WiseReader

The famed 19^th century Baptist preacher, C.H. Spurgeon is reputed to have warned his students against spending too much time with books and journals. Neglecting prayerful study of the Scriptures for the thoughts of men could lead them to become mere “warehouses of other men’s thoughts.” Wise counsel indeed, though we cannot forget that Spurgeon had a multi-thousand volume library of his own. North Americans stagger under the flood of reading material available to them - books, magazines, journals, not to mention the virtual tsunami of online text available for the browsing. While I always give the nod to books - they provide substantial treatments of their subjects (well, most do!) - the well-produced journal is adept in keeping readers current in their particular areas of interest. Here are a handful of journals I have found worthwhile.

Since January, 1979, I have observed the dispensational discussions (from classic to progressive) of the past through my subscription to Dallas Seminary’s Bibliotheca Sacra. And though my subscription has never lapsed, I cannot say the same for my dispensationalist roots. If you are in the market for a conservative, evangelical journal with dispensational, premillennial sympathies, I recommend Bibliotheca Sacra . Another excellent journal taking a similar theological stance is The Master’s Seminary Journal published by the seminary of that name and led by John MacArthur. Both journals will provide hours of substantial reading for pastors and serious Christians. There are of course, journals of every theological persuasion, and you can discover many of them with a growing number of past issues now available online for free. The McMaster Journal of Theology and Ministry  will be of interest to Canadian Baptists. Beginning with volume one in 1998, it appears that the entire series is available online.

Through my involvement with Jewish evangelism, I have discovered two journals devoted to theological concerns from a messianic Jewish perspective: Mishkan and Kesher.

The better known journal, Mishkan, is published by the Pasche Institute of Jewish Studies in cooperation with the Caspari Center in Israel. The journal covers a wide range of topics related to Jewish missions, particularly in Israel, as well as significant theological issues surrounding the interface of Christianity with Judaism. Written at a level accessible to any serious reader, this is an excellent journal for those interested in how the gospel has fared in its birthplace.

Kesher  is a journal devoted to theological developments within the messianic Jewish movement. Published by the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations, it is a public voice for Messianic Judaism. By definition, this is a movement of “Jewish congregations and groups committed to Yeshua the Messiah” and who embrace the “covenantal responsibility of Jewish life and identity rooted in Torah, expressed in tradition, and renewed and applied in the context of the New Covenant.”

Kesher is a polemical journal promoting Messianic Judaism as the best course for Jewish believers, while Mishkan takes a broader stance, seeking to cover the entire spectrum of Christian ministry within Israel. Though Messianic Judaism is a relatively small movement, Christians should become familiar with its main tenets and leaders. Prominent Christian leaders such as Bill McCartney (think Promise Keepers), and now the founder and director of Road to Jerusalem  have embraced the theological/philosophical underpinnings of Messianic Judaism - an endorsement bound to influence significant numbers within the evangelical church.

Readers interested in missions may find the Evangelical Missions Quarterly  a good choice. For the most part, articles are written at a popular level and cover all areas of concern to the worldwide missions movement. The website has a handful of sample articles to help you determine whether or not you want to subscribe.

The International Bulletin of Missionary Research  is an academically-oriented journal that covers Christian missions from the widest possible perspective. I particularly enjoy the biographical studies often found in this journal. Abstracts of articles can be found on their web site.

And finally, the Denver Journal , an entirely free online journal of reviews covering important books in biblical and theological studies, is a site well worth visiting regularly. Checking out prospective book purchases here may help you save your hard-earned dollars - or spend them if you like a review.

Happy journaling.

____________________

A version of this article first appeared in ChristianWeek.

The Messianic Movement: A Field Guide for Evangelical Christians
Rich Robinson & Naomi Rose Rothstein, Eds.
Purple Pomegranate Productions, 2005
ISBN:188102262
____________________

The Messianic movement - that growing body of Jewish believers in Jesus seeking to live out their faith in a Jewish context - is not a new movment. For many years it was barely noticed by the evangelical church at large. But recent devlopments among Messianic leaders and congregations are catching the attention of a growing number of evangelical leaders. Some of those developments carry profound implications for the work of the gospel, particularly among Jewish people. Christians need to be better informed about this movement described by its practioners as Messianic Judaism.

As with any religous movement, the Messianic movement exists on a fairly wide spectrum of doctrinal distinctives and practice of ministry. Trying to sort through the differences can be a daunting task. But there is help available.

For a general overview of Jewish ministry from congregations to mission agencies, there is probably no better initial guide right now than The Messianic Movement: A Field Guide for Evangelical Christians. In 198 pages you will learn about Messianic congregations, discover what “Torah-observance” really means, and meet many of the major players in Jewish ministry today.

Among several valuable appendices is one called “Rationale for Jewish Evangelism”. That such a subject requires treatment at this late date in Christian history belies the growing ferment within Messianic circles. Sadly, a growing number of Messianic leaders believe evangelical missions to the Jewish community should disappear.

Christians unfamiliar with Jewish ministry may be surprised to learn that the publication of this guide was itself a point of controversy within the Messianic community. One Jewish believer, writing in a major Messianic publication, begain his review of the book with these words: “Jews for Jesus writing a field guide on the Messianic movement is akin to England’s monarch producing a guide-book on America’s New England states. They may have visited and even lived there before, but they certainly aren’t intimately involved or capable of being an expert on it.” When seasoned ministry leaders within one of the leading ministries to Jews are written off as cavalierly as this, evangelicals need to sit up and take notice.

Profound changes are blowing in the winds of Jewish ministry. The Messianic Movement field guide will provide a good starting point for believers who care about the future of the Jewish believing community.