Ministry Growth, part 2

But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matt 10:6 (KJV)



As time went by TRTGM changed it's focus.  For financial reasons the local tract distribution slowed to once a month, up to then we passed out tracts every week.  It was very important that the TRTGM worked by always evangelizing to the Jew first.  


 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16 (KJV)



This was and is an essential spiritual goal for many Messianic Jews, just as it was for me.  As I became more proficient in Scriptural analysis I discovered one of the two great flaws of the Messianic Jewish movement.  As Romans 1:16 states true Christians should witness to Jews first and then the Gentiles as EQUALS.  The same amount of time should be spent on reaching Lost Gentiles with a same amount of effort.  In Adonai's eyes we are all one in Messiah,


 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:25-28 (KJV)


This passage is one that clearly tells us that the names in (v. 26-27) is an analogy.  Just as one cannot stop being male or female; we cannot stop being Jewish.   I often say to others that "Jewish does not equal Judaism".  Unfortunately, Rabbinic Jews of today can just as easily say it backwards, stating that Judaism is Jewish.  No way.  

As for me, one of those ideals was to always be ready to give a good and strong simply of Yeshua.  Too never be ashamed of the Gospel.  These views that I held were telling me that I no longer should be worshiping in the Messianic congregation; that my Jewish and Gentile household should be be praising God as one body.    Yet, those false doctrines were still there; that Messianic Jews and Gentile Christians should have separate houses of worship.  Every one seemed to accept the view that all Messianic Jews should worship as one body.  Yet, no one seemed to grasp the simple fact that this is not mentioned in Scripture, not once.  The Book of Acts shows us what His plan is for planting new chueches.  


Yet, I hold the firm belief that I cannot stop being Jewish, we are as we are.  As a Christian I was a fanatical and proud of Messianic Judaism.  But too many false views of the denomination began to emerge, one after the other.  


The second error I found was based upon a simple examination of the Messianic liturgy.  That Rabbinical worship had to evolve by it's   critical dependence and belief in the Oral Traditions.  The traditions where penned over the past 2,500 years.  Some of these Oral Traditions became Midrash, Mishnah and the Talmud.  Jewish Christians often believe that these traditions are false.  For many who practiced Rabbinical Judaism the Talmud became a new holy book sent from God.  My problem is that when you practice a firm belief that the Oral Traditions are false; that they are just the writings of learned men who banded together during the Babylonian Exile.  The goal was to find a way they can worship God properly without being at the Temple in Jerusalem.  Some even believe we are to follow the Talmud as it will prove to the Lost Jews that they are still Jewish.  As I have already stated "Jewish does no equate to Judaism."  

The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem

TRTGM then moved to it's current home at First General Baptist Church of Waterford, Michigan.  I found myself becoming more and more involved in the leadership of the church.  Just as it is for many Americans today, there has always a strong level of religious illiteracy.  No one knows the basics of our religion.  Many Jews cannot answer the simple question of naming the five books in TORAH (Pentateuch) or tell us what the Shema prayer is..  And because of these false doctrines and traditions the Judaic faith has gained a form of  "salvation hierarchy," a view that one Christian is in better standing with God then another person.   Most people knew that God knows our own hearts, and that not every Jewish Believer Yeshua is a Messianic Jew.  I often say  that, "Jewish does not equate to Judaism."

It was then another of those huge life-changing events that hits us all found it's special way of finding the ministry and I.  That God-given test of patience taught me so much about myself, the world and my spiritual connection with Yeshua.   Through that lesson of patience I came to realize how prideful I was.  I saw that I was trying to fit God into my plans for TRTGM.  Events like the Oakland County 4-H Fair, where we set-up a Gospel tents to reach the masses.  It was there, in speaking and praying with some young adolescents, that I discovered what it is I am to do with the Ministry, to evangelize to everyone we meet, Jew or Gentile.  


In hopes of witnessing to others TRTGM has organized and worked at many parades, street and county fairs, and at special secular events..  The tract distribution was to be expanded and most of all, we would revamp the Ministry website every day.  Website hits have grown exponentially from 2010 to 2011.  We went from 65,00 hits in 2010 to over 580,000 in 2011.


The Ministry is now an internet Missionary Ministry that believes in literal translations of Scripture.  We are always looking to our Members and Partners for ideas, for growth in our Spiritual lives.  Many things are planned over the next year and I hope you will join us in heart and soul


Blessings,


Steven

Ministry Growth, part 1

There was a time when The Road to God Ministry (TRTGM) was a bit lost.  I was a bit lost.  You might be surprised to learn that TRTGM did not begin by evangelism and teaching.  Much of my Christian life thus far was under the guise of being a Messianic Jew,  I was even a member of the local Messianic Jewish congregation.  I was also fanatical about Messianic Judaism.  The congregation Rabbi became a mentor.  Yet, even then I had a strong LITERAL view of hermenuetics, which is how Scripture should be translated.  The Ministry was located at one of my favorite churches, Bethany Baptist Church in Clawson, Michigan.  The Ministry functioned as a Messianic/Christian-based 12-Step program.  I had many ideas on how to promote the Ministry, and many of them where implemented.  But Adonai had different plans for me.
  
From my earliest memories as a Christian I knew that I wanted to serve Yeshua, to minister to others for Him.  Within a short amount of time the Ministry began working for God, just as it does to this very day.  The recovery programs where shut down.  The Ministry continued to expand and grow, all of it from TRTGM's website.  Personally, I found that when I worked for the Ministry I always felt a spring in my step, a true and firm knowledge that I was following God's will.  I had finally understood the mission of the Ministry.  Teaching and Evangelism.

Over the next 6-months the Ministry began redirecting its plans on witnessing to all of the Lost, both Jew and Gentile.  The Ministry started placing Gospel tracts in every newspaper we could find.  Tracts were placed in the over seven various Detroit-area newspapers and magazines.  The Road to God Ministry website was already expanding as Internet ministries began to grow in popularity.  We functioned through a belief that all of the Lost, both Jew and Gentile, deserved salvation.  My favorite verse in the Bible became the Ministry's Mission Statement,


 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  Romans 1:16


 I am a stubborn man, always have been, and I was not going to allow TRTGM to end without a fight.  Little did I realize that it was God who expected me to change course, and after some serious life-changing events the Ministry started down the road towards God's plans.

more to come...

Cities in U.S. and Europe increase security at synagogues following France school shooting.

It's all part of prophecy.


Cities in U.S. and Europe increase security at synagogues following France school shooting

Al Qaeda-linked group claims it killed American teacher in Yemen for Christian proselytizing.

It's stories like these that show us how much of a difference lies between Biblical Christianity and Islam.  They just cannot mix...oil and water.


Al Qaeda-linked group claims it killed American teacher in Yemen for Christian proselytizing.

Shabbat (Sabbath) Talk

I was corresponding with a friend last week who who demmanded that Sunday worship is not the right day of the week and he urged me that I shall not worship Yeshua on Saturday and not Sunday. He continued stating that Yeshua was a practicing rabbi and thus He would have worshiped on Saturday.  There was more to the debate that I am not adding to this post.  But he wanted me, in no certain terms, that it offends God to worship any day other the Saturday.


I told him that he is correct.  Jesus was the perfect Jew.  He became the only man in history who fulfilled Torah (the Law).  I told him that he was also right about which day of the week Yeshua worshiped, Saturday.


He then when on to say that since he was a Jewish, he must worship on Saturday.  He gave the Replacement Theology argument, one that I hear time and again.  The only reason Christians don't worship on Saturday was due to anti-Semitism in the Roman Catholic Church


I told him, once again, that he was correct in his line of thought, for Replacement Theology was and is a false doctrine that is lives throughout Christianity.  I also told him that in the past I believed in Saturday worship.  Obviously, my view have changed.


It was then that I told him why we worship on Sundays rather then upon the Sabbath.  I didn't share any historicity of the subject, so I jumped right to the point.  The answer I gave the reverend was simple...


"It does not matter if we have Saturday worship or Sunday worship.  As long as we treat Sunday as the Sabbath, then we must treat this "holy day" as a Sabbath filled with rest and worship.""


The Colossian Epistle reads,  


"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Colossians 2:16-17)


Paul was very clear in this verse.  What it comes down to is that we can worship any day of the week as long as we are worshiping Yeshua ha Mashiach.  Those that choose Sunday chose a holy day in their eyes.  Sunday has become a Sabbath day.  


Christ cares about everything we do, everything.  He simply does not believe in this debate.  What he does care about is our salvation and that we Fear the Lord (showing proper respect).  I am Jewish and my family has a Seder every first night of Pesach (Passover).  We always invite one other family to join us.  I have many reasons for holding a Seder.  I love matzo ball soup (I make good ones!), brisket, potatoes and of course a good lamb shank.  We celebrate Pesach knowing what the purpose is.  Pesach is all about teaching the next generation all about Moses, Arron, Joshua and Miriam.  Pesach is a time when we recall all the mighty works God performed to save His people.  When we have a Seder we are all about the Jewish culture.  Yes, the culture.  Our family worships in the manner of Jewish believers, yet we attend worship services at our General Baptist Church.  This year it is great in that the Seder coincides with our Gregorian Calendar.  It falls on the eve of Good Friday.


In the end my phone debater left with the promise to think about this.  As for myself I believe it is already clear as I read the Bible literally.


Precious Lord, I pray that you send the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) upon all of the Ministry's Partners all over the world.  That they be safe from all physical and emotional attacks.  Lord, I especially pray for Reverend Joseph in Kenya.  May the love he has for you be shown as a good and positive testimony of our Mashiach (Messiah).  Thank you Father for all of the blessings we receive.  In Yeshua's name, amen

"The Lord is my Portion"

I know I have been absent for awhile on The Road to God Ministry website and blog.  You have my apologies for that, I have been battling some serious health issues.


I was in a doctor's waiting room today, fretting about another series of pokes and prods on my failing liver when Adonai laid a verse of the Bible on my soul.  It reads:


"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I hope in Him!"  Lamentations 3:24


Here was an obscure verse from the weeping-prophet Yira-may-hu (Jeremiah) who had his own personal conflict when he his from the Babylonians by hiding in the sewers of Jerusalem.  So it was here in a doctor's waiting room that the Spirit entered me and turned my day into a joyous one.  


"The Lord is my portion,"  what does this mean?  For me the verse means that I have been given salvation through Messiah Yeshua and it is not my job to fret anxiously but to keep all of my hopes on high.  After all, it is Yeshua that broke the bonds of condemnation, the least I could do is have a little trust that Adonai will make it better and wipe away my tears of pain, nausea, and disease.


God bless all of you who continue to visit or blog and website.  My heart is overjoyed with gratitude for all of you who have taken some extra time in your life to pray for me and the ministry.