Dear Jewish Friend, There Are Christians Who Love You

Dear Jewish Friend,

When I first became a believer, I hated the idea of church. I had a deep mistrust toward and dislike of Christians because of a few experiences. I saw church as a fake, overly emotional place full of people who I did not understand and could never be a part of.

Judaism was my heart and my home. While I loved God and knew Yeshua as the Messiah, I had no plans to ever step foot in a church. My plan was to worship Him in my house for the rest of my life.

I didn't see church as a place I would ever have a place or feel accepted. I loved Chabad and was active in the Jewish community. I looked forward to raising my children in the Jewish community: a place they would be loved and always feel at home.

But only weeks after putting my faith in Yeshua, I felt God calling me to find a congregation. It was not easy, but today I can say I am home.

To the Jewish person who believes church could never be for them: there are Christians who will love you. Real love. Not the love of wanting a token Jew in their congregation or life. Not the love of wanting a blessing from being nice to you. Not "well, if you accept Jesus, we'll love you" love.

But the real love of caring for a child of God who is making their way after finding the Messiah.

Most Jewish people are a little wary of Christians. We know of the persecution and the forced conversions from years ago. We've read the Instagram comments calling us "Christ killers" "imposters" and worse.

Most Jewish people wonder how they would be received in church if they came to faith. Would they be looked down on? Hated? Seen with suspicion? Or tokenized? Asked to represent the entire Jewish world?

When I first came to faith in Yeshua, I did not feel like I was part of the church. Logically, I knew my faith in Yeshua made me part of His "body" as the Bible describes it. But my spiritual and emotional home had been synagogue and the Jewish community only. That's was my heart's only home.

Church felt foreign and wrong. If I'm being honest, I struggled for many years to feel at home in church, but throughout that time, God would send me individuals who loved me and who loved my family.

Throughout that time, I would keep hearing in my spirit, "In my Father's house, there's a place for me."

As a Jew who is on the inside of the church, I can tell you that there is a place for you here. It might not always be easy or comfortable at first. You may meet the occasional strange person or individual with strange doctrine. You may meet a hostile person, just like you can anywhere else. The church isn't a place of perfect people. It's a place full of people doing their best to follow the Messiah. Some have been at it for awhile. Some are new.

Just as there are people who infiltrate Jewish spaces with malevolent intent, Yeshua talked about "wolves in sheep's clothing" trying to infiltrate His (Mattityahu 7:15).

The first church you go to may not be right for you. Synagogues within the same branch of Judaism tend to all be the same. The order of service, beliefs, and practices are all the same every time. You know what to expect no matter what city you're in.

Every single church is different. Much of how a church operates depends on the pastor. Every church has its own "flavor" but when it is led by the Holy Spirit, it will feel familiar.

To a Jewish person used to a type of order and being able to predict what will happen next, this can sound scary and too wild, but let God guide you. Read the book of Acts to see what early congregations looked like and how they operated.

It is a beautiful thing to be in a community of people who honor Jesus as the Messiah and where the Holy Spirit, the Ruach HaKodesh moves freely. God has a plan for you within the body (that is how the Bible refers to the church). You need to be a part of it.

Do your research. Meet with the Pastor. Pray about it. But don't give up on the idea of church and being family with Christians.

I know you may be fighting your own battles. Oftentimes, your faith is new and you're dealing with family issues and friend issues as you make your way from one foundation of faith to another.

It's no small thing for a Jewish person to go to accept the Messiah and go to church in the eyes of our community. Your life changes dramatically. Your dream of raising children who move seamlessly in the Jewish community is gone to a certain extent. You're different now.

In Yochanan (John) 9:35, a man Yeshua healed from blindness is kicked out of the synagogue. Yeshua Himself knows what it is to face rejection and isolation. I won't soon forget the pain of knowing I'd never fully be in Chabad the same way again.

While I am still part of the Jewish community and find that these days, messianic Jews are accepted more and more (especially in light of worldwide antisemitism), there is a feeling of being on the outside because my fundamental beliefs about God have changed. I have a Messiah that is not crowned in our community.

You need a community who believes what you do.

So don't be afraid of church. You will find people who carry the love of Jesus in such a tangible way that you will know you are home.

Keep your eyes on the Messiah. Keep yourself in the Word of God and you'll see that you aren't alone. The Apostle Sha'ul, Paul, had a difficult time with the Jewish community and even amongst believers- both Christian and Jewish believers- at times, but he stayed focused on his mission for God.

You have a mission, too.

You are living fulfillment of what Yeshua came to do: be the Messiah for Israel. He came for the world, but His first stop was home. He is your home.

"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden." Mattityahu (Matthew) 5:14

Don't give up.

There are people who will love, guide, help, and be your family. You will make Christian friends who feel like family. Stick around to find out. There are Christians who love you. You will love them, too.

"And lo, I will be with you always, even unto the end of the age." Mattityahu (Matthew) 28:20

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