Believers across denominations are asking deeper questions about Communion—the Eucharist. In this episode, we explore what Jesus meant when He instituted it at Passover, whether we receive His actual body and blood, and how the Church can faithfully recover God’s heart for the Table.
Yeshua: The Stumbling Block — Perspectives From an Israeli Messianic Jew
What happens when church history and Jewish heritage collide? In this compelling conversation with Dr. Jen Rosner, we explore the tension between Christian tradition and Jewish roots, confronting the flaws of early church councils while honoring the beauty and complexity of both faith traditions.
What happens when a Christian pastor sits down with two Orthodox rabbis from Israel to discuss faith, theology, and the future of the Jewish-Christian relationships? This powerful episode of Covenant and Conflict dives deep into one of the most pressing spiritual conversations of our time.
In today's episode we explore:
This isn’t just a theological discussion—it’s a call to seek truth with open hearts, to embrace our shared biblical foundations, and to foster genuine understanding in a divided world.
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LEARNING RESOURCES:
Getting Started - Israel 101: https://centerforisrael.com/getting-s...
Israel Prayer Guide: https://centerforisrael.com/israel-pr...
Perspective Papers: https://centerforisrael.com/papers
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Join David Blease and Preston Benjamin as they unpack the four types of seekers in the Jewish-Christian space—authenticity, conspiracy, curiosity, and identity—offering insight and practical guidance on leading people toward a deeper faith and avoiding many common pitfalls.
This video is a must-watch for anyone who feels led to the Jewish foundations of our faith.
In this episode of Covenant & Conflict, David Blease and Matthew Hernandez explore the transformative practice of the Sabbath, emphasizing its significance as a time for rest and connection with God and family. Matthew shares insights from his own journey, including meaningful traditions his family has embraced and flexible ways to incorporate Sabbath into busy lives. Join us to discover how this sacred practice can bring healing and awareness of God's presence into your everyday routine!
In this episode, David Blease sits down with Preston Benjamin, an expert in Messianic Jewish understanding with a Master's in Biblical Theology. Preston breaks down Acts 15, the historical roots of the Evangelical Church, and whether the Church should return to the Acts model. The early church faced a major challenge in integrating Gentile believers who wanted to follow the God of Israel, but were not commanded by God to adopt Jewish identity and practices. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the church decided that Gentiles could be adopted into the family of Abraham through faith in Jesus without needing to be circumcised or fully convert to Judaism.
This allowed the church to remain rooted in its Jewish foundations while welcoming Gentiles. The relationship between the church and Israel has often been complex and contentious throughout history, with the church sometimes falling into a theology of replacement or supersessionism.
However, there is a growing understanding that the church and Israel are not separate but instead represent the ongoing people of God, with both Jewish and Gentile believers having a vital role to play.
As the church seeks to reconnect with its biblical roots, it must do so in a way that honors the unique identity and calling of both Jewish and Gentile believers.
In this episode, Rosian Zerner, a Holocaust survivor, shares her harrowing story of witnessing the Nazis' invasion of her hometown in Lithuania and the horrors that followed.
She describes the atrocities committed by her Lithuanian neighbors, the deprivation and harsh conditions in the ghettos and concentration camps, and the bravery of those who risked their lives to help her escape.
Despite the trauma, Rosian rebuilt her life in the United States, raising a family and living to the age of 90. Her powerful testimony serves as a reminder of the importance of Holocaust education and of standing up against antisemitism and hatred in all its forms.
In this episode, Dr. David Rudolph and David Blease discuss the importance of understanding the Jewish foundation of the Christian faith and the need for a healthy relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers in Messiah.
They discuss topics such as:
* The danger of trying to integrate Jewish practices into the church without developing meaningful relationships with the Jewish community.
* The concept of the "one new man" in Ephesians 2, which refers to Jews and Gentiles coming together in Messiah as equal covenant partners, not as a new identity that erases their distinct Jewish and Gentile identities.
* There are two extremes to avoid - completely assimilating Jewish believers into Gentile Christian culture, or trying to compel all Gentile believers to adopt a Jewish lifestyle. The goal should be to embrace the unique callings of both Jewish and Gentile believers.
* Gentile Christians should seek to support and develop relationships with Messianic Jewish congregations, as well as with non-believing Jewish communities, to stand against antisemitism and walk in unity as the body of Messiah.
In this episode, we talk about the significance of Passover and its connection to the life and ministry of Jesus (Yeshua). We explore how Passover is a feast of revival, with historical examples of major revivals in the Old Testament associated with Passover. The discussion also delves into the symbolic elements of Passover, such as the bitter herbs, unleavened bread, and the four cups of wine, and how they foreshadow and point to Jesus as the fulfillment of Passover. Additionally, the conversation touches on the historical development of the Passover Seder ritual and how it relates to the Last Supper and the institution of communion.
The practical implications for Gentile Christians celebrating Passover are also discussed, emphasizing the importance of including Jewish believers and maintaining the distinction between the obligations of Jews and the invitation to Gentiles.
This episode explores the biblical and historical context around the relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers in Jesus. Nic and David from the Center For Israel discuss:
* The tendency among Christians to "supersede" or overlook the importance of God's covenantal relationship with the Jewish people in the biblical narrative
* The debate around whether Gentile believers should adopt Jewish practices and traditions
* The historical context of the decisions made at the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15, which exempted Gentiles from the requirement to follow Mosaic law while providing some guidelines for fellowship
* The importance of Gentile believers cultivating humility, relationship, and mutual interdependence with the Jewish community rather than attempting to replace or replicate Jewish identity and practices
Today, we talk with Dr. Jen Rosner, a Jewish follower of Yeshua (Jesus) and prolific author and professor. She explores the tensions and challenges she has faced in navigating her Jewish identity while following the Messiah and the importance of embracing them rather than seeking to resolve them entirely.
The discussion also highlights the need to honor the distinct identities of Jewish and Gentile believers in the Messiah and to avoid perpetuating a "two-class society" where Gentiles feel “less than.” The conversation emphasizes the richness that comes from diverse expressions of faith and the value of wrestling with difficult questions rather than seeking definitive answers. Let’s dive into a fantastic conversation full of incredible insights into the complexities of Jewish-Gentile relations within the Messianic movement.
In this episode, David talks with Kara Daniels about her experience on a trip to Europe that followed the path of the Holocaust, including stops in Germany, Prague, and Poland. The speaker shares how the trip transformed her perspective on the Jewish people, the Holocaust, and the Church's responsibility to understand and support the Jewish community.
Seeing these sights up close and with Jewish Educators who are children of Holocaust survivors provided a more concrete and personal understanding of the horrors of the Holocaust, moving from abstract knowledge to a more profound empathy.
In today’s episode, David Blease talks with Ryan Warren, who recounts his journey from hip-hop dancing to becoming a pastor and advocate for the Jewish community in Dallas, Texas. He shares how he developed deep friendships with Orthodox Jewish leaders and rabbis in the Dallas community, focusing on genuinely understanding their faith and identity.
Ryan emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the history of Christian persecution of Jewish people and the need for Christians to approach the Jewish community with humility, respect, and a desire to learn rather than emphasizing conversion (a term deeply offensive to many members of the Jewish community and misunderstood by many Christians.)
David and Ryan discuss how recent attacks on the Jewish community have impacted them and the Jewish people, and how Christians can respond by standing in solidarity with the Jewish community.
Ryan encourages Christians to listen, understand, and build unbreakable friendships with the Jewish community, rather than just proclaiming support for Israel or the Jewish people in abstract terms.
Rabbi Marty Waldman shares his personal journey of finding faith in Yeshua as a Jewish man, and how this led him to plant a Messianic Jewish congregation and later found the organization TJCII (Towards Jerusalem Council) to promote unity between Jews and Gentiles in the Body of Messiah. He describes profound supernatural experiences that drew him to Yeshua and the gradual process of integrating Jewish traditions and worship with his newfound faith. Waldman emphasizes the critical importance of unity between Jews and Gentiles, seeing it as a central calling and an anointed work of the Holy Spirit. He shares stories of how this unity has brought breakthrough and reconciliation, even in places of long-standing division.
David Blease interviews Nicole, who recounts the harrowing story of the terrorist attack on their community in Kibbutz Beri, Israel. Nicole's mother was m*rdered in the attack, and 102 people from the community were m*rdered in total. The terrorists took 51 h*stages, with only three possibly still alive. The community has been devastated, losing 10% of its population.
Despite this immense trauma, Nicole and Ido speak of their hope, faith, and desire to rebuild their community with the help of supporters worldwide. They emphasize the importance of living in peace, rejecting violence, and treating all people with dignity. They encourage listeners to pray for the hostages, support the rebuilding efforts, and stand in solidarity with the people of Israel.
In this episode, Petra Scott shares her journey of understanding the need for the Church to embrace its Jewish foundation and relationship with the Jewish community. Petra's journey began with resistance and skepticism toward the connection between Israel and the Church. She was later floored by the revelation of embracing the Jewish foundation of our faith.
The discussion covers concepts like interdependence, covenantal unity, and the Church's need to honor and respect its Jewish foundation. Genuinely embracing this understanding is not about changing the Church's mission but rather enhancing and aligning with God's heart for Israel and the one new man of Jew and Gentile. The speaker argues that without this revelation, the Church is missing a full understanding of the kingdom and the fulfillment of Jesus' prayer in John 17 for unity.
What is the name of the small stretch of controversial Middle Eastern land where 80% of the Bible took place? The ancient phrase "Judea and Samaria" or the more modern "West Bank?" And IF the Bible says God gave this land to the Jewish people, then why are Arab Palestinians the majority population - and certain Jewish Israeli settlements considered illegal?
Nic and David jump into these complicated waters to talk about the various perspectives surrounding this contentious geographical spot along the Israeli/Jordanian border. They touch on topics such as the birth of the nation of Israel, the Israeli political definition of "right" and "left," the relationships between Israeli Jews and Arabs, the necessity of prayer and action by believers, and what the Scriptural and prophetic outcomes could be for the land in the future.
Can revelation about the importance of Israel and the Jewish people radically change your understanding of, and relationship with God - even after 30 years as a Christian? Meet Charles Ikutiminu, originally from Nigeria, who now serves as Global Ministries Pastor (Africa) at Gateway Church. He enthusiastically shared with David Blease the spiritual and theological journey he and his wife began as they simply obeyed God's leading to pray daily for Israel.
Charles describes how this obedience to pray opened up a whole new perception about the relevance of the Hebrew Scripture, the fear of the Lord, and the character of the Father. Subsequent trips to Israel and Ethiopia influenced a profound paradigm shift in their pastoral ministry. This resulted in their rejection of antisemitic Replacement Theology (believing the Church had replaced Israel) and a full embrace of God's biblical priorities and heart for His Chosen People.
Ashlee, a friend of Gateway Center of Israel, joins David to discuss her personal experiences while employed as a nanny to an Orthodox Jewish family. Knowing zero about Jewish life before being hired, she shares how much she gleaned from observing this family’s adherence to their Kosher dietary laws, Sabbath observance, and religious lifestyle. Not only was her Christian faith enriched by the beauty of Jewish culture, but most importantly, a lifelong friendship was established between her and this family.
During their conversation, David and Ashlee emphasize why it is important for Christians to foster genuine relationships with Jewish people rather than just a fascination with Jewish customs or the land of Israel. While a solid understanding of the Church’s Jewish roots is good, they conclude that it is a far higher priority for Christians to be better friends and advocates for Israel & the Jewish people - particularly since the horrible October 7 attack that has resulted in increased global antisemitism.
