In the first century, Jewish believers in Jesus kept being Jewish. There was no conflict between their Jewish identity and their discipleship. Unfortunately, that changed, and for most of church history, Jewish followers of Jesus had to stop being Jewish. Today, many Jews are seeking God and are interested in Jesus, but they are not interested in giving up their Jewish identity. The solution is Messianic Judaism. Our guest today, First Fruits of Zion's Outreach Coordinator, and this very podcast's associate producer, Hope Egan, is here to share the story of how she found her spiritual home in Messianic Judaism, lost that home, and then found it again. We'll discuss ecclesiology, the food laws, and how to prevent an obsession with theology from derailing your personal walk with God.

👉 Key Discussion Points:

► Messianic Judaism Offers a Solution for Jewish Identity and Faith: Messianic Judaism beautifully shows that being Jewish and following Yeshua (Jesus) are not contradictory but deeply connected, just as they were in the first century. If you are a Jewish person seeking God, you can absolutely embrace Yeshua without giving up your rich heritage and identity.

► The Spiritual Journey: Finding Your Way Home: Hope Egan's story is an inspiring testament that your spiritual journey is rarely a straight line, and that's okay! Finding your spiritual "home" can sometimes involve a few detours, a period of feeling lost, and the courage to find it again.

► Theological Study: A Lifelong Adventure: Don't be discouraged if you feel like you never have all the answers. That's the best part! The exploration of profound truths is a continuous, exciting journey that offers endless opportunities for discovery. Embrace the questions you find with each study; they are the very things that invite you to keep learning.

► The Priority: A Personal Walk with God: While it's fascinating to dive deep into theological topics, remember the most essential relationship of all: your personal walk with God. Let your study and passion for theology enrich your relationship, but don’t let it become an obsession that distracts you from loving and walking with him. Keep your focus on your heart connection, and the rest will fall into place!

👉 Resources

HaYesod: The Foundation
Biblically Kosher

Articles
What Replaces Replacement Theology?

How the Gentile Church Lost the Jewish Kingdom

How misunderstanding one simple New Testament idea derailed the whole church.

Locating the New Testament Church within Judaism and the Jewish People

✡️ What is Messiah Podcast? ✝️

Messiah Podcast is a production of First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ), a Messianic Jewish education organization dedicated to reconciling disciples of Yeshua with

– Who is Messiah Podcast? –

Messiah Podcast is a production of First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ), a Messianic Jewish education organization dedicated to reconciling disciples of Yeshua with God's prophetic promises to Israel.

Messiah Podcast is made possible by the generosity of our First Fruits of Zion Friends. FFOZ Friends help advance our mission while gaining access to exclusive Messianic Jewish teachings and resources. If you want to partner with us in spreading the message of the kingdom to all nations, become an FFOZ Friend today.

The emergence of Messianic Judaism into the American cultural milieu in the 1960s and 70s brought with it a distinct genre of sacred music with roots in Ashkenazi klezmer and traditional Jewish liturgy. Since then, Messianic music has come into its own, having been influenced by a wide variety of genres from wherever the Jewish people have been dispersed. Our guest today, Dr. Greg Silverman, has recently released a documentary called Pioneers of Messianic Worship that chronicles the humble beginnings of this now iconic sound and gives us a hint as to what’s in store for its future.

👉 Key Discussion Points:

► The Emergence of Messianic Worship: As Messianic congregations formed in the 1960s and 1970s, the founders of modern Messianic Judaism desired to create worship centers that looked and felt more like synagogues than churches. To accomplish this objective, early pioneers like Stuart Dauermann began writing new songs with Ashkenazi, Klezmer, and “Fiddler on the Roof” sounds to resonate authentically with the Jewish people they were trying to reach.

► The Corporate, God-Centered Nature of Messianic Music: A defining characteristic of Messianic Jewish worship is its emphasis on the corporate (“we”) experience rather than the individualistic (“I”) experience common in contemporary Christian music. This focus on a communal experience as a people group mirrors the language found in traditional Jewish prayer.

► Traditional Hebrew Liturgies: Messianic music frequently incorporates ancient Hebrew liturgical prayers and melodies into songs. This reinforces the connection with the historical prayers of the Jewish people. The beauty and spiritual discipline of these liturgies—which are often verses from the Bible put in a specific order—are seen as a way to direct the heart and mind toward God’s truth, helping believers stay focused and internalize God’s oneness, mercy, and faithfulness.

► The Global Impact of Paul Wilbur and the Passing of the Baton: Paul Wilbur stands out as one of the first and most successful artists to connect the Jewish roots of the faith with a worldwide Christian audience. Behind the grand success is a humble, genuine, wholehearted worshiper. The next generation of artists, like Joshua Aaron and Misha Goetz, is taking up the baton and ensuring a future for Messianic worship.

👉 Resources

► Watch the Documentary: Pioneers of Messianic Worship is available on YouTube.

► Greg Silverman’s Ministry: Find music, videos, recordings, and information on training for worship leaders at the Greg Silverman Ministry Website.

► Sheet Music Resource: Worship leaders can find chord charts and sheet music for Messianic songs.

► Social Media: Follow Greg Silverman on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

► Liberated Wailing Wall Article

– Who is Messiah Podcast? –

Messiah Podcast is a production of First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ), a Messianic Jewish education organization dedicated to reconciling disciples of Yeshua with God's prophetic promises to Israel.

Messiah Podcast is made possible by the generosity of our First Fruits of Zion Friends. FFOZ Friends help advance our mission while gaining access to exclusive Messianic Jewish teachings and resources. If you want to partner with us in spreading the message of the kingdom to all nations, become an FFOZ Friend today.

Our tagline here at Messiah Podcast is “Jesus is Jewish, and that changes everything.” But what exactly do we mean by that? What changes specifically? Our guest today, Messianic Jewish Rabbi Damian Eisner, is here for a conversation about what the Jewish Jesus means for Christians and for Jews, and how this seemingly simple historical fact opens up the world of the Bible like never before.

👉 Key Discussion Points:

• The Messiah Podcast Tagline: The present-tense phrasing, “Jesus is Jewish,” is critical, drawing a parallel to Jesus’ use of the present tense when referring to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to prove the resurrection (Matthew 22). It’s a reminder that his Jewish identity is ongoing.
• The Torah and the Commandments: Messianic Judaism sees Jesus not as a voice of opposition against Judaism but as an ultimate Jewish rabbi and Torah teacher.
• Reading the New Testament: Realizing Jesus is Jewish changes how the New Testament is read, adding an essential historical and cultural Jewish context.
• Impact on the Jewish Community: Seeing Jesus as a Jew and a Torah-loving rabbi changes the Jewish perspective on him from being disqualified as Messiah to being a candidate.

👉 Resources

• Book Recommendation: Yeshua Matters by Jacob Fronczak
• Topics: Messianic Judaism, Jesus’ Jewish identity, Torah, Law of Moses, New Testament Context, Replacement Theology, Corporate Salvation, Rosh HaShanah.

– Who is Messiah Podcast? –

Messiah Podcast is a production of First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ), a Messianic Jewish education organization dedicated to reconciling disciples of Yeshua with God's prophetic promises to Israel.

Messiah Podcast is made possible by the generosity of our First Fruits of Zion Friends. FFOZ Friends help advance our mission while gaining access to exclusive Messianic Jewish teachings and resources. If you want to partner with us in spreading the message of the kingdom to all nations, become an FFOZ Friend today.