Episodes

  • The Baby Boomers’ Messianic Movement

    The Baby Boomers’ Messianic Movement
    Apr 30 2021
    The modern Messianic movement is a first-generation movement: birthed in the 1960s and ’70s. But that first generation of pioneers are ageing, however, and a new generation — our generation of Millennials — must rise up to take up the mantle. As the Millennial generation takes the torch, we recognize challenges in Messianic movement the Boomers have left to us: fundamentalism, rigidity, majoring on minors, a lack of critical thinking, failing to deal with issues relevant to today’s generation, an inability to plan for the future. In this episode, John and I discuss these challenges and propose reasonable paths forward to help modern Messianics navigate these difficulties.
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    1 hr and 58 mins
  • The Messianic Passover

    The Messianic Passover
    Mar 25 2021
    John & Judah discuss Passover as a defining moment in God’s redemptive story. The Passover event ripples throughout history: The Torah is shaped by it. “You are not to oppress the foreigner, for you were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.” It shapes The 10 commandments. “I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Passover themes of redemption and Exodus show up throughout the Bible. “The days are quickly coming,” declares Adonai, “when it will no longer be said. ‘As Adonai lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.’ Rather, ‘As Adonai lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had banished them.’ So I will bring them back into their land that I gave to their fathers.” Passover plays a crucial role in the Gospels, as Yeshua’s crucifixion takes place during Passover week. The Gospel of John records Yeshua as the Passover lamb whose sacrifice atones for the sin of humanity. Suffice to say, Passover may be the transformative, seminal event of the entire Bible, an event eclipsed by no other barring perhaps the resurrection itself. In this podcast, John and Judah dig into the themes of Passover. We discuss how Passover contains additional meaning for Messianic believers, as Messiah himself imbued the feast with new meaning and symbolism. We also discuss how Messianics ought to handle the delicate subject of Easter and how it relates to Passover. Enjoy, friends! And חג פסח שמח! Happy Passover, friends! I sincerely hope you’ll remember the work of the Lord in ages past on Passover, both in the Exodus and the Messiah.
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    1 hr and 56 mins
  • Don’t Share That! Avoiding Messianic Misinformation in the Age of YouTube

    Don’t Share That! Avoiding Messianic Misinformation in the Age of YouTube
    Mar 5 2021
    Judah and John discuss the pervasive problem of misinformation in the Messianic movement. Whether it’s laypeople sharing misleading videos from non-credible sources, or Messianic and Hebrew Roots teachers putting out sensational, misleading, or outright false teachings, the Messianic movement is struggling with misinformation in the information age. This leads to the secular world discrediting individuals – subverting their witness – and even discrediting the Messianic movement and our message about the Messiah. How can laypeople and non-experts in the Messianic movement know what’s real and what’s fake, what’s Biblical and what’s opinion? We discuss how to be better, wiser, discerning disciples in the age of YouTube.
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    2 hrs and 48 mins
  • A Mission Statement for Messianic Judaism

    A Mission Statement for Messianic Judaism
    Jan 28 2021
    In this episode, John and Judah discuss John’s mission statement for Messianic Judaism, a product of John’s coursework in Messianic studies: Today’s Messianic Jewish community has the widescale conviction that it composes “the end-time move of God.” This is based in the Biblical conviction that it is actively involved in the salvation-historical trajectory of “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26). A massive salvation of Jewish people is to be regarded as “life from the dead” (Romans 11:15). Given the Apostle Paul’s magnanimous burden of the salvation of his kinsfolk—“I would pray that I myself were cursed, banished from Messiah for the sake of my people—my own flesh and blood” (Romans 9:3, TLV)—everything that today’s Messianic movement does, should be with the expressed purpose of trying to enhance the mission of Jewish outreach and evangelism! Today’s Messianic movement was specifically raised up by the Lord to proclaim the good news of Israel’s Messiah to the Jewish community, and emphasize that they do not have to assimilate into a much wider non-Jewish Christianity to properly express faith in Him. Many non-Jewish Believers, with a sincere and genuine love for the people and Scriptures of Israel, have been legitimately called by the Lord to be active participants and co-laborers in the salvation of Israel, along with Messianic Jewish Believers. Many of these people are to be regarded as modern-day Ruths, whose loyalty to Messianic Judaism is steadfast to the point of dying with their Messianic Jewish brothers and sisters (Ruth 1:16-17). They have a distinct role to play, in provoking non-believing Jewish people to Messiah faith (Romans 11:11). More importantly, as Jewish and non-Jewish people come together in a special and unique unity, in Messiah Yeshua, they should be representing the “one new man/humanity” (Ephesians 2:15)—a testimony and snapshot of the greater redemption to come to the cosmos in the eschaton (Ephesians 1:10). -John McKee John and Judah discuss this vision in detail: Is the Messianic movement really the end-times move of God? Are there other reasons to serve in the Messianic movement besides eschatology? How and where the movement has diverged from the original vision of Jewish outreach, both good and bad. Is the Messianic movement a more authentic Christianity? Why the Messianic movement views assimilation differently than Christianity. (And how we know God doesn’t want Jews to disappear or lose their Jewishness.) The Ruth calling: the role of non-Jews in the Messianic movement We hope this episode will give some clarity around the movement’s purpose and calling, and how you, dear listener, may be called to serve in the Messianic Jewish movement.
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    1 hr and 32 mins
  • Messianic Jewish Problems with Hebrew Roots

    Messianic Jewish Problems with Hebrew Roots
    Dec 24 2020
    John and I tackle difficult issues separating Messianic Judaism and Hebrew Roots. For the uninitiated, the Messianic movement encompasses both Messianic Judaism and Hebrew Roots. In Messianic Judaism, the goal is Israel’s salvation by making a space where Jews can follow Yeshua as Messiah without losing their Jewish identity. In Hebrew Roots, the goal is a return to the Jewish roots of Christianity, removing the extra-Biblical cruft created by the Church over the last 2000 years. Go to most any Messianic congregation today, and you’re bound to find folks from both camps. These groups need each other, and yet, often there are theological disputes and disagreements that can prevent fellowship. In this podcast, John and I look at 4 major issues that the Messianic Judaism movement sees with Hebrew Roots, and offer some ways to navigate them: One-Law Rigidity – dogmatism around the idea that non-Jews must follow the Torah in the same way that Jews do Two-House identity – which claims many or most non-Jews in the Messianic movement are actually descendants of the lost 10 tribes of Israel Sacred Name Onlyism – the idea that you must pronounce God’s divine name, יהוה, and must never use circumlocutions like “Lord”, “God”, or even “Adonai” or “Elohim.” Divergent Calendars – Calendars that differ from the modern Jewish (Hillel II) calendar, resulting in dates of the Feasts differing from mainstream date. These 4 issues were raised by Rabbi David Schiller of Congregation Etz Chaim in Richardson, Texas, during an interview with John in an earlier podcast. In this episode, John and I talk about how to navigate these difficult issues — and have fellowship in the presence of disagreement — via a Big Tent kind of Messianic movement. Enjoy!
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    1 hr and 58 mins
  • The Winter Holidays

    The Winter Holidays
    Dec 4 2020
    “Christmas is pagan” “Christmas is anti-Jewish” “Christmas is Catholic” If you’re a Messianic believer, almost certainly you’ve heard these claims. Are they true? The Gospels record, Today in the city of David is born a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord. And the sign to you is this: You’ll find an infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger. And suddenly, a multitude of heavenly armies appeared with the angel, praise God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest! And shalom on earth and good will to men!” Luke 2 This Biblical event 2000 years ago changed the world forever. Today, it’s celebrated by billions of Christians around the world as Christmas. But many Messianic believers don’t celebrate Christmas. Some of us feel it’s un-Jewish to do so, especially given the existence of Hanukkah and its anti-assimilation themes. Some Messianics feel that Christmas is mere dressed up Catholicism, a view shared by some early Reformers. Some Messianics highlight pagan influences that have seeped in: Christmas trees, yuletide, and other “Christmas” symbols have more to do with Norse and Germanic mythology than the historical Jewish Messiah. In this new episode, Messianic apologist and author J.K. McKee and I discuss how Messianic people can navigate the winter holidays while avoiding some of the doom, gloom, and heresy hunting too prevalent in today’s Hebrew Roots movement. I argue we Messianic believers ought to have joy at this time of year. It’s OK to have joy that Messiah was born. It’s OK to have joy that billions of people are celebrating His birth, even if it’s not exactly on the right day. Tune in for a great discussion between John, who celebrates Hanukkah, and Judah, who celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas.
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    1 hr and 55 mins
  • The Messianic Movement: The End-Time Move of God

    The Messianic Movement: The End-Time Move of God
    Nov 18 2020
    In this episode, John and I discuss the the last days and the return of Messiah, and what perspectives we Messianics bring to the table. We tackle 5 questions pertaining to the last days and the Messianic movement: What our experience has been today in the Messianic movement when the topic of the last days is raised. Given how disruptive and uniquely difficult 2020 has been, the Lord’s return has been top of mind. How should Messianics think about the last days? With regard to the end-times, what does the Messianic perspective bring to the wider body of believers? What role will the Messianic and Hebrew Roots movement play in the the last days leading up to the return of Yeshua? What further studies and investigations need to take place in the Messianic movement regarding the last days? Here you’ll find a candid conversation about the last days and the Messianic movement. I expressed how I’ve personally been turned off to conversations about the end-times due to sensationalism, failed predictions, date-setting, and more. John shared his reservations as well. At the same time, we can’t simply punt and avoid the topic. The Lord wants us to have a joyful anticipation, an excitement even, knowing his return is imminent. John and I discuss all this and more in episode 5 of the The Messianic Walk. Enjoy, friends!
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    1 hr and 54 mins
  • Lawlessness vs Legalism

    Lawlessness vs Legalism
    Oct 30 2020
    Many churches in the Evangelical world spend a great deal of time condemning legalism: rigid adherence to Biblical laws and the man-made stringencies around them, observance by the letter and not by the Spirit, observance of Biblical laws to gain eternal life with God. But Yeshua’s words in the Gospels warn of a different issue: “Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. This Good News of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:12-14, Tree of Life Version While legalism has been and continues to be a problem among believers, especially Messianic believers, its opposite — lawlessness — pulls God’s people away from living godly, upstanding lives. In this new podcast episode, Judah and John discuss forms of legalism and lawlessness we’ve encountered in our Messianic faith, and how believers can walk a better path that avoids both extremes.
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    1 hr and 49 mins