Prior to the time of Yeshua Ha Mashiach, Judaism stood on it's own even though there were many different sects of this religion. As time moved away from the patriarchs of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the influence of Greeks culture, better known as Hellenism, began to adjust the manner of practice in some fashions of Judaism. This influence was not necessarily all bad, but we do have to agree that it was different and this gradual influence did affect the face of Judaism as it was previously known. As we would examine the period of the second temple period, and more precisely the first ten years post resurrection of the Messiah, we see that all Believers (Christians) were Jewish. The first historical record of a non Jew being allowed into this community of Believers in Yeshua as the Mashiach is Cornelius and this took place approximately ten years after the resurrection. It was this inclusion of non-Jews that now created the possibility of division between the two. From the first day of this inclusion there were challenges concerning diet, dress, Sabbaths etc. By the end of the third century this community of Believers was divided into at least two distinct camps called Christians and Jews. To make things even more convoluted, many in both communities were not what we would call believers in the reality of Yeshua being the Mashiach. In other words, many were religious, but did not all believe that Jesus was Messiah. As time has marched on from the first century, the division between the original community has continued to increase...that is until recently.

Since 1948 (the year of Israel's statehood) there has been an ever increasing and emerging body of believers that are coming back together to celebrate and worship Messiah as one body. This sovereign world wide move of Hashem has broken down many walls of misunderstanding and mistrust and open the gates for these two communities to be not only accepting of each other and their distinctions, but many have gone beyond acceptance and have joined together in what Ephesians 2:13-19 calls the "One New Man."

 

Ephes. 2:13-19
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17And He came and preached PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; 18for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,   

It is in this prophetic regard that Hashem is breaking down our prejudices and misunderstandings and narrowing the gaps of division. He is binding us together by His Ruach Ha Kodesh and calling out a remnant that will stand together in the days before His return to this earth to fully establish the "tikkun olam" and His manifest Kingdom on this earth.

The early first century model records the fact that both Jewish and non Jewish Believers both worshipped together as one new man. After centuries of drifting apart, we are seeing the restoration of this paradigm. I think it is a fair assessment to say that the Apostle Paul's dream was to see the embodiment and practical reality of this one new man. The Greek scriptures tell what the one new man is not when it says, there  is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female, but it never really tells us what it is. I am inclined to believe that it is this emerging Hebraic community.

With this historical background we can better understand the validity and need for a networking organization like AJCB. Though AJCB is very multi-faceted, and difficult to really explain we can elaborate on a few foundational items.

Since AJCB is NOT a denomination, there is NO hierarchy. All members of AJCB are laterally accountable and considered equal no matter if Jew or non-Jew or man or woman. This networking organization provides a platform for many who have found themselves embracing the Hebraic Heritage of Christianity and have been ostracized or voluntarily removed themselves from other ministerial credentialing organizations. So AJCB does provide ministerial recognition for those who have a call on their lives to minister in this Hebraic community. Perhaps more clearly stated I can say that AJCB is a service organization and a cooperative fellowship of ministers, congregations and individuals who share a common vision to restore the Hebraic foundations of faith in Jesus (Yeshua). AJCB is not a denomination but an inclusive fellowship of people from many communions who are networking to serve each other and the larger body of Messiah. Many believers are seeking a venue to help them maintain balance and integrity with solid scholarship as they grow in their expression of practicing their faith with a first century understanding. AJCB helps to provide this.

We believe that as AJCB members work together, ministering and serving each other as a cohesive unit, we can effectively change the world by making others aware of the Jewish roots of our faith, standing with Israel and fighting anti-Semitism and replacement theology. AJCB believes in supporting those who are promoting our Hebraic Heritage by complementing their work and adding strength of association with believers of like vision and conviction. We press toward the highest calling by preferring others above ourselves and striving corporately toward servant hood (Philippians 2:3-4).

How do you preach the Good News to Jewish people and non-Jewish people?
- This is a good question and one that is quite subjective. Let me say however that I am more inclined to steer away from the idea of "preaching to," and embracing the model of "sharing with." It is more within the confines of what we call the Christian Community that we have "preached to" people. This is certainly an effective model and one that is to probably continue to be selectively used. I think a better model however is to "share with."  First of all, "sharing with" is more of a Hebraic model than "preaching to." If we look at the Shema, it says that we have not "heard" until we "do". So with this thought in mind, I think we can apply the same thinking to our model of sharing the Good News. In other words, we can probably more effectively "witness" to others by modeling what we believe instead of only "saying" what we believe. I have a saying that says: Christianity is "creedal" and Judaism is "deedal." I don't know if that makes sense in Russian but the meaning is that we can perhaps better model what we believe as opposed to only saying what we believe.

So how do we witness or share the Good News to people? I think we need to use both avenues of sharing and living the example but living it is by far superior in my opinion to only sharing it verbally. If we are epistles read of all men, then I think we need to give them something to read and we are better read than said. In sharing with anyone, we need to accept them where they are and as they are. We need to allow Jews to accept the Messiah and still be Jews. We need to allow non Jews to accept the Messiah and still be non-Jews. I know this does not fit the theology of many in the Hebraic community but it is a conviction of AJCB to promote and embrace this line of thinking and practice. As you know, the whole subject that we are entertaining is very multi-faceted and generalizing can get us all into a lot of trouble with misunderstandings and misquotes but this is the risk we have to take to begin the journey of moving toward acceptance.