Ever since I was a small child growing up in a Jewish home in Bethesda, MD, I remember having a hunger inside to really know the truth about Jesus Christ. My family was more “culturally” Jewish than religious. We went to synagogue on the High Holidays. My parents did send me to school in the synagogue, and I was confirmed (not Bat Mitzvah’d) at the age of sixteen.

While growing up my parents allowed me to occasionally go with friends to Vacation Bible School and Pioneer Girl events at their churches. I remember helping neighbors decorate their Christmas trees, and I remember a feeling of sadness that we did not have this in our home. My father used to say to us: “Jesus was a good man, and if the world would live by His teachings it would be a wonderful place – but, He wasn’t who He said He was.”

This confused me throughout the years because it was a contradiction in terms. A good man….but he wasn’t who He said He was? That meant that he was a good man, but a liar? This is what sent me on my quest to find out the truth about this “man” who completely changed history.

In synagogue, during class, I would raise my hand, and when called on, I would ask, “Who is Jesus?” The teacher would be more than a little annoyed at me. She would say, “Shhh…we don’t talk about Him! We are Jewish!” I remember getting my first Bible in the synagogue at confirmation. Obviously, it was only the Old Testament. I would read it at night in bed…I didn’t understand it, but somehow it made me feel warm and happy just holding it.

I grew-up, got married and had children. I kept having this gnawing feeling inside that I wasn’t “right” with God, and that I really didn’t know how to raise my kids the right way. I wanted to be a godly woman – I didn’t know exactly what that meant, but I did want to be a really good mom. I decided that the Catholic Church was where I needed to go to find God. A VERY old priest who began Catholic instruction with me, did not remember me week to week! He would say, “Have we met?” I think that he was a bit senile. 🙂

I just wasn’t feeling that I was going to have my questions answered in the Catholic Church, so I quit going.

A couple of years later there was a tragedy in my family; a woman I was very close to committed suicide. I lived in a high rise apartment building when this happened. In the hallway, a couple came up to me and introduced themselves. They told me they had heard what happened and how sorry they were. They said that they would like to help us during the funeral. They wanted to make food for us and also offered to watch the kids during the funeral. I didn’t know this, but they were Christians.

After the funeral, I was so upset with God. I remember walking up and down many flights of stairs—yelling at God….asking Him how He could let this happen. The Christian couple were making us dinner and planned to bring it over. I was crying so much, and really didn’t want company, so I decided to knock at their door to get the meal. When I went in, I began to cry like a child.

Everything came pouring out of my heart. John (the husband), sat me down. He began to tell me about Jesus. He told me about His love for me. He told me about salvation. It was miraculous, because everything was so clear! I told him I wanted Jesus to live in my heart. I told him that I was ready to repent of my sins and follow Jesus as my Lord and my Savior. John led me in prayer that night to my glorious Messiah Yeshua!

I had searched for God for many years… He came to me that night—a night that stands alone in my memory—forever. My rebirth date was January 2, 1983.

I had never really appreciated being a Jew until I met Yeshua on that incredible night. I lost most of my family when they found out about my believing in Jesus. But the Lord allowed me to lead my dad to Him on the night of his death. I have another article about that amazing night, and also a miracle in my mom’s life as well. I will post that piece another time.

Praise Yeshua! He knew that my heart hungered to know Him. His faithfulness is beyond our comprehension. I cannot imagine life without Him!

Shalom b’Yeshua

MARANATHA!

^“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables”   (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

There were hundreds of signatories attached to the Yale response, so I saved the list as a PDF in order to search for names and denominations and colleges. I was not surprised when I saw Rick Warren’s signature. The list was filled with mainstream churches who teach heresy. Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist, Church of Christ, Episcopalian where among the churches represented.

Yale’s response to Muslim clerics with signatories:

A Common Word From Yale Center for Faith and Culture (with signatories)

I came across another name, unfamiliar to me, from a Baptist church. It was Pastor Jim Somerville, and had his church listed as First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C. I called this church and was told that Pastor Somerville had moved to a new church in Richmond, VA – FBC of Richmond.

I found the website of this church and I left a message with Pastor Somerville. He called me back and I told him that I had found his signature on the Yale document. His tone changed, and I realized that this man was not happy about my call. I asked him if he thought that the God of the Bible was the same as Allah. He told me unapologetically, that he believes and teaches that they are one and the same; that the Muslims simply see him through the lens of the Qur’an.

Read my article from 2015:

Jesus Is Not Isa From the Qur’an

I began to attempt to show him that our God and Allah are NOT the same. I had Scripture ready and verses from the Qur’an which clearly showed that God and Allah are two separate entities. The pastor became enraged, and told me not to lecture him! I asked one more time if he would allow me to share Scripture. That made him angrier and he was raising his voice in a rage. I then told him that I could not stay on the phone with him if he was going to yell. I said “God bless you” and I hung up.

I found Jim Somerville’s Facebook page and began to look at his posts. In one post, he shared with his friends that he was part of a network of pastors who had put together a website for sermons – mainly for shut-ins and people who did not have a church home. It is called “asermonforeverysunday.com”.  This “ministry” is not only ecumenical (Catholic priests) but also has false teachers from the Emerging church.

Jim Somerville introducing Catholic priest on sermonforeverysunday.com

I have prayed so much for this man to be exposed to his congregation. Perhaps there are some in his church who are like minded. But I have a feeling that most of the people are unaware that their pastor is so far away from sound doctrine from the Word of God. He is a false teacher.

I was told by a member of the SBC that each Baptist church is autonomous. He also said that if a church is known to be deviating from Baptist doctrine, then the SBC can choose to no longer list them as a member. I wonder if they will still accept their  money?

What the SBC really states about the autonomy of all of its churches:

From sbc.net

Question:

I believe our pastor (or my church) has acted inappropriately. What can the SBC do about it?

Answer:

“Since each local Baptist church is autonomous, the Convention has no authority to monitor or investigate the actions within that church or allegations against its pastor or any member of the church. The proper governing body to exercise discipline over any Southern Baptist is the congregation of which that Southern Baptist is a member, whether the person is the pastor of the church or any other member of the church. The SBC is not a church and has no authority to renounce, censure, investigate, or otherwise attempt to discipline members of any local church.

When a church chooses to cooperate with the SBC, it does not surrender any of its local autonomy. The SBC merely exists to serve as a collaborative ministry partner with all cooperating Baptist churches for the fulfillment of specific ministry initiatives. These ministries are outlined in forty-two ministry statements assigned to eleven convention entities, the SBC Executive Committee, and Woman’s Missionary Union. When a church indicates its agreement with the mission and purposes and of the Convention, it does not lose its autonomous character. It retains its full governance over all its affairs—selection of staff; compensation of staff; adoption of personnel policies; adoption of business and financial plans; and participation in all ministries it chooses.

The SBC has no voice in any of these matters. It cannot and does not lay claim to or take any steps of involvement in the internal matters of any local church. It has no oversight. It cannot and does not keep records of complaints or document the inner workings of any church. It is not privy to the membership records of any local church. Simply put, any local Southern Baptist church is fully autonomous in all its affairs.

What recourse, then, does one have if someone is dissatisfied with a pastor or the inner workings of a local church in regard to its pastor? We suggest you contact the individual directly in accordance with Matthew 18:15–17, or you contact the proper supervisory authority within the church over this individual.” – source

My question to the SBC about their statement defending their stance on church autonomy, and not interfering in any problems is this:

How can you stand by and watch a false teacher send a great portion of their congregation to hell? Their blood is on your hands!

In essence this is what the SBC is saying:

We understand that with thousands of churches registered as SBC members, there will be wolves in some of the pulpits. But we cannot interfere – the churches are autonomous and the congregation will have to address the false teaching.  However, the churches must send their financial support to the SBC to remain a member.

REALLY?  The souls of baby Christians or those seeking the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ should be left to the wolves, posing as shepherds? This is despicable in the eyes of the Lord. And Christians are wondering why membership in Southern Baptist churches is and continues to be on a steep decline?

We are to be Watchmen in these last days!

Shalom b’Yeshua

MARANATHA!