An energized quest is gaining momentum within Christianity to rediscover and reclaim its Hebraic roots of faith in Messiah Jesus. Mark it overall as positive change. Somewhere between the Jewish cup of the New Testament and the Gentile lips of modern Christianity, a slip occurred. The quest is to recover the Hebraic contents of the cup that spilled.

The quest is old. During the first century A.D., the apostle Paul, an architect of several New Testament writings, saw danger looming for the church. The philosophy-dependent wisdom of the Greeks, if embraced, could skewer the Hebraic understanding of the revelation of God in Jesus. He was right. Within 100 years it did, and quite pervasively.

If the apostle Paul were alive today, he wouldn’t recognize the church as we know it. Nor would he recognize his teachings as interpreted by many as being anti-Jewish and misogynistic.

By the third century, Tertullian, “Father of the Latin Church,” tried to counter the philosophical drift of the church from its Hebraic origins. He asked church leaders his famous question: “What indeed does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?”

New today are two catalysts. First, a plethora of books, CDs, DVDs, Web sites and other resources are available to help us understand our Hebraic roots. Jewish writers and teachers with faith in Jesus are among the guiding lights. A few churches, as does our congregation in Anderson, conduct regular Torah studies.

Second, a greater number of younger pastors and teachers not only embrace the quest, they influence it. Rob Bell is one. Founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., his stream of videos and books are probing and provocative. He makes the Bible come alive for today’s world by embracing the vitality of its Hebraic roots and values.

The task is not without frustrations and intrigue. A few misguided people reject the church. Another few seek to impose legal restraints upon the church. They, too, miss the mark. Most genuinely desire to know the Bible and Jesus within the Hebraic world view.

Familiar terms and phrases within Christianity are being re-evaluated. Even the meaning of the word “church” is debated. The question, “When did the church begin?” is generally answered by those who’ve recovered their Hebraic roots as the exodus of Israel from Egypt. This identification with Israel’s liberation from slavery is seen as the church’s rich heritage.

In the Bible, the prophet Zechariah anticipated a day when Gentile nations would look to Jewish teachers in Jerusalem for help in understanding and experiencing God (Zech. 8:23). This expectation exhilarates those rediscovering and recovering their Hebraic roots.

Ed Nelson is pastor of Cornerstone Assembly of God. He can be reached at ednelson@charter.net. His Web site is www.ed-nelson.com.