1. What my definition of HHRM is – 2. Popular but highly sketchy names in the movement – 3. Holidays, Shabbat, keeping & eating – 4. Sacred names – 5. Do believers need to keep Torah? – 6. Bad teaching that leads to apostasy – 7. what do real Jewish believers in Jesus think of this movement? – 8. How we can help people in HHRM

NB, I’m a Christian who loves Israel and Jewish people.   These posts aren’t criticism of actual Jewish people or Israel or believers in Yeshua/Jesus, only of unusual religious groups who I’m concerned people I know have got into.   If you have just discovered this please start from the first page, thanks.

So who are the people who in the Hyper Hebrew Roots movements?

These people are good at promoting themselves through slick media campaigns, here’s some of the best known ones;

Michael Rood of “A Rood awakening”

Rood looks like a Jewish man with large beard and often seen in biblical style clothing.   He’s quite a charismatic looking fellow.  He isn’t actually Jewish at all but a former pastor.  He has a big bee in his bonnet about Christmas and Easter and how pagan they are.  “Shabbat Shalom Torah fans” is the cringyiest phrase I’ve seen this movement.

From his Facebook site:

“A Rood Awakening’s Mission: To awaken and deliver people from the perverted traditions of man-made religion so that they can live in loving obedience to the Torah and learn to walk with the Messiah in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Bio
Michael’s television series: “Prepare for A Rood Awakening! from Israel” has been heralded as the most energetic exegesis of… See More
Personal Information
Michael Rood has earned his reputation as the Messianic matador who waves his tattered red cape in the face of the religious “bull” (!) of his generation. Michael’s television series: “Prepare for A Rood Awakening! from Israel” has been heralded as the most energetic exegesis of Scriptural truth to come out of Israel in over a millennium.

Michael has instructed more than 500,000 people at “A Rood Awakening!” seminars and many times that number have been enlightened through his teaching materials and radio shows, Michael Rood is broadcasting his unique and inspiring insights to television audiences in the English and Spanish-speaking world. These groundbreaking video productions, as well as Michael Rood’s books, audio teachings, Biblical calendar, and Israel tours, are all featured in the A Rood Awakening! Resources Catalog and Tour Brochure.

The first to admit that he is a not-so-mild-mannered reporter of the miraculous acts of the Almighty, Michael Rood fights a never ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way of Creator-given rights – rights that no religious or civil tyrant has the authority to alienate from the people. He has survived the barbarous brainwashing of Christianesque cults (!) as well as the torturous tests of traditional Churchianity. For those attempting to navigate the minefields of man-made religion in the search for truth, Michael offers sage advice that comes from a lifetime of experience – not from an unsoiled manual copied in cloistered convents, nor from dogmas dictated in denominational didactories.”

Rood’s goal isn’t to show how we are saved by grace of the Lord Jesus, but to get Christians to do Jewish practices using his own legalism battering ram.  He puts a strong emphasis on keeping shabbat and not working even though his ministry is selling his DVDs as part of the “Shabbat night live” TV shows he does.   Oh dear.

There’s been concerns about where ministry money has been used in his “Rood Awakening” TV shows and ministry #1

Jim Staley of “Passion for Truth”

Staley is a man on a mission to “save” Christians from pagan modern practice and get them back into what they should be.   Hes a polite, well spoken, seemingly educated man.   Passion for truth is focused on Christians being Torah observant, and little mention of Jesus’ atonement through sacrifice on the cross.

Staley is about to go to jail for fraud.    Disturbingly, Staley’s fans are eager to defend him even thought he has CONFESSED this crime which will carry a few years in the clink. #2

Lew White of “Fossilized Customs”

This is a weird name for a supposedly biblical history group.   Lew seems highly critical of traditional Christian practices such as going congregation on a sunday.   But does he practice what he preaches?   Well, Lew White runs a record shop as a separate business selling all kinds of new age things, hes been exposed by other bloggers who taken lots of pictures of his highly dubious merchandise in his shop. #3

Other groups include 119 ministries “test everything” which use images to share to annoy your Facebook friends.   There’s lots of anti Christmas and anti Easter stuff they use.   Psalm 119 is actually a great passage which we should use to test everything including these people!!

When I was new to learning about Israel I was keen on this stuff, but no one would answer my questions on why “all food is made clean” at the end of Romans.   This year I’ve just finishing studying about Romans and found it really helpful, we are not under the yoke of law now.   I’ll explain more about food and holidays a little later.

What does the scriptures say about these sorts of people?

Mark 12:38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers (in the context of the pharisees) of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

Galatians 2 :2 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

My thoughts

Its not necessary for gentile Christians to take up Jewish practices. Gentiles should be Gentiles, Jews should be Jews.   One should not pretend to be the other, but both need to love of Jesus, and both should fellowship together.   For Jewish people who are believers in Yeshua/Jesus there is some good teaching I’ll recommend later.

The above folks I’ve mentioned have zero credibility with the Israeli believer community.

1. http://www.empirenet.com/~messiah7/spl_RoodArbitraRep.htm 

2. http://www.christianpost.com/news/passion-for-truth-ministries-pastor-jim-staley-confesses-to-cheating-investors-out-of-3-3m-and-pocketing-570k-for-himself-138547/

3. http://www.messianichallofshame.com/zlewwhite4.html 

1. What my definition of HHRM is – 2. Popular but highly sketchy names in the movement – 3. Holidays, Shabbat, keeping & eating – 4. Sacred names – 5. Do believers need to keep Torah? – 6. Bad teaching that leads to apostasy – 7. what do real Jewish believers in Jesus think of this movement? – 8. How we can help people in HHRM