There is no doubt a close relationship between Christianity and
Judaism. Jesus and his earliest followers were practicing Jews, and
part of the Christian Bible (the
”
Old Testament
”
) originally was the Hebrew scriptures of Judaism. But most
Christians think Christianity replaced Judaism as the proper
religion for worshiping God.
There is no doubt a close relationship between Christianity and Judaism. Jesus and his earliest followers were practicing Jews, and part of the Christian Bible (the “Old Testament”) originally was the Hebrew scriptures of Judaism. But most Christians think Christianity replaced Judaism as the proper religion for worshiping God.
South County is home to a church, however, which seeks to reveal the biblical root between these two great faiths. It strives to offer itself as a “bridge,” a link between the Hebrew roots of the Early Church and contemporary Christianity.
Pastors Drake and Grace Fenn have served San Martin’s Family Worship Center (425 East Middle Ave.) for seven years. It is a Pentecostal church affiliated with the Church of God (headquartered in Cleveland, Tenn.), a denomination with more than 6,000 congregations and nearly 900,000 members in the United States.
But when the Fenns made their first visit to Jerusalem in 1999 they had a life-changing experience. Seeing the sites of Jesus’ earthly ministry and visiting the ruins of the church of which Jesus’ brother James was the founding pastor brought home to them the importance of the Jewish roots of their Christian faith.
They think when Roman emperor Constantine made Christianity the official state religion in the 4th century, he led the church into paganism in many respects. Their goal is to teach how the rich traditions of Judaism, which were lost at that time, revealing Christ in a richer, more living way.
One way of doing this is to restore the “Feasts of the Lord,” Biblical holy days observed in the Old Testament but now ignored by most Christians. Among these important feasts are
• Passover, marking the liberation from slavery in Egypt of the Jews led by Moses.
• Pentecost, observing the “giving of Torah on Mt. Sinai.”
• The Day of Atonement (also known as “Yom Kippur”).
• Hanukkah, marking a miracle when oil in the Temple lamp lasted for longer than was possible.
• Purim, when Esther saved the Jews from destruction in Persia.
Another Jewish practice Family Worship Center has added is a Friday Shabbat, the traditional Sabbath worship service of Judaism. Not only is the service performed Friday evenings in the church, but instruction is provided for families who wish to hold the service in their own homes instead.
There are other examples of the Jewish influence on Family Worship Center. A replica of the Ark of the Covenant, which the Israelites carried with them through the wilderness, is on view in the church’s sanctuary. The traditional “hoopa” (awning) and “shofar” (ram’s horn) are used at weddings performed there.
The congregation is active in outreach ministries to Jews around the world through international ministries.
The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem seeks to “challenge the Church to take up its scriptural responsibilities toward the Jewish people, to remind Israel of the wonderful promises made to her in the Bible, and to be a source of practical assistance to all the people in the Land of Israel.”
Final Exodus Ministry to Israel transports Jews from Russia and Latin America to live in their ancestral homeland of Israel and offers support in the form of food, clothing and lodging.
Pastor Drake invites residents to visit Family Worship Center “to understand how the Hebrew roots of the Christian Church have totally enriched and revolutionized our Christianity.”
For more information call 779-8169 or visit the Internet at www.Isaiah611.org.
