic Jews/Hebrews 11:1)

c.     The Bible must be studied and understood in its entirety. The Old Testament is the foundation for the New Testament. All New Testament doctrine is of no value and possibly false without the Old Testament. Thus any teaching which does not have Old Testament roots ought not to be trusted.

d.    Torah is God’s guide for life to the Believer in Messiah. It is not a means of eternal salvation, but is a means to drawing closer to God, loving our neighbor, living righteously, combating the wiles of HaSatan, and becoming a vessel God can fill with His Spirit to use for His purposes.(Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119; 1Timothy 1:8-9)

3.     Holidays/Sabbath

a.     See the Holiday page for a more detailed explanation of our view of holidays and special observances. Having said that, God has declared certain days as holy days, also known as moadim. (Leviticus 23:2) These commanded holidays are appointments God makes with His people and blesses them when they “show up” in ways that He does not if these appointments are not kept.

b.    The first and most frequent of these holidays is the Sabbath. It is on the seventh day of the week, as patterned by Creation and commanded by the forth commandment and multiple other places in Torah. (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 31:16; Isaiah 58:13-14; Matthew 12:8) The early church met on the first day of the week, as well as every other day of the week (Acts 2:46), so there is nothing which prohibits Believers from going to “church” on the first day, but the Sabbath is still on the seventh and ought to be kept as such.

c.     Shaul/Paul warns early Believers about not letting anyone judge you about food or holidays. (Colossians 2:16) This is not to say that kosher laws and Biblical holidays are not important for the Believer. All of Shaul’s writings have to be read in context, as he is writing letters to specific communities in response to specific issues. Here and in many other places, he is responding to Judaisers who insist on conversion to Judaism as a prerequisite to faith in Messiah Yeshua. Shaul is placing Yeshua in highes priority for the Believer and leaving Torah observance as something for the gentile Believer to learn after faith in Messiah. Shaul is not anti Torah. He teaches from it and follows it himself. Any doctrine indicating otherwise is a misinterpretation of Scripture. Such doctrine undermines the unity of Scripture and the foundations of faith in God.

4.     Body of Believers

a.     The original community of God’s people was Israel, as promised to Abraham. (Ge.12:2-3) After being saved from Egypt, this community was taught the ways of God, given the tabernacle and the priesthood, and led to the Promised Land. Through the laws taught to Israel, they learned to function as God’s people, be a light to the other nations, and prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah. At least this was the intention. Through sin and rebellion, they were split, mostly dispersed amongst the nations, with only a remnant remaining, out of which Messiah Yeshua came. Though gentiles had always been able to join this community through conversion, as evidenced through people like Ruth, but only after the time of Yeshua, in Acts 10, do we see gentiles being given the same rights and powers through the Spirit as the Jewish people through faith in Messiah. In Romans 11, we see that there never was intended to be a Jewish community and a gentile community, but a single community centered around faith in Messiah, expressing itself through fruit of the Spirit, obedience to Torah, and love for each other.

b.    Modern day Israel is a political entity, made up of a remnant of the Israel of the Bible, which God will use in the end times. The Land of Israel belongs to God and no people regardless of faith, nationality, or present inhabitation. It will be the playing field for the events of the end times and the location of the New Jerusalem at the end of Revelation. It is important to recognize the 90% of the Jewish people in Israel do not even believe in God. Praying for the peace in Jerusalem includes the redemption of the Jewish people back to God including faith in their Messiah Yeshua. Until this happens, despite their importance as God’s chosen people, they are not part of the community of God’s people as seen in Romans 11.

c.     The body is a living organism with equal parts functioning according to the unique gifting and calling given to each member by the Spirit of God. There is no hierarchical structure as seen in most churches and denominations, with dictators as leaders focused on numbers and success rather than true community and worship. This is achieved best through the home fellowship model. (1 Corinthians 12)

5.     Justification/Sanctification

a.     We are declared righteous and holy through faith in Messiah Yeshua and His work on the cross in the same way as Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9)

b.    Faith in itself implies action, and in no way negates the need to study and apply the entirety of God’s Word to our lives. Torah enables us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling and live as the citizens of the Kingdom that faith in Messiah declares us to be. (Deuteronomy 6; Philippians 2:12)

c.     The simplicity of the Gospel is not undone by the value of the entirety of Scripture to the life of the Believer.  Torah is as much for the gentile as for the Jew as in Messiah there is no Jew or Greek. The Old Testament adds depth to an otherwise shallow, cursed, and foundationless faith. (Deuteronomy 27:26; Isaiah 56:6-7; John 5:46-47)

6.     Evangelism

a.     Through Israel, all nations on earth were to be blessed. (Genesis 12:3)

b.    We see examples, such as in the book of Jonah of God’s desire for other nations besides Israel to be “saved” and repent of their sin.

c.     Yeshua gave His talmidim (students of Torah) the mandate to replicate themselves throughout all the earth. We also see in Acts 10, the Holy Spirit and salvation given to the gentiles as well as the Jews. Growth of the body is imperative and the failure to do so leads to exclusivism, stagnation, and disobedience to our King. Having said this, the often used methods of the church to accomplish this task is often ineffective and at times manipulative, which in itself is witchcraft. When God’s people live according to His ways in the midst of the world, God uses them, often in miraculous ways, to touch people’s lives through His truth and the power of His Spirit, to draw others to Himself. I call this servangelism. The work is his, not ours. (Matthew 25:31-46; 28:19-20; Acts 2)

7.     Prophesy/End Times

a.     Much debate and division is caused by prophetic study and teaching. The only teaching I know for sure, from Revelation, and which is most important, is that whatever happens, whenever it happens, and however it happens, in the end, God wins.

b.    It is the responsibility of all Believers to make themselves ready for whatever world events may happen in the future. It can be easy to fear and despair over the future. However, God is in control of all the kings and kingdoms of the earth, as seen in Jeremiah 27, and just like Peter walking on stormy waters, we need to keep our focus on our Messiah, nothing else will matter. Everything will happen in its own time according to God’s plan and He will protect His people in the midst of it.

c.     As the world gets darker, God’s light has the ability to shine brighter as His people live in ever increasing faith in Him. History proves this to be true.

8.     Other Points of Interest

a.     The wearing of Jewish kippahs, prayer shawls, head coverings for women, or other symbols of the faith are optional to each worshipper as these symbols aid in personal prayer and worship of God.

b.    Participation is encouraged in open prayer and Bible discussion. This means that various views and doctrinal positions are likely to be expressed in such settings. As iron sharpens iron, this can be a good thing, however there must be respect for differing opinions and doctrinal beliefs. Failure to maintain this respect in the midst of disagreement may result in temporary or permanent removal from the fellowship.

c.     This fellowship is open to anyone wanting to worship God in a home setting and learn more about Biblical faith from its Hebraic foundations. As such, it is not necessary to be Jewish, Messianic, or even a Believer.  These statements of belief are intended to let you know where we are at theologically at this point in time. 

d.    We have a tzedakah/offering box for those who are led to give financially to the ministry. The box is not passed around or pointed out during meetings, but is in a prominent place for those bringing offerings to discretely give while not being an embarrassment to those who are unable to give.

e.     We have a time of oneg/potluck and those who are able are encouraged to bring something to share.

f.     Children are welcome and there are coloring pages provided for their use, but there are no separate classes or child care provided at this time. Parents are expected to keep relative control of their children during study times.