• What JGIG Is:

    Joyfully Growing In Grace engages in an examination of beliefs found in the Hebrew Roots Movement, Messianic Judaism, and Netzarim streams of thought and related sects.

    The term “Messianic” is generally understood to describe Jews who have come to believe in Yeshua/Jesus as their Messiah. Jews who are believers in Jesus/Yeshua typically call themselves Jewish/Hebrew Christians or simply, Christians.

    Many Christians meet folks who say they are ‘Messianic’ and assume that those folks are Jewish Christians. Most aren’t Jewish at all, but are Gentile Christians who have chosen to pursue Torah observance and have adopted the Messianic term, calling themselves Messianic Christians, adherents to Messianic Judaism, or simply, Messianics. Some will even try to avoid that label and say that they are followers of "The Way".

    These Gentiles (and to be fair, some Messianic Jews) preach Torah observance/pursuance for Christians, persuading many believers that the Christianity of the Bible is a false religion and that we must return to the faith of the first century sect of Judaism that they say Yeshua (Jesus Christ) embraced. According to them, once you become aware that you should be 'keeping' the edicts and regulations of Mosaic Covenant Law, if you do not, you are then in willful disobedience to God.

    It has been my observation that Christians who adopt the label of Messianic identify more with the tenets of Judaism than they do with the tenets of Christianity. Many reject the label of Christian altogether and some eventually even convert to Judaism.

    1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 says, "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil."

    Joyfully Growing in Grace examines the methods, claims, and fruits of the Hebrew Roots Movement, Messianic Judaism, and Netzarim streams of thought and related, law-keeping sects.

    To borrow from a Forrest Gump quote, “Law ‘keepers’ are like a box of chocolates - ya never know what you’re gonna get!” The goal of JGIG is to be a resource to help those affected by the Torah pursuant movements to try and sort out what they’re dealing with. Make use of the tabs with drop-down menus found at the top of this site – there’s tons of info there, and it’s very navigable.

    Be sure to click on the many embedded links within the posts here - there's lots of additional and related information for you to access that way, as well.

    Welcome, and may God grant you wisdom and discernment as you consider all of these things.

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  • Broken Links – UGH

    Do you find it frustrating when you’re directed to a link that does not exist? Me too! My apologies for any broken links you may find here.

    JGIG occasionally links to to sites that sometimes change hosting sites or remove content, forums that periodically cull threads, sites/posters that appear to ‘scrub’ content from their sites (or YouTube posts, pdf files, etc.) when that content receives negative attention, and others that over time simply cease to exist.

    Please let me know via the ‘Contact JGIG’ drop-down menu item under the ‘About’ tab at the top of this page if you come across a link that is broken so that I can try to repair or remove it. Please include the name of the post/article where you found the broken link as well as the link itself. You may be able to find content specified by doing a search and viewing a relocated or cached page/post/video.

    Thanks,
    – JGIG

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Teaching, Apologetics, and Discernment, Study Tools, History, and Ministries

These links are resources that I’ve found to be helpful over time.  Do I agree with everything on every site and by every author or with every ministry?  No.  But I have found that the value found in the following sites outweighs any disagreements I may have with them.   As with anything, dear reader, read with discernment!   Listed alphabetically.

Teaching, Apologetics, and Discernment

  • Apologetics Index  –  Interesting resource, lots of info if you can weed through the ads.
  • About The Way International  –  Like those from the Worldwide Church of God (Armstrongism), teachers and teachings from The Way International have made their way into the Hebrew Roots Movement.  Some would even say TWI has had a foundational influence on the HRM with teachers such as Michael Rood.  Site contains articles, history, and links.  Will also post in the Articles section.
  • BasicGospel.net – BasicGospel.net  was birthed out of Real Answers Radio program started originally by Bob George.  After Bob George’s stroke, Bob Christopher, Bob Davis, and Richard Peifer have done a good job of continuing on with solid teaching.
  • Bob George – Excellent site with lots of teaching resources.  Emphasis on Old/New Covenant issues.  Highly Recommended.
  • Center for Scientific Creation  –  Interesting . . .
  • ChristianAnswers.net – Lots of general info, good movie review section.
  • Christ In You Ministries  –  In-depth studies on a wide variety of subjects.
  • Escape To Reality – EXCELLENT teaching site in blog form – the Gospel of Grace ‘full-preach’.  Highly Recommended.
  • Exit Support Network  –  Many doctrines found in the Hebrew Roots Movement/Law ‘keeping’ sects come straight from the Worldwide Church of God, aka ‘Armstrongism’.  While the Hebrew Roots/Messianic style and structure vary from the WCG,  you will find familiar issues addressed at Exit Support Network’s ministry website.  Highly recommended.  Will also post in the Articles section, with links to specific related articles.
  • Field Guide to the Wide World of Religion – From a former WCG member.  Much solid info, but please do read with discernment.
  • Former Adventists Fellowship “A place for you to fellowship and study with others who have discovered that Jesus is their true Sabbath Rest.”   Many doctrines found in the HRM have also been drawn from SDA doctrines.  Excellent resource.  Highly Recommended.
  • Good News for LDS  –  A good resource for those of you who are LDS or have family/friends that are LDS.  I include this link here because there are some similarities in LDS doctrine and HRM doctrine.
  • Let Us Reason Ministries  –  A wealth of information.
  • Lighting The Way Int’l – Articles  –  Apologetics and Discernment site brought to you by one engaging real people via street ministries all over the world.
  • Living God Ministries  –  Perspective and teaching from a Jewish Christian.  Emphasis on Old/New Covenant issues.  Highly Recommended.
  • MinistryWatch.com  –  Where do the dollars that people give to specific ministries go?
  • New Covenant Institute – Radio archives from Aaron Budjen (Living God Ministries above).  Highly Recommended.
  • Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic Association – Perspective from one who formerly adhered to many Law keeping doctrines.  You can find resources here with a good refutation of Hislop’s ‘The Two Babylons’ and related issues.
  • Recovering Grace – A Gothard generation sheds light on the teachings of IBLP and ATI
  • Seek God Website  –  Please note that I’m not fond of the author’s “exposé style” and tendency to find fault with so many across the board.  That said, the author does offer a lot of very well-researched information unavailable anywhere else regarding the HRM.  Therefore I do find value in referring you, the reader, to the information regarding the HRM at the following site with the aforementioned caveat.
  • TruthOrFiction.com  –  Evaluate that latest fantastic story/earnest plea you just got in your email.
  • UK Apologetics  –  EXTENSIVE apologetics website.  Really well done.
  • Under Much Grace Blog   –  “Resources for Recovery  from Spiritual Abuse”  Emphases on controlling spiritual groups, hyper-patriarchy in the homeschooling community, and other controlling groups.  Excellent resource.
  • VIDEO – “Super Final Debunking” *new* by Chris White – A nuts-and-bolts approach to what it is to refute false teaching, what Scripture has to say about it, and some practical tips for research and distribution of that research.
  • The Watchman’s Bagpipes – Newsreel style discernment blog with lots of links for further investigation.

Study Tools

History

  • Ante-Nicene Fathers Writings of the early Church fathers from the beginning of Christianity to the time of the creation of the Nicene Creed. Includes Polycarp, Tertullian, Julius Africanus, Ignatius, Origen, Clement and more.
  • Bible World History  –  Bible Timelines.
  • Early Church Fathers  –   Early church fathers and apologists of the first and second centuries.  The writers known as the church fathers represent the ancient orthodox church as opposed to other elements of ancient Christianity such as Gnosticism.
  • Early Church History  –  Simple timeline – first four centuries.
  • Foxe’s Book of Martyrs  –  The Classic.
  • Nicene Fathers – Writings of the Church fathers around the time of the Council of Nicaea. Includes Confessions of St. Augustine, City of God, Homilies on John, Homilies on Hebrews and more.
  • Post-Nicene Fathers – Writings of the Church fathers after the Council of Nicaea. Includes Jerome, Cyril of Jerusalem, Basil, Ambrose, Hilary of Poiters, The Seven Ecumenical Councils and more.
  • The Hall of Church History  –  “Theology From a Bunch of Dead Guys”
  • The Works of Flavius Josephus  –  A 1st-century Jewish Historian.

Ministries

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Good Links

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A clear presentation of the Gospel can be found HERE.  For more resources regarding the Hebrew Roots/Messianic movements see the Post Index and the Articles Page.  General study helps, discernment, and apologetics sites can be found HERE.  Good, foundational studies with a special emphasis on Old Covenant/New Covenant Truths can be found HERE.  Be sure to check out the Testimonies Page, as well.   Make use of the tabs with drop-down menus found at the top of this site – there’s tons of info there, and it’s very navigable.

Other articles of interest:

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5 Responses

  1. Love your blog, Wendy.

  2. You state: “These Gentiles (and to be fair, some Messianic Jews) preach Torah observance/pursuance for Christians, persuading many believers that the Christianity of the Bible is a false religion and that we must return to the faith of the first century sect of Judaism that they say Yeshua (Jesus Christ) embraced. ”

    I have to take issue with you in regards to the “Christianity of the Bible” bit. Where do you find the disciples forsaking the 7th Day Sabbath, forsaking the Feast’s of YHWH (and exchanging them for pagan-based ones), eating “swine’s flesh”, etc.?

    None of these examples can be found in the Bible, so how can you infer that “the Christianity” that you espouse is from the Bible!?!

    • Hi Michael,

      Welcome to JGIG. So that the reader is not confused, Michael took the above quote from the left sidebar text under “What JGIG Is”. That sidebar and the right sidebar, “What JGIG Is Not”, appear on every page here at JGIG.

      That said, your question was, ” Where do you find the disciples forsaking the 7th Day Sabbath, forsaking the Feast’s of YHWH (and exchanging them for pagan-based ones), eating “swine’s flesh”, etc.?”

      Well, where do you see them adhering to such practices? Paul, in particular, was gone on missionary journeys for great lengths of time and could not go to Jerusalem at the appointed times. He regularly ministered to Gentiles, so it’s reasonable to assume that he was served meats considered unclean by Mosaic Covenant Law standards. Did he actually eat them? We can’t say for sure, but based on what Paul taught the Jews and Gentiles in Romans 14, it’s a pretty good guess that he did.

      The Christianity of the Bible portrays liberty in such matters. It is in there . . . just read it through without your Hebrew Roots glasses on =o).

      Blessings,
      -JGIG

  3. You might want to add the http://www.truthorfables.com website to your list, or at least the online book, “Lying for God” that deals with the sabbath issue primarily within the SDA and also the Armstrongite offshoots.

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