Muchan Conference - Speakers and Spiritual Development
The Muchan Conference had three central themes:
Identity: Remembering the Past
Community: Living in the Present
Action: Stepping into the Future
These topics formed the backbone of the week's main sessions and discussions.
Vladimir Pikman, a Jewish believer from the former USSR who is now the director of Chosen People Ministries' work in Germany, spoke on identity. He brought the idea of Jewish identity back to its biblical roots, showing from Genesis 12:1-3 that the Jewish people were to have a particular relationship with the Land of Israel (verse 1); were to be descended from Abraham (verse 2); and were to have a special relationship with God and with the nations (verse 3). Based on this definition, belief in Jesus is not contrary to Jewishness in any way! Vladimir reminded us that identifying oneself as a Jewish person - and especially as one of active faith - carries a certain responsibility; people expect us to live our lives accordingly and for our actions to match our words. Finally, he pointed forward to the coming Messianic Kingdom in which Jews and Gentiles will worship Jesus, the Jewish Messiah. As Messianic believers, we are called to live in this kingdom today.
The next speaker was Larry Feldman, a Chosen People Ministries staff member who has led the Messianic Congregation Shuvah Yisrael in Irvine, California for many years. As a long-time leader of a healthy and fruitful congregation, he had a great perspective on community. Living in a spiritual community is God's design and purpose for believers. Larry discussed the purposes of community: to glorify God, to build up believers, and to reach out with the Gospel to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. He made a case for preserving our Jewish culture and style of worshiping God while maintaining a biblical balance and always being centered on Yeshua (Jesus). We were each challenged to consider our own involvement in our communities in service, spiritual growth, and evangelism.
Lawrence Hirsch, director of Celebrate Messiah (Chosen People Ministries in Australia) tackled the topic of action. According to Scripture (Eph. 2:10), we are made for action, specifically "holy action" - action oriented to the worship of God and the redemption of His world. This is our faith demonstrated through what we do, and we have a wonderful example of how to preach the Gospel in both word and deed in the person of Yeshua. Lawrence encouraged us as Messianic believers to be known in the Jewish community for our good deeds. He posed a number of discussion questions to get us thinking about how we are undertaking "holy action," fulfilling the mission of God in our own everyday lives.
Even though we had two sessions with each speaker, the time seemed too short! Conversation about the themes of Identity, Community, and Action continued animatedly during meals, during bus rides, and late into the night. We searched the Scriptures together and shared with each other, and having people from so many different cultures and backgrounds added a special richness to the discussion. Although we nay not reach complete agreement on every point, there was a real spirit of love and unity in Messiah that filled the conversations at the Muchan Conference.
"The speakers were great. I enjoyed the topics and I liked that each speaker had two sessions: one theological and one practical. It was a great balance and very biblical. I also loved the fact that the focus was to help us discuss these things for ourselves."
