Founder’s Blog
FFOZ & Evangelism
Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of addressing several dozen messianic leaders from the greater Chicago, IL area. This gathering was unique in that the vast majority of the leaders where not necessarily on the same page as FFOZ in several key areas. The meeting took place in the heart of the Jewish section of Chicago at the Jews for Jesus offices on Skokie, IL.
While I affirmed their traditional evangelistic efforts, I also explained that FFOZ has a different approach. Our goals are long term and a bit broader--not necessarily better -just long-term focused.
In certain respects, we feel the presentation of the traditional Christian Gospel messages falls short. Correcting this is not just a matter of changing the vernacular or terminology to make it "more palatable" to Jewish people, rather the Gospel is inherently Jewish, Torah centered, and must be presented in this way. Because of this, FFOZ is endeavoring to restore the Gospel message in this context, making it a more effective message...and making it more "palatable" to the Jewish people.
Meeting began with my:
1.) My reiteration of FFOZ's mission statement: Teaching Torah and its way of life, fully centered on Messiah, to today's people of God.
2.) My acknowledgment of the fact that our position on the role and responsibility to Torah is a minority position within the Messianic Jewish movement and a position that is completely at odds with the majority of Christianity.
3.) My appreciation for the opportunity to address them and share with them the vision and role of FFOZ.
Here is the letter that I read from and gave each of the participants:
***
The Best Defense is a Good Offense!
FFOZ is on the offense to create resources and teaching that help defend both the Master and sound messianic theology. As a publisher and educational organization, we feel a great deal of responsibility to support this movement with solid teaching and resources.
There may be some confusion about FFOZ's work. I have found that many people know about us, but few have really taken the time to get familiar with us. As such, I really appreciate the opportunity to share with you today. During our discussion time I am happy to address issues, questions or concerns about FFOZ's primary mission of teaching Torah and promoting Torah as a valid expression of one's faith. To be clear, I would also like to focus on FFOZ's support of--and role in--Jewish evangelism which I know is close to your hearts and ministries.
FFOZ is:
1. Developing resources that put Yeshua back into the solid framework of Torah that He lived out and called His disciples to emulate.
• "To Whom Shall We Go?: Answering Objections to Yeshua"
• Torah Club Volume Two: Shadows of Messiah
2. Making every effort to bring balance and scholarship to the wide, sometimes fringe, elements of the Messianic movement--knowing that their poor testimony hurts solid efforts to evangelize.
3. Working to assist the greater Messianic Jewish movement by translating and publishing the works of our 19th century founding fathers of Messianic Judaism: Yechiel Lichtenstein; Yitzchak Lichtenstein; Theophilus Lucky [Chaim Yedidah]; Paul Philip [Feivel] Levertoff, Rabinowitz, Alexander McCaul and others.
4. Contributing to the continued maturity and unity of the Messianic movement by publishing a complete weekday, Shabbat and festival siddur.
5. Connected to the Land.
• Full time paid staff in the Land
• Support active congregations in the Land that have the means and presence to affect the Israeli culture for the Messiah
• Have approached a potential candidate and put forward the idea to send and fully financially support a missionary to Israel. (One to that would promote Torah observance amongst the Israeli believing community and congregations).
Yes, FFOZ is different from most of the organizations and congregations here, as our mission is to create Messiah-centered, Torah-based resources. These are only a part of the larger call of our entire movement to be a light for the Messiah to the Jew first and to all nations. Since our ability to proclaim the lifesaving nature of Messiah flows from our ability to defend Him, we believe that FFOZ plays a critical role placing the Messiah Yeshua in the proper context of His Jewishness and Torah.
FFOZ desires and is working towards solid relationships with various ministries within greater messianic Judaism. We pray that through meetings like this we can work through misunderstandings and learn to appreciate each role we respectively have in this wonderful movement of restoration. I look forward to our continued dialogue, and may the Lord richly bless each of you and your respective ministries.
May our time this morning be productive and may the Father continue to bless all of our efforts to see Kingdom in our day.
Boaz Michael
Founder and Director
First Fruits of Zion
***
Since the meeting I have received multiple e-mails of encouragement from some of these that attended. FFOZ also made available for free complete volumes of our Torah Club v.2 to anyone there that was interested and I am happy to report that we had several requests. In our efforts to bring change and correction we all must have a long-term plan in place. David Vermeesch our communications director will be having some follow-up meetings with some of the leaders in mid-July. Your prayer that the seed that was planted at this meeting and with our follow-up efforts will bring much fruit in the future is appreciated.
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Visitor Feedback:
What a blessing to hear of the much needed dialogue that FFOZ is establishing throughout the land.
My wife and I have been in the Messianic Movement 14 years, have had considerable exposure to people passing through and have had numerous testimonies about the differences within the Messianic Movement. Our prayers are for unity and all that entails.
We are so pleased to be a part of FFOZ in support and prayers. Shabbat Shalom ,
Jim & Wilma Moore
Jim Moore | July 6, 2007 4:14 PM
boaz
good post. i have been studying your approach to the Gospel from you and others for quite some time. i think there is a lot to your position. but i am gentile. and i have been told by other messianic jews that this excludes me from obeying Torah. what are your thoughts?
personally, i feel that there is good precedent from Scripture to show that gentiles should for sure follow noahidic covenant, and from Isaiah, it seems we are to keep Sabbath (and not on sunday either), but what about the sinai covenant? are gentile believers (in your opinion) supposed to be fully Torah-keeping? if so, why?
i understand this is an issue that could cause a lot of controversy. therefore, can you please email a response back to me.
peter
------------
Reply: Peter, thank you for writing. FFOZ has always promoted Torah observance as a valid expression of ones faith in Messiah. In some instances we have taught that non-Jews who have come to faith in the Messiah and taken upon His yoke are obligated to aspects of the Torah, Sabbath as you pointed out being one example. Our book entitled, "Restoration: Returning the Torah of God to the Disciples of Jesus" would be a good place to start your studies in this area.
peter | July 8, 2007 9:10 PM
Shalom B'H.
I'd like to comment as per evangelization aspect; that the book of Romans specifies in 1:16 that the Gospel is henceforth urgent in it's expediting to the Yehudim 1st then to the Goyim (gentile) as per everyone who believes.
However i can not tell you how many times i have heard a Bilble minute or sorts, on the Christian radio program which render Rom. 1:16 as I am not ashamed of the Gospel,because it is the power of Salvation.-End of comment! The continuation of that verse is withheld.
I don't know how others feel about that but, somehow I get a drift of something very unTorah like.
It has been said that the Christian "Church" is like a
clock that has been taken apart, put back together, but with out the screws!
Ruvain Avraham | July 9, 2007 9:31 AM
My search about Hebrew/Jewish Roots to our faith began six years ago. I read everything on the subject that I could find and discovered many different viewpoints. I desperately wanted good scholarship based on research and balanced teaching. I found that with FFOZ. So, I have always viewed the main ministry of FFOZ as a teaching ministry and a vital resource. If evangelism comes into the picture, then I think that's fine, but not neccesarily the main call of the minstry.
As a minister, I feel that we all need the right information and teaching that is put into personal application first, so that we can be an effective witness for Him to all people.
______
Reply: Yes. FFOZ' focus will be on the continued development of solid, Torah based-Messiah centered, teaching resources. I whole heartedly agree with you when you state, "I feel that we all need the right information and teaching that is put into personal application first, so that we can be an effective witness for Him to all people."
Dennis Henley | July 13, 2007 5:26 PM
Michael Boaz says "Paul McCaul" it should be "Alexander McCaul."
I appreciate that republishing and/or translating the writings of the proto-19th century Messianic Jews is a #3 on their your list. I too have an interest in them and look forward to seeing what you guys do.
Reply: Thank you, I have made the correction.
Jorge Quiñónez | September 27, 2007 10:29 PM