The following "Confronting Issues" booklets describe a variety of important topics facing today's Messianic movement.

ANSWERING THE "FREQUENTLY AVOIDED QUESTIONS" ABOUT THE MESSIAHSHIP OF YESHUA
© 2008 TNN Press

One of the oldest debates that has existed between Jews and Christians for two millennia is whether or not Yeshua of Nazareth is the promised Messiah. Most of Judaism has rejected Yeshua as Messiah for a number of reasons, and has developed arguments against who He is. These reasons shake the faith of the naïve and undiscerning.

As a direct response to the rise of Messianic Judaism in the past thirty years, and Jewish people coming to faith in Yeshua, the anti-missionary movement within Orthodox Judaism has arisen. Anti-missionaries target Jewish Believers for re-conversion back to a Messiah-less Judaism. Now, as many Christians have investigated their Hebraic Roots and shown a greater love for the Jewish people and traditions of Judaism, many have found themselves as easy prey for the arguments levied against Yeshua by the same anti-missionaries—and many more are denying the Lord.

In Answering the “Frequently Avoided Questions” Against the Messiahship of Yeshua, TNN Online editor J.K. McKee demonstrates how weak many of the anti-missionary arguments are, especially as they are presented from an Orthodox Jewish theology that sits in a textual and historical vacuum. Ten of the common reasons given against Yeshua’s Messiahship are carefully refuted from an engaged perspective. Also considered are some of the future challenges that exist in Messianic theology that are directly connected to people who renounce faith in Yeshua as Messiah.

ANSWERING THE "FREQUENTLY AVOIDED QUESTIONS" ABOUT THE DIVINITY OF YESHUA
© 2008 TNN Press

Whether or not Yeshua the Messiah is Divine, or was just a human empowered by God, is an old debate going back several millennia. It is not that surprising that the Divinity of Yeshua has been under attack in today’s emerging Messianic community. Per a great deal of hostility displayed toward “Christian theology,” many consider a Divine Savior to be an errant belief that needs to be discarded—and claim to have Scriptural support for their case.

In recent days, a sector of Messianics have arisen that forcibly assert that Yeshua is not God in the flesh. They have used a variety of means to do so, primarily by catch phrases and overly-simplistic assertions made about Biblical concepts. While some claim to have support against Yeshua’s Divinity, does their support really stand up to close scrutiny? Have people stayed away from the subject because the “frequently avoided questions” are actually very easy to answer?

In Answering the “Frequently Avoided Questions” Against the Divinity of Yeshua, TNN Online editor J.K. McKee demonstrates this issue to indeed be one of salvation, and the level of engagement of anti-Divinity Messianics to be surface level at best. Also included is the article “What Does the Shema Really Mean?” which analyzes the oneness of God, and whether or not the Father and Son can co-exist.

THE EFFECT OF MYSTICISM AND GNOSTICISM ON THE MESSIANIC MOVEMENT
© 2008 TNN Press

As today’s Messianic community strives to return to the First Century faith of the Disciples and Apostles, we will not just be facing “common problems” like adultery, idolatry, or even sins such as lying. We will also contend with some of the very specific religious problems that the First Century ekklēsia faced. Very few when examining Scripture, unfortunately, fail to consider it in its historical context. Many do not have an understanding of First Century Judaism, Greco-Roman religion, Second and Third Century Christianity, and the various mystery religions and cults that existed. Too many fail to consider the gross religious errors that were circulating throughout the First Century that affected the early Believers in Yeshua—and how some of these same errors are affecting Believers today.

Have you encountered any current Messianic teachings that relate to Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah, numerology, Hebrew letter pictures, the Bible code, or the Gnostic Scriptures? Do you ever question where these things actually come from and where they are seen in religious history? Are you wondering if these things have any Biblical basis and true spiritual value? TNN Online editor J.K. McKee directly addresses the problem of mysticism and Gnosticism in the Messianic movement, and how we need to be aware that these things are being used by the enemy to draw many people away from the truth of the gospel and mission that God has for us.

YOU WANT TO BE A PHARISEE
© 2007 TNN Press

Having the accusation of being a “Pharisee” is one that is not only commonly used by some Christians against Messianic Believers, but has become integrated into the vernacular language of many Christians relating to any individual or group that is perceived as being legalistic and/or archaic in their approach to society and the Bible. It is perceived among many people that being “Pharisaical” is a status that no born again Believer should even try to attain to, because after all, were not the Pharisees the primary antagonists of Jesus Christ? Did not Yeshua have most of His conflicts with the Pharisees and the Pharisaical religious system? Did He not rebuke the Pharisees time and time again for their keeping of the Law?

Few are aware of the fact that the foundational ideas of Messianic faith are firmly rooted within the tenets of Pharisaism. The beliefs in angels, demons, miracles, an afterlife, the Holy Spirit, and the resurrection all stem from the Pharisees. Without a theology based in Pharisaism, today’s evangelical Christianity has little to stand upon.

TNN Online editor J.K. McKee addresses the significance of Pharisaical theology to Messianic Believers, and how we can work beyond some of the extremes we often face.

REVISITING THE TWO-HOUSE TEACHING
© 2007 TNN Press

The Two-House teaching of Judah and Ephraim has become a lightning rod in much of the Messianic community. Many believe it is a claim to a person’s lost “birthright,” whereby all Believers should begin to take a stake in the Land of Israel and make aliyah. Many others also believe that the Two-House teaching is a form of racially-based salvation, with redemption only available to physical descendants of the Patriarchs. Is this really what the Two-House teaching is as defined by the prophecies of Scripture?

Those who recognize what the Two-House teaching actually is—a critical and often overlooked component in the end-time restoration of God’s Kingdom—are often sidelined from the extremism that commonly dominates the current discussions. Yet, an objective and moderate approach to the issue is absolutely imperative if all Israel is to be gathered together prior to the return of Yeshua.

In Revisiting the Two-House Teaching TNN Online editor J.K. McKee explains what the restoration of Israel is from the Scriptures, how Israel has a mandate from God to bless the entire world, and how Messianic Believers must change their approach to this topic in order to be effective in His service.

THE QUEST FOR CREDIBILITY
© 2007 TNN Press

Today's Messianic movement is reaching out to fill a need in the lives of people who desire renewal in their relationship with God. Many have been blessed as they have adopted a lifestyle of Torah obedience and in understanding the ministry of Yeshua from a First Century Jewish perspective. Yet as the Messianic community has grown, so have there appeared various obstacles to some of the objectives we believe that the Lord is desiring to see accomplished.

What three areas of teaching will seriously discredit the Messianic movement in the minds of those who are sincerely convicted about the message of Torah observance and the restoration of all Israel? TNN Online editor J.K. McKee addresses these three areas: (1) Denial of the Divinity of Yeshua the Messiah, (2) Denial of the Inspiration of the Greek New Testament, (3) Treating Christians with utter contempt and hatred.

How are we to become a force of positive change for the community of faith in the coming years? How will we be considered believable? These, and other pertinent questions, are asked in The Quest for Credibility.

THE ROLE OF HISTORY IN MESSIANIC BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION
© 2007 TNN Press

The need to understand the passages of the Bible in their original historical and cultural contexts cannot be overstated in an age when criticism against the Scriptures is at an all time high. How is today's Messianic movement to adopt a more valid historical approach to Scripture that considers the larger world that Ancient Israel found itself? How are we to properly employ extra-Biblical literature in interpreting the Biblical text? How are we to understand the worldview of those who originally participated in the Biblical events?

These are some very important questions to consider as today's Messianic theology moves ahead, and as we contemplate our role in an ever-decreasing world beset by globalization and multi-culturalism. How important it is for us to understand the diversity of the Bible, and how it might effect our role and mission as the people of God today?

TNN Online editor J.K. McKee addresses this subject in a thorough, challenging, yet reasonable way―as Messianic Believers seek to be a people who can be used effectively in God's service today.

THE TOP TEN URBAN MYTHS OF TODAY'S MESSIANIC MOVEMENT
© 2007 TNN Press

Over the past ten years (1997-2007), the Messianic movement has been able to grow in leaps and bounds. New people are coming to a revelation of their Hebraic Roots and congregations are budding. But the theology of the Messianic community and our Biblical studies have largely not been able to keep up with the growth. As a result, this has led to a significant number of concepts and ideas floating around that are not only non-scriptural, but also non-factual.

What are some things that have been permitted to circulate in the Messianic movement that classify as being non-factual, and at best someone’s opinion? What are some of the areas where we need to progress in order to become a mature and stable move of God? What are some of the challenges before us?

In a detailed yet pragmatic way, TNN Online editor J.K. McKee tackles the challenges of the “top ten” urban myths floating in our midst. He encourages a positive change on behalf of Messianic Believers so that we can all be empowered by the Lord to make a significant difference on our local communities and the world at large.