Subject: RESTORATION FOUNDATION joins HR Global Network Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 00:03:53 +0000 To: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
From: Eddie Chumney To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com Subject: RESTORATION FOUNDATION join the HR Global Network Dear Mishpachah (family): Our network continues to grow! We are pleased to announce that RESTORATION FOUNDATION had joined our GLOBAL network of ministries and in individuals who are studying the Hebraic roots of faith in Messiah. RESTORATION FOUNDATION The renewed interest in the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith is one of the greatest works that the Holy Spirit is producing in the church in this century. After being marred for nearly two millennia by Judaeophobia and anti-Semitism, Christianity is experiencing the beginnings of a revolution, as scholars, ministers, leaders, and laymen in virtually every denomination of the body of Christ are engaged in the quest to reclaim the church's Judaic heritage. This revolution is changing Christian thinking from the dualistic world view it inherited from the Greco-Roman mindset to the holistic world view of Judaism by which Jesus and the apostles lived and expressed their faith. It is a call to make the church more like its Jewish Lord. In order to promote and sustain this growing phenomenon of interest in Christianity's Jewish roots, RESTORATION FOUNDATION has been formed as an educational foundation to bring together and interdenominational network of leaders who are committed to this task. RESTORATION FOUNDATION is dedicated to the research, development, and implementation of the church's Judaic heritage. We are committed to studying and promoting the Hebrew foundations of Christian faith and the implications of these historical and theological truths, for the church's life and renewal, thereby fulfilling our vision: The "Restoration Foundation" was founded by Dr. John Garr. "Restoration Foundation" is an international, transdenominational, multi-ethnic, and interracial NETWORKING organization that serves as an educational resource to the Christian church. Dr. Garr's teaching ministry is unique in that it combines excellent scholarship with intense spirituality and personal integrity. An academiciam with a pastor's heart, he is able to contextualize biblical truths in terms that laypersons can understand. His teachings challenges believers to a faith that manifests a biblically sound, Christocentric lifestyle grounded in the Hebraic heritage of Jesus and the apostles. OUR LOST LEGACY (Christianity's Hebrew Heritage) Dr. Garr has written a book, "Our Lost Legacy: Christianity's Hebrew Heritage" The following is "Personal Reflections" from Dr. John Garr taken from his book. PERSONAL REFLECTIONS...from John Garr, Ph. D Taken from his book Our Lost Legacy: Presenting Vivid Images of Christianity's Heritage in the Hebrew Faith As you have seen in reading this book, there is much to be gained from understanding the Jewish scriptures, the Jewish law, and the Jewish faith (Romans 3: 1). With such an understanding one has an expanded awareness of the omniscience of God in authoring a plan of salvation for mankind that has been in operation since the creation of the world. One also gains a new appreciation for the continuity of the Holy Scriptures and of the work of God that has unfolded from generation to generation. And, one also acquires a more complete understanding of the nature of the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of the only begotten Son of God. I believe that among the great works which the Holy Spirit is bringing to pass in our generation are a revived commitment to the survival of the Jewish people and their religion and a revolutionary awakening of Christians of various communions to their heritage in biblical Judaism. This awareness is expanding in most, if not all, denominations of Christianity. It is a healthy sign of spiritual maturity when men are able to conquer their prejudices and traditions to recognize the roots from which their faith springs. And, it is a healthy sign of spiritual revival when such an awakening is taking place across denominational lines and throughout the world. As we gain a clearer insight into the inherent Jewishness of the gospel, we also receive a greater appreciation and love for those ancient people, his kinsmen according to the flesh, who have suffered such atrocities because of their dedication to the God of the Bible and who have defied all the laws of history to be preserved as a people and testify to the immutability of the Eternal God. Restoration of Christianity's Hebrew foundations is an expansive effort which touches on every area of Christian life and worship. Many scholars throughout the world are researching various aspects of this idea, documenting the historical correlation of Judaism, the faith of the Old Testament, and Christianity, the faith of the New Testament. It is my personal belief that such efforts as these will produce an appreciation for the Hebrew faith and will set the stage for the return of Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, to establish a kingdom patterned after biblical Judaism. We know from the scriptures that Jesus will rule from Jerusalem, Israel, and that various aspects of the religious system that pleases God will be required during the time of that kingdom (Isaiah 66; Zechariah 14). This is the reason for the formation of a new networking organization, Restoration Foundation. There are thousands of people throughout the world who share a common burden for Judaic restoration and the salvation of Israel. They are, however, fragmented and isolated, a fact which has kept their efforts minimized both in their own eyes and in the eyes of the world. It is time, however, for those whom God has given this burden to network together to share their burden, to share their ideas, to share their resources in the overall interest of impacting the entire Christian church with this message of restoration. For over thirty years, one of the major facets of my own intellectual and spiritual life has been an analysis of the Judaic heritage of the gospel of Jesus Christ. My early impetus for this abiding interest in Judaica as it relates to Christianity came from my education in the principles of divine immutability and the continuity of biblical religion from my mentor, the late Bishop Grady R. Kent. During these thirty years, I have studied and written extensively concerning various aspects of Judaeo-Christianity. This ministry of restoration has burned into my heart a vision to share the inherent Jewishness of the Christian faith with all believers throughout the world. In 1992, interactive dialogue with many leaders in the restoration ministry convinced me of the need for a vehicle to facilitate the actualization of this ministry. I began to envision a networking organization that would bring together biblical scholars, church leaders, and other persons interested in Judaic restoration in a forum free of denominational or other agendas to do research and development into the restoration of the Judaic heritage of the Christian church and to devise means of marketing this concept the Christian community. Thinking about this need over a period of time, I was inspired with the idea for Restoration Foundation. Restoration Foundation is a non-profit research and development educational foundation. The vision of Restoration Foundation is to promote the restoration of the Christian church to its Judaic heritage. The purpose of Restoration Foundation is to promote Christianity's return to the faith of Abraham perfected and extended to the entire world through Jesus the Messiah by researching the historical and theological understanding of the Hebrew foundations of the gospel of Jesus Christ, developing the concept. and its practical applications, and encouraging its implementation in the church. Restoration Foundation, by virtue of its basic nature and intention, is non-denominational and functions entirely apart from any denominational agenda. This is not to say that Restoration Foundation is anti-denominational. Indeed, it is transdenominational, an educational resource to the entire body of Christ in all of its communions. The integrity of the foundation is protected from either direct or indirect denominational or organizational influence or manipulation. It seeks to bring together leaders in the field of Judaic restoration to pool their resources for research, development, and marketing of this important part of the prophetic restoration ministry. A recent Gallup poll revealed that over forty percent of American Christians prefer not to be identified with any denomination. This represents a large constituency of believers that Restoration Foundation can enlist in support of such a worthy, spiritual and intellectual cause as Judaic restoration. At the same time, however, a fair and non-threatening relationship with established denominations and existing power structures can enlist already organized support for the overarching goals of Restoration Foundation for bringing the Chfistian community to an understanding of its biblical heritage. The first practic of Restoration Foundation is the development and maintenance of a network of individuals, ministries, and organizations that share a common interest in promoting Christianity's Judaic heritage. It is designed to provide a vehicle; for interfaith and inter-organizational fellowship, dialogue, and cooperation. It establishes retreat forums to provide intense and interactive, Bible study, private and corporate prayer, personal interaction and fellowship, and think-tank sessions that promote creative thinking, idea exchange, and concept testing among peers in a non-threatening atmosphere free from hidden agendas and denominational/ organizational objectives. This forum has been and will continue to be one of the most important pairs of the Restoration Foundation agenda. It fulfills another of my longstanding ambitions to bring leaders together in a spirit of true ecumenism. That is not just a spirit of unity but a unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3). It is an irrefutable biblical axiom that "in the multitude of counsellors is safety" (Proverbs 24:6). When leaders come together in mutual submission, they can function in a team relationship that is patterned after the Judaic model that Jesus espoused among his disciples (Matthew 20:25). Team management and servant leadership are the guiding principles for the oversight and operation of Restoration Foundation. Restoration Foundation also focuses on a very vital aspect of Judaic restoration - the marketing of this concept to a Christian church whose traditional Judaeophobia, causes it to be biased against Judaism and the Jewish people and to be predisposed not to receive this message. In this effort we focus the attention of experienced scholars and ministers on the evaluation of terminology, methodology, and attitudes for their effect on the potential acceptance by the church of its inherent Jewishness. The foundat ion is careful that its language communicates truths in a way that does not alienate those who have not yet gained an appreciation for their Judaic heritage. To assist scholars and researchers in the quest for greater understanding of Judaism's influence on the origins of Christianity, Restoration Foundation is creating and will maintain a resource center that makes available to members, scholars, and Christian leaders books, periodical articles, and audio-video presentations that analyze Christianity's Judaic heritage. There is simply a wealth of material that has been developed by many researchers and authors on various aspects of the interrelationship of Judaism and Christianity. It is important that these resources be gathered and made available to leaders in the body of Christ. Restoration Foundation promotes, organizes, and produces seminars and other teaching forums for instruction in Judaism's legacy to the Christian church. Many of its constituent members have their own teaching ministries, the effect of which Restoration Foundation merely seeks to augment and promote. There is room in the field of this ministry for many specialists, each of whom can make invaluable contributions to the overall understanding of the Christian church and its constituent congregations and ministries. Restoration Foundation promotes each of these worthy ministries without influencing their individual structural integrity. While it may be possible that some ministries will desire to work collaboratively and corporately within the Restoration Foundation structure, the assimilation of other ministries is not its designed purpose. It does not seek to control its members, nor does it attempt to establish an orthodoxy. While the foundation maintains certain central theological non-negotiables, it does not seek to establish orthodoxy in peripheral matters. Instead, it promotes the Judaic concept of unity in diversity in contrast with the traditional Christian concept of unity through uniformity which has produced nothing but division. Development, production, and marketing of materials for educating families in the Judaeo-Christian faith as it is confirmed in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the Apostolic Writings are a featured and important part of Restoration Foundation. Works that constituent members of the foundation are doing in this area of ministry are promoted by the foundation. It is my personal opinion that the most readily accessible channel for conveying the understanding of Christianity's Jewishness is through emphasis of the family heritage of Judaism. When it is demonstrated that Judaic principles strengthen the family, the millions of people who are hungry for restored family relationships will be open to receive additional truths conceming the Judaic heritage and Christian faith. Through its Golden Key Publishers, Restoration Foundation seeks to publish books and other materials and to produce audio and video presentations of seminars and other instructional and promotional materials that facilitate understanding of the interrelationship of Christianity and Judaism. Restoration Foundation also publishes Restore! magazine, a high quality journal that is helping Christians around the world recover the Hebrew foundations of their faith. The name Restore! is an imperative to all believers in the Christian church, for everyone must restore the Jewish roots of his faith. We believe that if restoration is a sign of the coming of Jesus, then God's imperative to the church is, "Restore!" Restore! presents theologically sound, methodologically practical teachings on the church's Judaic heritage. An important underlying work of Restoration Foundation is its use of every means possible, including prayer, education, and promotion, to eradicate Judaeophobia and anti-Semitism from the entire Christian church and from the world at large. As the church comes to understand its rightful inheritance in biblical Judaism, it will repent of its historical and traditional anti-Judaism and outright anti-Semitism and will turn to the Jewish people with mercy, affirmation, and love for Israel. In aid of this effort Restoration Foundation works to minister love, commitment, and assistance to the nation of Israel and to all Jewish people. It seeks to create opportunities for interfaith dialogue with leaders of Judaism throughout the world. It promotes the input of Judaism's rich heritage into the Christian church by the spiritual leaders of the Jewish community. It also seeks to communicate greater understanding to the Jewish community of the Christian belief in Jesus as Messiah and Lord. My vision for Restoration Foundation is admittedly expansive; however, I believe it is biblically based and serves a function that is demanded of prophecy. With the help of countless others who will want to enlist in such a biblical cause, I pray that Restoration Foundation will be empowered to take the message of Judaic restoration into the entire Christian community worldwide so that the body of Christ can be prepared to receive the returning Jewish Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ. We invite your comments, criticism, and advice. We also trust that you will want to join Restoration Foundation as a Golden Key Partner. Let us hear from you! John D. Garr, Ph.D. A couple of weeks ago, I read this book. I also consider this book a MUST reading book and it presents the balance of faith in Messiah and embracing our Hebraic roots. In this book, Dr. Garr does an outstanding job of teaching and examining the roots of our faith in the scriptures from a Hebraic perspective. The book is 240 pages and can be ordered from HaY'Did Ministries (shalom@haydid.org) or directly from the Restoration Foundation itself. If you want to order and read this book, please contact Cheryle (shalom@haydid.org) and she will give you all the information on the cost and how you can order this book from her or Restoration Foundation. RESTORE! MAGAZINE RESTORE! is the official publication of Restoration Foundation, a networking organization founded in 1993 by various leaders in the movement promoting the restoration of the church's Judaic heritage. We are convinced that God is doing a great work throughout the world, birthing in the hearts of thousands of believers a determination to restore the Hebrew foundations of their faith. With the publication of RESTORE! we hope to facilitate, promote, and sustain this growing phenomenon. In this magazine, you will find informative and provocative articles by some of the leading thinkers and promoters of Jewish roots restoration, people from a wide spectrum of denominational backgrounds and callings. The fact that they have been brought together in the interest of promoting Judaeo-Christianity is a testimony to the unifying power of the Holy Spirit. Consider these spiritually and intellectually challenging articles: "A Four-fold Prophetic Reconciliation" by Dr. Howard Morgan gives a broad overview of the far-reaching implications of the restoration concept. "Restoring the Home as the Center for Spiritual Growth" by Dr. Karl Coke provides challenging insights into the Judaic model for the home. "Bringing Back the Ark--A Biblical Networking Paradigm" is my personal philosophy of interactive leadership that follows the Biblical model of servanthood. "The Contour of Hebrew Thought" by Dr. Marvin Wilson gives a basic understanding of the frame work and dynamics of the Biblical thinking which every Christian should seek to employ in his relationship with God and with his fellow man. "We Are You, and You Are We" is Rev. Leon Mohammed's penetrating evaluation of Biblical teaching on the oneness of the human race. "Restoration Theology-What Kind of Revolution Will It Be?" is Rev. Isaac Rottenberg's critical analysis of potential directions for restoration theology. "Judaism - A Basic For Christian Unity" by Frederick Schweitzer offers a penetrating study on the lessons that Christians can learn from Judaic principles of unity. "Surprised by Grace" is Dwight Pryor's enlightening interpretation of the parable of the prodigal son in the light of Hebrew culture. In "Restoring the Integrity of the English Text" Dr. Brutrus Abd-al-Malik shows us how his translation of scripture into Arabic has improved our English translations. "Light To The Nations" is Rabbi Chaim Richman's vision for sharing Jewish teaching with Christians throughout. "Halachah, Walking With God" by Dr. Clifford Denton gives a basic understanding of the relationship between faith and action, a subject which has been too often misunderstood in Christianity. Consider all of our features: there is literally something for everyone! We trust that you will want to share RESTORE! with your friends. It can serve both as a reinforcement of Biblically-sound teaching to those who understand Christianity's Jewish roots as well as an introduction to those who have not yet considered the implications of these historical and theological truths. We are working to expand the network of believers who share a common interest in the church's Judaic heritage. We have found that there are many throughout the world who, like Elijah, are isolated and think they are the only ones who have a vision for restoration. As we discover their whereabouts, we are saying to all of these persevering believers the same word that God spoke to Elijah: there are thousands, perhaps millions of people who share their vision. Please send us any information that you may have about others whom God has called to promote the work of restoration. We will contact them and share the good news! RESTORE! is committed to the promotion of (1) ministries that are calling the church back to its Jewish roots, (2) organizations and individuals that are encouraging prayer and support for Israel and for the Jewish people internationally, (3) efforts that are exposing anti-Semitism and encouraging its eradication, (4) programs that are making practical efforts at achieving true Christian unity, (5) movements that are facilitating Jewish-Christian dialogue, (6) works that are dispelling Judaeophobia from Christian hearts and fellowships, and (7) scholars who are researching the historical and theological emergence of Christianity from the matrix of Judaism. We invite you to join us in the expanding RESTORATION FOUNDATION network. Our organization is void of parochialism, elitism, and exclusivity. We affirm the brotherhood of all believers in Messiah and the commonality of our mutual heritage in Judaism. Our focus is networking, connecting people with people and people with information. What God has given us we share willingly and freely. Please let us know how we can serve you. Now enjoy! RESTORE! Magazine is a quarterly magazine. The normal subscription cost for one year is $25. However, by being a member of our network, you can subscribe to this magazine for a 20% saving or $20 per year. You can get a subscription to this magazine by going to: http://www.restorationfoundation.org/restsub.htm RESTORE! MAGAZINE (Free Trial Issue) If you would like a FREE trial issue of Restore Magazine, please fill out the Restoration Foundation Guestbook located at: http://www.restorationfoundation.org/guestbook.htm We welcome "Restoration Foundation" to our GLOBAL network of ministries who are teaching the Hebraic roots of faith in Messiah. Eddie Chumney Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int'l ************************************************************************