Does Church Meet Your Needs?

John is every pastor’s dream member. He’s a life-long believer, well-studied in the Bible, gives generously and leads others passionately.



The Rise of the ‘Done With Church’ Population
Tom Schultz

This article was recently posted on FaceBook with the question, “Any thoughts?”  That simple question spawned a comment battle that was unexpected by the person who posted it.  When I saw the question and article, I knew immediately that it would ruffle some feathers.  I was ready for the popcorn and of course, I couldn’t help but put my 10 cents into the mix (that’s giving my 2 cents more than once).

I was disappointed there weren’t more comments that seemed relevant to the contents of the article.  There were comments from some that understood the article to mean people were leaving church because they had their priorities wrong, had a bad experience with church, or were just letting go of their commitment to God.  If you didn’t read the article, I’d highly suggest you do before reading any further.  It will take you 60 seconds to read the article.



There’s the crux of the issue.  Dedicated attenders, having a deep relationship with God, are losing interest with the typical church experience.  This could be from a variety of reasons.  The article mentions that one reason is this group feels bored with the same routine.  Why not change churches?  If you’ve ever changed churches, you know that the typical church is considered typical for a reason.  Brief greetings trying to catch up since 7 days ago, 2 or three songs, greet your neighbor, couple more songs, announcements, offering, sermon, song, cordial good byes.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I believe the challenge lies not with the format of church, but the content.  The one-sized fits all message just doesn’t appeal to everyone occupying a seat.  At times it is hard to blame the pastor.  I am confident that the majority of church pastors are doing their best to provide an inspiring message teaching a thing or two.  For the majority of attenders, this isn’t an issue.  In fact, it is exactly what they need to stay connected.

The article is discussing those that aren’t fulfilled by the above recipe.  The article is discussing a group of people emerging that want more.  We want depth.  We want discussion.  We don’t expect to always agree.  In fact, we almost look forward to disagreeing just so we can learn more.  We want to take scripture apart to the point it is almost uncomfortable because it stretches our mind to think beyond a feel good life application sermon, but instead a historical lesson that takes us back two or three thousand years to understand why that particular message was so significant to the audience at the time.


Daniel 12:4 (ESV)

I’m not going to engage in a debate as to whether this passage only applies to people seeking knowledge during the tribulation period or not.  That seems to be a popular Christian commentary theme.  The point is that this prophecy from Daniel points to the idea that people will begin to seek more knowledge and deeper understanding of God.

If the article is accurate, which I believe it to be, how do churches keep up with this phenomenon?  Perhaps the answer is to support this hunger for knowledge?  Why not encourage bible studies within the church walls, even if only 3-5 people are interested?  Allow and encourage attenders to engage and dig and seek and search.  Establish some basic boundaries to ensure the discussions remain respectful.

The reality is that people are seeking more and evidently enough are not finding what they need so leaving their churches.  Not because they have lost their relationship with God, but because they want it to be deeper.  Why not encourage encourage the search instead of ignore it?

Offer the birthday boy a gift this Christmas

I had an interesting thought a few days ago.  I was considering the meaning of Christmas and contemplating whether it is an appropriate holiday to celebrate.  It seems that, as a Christian, it is a no-brainer to celebrate Christmas.  After all, it is the traditional celebration of Jesus’ birthday, right?

Yet, as someone who doesn’t quite fit into the traditional Christian mold, I find myself questioning a lot more than probably the typical church goer.  That doesn’t mean I am better.  It just means I am different and I approach my relationship with God differently than most people who I attend church with.  I observe the Sabbath, the biblical festivals, dietary guidelines, and attempt view the bible through the lens of understanding that Yeshua was fully Jewish and practiced Judaism whole heartedly, as did the apostles.

The interwebs are full of polarizing arguments about Christmas.  Is it a Pagan holiday?  Is it scriptural? Should we celebrate man-made traditions or holidays?  Are we giving in to commercialism?  A blogger I follow wrote an excellent piece recently entitled, Christmas is Coming! Don’t Panic!

I would be a hypocrite if I used the argument that Christmas isn’t in the bible.  Neither are cars, TVs, or Independence Day, yet I acknowledge all three and more.  For that matter, Hanukkah is not considered one of God’s holidays, even though it is noted in the gospel of John, chapter 10 that Yeshua observed.  So, using the argument that Christmas isn’t a biblical holiday is not an option for me since my family will light five Hanukkah candles tonight.

It occurred to me that the intended meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of our messiah, Yeshua.  Not that this has never occurred to me, but I recently had a vision from a different angle.  I envisioned a birthday party with signs saying, “Happy Birthday Terry!”  Several friends and family mingling around talking about me and the contributions I’ve made to this world.  We all sit down for a wonderful meal together, and afterwards we meander to a room full of beautifully wrapped gifts.  As I stare at the pile of gifts, with wide eyes, I watch in amazement as they are passed around the room out to all of the guests, and I stand empty-handed.  The gifts are all opened and the guests are thanking each other, happy, and excited to show off their new wares.  I now sit, looking around, still empty-handed, wondering what just happened.

That kind of birthday party seems completely ridiculous.  Yet it is exactly what we do on the day that we are supposed to celebrate the birth of the most important person in our lives.  So how do we change this?  It’s not like we can walk into a department store, purchase a gift for Yeshua, wrap it up and present it as a birthday gift.  What do you buy the Messiah, who has access to the whole world at his finger tips?  It’s not like he’s really excited to get his hands on the latest CD, gadget, or video game.

Perhaps it is a lot easier than we think.  After all, Yeshua told us exactly how to shop for him, didn’t he?


Matthew 25:40 (ESV)

The answer is so simple.  When we do anything for the least of these, we are serving him.

Occasionally I find myself at the grocery store or gas station witnessing someone who can’t fully pay their bill or someone behind me that by appearances, seems to be more needy than I.  On a handful of occasions I have succumbed to the tug inside of me and stepped forward to help pay the bill or perhaps leave money with the cashier to help the unsuspecting person behind me.  I don’t consider this a significant gesture, nor do I think it is in any way inconveniencing me or my bank account.  I typically do not give much thought afterwards to what I’ve done, and if I share the story at all, it is typically only with my wife.

This Christmas season, consider giving gifts to the birthday boy.  Find an anonymous way to provide for someone else, even in a small way.  Volunteer at the soup kitchen.  Buy a present for the community Christmas tree.  Drop a bag of food at the food shelf.  Anonymously leave a bag of groceries on someone’s doorstep. Invite someone alone to your family holiday dinner.

Find a way to make the least feel like they matter and you will be blessed.

Count the cost


Luke 14:26-33 (ESV)

Did Yeshua really tell us we must hate our family?  I’m not going to spend much time answering that question.  If one were to read earlier, Yeshua had just taught using the parable of the wedding feast.  The point of that message is that some that are invited are unwilling to prioritize their responsibilities in order to attend the wedding.  Of course, a metaphor referencing that some will be invited to the Kingdom, but will be unwilling to put God as their priority.  This lesson of counting the cost is merely a continuation of that parable, driving the point home.

In some scholarly circles there is debate on what word Yeshua really used.  The odds are very high that Yeshua did not speak or teach in Greek.  More than likely he spoke Hebrew or Aramaic.  That’s not the point I am considering.  The point is that more than likely, Yeshua did not use the word hate and certainly could not have been teaching to literally hate our family members.  The intent of the passage is to prioritize our lives, being willing to put God ahead of our family, if necessary.

I don’t know what other people consider when they think about this passage, but I get anxious wondering how I would measure up to such a standard.  Would I be willing to choose a path away from my family, if that is what God asked of me?  God wouldn’t intentionally design a path for me that required me to turn my back on my family, would He?  I would argue that the path to God is open to all, and if we choose to walk that path, our family is invited, but may choose not to walk that path.  So in reality would we be turning our backs on our family, or would our family be turning their backs on God?  Then again, perhaps a different understanding is that God may guide me to be part of a foreign county mission trip which would require me to leave my family for a period of time or put myself directly in the line of danger.

The author of the book of Hebrews had a little to say on the matter.


Hebrew 12:1-4 (ESV)

 Many misunderstand the first part of this passage, picturing a crowd of cheering spectators, whether angels or spiritual forefathers.  First, in further context, the author continues the message by relating the story of Yeshua enduring the cross.  The author challenged readers to consider him who endured hostility and reminded readers that they had yet to shed blood.

The word witnesses was not used the same as we use it today.  This word is actually derived from the word martyr.  D. Thomas Lancaster did a thorough job breaking down the history and meaning of this word in one of his sermons.  To summarize the thought, a witness was used in reference to one that was called by the Roman courts to renounce their belief in God.  If they did not renounce their belief, they would often be put to death, being called a martyr or witness for providing their testimony without failing to renounce their loyalty to God.

The author of the book of Hebrews seems to have upped the ante a bit.  Instead of expecting followers to leave behind their family, the writer is reminding and forewarning the readers about real persecution. The deaths of Stephen and James are both recorded in Acts.  Paul recorded various punishments he received in 1 Corinthians.  History has recorded several barbaric deaths of disciples and God followers for thousands of years.

How does one count the cost when living in a culture that the most difficult persecution we face is perhaps embarrassment, social pressure, or appearing socially awkward?  The cost of loyalty for some, is taking a purity oath as a teenager, and living life as a virgin in high school or as a young adult.  Perhaps it means admitting to your family that you have to be late for an event because of church.

As I write this, my family and I prepare to light the 5th candle in celebration of Hanukkah.  The story of Hanukkah perpetuates the lesson of counting the cost of being loyal to God.  The Maccabee family chose to rally and inspire enough in the community to stand up against Antiochus and take control of the temple back.  A rag-tag crew of community members were outnumbered by 10 to 1,  yet stood to fight against trained Roman soldiers.  Those community members paid a hefty price for what they believed, but their faith proved enough for God to bring victory.

I don’t exactly fit in a typical Christian church because I observe the Sabbath, festivals, and dietary guides.  That’s not typical for a Christian. I still believe Yeshua is the messiah so I don’t fit into a Jewish community.  I’m sort of in between.  Sometimes the cost for me is that I don’t participate in some church activities on Saturdays because I do observe the Sabbath.  There is definitely some awkwardness between myself and other church attenders because the church I attend openly teaches against these traditions as “old law.”  At the family Christmas dinner in a few days, I will choose not to eat the ham that my mother in law will prepare and possibly withstand a minor, but not ill intended, joke from my brother in law.  Is that persecution?  I hardly think Yeshua or the author of Hebrews would feel sorry for me.

How can I even understand the cost, let alone count it?

Book Review: The Hebrew Yeshua vs The Greek Jesus

However, my understanding of who Yeshua was as an historical person has changed.  I once thought of him to be a usurper who came to do away with Torah. Yet the more I study the Hebrew Matthew, the more I find that whenever Jesus seems to be doing away with Torah in the Greek, Yeshua ends up upholding Torah in the Hebrew.

Nehemia Gordon
The Hebrew Yeshua vs The Greek Jesus p. 71-72

This book was recommended to me by a trusted friend, whom knows I am working to digest as much information as I can comprehend and absorb, on a journey that started about a year and a half ago.  I’ve started to question everything and seek verifiable answers in scripture, based on the historical and cultural relevance of when those scriptures were written.

To be forthright, Nehemia Gordon is a Karaite Jewish man, who does not believe Yeshua is the prophesied messiah.  However, he has a respect for those seeking truth and maintains some friendships with Torah observant Christians.  A couple of these friends asked him for some translation help with some confusing text written in Matthew..

It all started when my friend Michael Rood, a Messianic teacher, asked me what I thought of Matthew 23:1-3.  Michael explained that in this passage Yeshua told his disciples to obey the Pharisees because they teach with authority.  At first I told Michael that as a Karaite I stick to the Tanach and therefore I did not really have an opinion on the matter.  Michael asked me if I could nevertheless use my scholarly training to help him understand this test.  I hold a degree in Archaeology and Biblical studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and worked for several years on the Dead Sea Scroll Publication Project, the official publication of the Dead Sea Scrolls.  So Michael figured I could use these skill to try and shed some light on the book of Matthew.

-ibid p.2

One of the frustrating issues I have discovered is that each Bible translation has some differences.  Sometimes these differences may be inconsequential and other times they are so different that the meaning of a passage can be read entirely different.  Many are aware of the King James controversy surrounding Acts 12:4, in which the word Easter was used to replace the word Passover.  Or the trinity reference in 1 John.  These are minor to some, or major issues to others. Either way, it can really affect a reader by causing a separation from the original Jewish author and the modern-day reader.  There are several examples similar to this, and the King James edition is not the only culprit.

At first I believed these were innocent mistakes based on the interpreters language skills, cultural background, or even their attempt to interpret difficult passages while expressing their best guess of the intent of the scripture.  The problem is that when these passages are changed through poor interpretation, whether mistaken or intentional to pursue an agenda or bias towards a certain theology, the entire meaning of all scripture change.  Very rarely anymore does anyone studying scripture only use one verse as the basis for an entire theology.  Scriptures are referenced, cross referenced, combined, compared, and grouped into similar messages.  One small change can have a ripple effect, touching several other passages.

It is fairly common knowledge that the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament has been presumed to have been written in Greek.

After a few grueling weeks immersed in New Testament Greek, I was no closer to an answer than when I started. So what if the book of Matthew had been written in Hebrew or had Hebrew sources?! As fascinating as this was, how did this help me understand Matthew 23:2-3? I went back to my colleague at the university and he confessed he had left out the most important part.  My colleague explained that not only did some scholars believe that Matthew was originally written in Hebrew, but a version of the Hebrew Matthew has survived to this day.

-ibid p.35-36

Earlier, Gordon explained that the Greek version of Matthew was full of Hebrewisms (p. 33).  A Hebrewism is what scholars consider an awkward translation, typically into Greek, in which a common Hebrew phrase or idea sounds awkward or loses meaning after translation.  Any of you with teenagers should understand this. chinese-sign When a teenager says, “That car stereo is sick,” we understand that sick is slang for awesome.  Imagine someone who only understands English as a second language and does not have the experience of street slang.  They could translate into their language as, “That car stereo has an illness.” No doubt, many, if not all of us have seen funny pictures of ill translated signs from around the globe.


Matthew 23:1-3 (KJV)

The awkwardness of this passage, for many that have tried to study this, is to understand the overall message of what Yeshua is trying to teach.  The commonly accepted understanding is that Yeshua was teaching his disciples to recognize the Pharisees because they are in authority, and follow what they teach, but do not follow the hypocrisy of their examples.

I won’t rewrite his analysis of the translation, but Gordon explains the mistakes made in translation by presenting the Hebrew version and re-translating.  The summary of Gordon’s analysis is that Yeshua was not necessarily supporting the Pharisees as being in a position of authority, but he was stating that if their claim to authority is that they sit in Moses’ seat, then diligently do what Moses says! (p.48) 

While this  review is not going to do justice to the full content of Gordon’s analysis, the point I hope to get across is that he does a thorough job of breaking down the text, and even more so, making a strong case why Hebrew was the original language.  For anyone curious about the origin of scriptures and their meaning, or perhaps seeking validation that Yeshua’s message has been subtly distorted from Judaism over the years, Gordon’s book is an eye opener.

Galatians – Part 2 – Running in vain



Galatians 2:2 (ESV)


There is more than one account of Paul submitting to authority.


Acts 9:1-2 (ESV)


Acts 21:26 (ESV)



Galatians 2:9 (ESV)




Galatians – Part 1 – When did Paul write this letter?




Galatians 1:15-24 (ESV)




Acts 9:22-25 (ESV)



Acts 9:26-30 (ESV)



Galatians 2:1-2 (ESV)





Acts 11:27-30 (ESV)



Acts 12:25 (ESV)



Galatians 2:10 (ESV)




Galatians – About the Author




John G. Gager
Biblical Archaeological Society









Romans 11:1 (ESV)



Philippians 3:5 (ESV)


Acts 23:6 (ESV)



Acts 22:3 (ESV)



Acts 22:27-29 (ESV)






















2 Peter 3:15-17 (ESV)
