jewish-gentile relations
God has tasked Gentile Christians with making Jewish people jealous—of their relationship with God! We’d like to encourage you to do that, and we have some resources that can help.
We spoke to several pastors who are Jewish and who also lead evangelical churches. Their stories are testimonies of God’s faithful leading to bring three men to Himself from their Jewish backgrounds, as well as leading them into ministry in the church. They feel the liberty of the Spirit to minister to the general population […]
This was the most fun article to put together, because it’s all about YOU! We recognize that not all of our Havurah readers worship at a Messianic congregation, or live so far out in Yennevelt that they don’t have the option. Many in our Messianic family have chosen to worship in local churches and have […]
I don’t know where I first heard the term “December dilemma,” but it accurately describes a Jewish conundrum at this time of year. It refers to the cross-cultural tension that intermarried, specifically Jewish-Gentile couples and their children, experience at the winter holiday season. Many intermarried couples find these days particularly distressing. Familiar cultural symbols seem […]
In this edition of ISSUES, we would like to offer a smorgasbord of material to help Jews who don’t believe in Jesus better understand evangelicals who do. What do evangelicals actually believe and how does it affect their life choices? What are the underpinnings of their political, moral and theological convictions? Are evangelicals really the […]
Love often begins with a discovery. We discover someone to whom we feel deeply drawn and who then inspires our devotion. My love for my Jewish brothers and sisters started with a discovery. Discovery and an empty chair. The conference dining room was filled with the sound of hundreds of participants from around the world […]
In 1972, the sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie,” which had at its nexus a Jewish husband and a Gentile wife, was cancelled after one season because the intermarriage theme was considered too controversial. Evidently immune to the fuss, the stars of the show, Meredith Baxter (Gentile) and David Birney (Jewish) caused quite a stir when they […]
Stephen Katz is currently chief of station of our Jews for Jesus-D.C. branch, having moved to the Washington area two years ago. But for many years he and his family lived in San Francisco, and from that base Stephen wrote the lead articles for Mishpochah Message” and “Havurah.” The Katzes’ journey to find a place […]
I go by James, though many people still call me by my Muslim name. My father is Al Hajj, and my great-grandfather was also Al Hajj.* I am from the capital city of Kampala, Uganda. I grew up as a Muslim, and from as early as I can remember, I hated Jews. This hatred increased […]
Mommy, does Grandma believe in Yeshua? “No, sweetheart, she doesn’t.” “But why not? She’s Jewish, isn’t she?!” All four of our children have initiated conversations much like the one above with my wife or me, and some of you who are parents have told me of similar interactions in your homes. Some messianic kids have […]
Some might think that Liessa broke the chain of her Jewish heritage. Others might conclude that Ron watered down his African-American culture. But as far as this couple is concerned, they have the best of both worlds. How did they overcome the disapproval of one parent? What happens in a mixed” marriage when there is […]
Stan Telchin. Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 1997. 272 pages. $10.99, paper.
I was standing near the student union at the University of Illinois watching a hellfire and brimstone preacher condemn the crowd that had gathered to tease him. "Fornicators!" he yelled at them. "You’re all going straight to hell!" I watched this exchange for several minutes and then the preacher did something unexpected. He called on […]
The meaning of the terms Jews, Gentiles, and Christians is explored in order to answer the title question.
I’ve been asking some of you what issues you want addressed in the Mishpochah Message. One Jewish believer answered, I need some encouragement out here in the trenches. I go to a church, not a messianic synagogue. I enjoy the fellowship, but sometimes I feel out of place and even a little guilty about being […]
How can someone with blond hair and blue eyes and a name like Heidi Grabke be Jewish? That’s easy. My mother is Jewish and my father is half German and half Jewish. I have my father’s German coloring and German surname, but believe me, underneath all this is a very Jewish person. My upbringing near […]
So I’ve mentioned my children in past Mishpochah Messages; please, bear with this Jewish father. I couldn’t expect you to recognize the fact that our two are the brightest, most intelligent children in the world, but the doctor’s name is Miriam and the lawyer is Jenni. They are wonderful kids who do not make it […]
Jewish believers in Jesus are often accused by fellow Jews of not being Jewish enough in their practice. At the same time, there have always been believers in Jesus who labeled as legalism” any attempts by Jewish believers to keep Jewish practices. By legalism they usually mean an attempt to win God’s favor or their […]
For he (Messiah) himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace… (Ephesians 2:14, 15) Can anything be done to bring down the centuries old barrier between us? With increasing frequency, […]