Perhaps someone has experience in starting fellowship groups which they could share with me. I have no experience...but I was brainstorming about it earlier today. I was thinking that since everyone has to eat, that one could put flyers up at Grocery stores. And then there's the usual places like libraries, religious book stores, secular book stores...what else? I'm not really sure.
I suppose I can check to see if there are books about "church planting" that offer suggestions which would work equally well for starting a fellowship group...
I have heard of people putting ads in the newspaper. Also, you can do a bible fellowship with a local church, that meets on Wednesday nights or so on. You could even invite Christians to attend one you create in your home. You can propose this to a local church and teach a class on Hebrew Roots, you would be surprised if you think this is impossible. I have been invited to a Methodist church and a Non-denominational to teach a bible study concerning Hebrew Roots. With many shifting their thinking to Messianic, many people are hungry for the truth. We can reach out to our fellow brethren and introduce them to imitating the Jewish Messiah, a Torah observant lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteI started inviting Christians I knew, to come celebrate the Feast with us, and found it to be a great way to introduce them to a Torah lifestyle that the Messiah lived. Usually it automatically spawns questions, well if Messiah did, should we imitate Him?
Wow, those are great suggestions! So I'll give those a try and keep everyone updated with the process.
DeleteI just emailed a couple of pastors at the local Baptist church to see about starting a Jewish Roots fellowship group. Perhaps everyone could pray that hearts are receptive to the promptings of the Spirit?
DeleteMy father established 14 churches that are all still running strong today, and did so in very hostile conditions. How? He would move into a neighborhood and start looking for ways to serve people. As he did, he'd strike up a conversation. People would naturally be curious as to why he was so service-oriented. He'd tell them it was because Hashem had served him so much that he had an abundance of blessings and giving out the surplus. His quiet, joyful, servant attitude, coupled with wise advice that was all biblically based, got people to gain an interest in what the Bible had to say about their issues. This led to meals in his home at which the Bible was discussed, which led to Bible studies, which eventually led to a congregation. Once it got large enough to support a part-time rabbi, he helped them choose one and then moved. Fourteen times he did this. I'm very proud of him.
ReplyDeleteBaruch HaShem! May G-d send our movement many like your father! Think of how much HaShem can do with just one tzaddik!
DeleteAnother method my father used was the wide-spread dissemination of literature. He wrote up a little two-page (single sheet) flyer that addressed basic counseling issues; things like “How to choose a good husband” or “How to discipline your child” or “How to be a good worker” etc. All the articles were brief, simple, were biblically based and had the actual verses printed (because most of the people didn’t have Bibles). We would drop one off at each door in the community. We called it “Nous sommes vos voisins”, “We are your neighbors”. He tried to dispel the idea that we were kooks or a cult or something by his simple, positive articles and statements. After a few months of this, if we accidentally missed a door or the wind blew the paper away, we would get phone calls. “Where is our Nous sommes vos voisins?” Soon he advertised in it that anyone who would like to have discussions on the issues should come to such and such a place on such and such a date at such and such a time. Then the Bible study groups began.
ReplyDeleteExcellent. For the readers, I'll try to summarize Zion's and Cajun's points:
Delete--start a Bible fellowship group with a local church that meets on Wednesday nights
--propose to teach a Jewish Roots class at a local church
--find ways to serve people in your local community and, when they ask why, explain that as HaShem has given to you so you want to give back to others
--invite people to have meals at your home
--disseminate two-page (single sheet) flyers that address basic counseling issues: "how to choose a good husband" or "how to be a good worker" etc. Use lots of verses. And then visit door to door and drop them off. Let people know that you're starting a Bible study group.