Articles by Ryan Lambert
Ryan Lambert is the Director of Outreach for First Fruits of Zion. He connects with pastors and leaders so that FFOZ can better serve the church and the Messianic Jewish movement in the area of Messianic Judaism and the Jewish roots of the faith.
FFOZ at MJAA and UMJC 2018
Messianic Judaism is our mission field. Our mission is to bring Messianic Jewish teaching to Christians and Jews, and that includes Messianic Jews. Many people at the conference expressed a desire to go deeper into the Bible, and they could see that the Torah Club could help them do that.
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4-minute read
Paul, Apostle of Christ: A Review of the Movie
The real Paul was no doubt a man who preached a message of love and grace. But he was a man who did that as a Jew who loved and lived out the Torah within Judaism. I could let my final word on this movie be “satisfied” and move on. But, there is a problem.
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4-minute read
A Blow to Replacement Theology
This new society will fill an important function. As stated on the website, “The Society for Post-Supersessionist Theology exists to promote research and discussion that advances post-supersessionist thought.” This is an important mission.
4-minute read
The Torah Club and Mars Hill
The idea is to get people participating instead of just being led and told the answers. We also incorporate food and snacks into the meetings. We encourage a discussion format, not a leader telling students something. Being willing to open yourself to new ideas without questioning your faith is important here.
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14-minute read
Re-Thinking Paul
Neither Paul nor the apostles had any conception that following Jesus meant that Jews or Gentiles would operate outside of Judaism and Jewish space. That’s a very controversial issue, I know. It was certainly a controversial idea in the Apostolic Era—at least the part about Gentiles coming into Jewish space without having to become Jewish.
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8-minute read
Why I Believe in Yeshua
The conversation was short but meaningful, and I am praying that it had an impact on this young man. An additional result of this conversation was that it reminded me to continue to grow in my sense of trust in Yeshua as the Messiah and my ability to communicate why I have such trust.
7-minute read
Yavneh and Replacement Theology
At Yavneh, we began the process of figuring out how to survive as a distinct, sustainable, Torah-keeping community in the midst of a long and harsh exile. If Torah still represents our marching orders, then generally speaking Messianic Jews need to honor and adhere to the way that the Jewish community has navigated that path—even after Yavneh.
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9-minute read
FFOZ at the Southern Baptist Convention
The favorable attention and traffic that First Fruits of Zion received at the Southern Baptist Convention is another indication that God is doing some fantastic things in the Body of Messiah. Little by little, foundations are being restored. Many Christians are coming to see Judaism, Torah, and the gospel in a new and positive way.
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4-minute read
Old Testament vs. New Testament
At a recent pastor’s conference involving thousands of church leaders, I listened to one of the most well-known and influential pastors in the world introduce a concept that pitted the morality of the Old Testament against the morality of the New Testament. His objective was to get church leaders to move away from Old Testament morality.
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5-minute read
Getting to the Heart of Replacement Theology
Placing Jesus and the apostolic faith outside of Judaism leads to the same result that the idea of the church replacing Israel leads. Both of these layers of replacement theology, if universally embraced, would lead to the end of the Jewish people.
5-minute read
Is Jesus the Jewish Messiah?
Here is the cold, hard, bottom-line reality: The Jewish community will never, ever accept a message as “good news” that involves a Jesus that they think took us away from the covenant handed to us at Mount Sinai.
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11-minute read
Paul within Judaism at the LCJE
Recently, I presented a paper at the Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism (LCJE) conference in Denver. My topic was “Paul within Judaism: The Implications for Jewish Evangelism.” Going into the presentation, I knew that this subject would generate a strong reaction. I was not wrong.
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6-minute read
The Dribble That Brought Me Naches
We sowed and sowed…and there was no reaping for a long time. But now, the due season has arrived and we are reaping. Chuck is now dribbling, shooting, and is on his way to being able to participate in a special needs basketball league. This makes me smile.
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7-minute read
My Jewish Journey
A major turning point in my Jewish journey came when I met my first ever Messianic Jew named David. David was a Christian, but he still did a lot of Jewish stuff. I saw that being a disciple of Yeshua was intended by God to be a means of strengthening my observance to the Torah, not abolishing it.
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8-minute read
Connecting with Leaders in Jerusalem
The Christian leaders I encountered expressed a common need that they have a deep love for the land and people of Israel, but they lack solid teaching and resources that instill that vision deeply into the culture of their various congregations and ministries—a huge void that First Fruits of Zion seeks to fill.
3-minute read
Why Do They Punt?
As we stay committed to the vision of seeing a mature Messianic Judaism move forward, I believe we will give people more reasons to hold onto the ball and keep running toward the goal—that joyful time when the King and His kingdom fill the earth.
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11-minute read
Did Paul Encourage Deception?
Did Paul encourage and personally practice deception for the sake of the gospel? I don’t think so. I think he strived for the highest levels of integrity in all that he did as an ambassador for Yeshua.
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10-minute read
FFOZ on Campus
The idea I put forth presented a framework for understanding Jesus, Paul, and the New Testament that most of the students had not considered. I found them to be very engaged and respectful, even if not entirely embracing what I was saying.
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5-minute read
The Key to the Message
There are many Christian leaders out there that are looking to connect with a solid source for Messianic Jewish teaching. But we can’t wait for them to find us. We have to go find them. This makes it all the more important for First Fruits of Zion to be at venues like Catalyst.
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9-minute read
The Chapter That Changed My View of Torah
Deuteronomy 30 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible. On a personal level, this chapter has had a huge impact upon my life and development as a Messianic Jew. It gave me anxiety and theological paranoia because it created an ongoing problem in my theology.
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9-minute read
A Messianic Jewish Tribute to Jose Fernandez
I haven’t had much time to reflect on this, but the death of this young athlete has hit me harder than I would have expected. I am going to miss this charismatic athlete in the years to come. There will be many of us who, for some time, will wonder what could have been.
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7-minute read
Don Henley, Elul, and Forgiveness
Without directly referencing God, Yeshua, the Bible, Judaism, or Elul, Don Henley’s song gets to the heart of some matters that are very important for us to consider as we approach the high holidays.
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6-minute read
An Unexpected Mission
We never know how HaShem is at work. When Boaz handed me that DHE five or six hours earlier, it seemed insignificant. But I believe that HaShem had me carry that DHE for a special purpose. It is a joy to see how he weaves the details of our lives together.
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6-minute read
HaYesod: Learning the Foundations
We are very encouraged to hear testimonies like this. It motivates us to continue to present vision, teaching, and resources that help people to know and follow Jesus better by seeing him through Jewish eyes.
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3-minute read
FFOZ at the UMJC
We are thankful that God has given us the ability to produce vision and teaching that is helping to shape and cultivate the development of Messianic Judaism in so many places. It was a fruitful time of strengthening existing relationships and establishing new ones.
3-minute read
Chinese Food and the Work Ahead
I had a conversation with a young man who reminded me that we still have a lot of work to do in Messianic Judaism. God is doing great things in our times. Restoring the Jewish Jesus back to both Judaism and Christianity is an exciting work to be a part of. He is even accomplishing that in lines at Chinese restaurants!
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6-minute read
Bad Ideas with Good Intentions
I’d like to encourage you to think about boundaries in your life. Think about your boundaries and maybe where you’ve crossed them with God. If you have crossed the line, turn around before it hurts you any worse. Boundaries are his kind way of marking out “safe places” for us to stay within.
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8-minute read
FFOZ's Presentation at the Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism
Our core principles as a ministry involve restoring the Jewish Messiah, restoring the Torah, restoring the gospel, and restoring Israel. It is our conviction that as these fundamental areas are restored to their biblical context, efforts to reach the Jewish people with the good news of Yeshua will be strengthened.
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5-minute read
Are We Ready?
He knew no other world than that of Orthodox Judaism—then his world was rocked as he met Yeshua his Messiah, engaged in discipleship, and then one day he disappeared. Where is Michael today? Did our community serve him well, or did we drop the ball?
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9-minute read
Missing My Jewish Mama
Recently, as I was thinking about my mom (which happens more frequently this time of year, though I think about her all the time), I paused to consider what was behind my thinking there. What is the quintessential Jewish mama? I feel that in my gut, but what does that mean?
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8-minute read
FFOZ at SBL National Conference
Last week, I had the opportunity to represent FFOZ at the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) national conference in Atlanta. I am grateful for the progress that we can observe, but there is still much work to be done in expanding the presence and visibility of both Messianic Judaism and the work of FFOZ.
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8-minute read
Micah and Two Very Different Coaches
The saying, “As the leaders go, so go the people” is usually true. Most of us have had experiences with both good and bad leaders. The picture that Micah presented reminded me of a contrast in leadership that I experienced as a baseball player in college
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9-minute read
The Power of Teshuvah
All of us can experience seasons in life where we are in a deep pit. And it may seem so ominous, and so devastating, and so dark, that there seems to be no way out. But the truth is, with God, there is always a path toward the light. Even at the last minute, God welcomes our return.
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6-minute read
We Are on a Mission
There are thousands of pastors and Christians who want more of the Jewish Jesus. As those who embrace Messianic Judaism, it’s our privilege to reach out and share the importance of this movement in God’s kingdom plans. I want to encourage you wherever you are to be an advocate for this mission.
5-minute read