Archive for Missiology

Judaismo: Una teologia para Misiones (I)

February 8, 2012 · Filed under Jewish congregation without walls, Jewish Renewal, Jews and the World, Missiologist, Missiology, Missiology & Missions, Missional Life, Missions & Jews · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cada congregacion en que servi han tenido una declaración de  su vision (misión). He ayudado a desarrollar su vision de desarrollo.  Algunas de esas declaraciones han sido muy buenas, otros no nada más que afirmaciones idílicas impulsadas por las preferencias  sobre cómo  la congregacion puede continuar sirviendose sólo a sí misma.
Puesto que las congregacion deben tener una mision tener una declaración de vision parece bastante lógica.

Pero, ¿ necesita la congregacion, asamblea o cuerpo que lee y “vive” la Tora o las Escrituras desarrollar una declaración de la  vision y misión cuando ya el Padre y mas atraves de su hijo el Mesias Yeshua nos ha dado una?

Y Yeshua se acercó y les dijo: “Toda autoridad en el cielo y la tierra se ha dado a mí. Por tanto,
 id y haced discípulos a todas las naciones, bautizándolos en el nombre del Padre y del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo, y enseñándoles a obedecer todo lo que yo os he mandado “(Mateo 28:18-20).

Yo sé que cuando las congregaciones desarrollan declaraciones de misión tienen “buenas intenciones”,
 pero al hacerlo  no-intencionalmente sugieren que puede mejorar la misión que Yeshua ya dio a la congregacion unos dos milenios atrás?  “Tenemos que ir a todas las naciones para hacer discípulos”  y esa misión no ha cambiado.

Tal vez sentimos la necesidad de agregar una segunda declaración de misión porque queremos añadir nuestro granito de arena, creyendo que tenemos que tener voz y voto en lo que deberíamos estar haciendo, como congregacion.

Ahora, algunos podrían sugerir que una declaración de misión da más detalles, llena,  las órdenes de marcha de Yeshua ha dado a la congregacion o cuerpo.  Sin embargo, los expertos en declaraciones de la misión insisten
en que una buena declaración de misión es corta y al grano y fácil de memorizar, y una declaración de misión de larga es contraproducente e inútil, básicamente.  ¿Qué es más corto y más hasta el punto de que el encargo de Yesua
 de hacer discípulos de todas las naciones?

Ninguna congregacion individual necesita desarrollar una declaración de misión.  Hemos tenido una durante dos mil años. Lo que cada congregacion si  necesita hacer es llegar a la tarea de mantener la carga que ya hemos dado.
Una teología para las Misiones La misión de la congregacion es dar a conocer la buena nueva y esto incluye la vida de Yeshua, muerte, resurrección, y sus enseñanzas en el mundo. Esta misión es inseparable de la evangelización y la necesidad de una sinagogua de membresía regenerada (SEGUIDOR –lo cual muchos confunden con “convertido”). Caramba Abraham no se confundio porque lo hacen algunos? . Seguimos….tampoco  olvidemos que la palabra  Sinagoga significa ‘reunirnos, asamblea”.

Los primeros creyentes y seguidores contaron la historia de Yeshua sin vergüenza, llamando a las personas a la fe salvadora y restauradora.  La misión de los creyentes inclusive en la década de 1600′s cuando algunos comenzaron su viaje al nuevo continente aunque duro siempre  parece haber sido la de llamar a la gente a la fe, y les alienta a tener puntos de vistas judaicos. Como la forma más bíblica de entender la vida y práctica de creyentes. Esa es la Tora. Ellos fundaron grupos y casas de reuniones, instaron a los pecadores a experimentar la gracia del Padre en  Yeshua, quien alimentó a los hambrientos, vestio al desnudo y sin casa, todo como parte de su imperativo misionero.

Sin embargo, esa misión también se les hizo enérgicos defensores de la libertad religiosa y el concepto de la sinagoga como casa de reunion, aprendizajey enseñanza de creyentes. Muchos, aunque no todos, los creyentes  participaban en la misión de la congregacion debido a que:

Ellos creen que es central lo misionero en las enseñanzas de las Escrituras incluyendo el Nuevo Testamento.

Ellos creen que todos los creyentes(ambos generos) están llamados a participar en la misión de la congregacion, dondequiera que estén.

Ellos creen que el llamado de hacer discípulos es esencial para el mensaje del evangelio.

Ellos creen que la misión de la congregacion es una respuesta a la persona completa, ofreciendo la palabra de salvación y liberación, así como las respuestas tangibles sobre el sufrimiento humano y necesidad.

   Los primeros seguidores estaban convencidos de que todos los creyentes eran misioneros,  enviados a hablar y vivir las palabras y los hechos de ministerio y seguidores de Yeshua  en el mundo que les rodea. Mucho antes de que los seguidores enviaran misioneros a tierras  extranjeras, se entiende que todos los creyentes inmersos fueron y vivian
como testigos de la fe y la compasión del Mesias. En su mejor momento, los creyentes han entendido la Gran Comisión de Mateo 28:19-20  como un mandato de hacer discípulos dondequiera que se encuentran.

Continuacion:

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Community: getting involved

January 27, 2012 · Filed under Authentic Jewish Spiritual Beliefs, Judaism-Relationships/ Judaismo-Relaciones interpersonales, Missiologist, Missiology, Missiology & Missions, Missional Life

Get involved focuses on finding opportunities matched to your skills and interests.

Look after your community and they will look after you. Cherish the people who are using your tools and engaging with you, even if they aren’t your main target audience. Serve your community well and they will help you reach the people who matter.   Investment in relationships, training and emotional support, is more important than investment in technology. Teach people the skills they need, and show them that they are important to you, and they will make allowances for the imperfections in what you offer them. Identify and support the emerging leaders too. They may not be the obvious choices.

The best way to influence the community is to be part of it. Get stuck in, create content, use the tools and join the conversations. Condition the space by your behaviour in it. You can also tell stories from the community to reinforce what you want it to be. Promote the people and activities that you want to encourage and show that you are listening (this is also important in growing your community).

Here a list of ministries you can participate in as Tora based and promote by Yeshua itself.

Check  for what to do , ideas and more  here

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Sephardic Jewish Heritage Tours

November 23, 2011 · Filed under Aprendiendo Hebreo, Israel Tours, Judaic Genealogy & Travel, Missiology, Sephardic Jewish Heritage Tours, Sephardic Jewish Places, Sephardic-Latino Communities, Sephardim Communities, Tour Israel, Travel & Jewish heritage, Viajes a Israel

Sephardic Jewish Heritage Trips sets the standard in custom-designed private travel to Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and all of Jewish places in Latin America.

You are invited to experience the magic of some of the world’s most exciting destinations with an authenticity of experience and insider access normally unattainable.

when you travel with heritage tours private travel
◦Your trip is custom-designed around your interests.
◦You are offered insights and experiences with our specialist curators, chefs, etc.
◦You enter doors that are normally closed.
◦Your arrangements are guided by the steady hands of experienced experts.
◦You benefit from unparalleled knowledge and local connections.
◦You have access to the finest hand-picked guides and service providers.
◦Your trip will be private.
◦You have the benefits of our  Canadian-based experts plus the care of our in-country assistants.

For the discerning and inspired traveler looking to scratch beneath the surface, there is no substitute for a custom-designed private tour from us.

Call  or email our   Trips division   to begin planning your trip of a lifetime.

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Is Multiculturalism Biblical? (I)

July 24, 2011 · Filed under Ethnicity & Multiculturalism, Missiology, Missiology & Missions · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Before the reality of   this  horrible act , what does bible say about Multiculturalism?

Multiculturalism is defined as the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation.  We will examine what the Bible has to say about this idea,  but first let’s take a look at some comments from a  former Colorado Governor (US) Dick Lamm, at an immigration overpopulation conference in Washington, DC in May, 2010.  He described several history-tested “Methods for Destroying America,” or actually committing suicide as a nation.  This notion becomes even more frightening when we see that these things are actually occurring in  US American society today.  Here are Gov. Lamm’s main points for destroying US America: 

- Turn America into a multi-lingual and multi-cultural country, because no nation can survive the antagonism of two or more competing languages and cultures.  History teaches that the such societies that do not assimilate will result in tension, turmoil and tragedy. 

- Invent multiculturalism by encouraging immigrants to maintain their culture.  Teach in our schools that all cultures are equal, without any cultural differences.  Teach that the Black and Hispanic dropout rates are due solely to racism by the majority.  Finally, discredit any other viewpoint. 

- Celebrate diversity rather than unity. Include dual citizenship, and promote divided loyalties.  Encourage all immigrants to keep their own language and culture.  Enforce differences in cultural subgroups, instead of living as fellow-Americans which emphasizing their similarities. 

- Make the fastest growing demographic group the least-educated, with a 50% dropout rate from high school.  Add this group as a second underclass; one that is not assimilated and antagonistic to our population. 

- Fund these efforst through big foundations and businesses, investing in ethnic identity and the idea of victimology.  Get all unsuccessful minorities to believe that their lack of success was the fault of the majority. 

- Place all subjects off limits, especially the “cult of diversity.”  Let words like “racist” halt any debate, and make it impossible to enforce our immigration laws. 

Yes all those above are in  former Colorado Governor (US) Dick Lamm, ”Methods for Destroying America”……

Now let’s examine  what we can find in the Bible about wrong multiculturalism.  In Genesis 11:1-9,  we read about the Tower of Babel, where God “confused the language” of the people.  In verse 1, we see that all of the people of the world had a common language, so they could all communicate with each other.  In verse 4, they schemed to build “a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”  Then in verses 6 through 8, God disapproved of their scheme, saying, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.  Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.  So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.” 

In this passage, God created the institution of nationalism.  It was His will to divide the people of the earth into nations, each with their own language.  Now, of course, this doesn’t mean that there will be no mixing of languages or cultures within a nation.  As people began to immigrate and move  around, they sometimes learned other languages, and this wasn’t a bad thing.  However, this also can be done in a way that violates God’s institution of nations. Let’s read about how different Multiculturalism can be

 

Multiculturalism in the Continent:  LATIN AMERICA

For example,  after being ‘discovered’ in 14th century,  Latin America  began to be heavily  inhabited , primarily by people from Spain and Portugal. Remember that even though Columbus will always be “the Discoverer of America” to most people,   nowadays more and more scientists support the thesis that the first European Caucasians to reach the New World was in fact Leifur Eriksson who went from Iceland to North America in 11th century.

The History of Latin America is full of fascinating people: dictators, madmen, rebels, statesmen, conquistadors, emperors, writers, poets and more.  Native and foreign influences have created a wide variety of cultures in Latin America. While European culture generally prevails in large cities, Indian culture is common in rural areas. The influence of the long period of Spanish control over most of Latin America can be seen in the art, architecture, and way of life of many Latin Americans.

The people of Latin America are of Indian, white (European), and African ancestry. Mestizos, of mixed Indian and European ancestry, predominate. In Argentina, Costa Rica, and Uruguay the people are chiefly of European origin; in Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, of Indian origin. In the Caribbean region and in Brazil, a high percentage of the people are blacks, brown skin or mulattoes descendents of African slaves  and then caucasians.  Jewish People  belong to the first settlers in LA . There are still colonies of  South Asians , and East Asians such as  Chinese, Japanese and Filipinos   making of Latin America a real melting pot.

Multiculturalism in the Continent:  North America -USA & Canada–

 CANADA:   Multiculturalism in Canada was adopted as the official policy of the Canadian government during the prime ministership of Pierre Elliot Trudeau in the 1970s and 1980s.[1] The Canadian government has often been described as the instigator of multicultural ideology because of its public emphasis on the social importance of immigration.[2] Multiculturalism is reflected in the law through the Canadian Multiculturalism Act[3] and section 27 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.[4]   . 

You can learn a bit  @ Multicultural Canada

United States of America- The USA

Then , during the 17th century, the United States began to be inhabited, primarily by people from the European nations.  A mass migration continued for 300 years, with people from many nations making their new home in America.  The United States became its own nation, made up of a rich diversity of people.  It became known as “the SALAD BOWL,”   a term different from melting pot where people of many nations came together, blended their cultures, and adopted a common language (which many had to learn).  They mixed together like differnt kinds of metals melting together in a melting pot, forming a new alloy.  They became a single society with the common goal of their precious freedom, using their diversities to strengthen their unity. 

However, what     Gov. Lamm’s main points for “destroying US America” is saying, and what is confirmed by the Bible, is that US America is now becoming a land which contains many separate societies within it, and diverse societies are not historically peaceful and stable.  Racial tensions and segregation does not bring peace . People undervalue the unity that is required in order to keep a nation together.  The various autonomous groups result in divisions in languages, cultures, politics, and goals, where each group remains patriotic to its own heritage. That is way different from the Latin American experience where the Spanish language  is the main and largest one,  mostly all ‘ Europeans’ that settled in Latin American during the conquista Era learned and assimilated into  Spanish alongo with the  Catholic religion.

US of  America has never been  a MELTING POT or blending into a new and stronger alloy.  They always been  a  SALAD BOWL, where each ingredient in the salad separately maintains its own characteristics.  It’s always been very segregated with racial tensions and per se, recently  is the  ’immigration” issue. See  Babylon, Egypt, Persia, Greece and the Roman Empire……History suggests that a nation will not stand for long in this condition.  
 

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Is Multiculturalism Biblical? (III)

July 24, 2011 · Filed under Ethnicity & Multiculturalism, Missiology · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Before the reality of   this  horrible act  what does bible say about Multiculturalism?

Yeshua and Multiculturalism

Is the claim that  Yeshua the Messiah is the Lord and Savior of the world relevant to a world in which so many cultures coexist in such close proximity, a world weary of conflict between peoples and nations of disparate cultures? Not only should  Bible  believers  not be embarrassed to make this claim, we should see in the cry for a multicultural ideal a tremendous opportunity to present the claim of  Messiah to all people.

Yeshua in His Cultural Setting

Who was  Yeshua? Well,  Yeshua  was at the most obvious and visible level a Jewish rabbi and prophet. He spoke in parables (as did the rabbis) and interpreted the Jewish Torah. He taught disciples and debated Jewish authorities, including other rabbis.

Although  Yeshua  was a rabbi, he was by all accounts no ordinary one.   Yeshua  was in crucial respects a religious and cultural revolutionary. He taught that although God had revealed himself uniquely to the Jews (John 4:22), Jewishness alone was no guarantee of favor with God (Matt. 8:10-12). He taught that the temple would be destroyed (Matt. 24; Mark 13) and that worship of God would be centered in the heart, not in Jerusalem (John 4:21-24). He taught that a kind Samaritan or a repentant tax-collector was better than a pious but proud or heartless Pharisee (Luke 10:29-37; 18:9-14). He invited women to be his disciples (Luke 10:38-42). He granted healing to Gentiles (Matt. 15:21-28) and ate in the homes of outcasts (Luke 19:1-10).

Yeshua was remarkable in everything he said and did. He taught like no man ever had or has since — an evaluation that has been voiced by  believers and non- believers alike who have read the Good News. Yeshua spoke with absolute authority — “but I say to you” — yet few find his words arrogant. He spoke to the sick and the sinner with compassion yet without sentimentality. He spoke in terms that challenged the different  factions of Judaism of his day that might be loosely described as the “fundamentalists” and./or  “liberals” of that culture. His own position was theologically closest to the Pharisees, yet his teaching defied simple categorization.

Nor was  Yeshua “all talk.” He performed miracles of healing, restoring health and even life to children and adults, men and women, Jews and Romans. Even most critical scholars of a skeptical bent today acknowledge that  Yeshua at least performed some works of healing, however they might explain them. Rather than parading the healed before the public as many faith healers do today,  Yeshua usually healed people in relative privacy and discouraged people from looking to him merely or only  for miracles. His miracles were profound signs of God’s love and mercy that were remembered by his disciples as proof, not merely that he was a wonder worker, but that he was God’s beloved Son.

Surprisingly, despite the tremendous inspiration of his teaching and the impressive power of his miraculous works of healing,  Yeshua was remembered primarily for the way he died than for the way he lived. All four of the Good News or Gospels focus on  Yeshua’ death, with his teachings and miracles serving more as preludes than the main point. Yeshua’ death itself was unusual: he died on a tree (known as Roman cross), convicted of treason by claiming to be the King of the Jews. Crucifixion was viewed universally in the ancient world with such revulsion that believers would never have made  Yeshua’ crucifixion part of their faith if it had not really happened, and if they had not seen in it a transcendent significance. The New Testament implicates everyone in the death of  Yeshua — Jewish religious leaders, Roman political authorities, even one of  Yeshua’ own followers. Thus, to use the Crucifixion as a pretext for anti-Semitism contradicts the New Testament, which implicates all groups of people and whose authors were, with only one exception (Luke), Jewish. Indeed, by implicating all groups of people in  Yeshua’ death, the Good News or Gospels present his death as redemptive for all people.

The story of  Yehsua  does not end with his death, however. The unanimous witness of all of the Good News –New Testament– writers and of the congregation  from its earliest days was that Yeshua  had risen from the dead. Since the traditional Jewish expectation was that all people would be resurrected at the end of history, the notion of an individual being raised from the dead in the midst of the historical process would hardly have occurred to the disciples, even as a myth. That the story was not a myth is made plain by the fact that all four Good News  report that the first ones to see Yeshua  alive from the dead were women. Since this was an honor that Jewish men of the first century were not likely to bestow on women in a fictional story, evidently this is how it really happened. By appearing first to women,  Yeshua  affirmed their dignity and once again challenged traditional first-century cultural prejudices. Of course,  Yeshua made several appearances to men as well, appearances that are reported in independent sources in Scripture — to individuals (Peter, James), to the eleven men disciples, and to even larger groups. Jesus’ resurrection, a documentable historical fact, established the truth of his claim to be God’s Son and the meaning of his death on the cross as a redemptive work of God.

 

Jesus in His Multicultural Significance

In a classic work of theology,  H. Richard Niebuhr asked about the relationship between Messiah and Culture.2 Does Messiah transform culture? Does  Messiah stand against all culture? Does  Messiah reveal himself through culture? Niebuhr identified five distinct approaches to the relationship between Messiah and culture — and the corresponding relation between the congregation and the world — which he correlated with distinct Christian traditions (e.g., Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anabaptist).

While Niebuhr’s analysis was and is illuminating, various theologians have noted some weaknesses in Niebuhr’s approach. Perhaps the major problem was Niebuhr’s assumption of culture as a single, unitary reality whose relation to Messiah and the congregation could be defined in one way.3  In an increasingly multicultural world, we must now ask about Messiah and cultures: How does Messiah relate to the diverse cultural traditions and expressions in our world? And how do these diverse cultural traditions relate to one another in Messiah?

We suggest that the relation between  Messiah and our plurality of cultures may be understood from at least three perspectives. First,  Messiah is the Reconciler of cultures — he is the one who can bring people of different cultures together. Second,  Messiah is the Redeemer of cultures — he brings wholeness and hope to people of all cultures. Third, Messiah is the Ruler of cultures — he is the one who establishes the standards by which all cultures are ultimately to be judged. We will elaborate on each of these perspectives.

 

Messiah the Reconciler of Cultures
By both his life and his death,  Yeshua  offered reconciliation to all cultures. By his teaching  Messiah called Jew and Non-Jew together; both were offered a place in God’s kingdom, with the ethnicity of the Jews giving them no advantage whatsoever. While  Yeshua modeled this reconciliation in his own life and ministry, it took his followers some time to put this aspect of his message into effect. When they did, however, the results were revolutionary. The Jewish disciples of  Yeshua were taught to reach out with love and acceptance to the non-jews, whom they had come to think of as beasts. The  non-jews were invited into fellowship with the Jewish disciples without having to become Jewish.

Messiah even more decisively brought about reconciliation between Jews and non-jews through his death. Both Jews and Romans found themselves implicated in the death of  Messiah, but  both also forgiven through the death of  Messiah. One’s relationship with God was now based on the experience of God’s love through Messiah as shown supremely in his death, not on one’s Jewish identity. Non-jews believers came to see that the God of Israel, of the Jews, was the true God.  Jewish believers came to see that their God was to be made known to all people.

Some believers have certainly failed to embody the full potential of reconciliation which Messiah came to bring to all cultures. Throughout most of church history non-jewish nations that have professed the Bible or Christian faith have created deep wounds of division between non-jews (Gentiles)  and Jews, culminating in the devastation  of the Spanish Inquisition   and later in this century of the Holocaust. To our shame,  some Christians have made Blacks their slaves instead of their brothers. The still largely segregated churches in  US America testify to the continuing need for reconciliation between white and black Christians.

But there have been positive signs as well.  Christian conviction was a primary factor in the abolitionist movements in England and America, and was also prominent in the civil rights movement of the 1960s in the US. Although some churches still tend to be quite segregated,  believers of all races and nations must  regard one another as brothers and sisters, and have come together in parachurch settings such as the many college campus ministries or the recent phenomenon, a great example is  Promise Keepers.

By his death Messiah offers reconciliation between all peoples today. He offers reconciliation between Jew and Arab, Jew and German, and Jew and black. He offers reconciliation between whites and blacks in US America and in South Africa, Latin America, etc. He offers reconciliation between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. He offers reconciliation between the descendants of European colonialists and Native Americans. He offers reconciliation between Croats and Serbs. He offers reconciliation between men and women, rich and poor, criminals and victims. There are no ethnic, national, cultural, or social barriers that Messiah cannot tear down.

 

Messiah the Redeemer of Cultures
What can Messiah do to bring reconciliation between peoples and cultures which have historically regarded each other with suspicion if not hatred? Messiah effects reconciliation between people of different cultures by bringing redemption to those people. Only those who have experienced the redemption which  Messiah provides can know the reconciliation which he brings. This redemption is of multifaceted significance for the cultures of the world.

First of all,  Messiah offers forgiveness to people of all cultures.  Messiah forgave the worst sinners of his own culture; he also forgave those who professed him but then denied him. Messiah teaches us to forgive others as he forgives us (Matt. 6:14-15) — and this must include forgiving the sins of the past as well as of the present.

Second,  Messiah offers healing to people of all cultures.  Messiah’s physical healing of Jews and non-jews symbolized his spiritual healing for all. He offers spiritual healing to all individuals who come to him, and for cultural institutions that honor him.  Messiah offers healing of relationships between people of differing cultures — a healing that comes as people forgive each other and accept each other in  Messiah’s name.

Third,  Messiah offers cleansing to people of all cultures. He challenges all cultures to accept the transforming power of his redemptive love.  Messiah challenges traditionally “Christian” cultures to repent of their sins and to make restitution to peoples they have wronged. At the same time, he challenges cultures largely untouched by him to trust themselves to him — not to European culture. It is as they both seek to know the cleansing and transforming power of Messiah in their lives and cultures that European and non-European cultures will eagerly and sincerely come to learn from each other.

Fourth, in his work as redeemer  Messiah offers hope to people of all cultures. He promises an eternal future for people of all tribes, nations, and languages. But the hope is not exclusively future: Messiah offers people of all cultures spiritual power now for personal and community transformation.

 

Messiah  the Ruler of Cultures
Messiah’s work of reconciling people of all cultures to himself and to one another through himself, then, is effected by Messiah’s redeeming work of bringing forgiveness, healing, cleansing, and hope to all who believe in him. By his death Yeshua the Messiah brings people of all cultures together to confess their need of redemption and to place their trust in him instead of in the false self-sufficiency of their proud cultures. Part of entrusting ourselves to Messiah is submission to him as the Ruler of cultures.

The claim of  Messiah’s universal authority over all cultures is undoubtedly the most troubling and “politically incorrect” aspect of the  biblical  faith, but it is non-negotiable (Matt. 28:18). On what basis do we claim that  Messiah is the Lord to whom all cultures must bow — that he is for all people and not only for some? Is this not simply a bit of cultural imperialism, to exalt one religious founder over all others?

We have already discussed the radical universality of the message and ministry of  Yeshua. What is not often considered, however, is the importance of his cultural identity. The fact that  Yeshua was a Jew makes him ideally suited to bring people of all cultures together. For one thing, the Jews are a people whose numbers have always been relatively small and who have never been politically dominant — unlike the Arabs, Europeans, Chinese, and other such ethnically related peoples. Indeed, the Jewish people’s experience of oppression can be appreciated by people of many other cultural and ethnic histories. Moreover, by coming in a people of such distinct cultural heritage, Messiah affirmed the value of particular ethnic and cultural traditions.  Yeshua was not a bland Everyman, representing a homogeneous ideal for humanity, but a man of distinct racial appearance, language, customs, and history. It is also striking to note that the Jewish people in  Yeshua’ time had lived for over a millennium at the crossroads of the three continents of the Eastern Hemisphere — Europe, Africa, and Asia. Thus, in many and surprising ways the cultural heritage of  Yeshua makes him an ideal figure to unite people of every culture. This is one reason why it is so important to recognize and understand the Jewishness of  Yeshua.

If his Jewish cultural identity ideally positioned  Yeshua to bring people of all cultures together, what authorizes him to be the Ruler of all cultures is his resurrection from the dead.  Yeshua is the only major religious figure in history who is even reputed by his followers to have risen physically from the grave. As we have seen, the evidence clearly shows that  Yeshua’ resurrection really happened and was not a myth that developed some time after  Yeshua’ death. The Resurrection makes  Yeshua the Messiah a unique figure among all the religious teachers, prophets, sages, and leaders of world history. It shows that he has the power of life and death, and is the proof of his claims to uniquely reveal God (Acts 2:36; Rom. 1:3-4; Rev. 1:18; Proverbs 30:4).

The near-universal appeal and attraction which  Yeshua the Messiah has evoked even outside  Bible beliefs confirms the claim that only he can truly unite people of all cultures. It is notable that the three largest non-’Christian’ religions all have sought to come to terms with  Yeshua  in some way. -Islam, which numbers roughly a billion people, views Jesus as a great prophet and miracle-worker. Hinduism, numbering roughly 750 million, often views  Yeshua as an avatar of Vishnu — one of many incarnations of one of the many Hindu forms of God. Buddhism, which accounts for about 300 million people of the world, typically regards  Yeshua  as an enlightened one for the West. What these religions unwittingly attest by extending such honors to  Yeshua is that he is the one religious figure in history that simply cannot be ignored.

What does it mean to honor Messiah as the Ruler, the Lord of all cultures? It means, first of all, to accept him on his own terms, as he has revealed himself. It means to accept the revelation of Messiah given through his own disciples. We should not be embarrassed to say that Messiah calls upon all people to become  believers, followers, doers. This does not mean, of course, that everyone should become culturally European, any more than in the first century all Christians had to become culturally Jewish. But if European culture was at all influenced for the better by its acceptance (however flawed) of  Messiah as Lord, surely those who submit to Messiah as Lord of whatever culture will not find it necessary to despise or reject all things European or Asian.

Honoring  Messiah as Ruler of cultures means, further, to accept his rulership over every aspect of one’s life, including one’s culture and one’s relationship to people of other cultures. It means to accept his offer of redemption — forgiveness, spiritual healing, and hope — and to place our hope for redemption in him only. It means to accept his teachings on all subjects on which he speaks in the Good News or Gospels (Matt. 28:18-20).

Thus, if we honor Messiah as Ruler of cultures, we will do as  Messiah taught and place our faith in God as Creator, Provider, Father, and King over all cultures. We will love and respect people of all cultures. We will critically examine the beliefs and practices of our own culture to see if they conform to the teachings of  Messiah. We will seek to submit every area of life, including culture, to the will of the God revealed to us in  Messiah. This God, according to Messiah himself, has revealed his will definitively in Scripture (Matt. 5:17-18). And so it is on the basis of the teaching of  Yeshua the Messiah, the Ruler of cultures, that we call upon all cultures — including our own — to submit itself to the will of God as revealed in Scripture.

Yet this view of Scripture as preserving an unchanging and absolute will of God for all people has fallen on hard times, even within the congregation, his followers.

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The Illegalities of Messiah’s Trial (Jail/Prison Ministries)

January 16, 2011 · Filed under Jews and the World, Missiology, Sephardic-Latino Communities · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

A call to start and support Jail or Prison ministries.

As experienced legal translator working for NC court of Justice,  community centers  and  a US law firm I used to work for  an attorney once  told me : “ the one client I really hope never to get is a genuinely innocent one. The criminal law system has no way to handle them. The system is about making deals. More than 90% of all criminal cases are resolved by plea bargaining. The innocent defendant has nothing to bargain with. All he can do is take his chances at trial, and, if he loses, be penalized a lot more heavily than if he had confessed to some fiction. Evidence is usually provided either by police officers who are absolutely convinced of the defendant’s guilt or indifferent to the possibility of his innocence on this particular charge (“if he didn’t do it this time, he probably got off on something at least as bad that he DID do”, or by accomplices or jailhouse snitches who have strong incentives to testify to whatever the prosecutor wants, or by eyewitnesses who are at least as likely as not to be mistaken. And the cases are driven by the prosecutor, who has the freedom to decide what offenses to charge, rather than by the judge, whose sentencing options are almost automated. And, finally, we have no idea how an innocent person is supposed to behave on trial. If he protests his innocence, he must be lying. If he merely sits silent and depressed, that must be consciousness of guilt. If he smiles, confident that justice will be done, he must be a monster. If he loses control, he’s crazy, but not legally insane. I know of no law school that teaches its students how to defend an innocent client. Anybody can defend a guilty defendant. Defending an innocent client is almost impossible”.

 

 It strikes me as odd that as synagogues, Messianic congregation or simple home based groups  we have not spent more time, at the very least, discussing the issue of wrongful conviction in Latin and North America.  A leader name Jim Boyce has a sermon called the Illegalities of Messiah’ Trial and in it he points out that  Messiah was the victim of a wrongful conviction–among many other injustices. If we say we follow Messiah shouldn’t we be concerned about, at the very least, the injustices that he suffered in his time on earth? I fear for the  Jewish , Messianic Believers and groups when Messiah separates the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46); Hebrew 13:3.

 

If you can ‘t  start and support a jail ministry , can we at least make  ‘A Prayer for the Incarcerated (those in jail)” ? Here is one:

Lord, please Bless the incarcerated (including  congregation)

Let Your Perfect Justice cut through and aid them now.

Help them to repent of any wrong doing so they come out a better person and closer to you Jesus.

Grant them Mercy so that they may be released at the earliest possible moment and go home – reunion their families!

“…With GOD all things are possible.” St. Matthew 19:26

 

 

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Judaismo: Se recorria mar y tierra para conseguir un prosélito (1)

January 9, 2011 · Filed under Missiologist, Missiology, Missiology & Missions, Missional Life · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Judaismo: Se recorria mar y tierra para conseguir un prosélito…pero en que sentido? Como se hacia? Veamos

Durante los  años de convivencia con El, (Yeshua) los discipulos  le vieron y escucharon cada día anunciar el Evangelio a todos. Finalmente habían sido testigos de su pasión, muerte y resurrección. Se concluía así el plan redentor de Dios.

La congregacion y muchos movimientos en el Judaismo de Hoy están Ocupados Haciendo Cualquier Otra Cosa.

Yeshua dio esta comisión a Sus discípulos después de Su resurrección y antes de Su ascensión al tercer cielo. La orden fue y es  “Predicar el evangelio.” El verbo “predicar” significa anunciar un mensaje. Es la misma palabra que se encuentra en 2 Timoteo 4:2—“Predica la Palabra.” En los tiempos antiguos los mensajes importantes eran comunicados por un heraldo. Este era el mensajero personal del Rey que proclamaba el mensaje del rey cuando la gente de la ciudad se reunía ansiosa de oír las últimas noticias. El heraldo no entregaba su propio mensaje y ciertamente que no daría sus propios puntos de vista u opiniones. El entregaba sencillamente el mensaje del rey, palabra por palabra. El no interpretaba el mensaje. No habría diferencia si acaso al heraldo le gustaba el mensaje o no le gustaba el mensaje, él tenía que entregarlo fielmente. El no podía discutir con la gente. El no argumentaba con la gente. El solamente presentaba el mensaje del rey.

Parece que hoy día las congregaciones estuvieran haciendo de todo, menos lo que el Señor nos dijo que hiciéramos. Sustituimos con nuestros programas el programa del Eterno. Presentamos nuestro evangelio en vez de Su evangelio. Hay que tener muy presente y no olvidar que  FE Y OBRAS caminan juntas! no se debe hacer una cosa y descuidar la otra!

Consideremos brevemente lo que la gran comisión  NO dice:

1. Vayan por todo el mundo y alimenten a los hambrientos, vistan a los desnudos, construyan hogares para los pobres y cuiden a los enfermos.

…tenemos que seguir siendo misericordiosos, dadivosos, desprendidos cuando la gente necesite abrigo, pan, amistad.. Lo que queremos decir es que esto no es la Gran Comisión, podemos hacerlo sin olvidar lo más importante, el mensaje de Salvación como centro del evangelio…

Si…Debemos denunciar el pecado, llamar al arrepentimiento y anunciar el evangelio con poder de convicción. Sí, los creyentes deben llamar al arrepentimiento de la homosexualidad, del abuso infantil, de la pornografía, y del aborto, pero debemos llamar principalmente al arrepentimiento de la rebelión contra el Eterno y el rechazo de Mesias. En vez de acusar a los demas movimientos en el Judaismo Tradicional por su falta de “preocupación social,” debe ser recriminada por sus herejías y por su fracaso en predicar la verdad. El Judaismo Biblico es hipócrita cuando protesta por los pecados del mundo, mientras tolera y honra a quienes predican un evangelio falso y son enemigos de la resureccion del Mesias.

En lugar de PROTESTAS, necesitamos PROFETAS que llamen al mundo al arrepentimiento. Necesitamos Enocs que caminan con el Eterno y advierten del juicio (Judas 14-15) y Noés que prediquen justicia y adviertan del juicio venidero (2 Pedro 2:5).

Cuando los creyentes hacen lo que el Señor les dijo que hicieran, es asombroso el impacto que a la larga puede tener en la sociedad. Considera a los primeros creyentes cristianos: “En pocas generaciones le cambiaron totalmente la cara a la sociedad por medio de las doctrinas de la Biblia. Ellos vaciaron los templos de los dioses paganos. Ellos hambrearon la idolatría o la abandonaron como a un barco encallado. Trajeron al mundo una moralidad más alta entre hombre y hombre. Ellos elevaron el valor y la posición de la mujer. Ellos alteraron las normas de pureza y decencia. Ellos pusieron fin a muchas costumbre crueles y sangrientas, tales como las luchas de gladiadores” (J.C.Ryle).

 2. Vayan por todo el mundo y lleguen a ser política y socialmente activos para eliminar los grandes problemas sociales de nuestros días y para imponer en la sociedad las normas de la Biblia.

¿Es ésta realmente nuestra misión? Piensa en los primeros creyentes. ¿Cuál era su principal afán? ¿Cuál era su principal actividad? ¿Qué descubrimos cuando leemos el libro de los Hechos? ¿Maquinaban para que la prostitución del templo fuese abolida? ¿Trabajaban para que hombres conservadores fuesen elegidos en el senado romano? ¿Marchaban a Roma para protestar por las inhumanas contiendas de los gladiadores? ¿Hacían campaña contra los males sociales de su tiempo, como el divorcio, los abusos de la esclavitud, aborto, infanticidio (Herodes no fue el único culpable de este crimen), etc.? Por buenas e importantes que fueran estas cosas, los primeros discípulos de Cristo sencillamente no tenían tiempo para esto. Ellos estaban demasiado ocupados haciendo lo que su Señor Yeshua les había mandado hacer: “Pero los que fueron esparcidos iban por todas partes anunciando el evangelio” (Hechos 8:4). Imagina esta conversación, “¿Te gustaría venir con nosotros para protestar por las injusticias sociales y la inmoralidad de nuestros días?”  “Las protestas solo son protestas que muestran una protesta, pero tienen poco o nulo resultado duradero. Tengo un mensaje del Rey de Reyes que debo entregar. No importa qué tan vitales estas otras causas puedan ser, mi primera prioridad será proclamar el mensaje de mi Rey.”

Un creciente número de creyentes se está involucrando en “activismo” social y político con el asombroso propósito de tratar de obligar a una sociedad impía a adoptar normas de conducta biblicas. Un ejemplo? “Operation Rescue” (Operación Rescate) es un ejemplo. Su fundador, Randall Terry, explica que el propósito es crear un alboroto social y por ese medio presionar al gobierno para que cambie las leyes de aborto.

No importa cuán loable sea la meta de esas tácticas, no hay en toda la Biblia un solo ejemplo de “activismo” político o social que fuera apoyado o utilizado por el pueblo de Dios. En las Escrituras hay numerosos casos de desobediencia civil (las parteras hebreas, Daniel, los tres amigos de Daniel, etc.), pero nunca se usó con el propósito de forzar a una sociedad impía a adoptar principios bíblicos.

3. Vayan por todo el mundo y cambien el mundo para el Mesias.

Debemos estar mucho más impresionados con los 11 discípulos preparados que fueron enseñados por el Maestro Mismo. Es notable lo que ellos lograron bajo el poder del Espíritu Santo.

El Eterno nunca nos ha dicho que cambiemos el mundo. El sistema del mundo está incurablemente enfermo y se dirige a la destrucción. Yeshua nos ha dicho que prediquemos el evangelio a individuos (“a toda criatura”) y cuando una persona responde correctamente al mensaje del evangelio, su vida es verdaderamente cambiada por la gracia del Todopoderoso. Es mejor pensar que el mundo es como un barco que se está hundiendo, como el Titanic. Esta asustado y temeroso, destinado a la destrucción. Muchos, en verdad, la mayoría, perecerá. Nuestra tarea es “lanzar el salvavidas” y por la predicación de las buenas nuevas, tratar de “rescatar a los que perecen.”

La Gran Comisión no significa ejercer una influencia biblica sobre la sociedad. No hemos de “cambiar la sociedad,”  sino “convertir individuos.” Se habla mucho hoy de “cambiar el mundo para Cristo.” No hay enseñanza o ejemplo en la Biblia que sustente esa popular consigna.

El Único que puede cambiar el mundo es El Eterno Mismo, y esto sucederá cuando el Mesias regrese a la tierra para establecer Su reino. La congregacion de Israel nunca introducirá un mundo nuevo. Esta obra será hecha por El Mesias y sólo por el Mesias.

4. Vayan por el mundo y hagan que la gente venga a la congregacion, a la sinagoga, al grupo.

¿Qué dice la Escritura? “Y les dijo: “Id por todo el mundo y predicad el evangelio a toda criatura” (Marcos 16:15). Esto dice que debemos llevar el evangelio a los inconversos. Como prioridad no dice que debemos traer a los inconversos al evangelio. Nos dice, “Id…e invitad a los inconversos para que vengan al grupo.” Se nos instruye más bien, “ir al mundo”, porque es allí donde están los inconversos. Debemos llevar el evangelio a los inconversos. El heraldo no invita a la gente a viajar al palacio para que puedan oír el mensaje del rey. El heraldo va directamente a la aldea donde vive la gente y es allí donde él entrega el mensaje del rey.

El propósito principal de la congregacion de Israel es ser ¿un SITIO PARA GANAR ALMAS o un SITIO PARA EDIFICAR ALMAS? En el mundo, nuestro énfasis debería ser el evangelismo, pero en las 4 paredes en si, nuestro énfasis debería ser principalmente la indoctrinación. En el mundo deberíamos estar alcanzándolos; en la congregacion debemos estar enseñándoles.

El problema se presenta cuando en el movimiento, congregaciones y grupos enfocan su ministerio principalmente en los inconversos. En vez de alimentar al rebaño y nutrir apropiadamente a los que ya tiene. Estudie o busque como aprender, como estar centrado en la Palabra.

Los “santos”, escogidos y apartados necesitan ser enseñados en la congregacion; aquellos preparados deberían estar evangelizando al mundo. No fue asi que hizo Yeshua, el misiologista perfecto?
Cuando el Judaismo Biblico en la congregacion funciona como un centro de edificación/indoctrinación de acuerdo con el modelo del Eterno, entonces la persona inconversa que llega a ese lugar se sentirá profundamente convicta: “Pero si todos profetizan, y entra algún incrédulo o indocto, por todos es convencido, por todos es juzgado; lo oculto de su corazón se hace manifiesto; y así, postrándose sobre su rostro, adorará a Dios, declarando que verdaderamente Dios está entre vosotros” (1 Corintios 14:24-25). Quiera Dios ayudarnos a ser esa clase de asamblea, que manifiesta la asombrosa PERSONA y VIDA del Eterno. Yeshua el perfecto misionero y evangelista.

Ver aqui la  Parte II

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Judaismo: Se recorria mar y tierra para conseguir un prosélito(2)

January 9, 2011 · Filed under Missiologist, Missiology, Missiology & Missions, Missional Life · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Siguiendo con el articulo anterior de Judaismo: Se recorria mar y tierra para conseguir un prosélito (I)

De Yeshua leemos en Marcos 9:42 que dijo: “ Cualquiera que haga tropezar a uno de estos pequeñitos que creen en mí,  mejor le fuera si se le atase una piedra de molino al cuello,  y se le arrojase en el mar”, pero en que se relaciona conseguir prosélitos y ser piedra de tropiezo? y que tipo de piedra somos? Piedra viva o Piedra de Tropiezo? Una piedra viva que esta siendo afinada y a la vez sirve para afinar a otros o una piedra de tropiezo o de molino que solo sirve para hacer caer a los demás?.

Esto dijo Yeshua porque ciertamente  La Tora o Escrituras  y la fe en lo que hoy se conoce como  Judaismo obviamente fue dado para luz,  para compartir, crecer, hacer discipulos, llevar el mensaje es algo que No se puede descuidar.  Marcos 16:15-20 habla de la gran Comision, “Id y predicad el evangelio a toda criatura”. Hacer prosélitos era comun, era lo normal, es lo que se dejo de hacer y quienes generalmente estan envuelto en eso? Pues las piedras de tropiezo!

 Las piedras de tropiezo generalmente son gente que tienen problemas en su carácter.

Vemos una mas clara explicacion en el libro de 1Pedro 2:8  y: “Piedra de tropiezo,  y roca que hace caer,  porque tropiezan en la palabra,  siendo desobedientes;  a lo cual fueron también destinados”

Las piedras en el camino, solo estorban.  Son gente que no han aceptado la voluntad del Eterno, no entienden los ritos  y viven en tradiciones. MANDAMIENTO no es lo mismo que TRADICION.  Las personas o grupos que hacen de piedra no quieren ser moldeadas pero tampoco quieren salirse de las congregaciones, están allí, sin involucrarse, no forman parte de nada, no avanzan junto con los demás y en un momento son muchisimo tropezadero para los que vienen caminando.

Muchos de los que tal vez empezaron con ella, siguen avanzando, pero ella se estanco, se quedo en medio del camino y con eso se conforman.  Son gente sin compromiso en Dios, que no les preocupa el no avanzar en Dios, solo fueron ‘salvos’, algunos no le han aceptado, otros apenas aceptaron el mensaje del Mesias en su corazón pero no lo hicieron Señor (Soberano) de sus vidas. Y muchas veces pretender convencer a los que van caminando de sus propias y erróneas convicciones diciéndoles que mejor es quedarse quietos, no teniendo, aparentemente, problemas con nadie, y es ahí donde se manifiesta que son piedras de tropiezo para los más débiles o pequeños.

 Es así como El (Yeshua)  también a ciertos fariseos y escribas adjunto de todo aquel que viva la fe en semejante estilo los consideraba hipócritas, porque fingen cualidades, ideas o sentimientos contrarios a los que verdaderamente aparentan tener, pues la Fe y las Obras caminan juntas, trabajan en armonia. Ni una delante ni la otra atras, juntas o nada… y dice “¡Ay del mundo por sus piedras de tropiezo! Porque es inevitable que vengan piedras de tropiezo; pero ¡ay de aquel hombre por quien viene el tropiezo! Cuando personas o grupos impiden que el mensaje de la Tora, de la Escrituras sea llevado, o le dan un toque ‘exclusivista” al movimiento simplemente son piedra de tropiezo. Hoy dia el proceso de conversion al Judaismo tanto fuera como en la misma nacion de Israel es toda una piedra de tropiezo.

Hoy dia muy pocos conocen el Judaismo como una Fe que hacia misiones y evangelismo.

Se cree que Yeshua venia de la escuela farisea de Hilel, sin embargo se ve que habia  fariseos que no vivian ni cumplian la Tora o Santas Escrituras como debia ser, tanto asi que el mismo  Yeshua  les dice: ¡Ay de ustedes, Escribas y Fariseos hipócritas, que recorren mar y tierra para conseguir un prosélito, y cuando lo han conseguido lo hacen dos veces más digno del infierno que ustedes! En efecto, gran daño le hacemos a aquellos que se sienten atraídos por nuestras palabras, por nuestra prédica y luego no damos autentico testimonio de una vida recta, de una permanente actitud de vida honesta, y de conciencia limpia a toda prueba, porque nunca será suficiente el convertir, y motivar nuestra fe, es necesario también motivar a los que se han acercado al Eterno y a toda su fe, a que la mantengan, la refuercen y la perfeccionen.    

Yeshua condena diciendo:”¡Ay de ustedes, guías ciegos”…. En efecto, esto muestra como queremos y estamos llamados ser Luz y sin embargo podemos ser tinieblas, y en vez de llevar a nuestros hermanos por el buen camino, los llevamos por el despeñadero, empujados por nuestra mala actitud y malos ejemplos, y así nos transformamos en ciegos, guiando a otros ciegos por caminos peligrosos, y esto porque nosotros no somos capaces de ver cual es el verdadero camino, que conduce a una vida ‘santa” o “modelo” y por lo tanto al  Reino de Dios. Aprendemos y practiquemos de Yeshua el misionero perfecto.

 
 

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Missional life and Hebraic Ministry

January 5, 2011 · Filed under Hineni Hebraic Research Institute, Missiologist, Missiology, Missiology & Missions, Missional Life · Tagged , , ,

BE A BLESSING

Instead of keeping everything for ourselves, let’s take what we have and give it away. That does not merely mean contributing money; it also means giving away our time and talents. Every day you and I have opportunities to be a blessing to the poor, widowed, fatherless, and not-yet-believers. Think about the influence of one blessing in one life. Something as simple as hospitality and a warm meal in your home can open the door to incredible conversations. Be a blessing and build relationships that lead to spiritual conversations.

BE A REGULAR

Find places where you can eat, get your haircut, fuel up your car, shop for groceries, and drink coffee. Then become a regular at those places at the same day and time rather than bouncing around town from place to place. Smile and be genuine. Learn names, be a great tipper (Be A Blessing), ask questions, and develop great relationships. Find a place and make it your third home as a regular

BE AN INITIATOR

Go out of your way to meet new people. As an alternative to waiting on people to introduce themselves to you, become the initiator. Talk to your co-workers. Meet your neighbors. When you see a need, take the initiative to make sure it is met. Pray and approach the situation as an opportunity to build relationships. Initiate conversations with people you do not know.

 

BE A VOLUNTEER

Learn about a non-profit organization in your city, and take one Sunday a month to serve as a volunteer. Take your family, neighbors, or community group and make a day of it. There are always volunteer opportunities but never enough volunteers. Go out and make a difference as a volunteer.

 

BE A MISSIONARY

Think, act, and be a missionary where you live, work, and play. Learn about other cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic classes that are part of your city and place yourself in situations where you will be surrounded by people who are not like you. Instead of thinking that not-yet-believers will come to  Community Synagogue, go out into the community and teach Yeshua’s teaching to them. Never assume that everyone knows Yeshua; instead, live as a missionary, remember he was the perfect Missiologist.

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Judaism: a faith/religion of Missions

December 12, 2010 · Filed under Missiologist, Missiology, Yeshua's Movement : Missiologists · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Missions: Biblical Judaism Vs ‘Traditional’ Judaism?

The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel’s origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.–Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for,for, after a pictorial sketch of man’s place and task in the world, and of his need of woman’s companionship, ii.4b-25, it plunges at once into an account, wonderful alike in its poetic power and its psychological insight, of the tragic and costly[1] disobedience by which the divine purpose for man was at least temporarily frustrated (iii.).

Abraham:  Abram (as he was called at first) left Ur together with his wife, Sarai (later called Sarah). God spoke to Abram, telling him to leave the land of his birth, his father’s house, and his kindred and go “to the land that I will show you”, where Abram would become a great nation and the vehicle for the blessing of all mankind.  Abraham is held as a founding father in the Jewish people. Genesis states that the nation of Israel descended from him through his second son, Isaac. Many Arab nations are said to have descended from him through his first son, Ishmael.  The story of his life is found in Genesis, from chapter 11:26 to 25:10.

Yeshua

When sending out the Twelve to missionize the lost sheep of the house of Israel Yehsua(Jesus)  said, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves (Matt. 10:16 NASB).

As Biblical Judaism practizers a careful study of the propagation strategies and methodologies of various successful cults and new religious movements around the world would reveal that in the final analysis they are shrewd as serpents and we are innocent as doves.
The Great Commission was given to all of us. It is to be carried out prayerfully, unitedly and wisely in obedience to the dictates of Scripture and in dependence upon the Holy Spirit. Take biblical faith, biblical unity and biblical mission seriously.”GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES, BAPTIZING THEM …” (Matthew 28:19) is a commadment.

Yeshua was a missiologist. His movement’s success was about doing network, doing charity work and going to missions.
Judaism is a faith to be share not be hidden or exclusivist. For Yeshua Missiology and missiologist within Judaism was very important, a priority.
but Who is a missiologist? Don’t let the term intimidate you. You start to become a missiologist when you want to explore how Jesus and the Bible call us into mission. Missiologists get drawn into looking at the many nuances of mission, such as:

What makes mission good or bad?
What kinds of mission create dependencies?
What kinds build capacity for the local community?
In what ways can mission efforts collaborate by forming networks?
What are the new successes – and new mistakes – people are making in mission?
What is the impact of short-term mission teams on the communities they visit?
Do we support nationals in mission or send in missionaries?
Even this short list shows that missiologists today deal with a lot of hard dilemmas and questions. A missiologist tries to understand mission in its various forms in an intentional (if not professional) and systematic manner.

Our reflection gets personal, too, evaluating our own mission involvement and measuring it up against missiological principles that we can articulate, defend and justify – or modify after feedback!

To be a missiologist, we’ll want to read what other missiologists are thinking. We’ll want to keep studying, keep asking questions, keep directing ourselves and our Congregation or agency or organization into new avenues of mission-focused thought. Along the way we’ll also want to respect the main avenues of  Jewish orthodoxy even as we may find cause to challenge them, why they don’t practice the great commission as Abraham did?

To be a missiologist, we’ll want to reflect on the principles of mission with seriousness no matter whether we can influence just a few or a great number of people. Current trends in mission are a Siren’s call to missiologists, tantalizing us to evaluate and measure and deal with the questions that people and congregations are asking about mission.

Beyond this  today ( and in the so called Christian world), some missiologists have academically advanced training (with a MA, Ph.D., Th.D, or other advanced degrees) and write and publish articles, blogs and books on mission-related topics. For these people, being a missiologist exacts an additional price of keeping up in special areas of mission interest.  While in Biblical Judaism we push ourselves to study, and prioritize precious time for mission reflection, research, and writing, we are shy.

Missiologists’ deep thought and study almost naturally produce materials others can use in guiding, preparing, preaching, teaching, and training in mission.

These kind of people sense that God definitely wants to mobilize the whole Biblical Body for the missional purpose of  Messiah’s Congregation. We have a conviction that God means much more than assisting a few who might become exceptionally involved in missional activities and commitment. God’s entire congregation is a missionary group, it’s a congregation.

So…are you a missiologist? You just should be one!

God will enrich you if you step into this thrilling field.

These are great times for the Synagogue , congreation, groups and other “ Christian”s organizations to gain from people who parse the perplexities of the whole scope of mission for today’s world.
Hineni offered these ideas:

* What you celebrate is what you become.
* When you harvest, think of what the influence of Judaism  has achieved.  Yeshua was a missiologist and evangelist. Do the work of an evangelist. Biblical Judaism is missions. Hineni is doing missionary work in new evangelistic ways.
* The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
* Make sure the 1000 are congregation , cell and group plants. Most new plants are lifeboats, not congregation plants.
* You cannot build a congregation planting movement on life boat traditional Judaism, they think we are to be ‘exclusivists”.
* You must plant 1000 congregation in evangelistic ways.
* 50% growth and 50% must be new generation.
* Do the work of an evangelist. Congregation planting is not the goal; congregation planting is the tool. The goal is the glory of God and the redemption of people.
* We are told to make disciples and congregations are formed. The command is to do the work of an evangelist.
* The way the congregation ( Jewish/non-jewish) is formed now will determine the way the congregation is formed for the future.
* On congregation planting. Evangelism is a bloody war and an empty tomb. Believers are turned off to evangelism because it is done in unhelpful ways. Must not become a life boat movement but a missionary movement.
* Challenge of universalism. -  Yeshua(Jesus) is the only way to the Father. If you don’t believe in the uniqueness of  Messiah Yeshua, then you are little more than a Rotary or Optimist Club. The answer is Yeshua ( His teachings, He is THE way, THE truth. We must call people to repent and believe in the Tannak, the gospel.
* This universalism is not just a denominational hierarchical problem; it is an issue with people in the pews.
* Biblical Judaism is not a recruiting movement but a reconciliation movement. We must reach the lost.
* We must not recruit people to a cause we must recruit people to Messiah.
* If you always talk about the synagogue or congregation without an evangelistic plan and an evangelical passion, it is a recipe for disaster.
* Share and show the Good News about  Messiah Yeshua.
* Plant change agent congregations
* Sharing and showing the Good News of Messiah Yeshua is about advancing the work of the Kingdom of God.
* Be holistic, be green, be eco-friendly  but tell them what they must do to reach salvation. Tell the good news at any cost.
* Show the commdaments and the  gospel by your actions and by your words. Both are needed.
* Invitations. Inviting people to congregation is not evangelism.
* Planting congregations in the 70s and 90s is not the way to plant congregation in 2010. You need more than invitations. Welcome to this century.
* Labor is the work of evangelism. Ask the question what occupies your time. My ’traditional’ Jewish  friends find this very hard for them. The biggest struggle of congregation is how to spend 10 -15 hours a week not just filling in the hours.
* Try coffee or tea shop evangelism. It is where you will meet strangers. Make conversation with strangers. It is not easy. Find their felt needs. Begin there. It is not easy.
* Ultimately you must get to the point where the Torah has to be preached; the risen Messiah is the stumbling block you cannot avoid it.
* You cannot lead what you do not live.
* You don’t have to be seeker or be cutting edge, but you do have to tell people about  Yeshua (Jesus.)’s teachings.
* The answer is to proclaim the gospel and not to compromise on the message.
* There is no such thing as the gift of evangelism/Missions in the Bible. We have convinced believers that only certain people have the gift and should be responsible to do evangelism. Not true. Evangelism/ missions is the duty and calling of every biblical Judaism believer.
* The reality is we are called to be missionaries,  you are either a missionary or an imposter.
* Message of reconciliation to Canadians, Latin America, Jewish-latin people, Sephardi Jews, general jews and/ or  the world  is to do the work of an evangelist. Inviting people and bringing a friend is missional. The wheat is still not harvesting itself.
* Be known as a place where Yeshua(Jesus) is known and other people know him. Preach a clear unchanging gospel so His teachings, His name is more widely known.
* Keep a clear head, endure the hardship and do the work of an evangelist and fulfill your ministry.
* I believe you can do it sociologically because you believe what you believe.
* Focus on the harvest field and the workers.
* Be more like Hineni ( here i’m). Let them be a theological, ecclesiastical, research or heritage covering whatever, but you?. Have a missiological focus. Be like the Yeshua(Jesus), he led a robust mission driven movement proclaiming the gospel in faithful ways.
* Be a robust confessional movement of Anglicans at a substantially higher level of enthusiasm. Recognize the passionate nature of the gospel.
* You don’t have to reinvent anything to be more like Yeshua(Jesus). Be passionately evangelistic. See congregation planting as a tool for gospel expansion.
* Take a lay catechist approach. Lay pastors might have to be bi-vocational. Learn to love the word bi-vocational. It is not a bad thing but a good thing.
* Traditional Judaism have a Low Synagogue polity. You need to learn from Biblical Judaism.  You don’t someone’s  permission on the local level to go out and evangelize.
* ‘Traditional’ Judaism had a history of circuit riders in synagogue polity and so practice their polity.
* Biblical Judaism Believers need to have circuit riders following as Yeshua’s disciples did.
* You really have to create a system based on historical practices and biblical theology. Check your Tannak not man-made traditions!
* You need a robust credentialing.
* Your missionary methods should be Yeshua’s  or  Paul’s, not your own.
* Your polity should be a servant to your theology and mission.
* The Vineyard movement gave people permission to congregation plant.
* Fight for converts not over traditions, genealogy, new moon, prayers books or jurisdictions.
* You are the third way.
* You must have confessional consensus and missional passion.
* Structures will form out of mission.
* Move from a ’tradition’ mentality to a people group mentality.
* The tradition system which we inherited from our predecessors was built on sameness and geography. It is not applicable here.  Judaism have ethnic diversity in the world. There are more people groups represented than ever before. The traditional model was set up when we all looked alike. That is gone. Jews were spread for a purpose.
* One of the rules is that you can’t be near any of the 800 congregations you now have. Go plant elsewhere.
* Pockets of congregation planting can begin and then expand.
* Remember there are plenty of lost people to go around, so share with others.
* Convert people to Messiah and not to a cause.
* This room is still very white. Move from ’traditions’ to people groups.
* You must not plant  ‘askenazie’ congregations. The majority of congregation plants are non askenazie, remember this is planet Earth?.
* 97% of Sephardic Jews new congregations are non germanic or Yiddish-like.
* They are seeing remarkable revival. They have moved from parish to people group evangelism.
* Every congregation could start a language congregation and meet at different times of the week.
* Focus on confessional consensus and missional cooperation. You have to have common beliefs. You have Bible, Tannak, charismatic and evangelical.
* Allow for diversity of practice while standing on biblical doctrine. You can do both. If you cannot do both stop fellowshipping with Hineni.
* Have a space for the entrepreneurs.
* Don’t lose your John the Immenser’s. You can have space for those with a common theological understanding.
* There is a move to de-emphasize distinctives. You Biblical Judaism believers friends are a fascinating movement because you are evangelical, missiologist and charismatic. People need something unique and distinct. Evangelicalism is adrift in many ways. Don’t go there.
* Where you find orthodoxy or tradition in denominational structures, work with it based always on Biblical principles.
* If you are going to be part a movement to change this world, there are things you should do and not do. Do not be part of the evangelical mainstream. Join as friends but be faithful to what the churches teach.
* Be willing to get dirty. Know who you are. Do not abandon theological/ Torah principles.
* Remember traditional don’t plant congregations.
* Why not support a dying congregation instead of staring a new congregation? Answer. It is easy to birth the baby than raise the dead.
* Congregation planting movements sometimes create new life forms. (Laughter). You need to get comfortable with failure. I planted 5 congregations; one of them didn’t make it. Fail boldly. Be willing to get dirty. Do not exist as an alternative to someone else.

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