Put simply, we are offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who worship the Creator, YAHWEH, and have come to TESHUVAH (or repentance) for the way in which we once walked, guarding His covenants by living according to the TORAH (or righteous instruction), and believing that YAHSHUA of Nazareth is the fulfillment of the Messianic promise, both to the GOYIM (nations of gentiles), and the 12-tribes of Israel.
Exodus stories among Nazarenes cover all walks of life and religion, from German Christians to Orthodox Jews, Mennonite to satanist, Roman Catholic to Islamic, and pipe-smoking Amishmen to pot-smoking Hippies. We are not a rigid organizational infrastructure, but individuals whose earnest search for truth actually reflects varying understandings and views. We do not set doctrine, but simply restate the Scriptures as we attempt to restore our own understanding of the original faith which our fathers failed to pass down to us. As Jeremiah 16:19-21 says "In the day of affliction the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say , Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit....Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is YAHWEH."
My ancestry appears to be primarily German and Jewish, although my parents were raised in nominal Christian and Athiestic homes. Shortly after their marriage however, they began an exodus from the world's belief-system which they couldn't help but realize conflicted the Creator's clear-cut Words! In short order their steps were directed toward conservative circles which nurtured a vision in their hearts for an Elohim-Like family and home. From that turning point, however, the Creator quickly began to open their understanding to other things, such as the importance of His Shabbat as a covenant-sign, and the significance of Pesach, Shavuot, Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot as the annual feasts or appointments of humanity with the Messiah. As Malachi indeed foretold, "Remember the Torah of my servant Moses...all the laws and judgments...and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers; otherwise I come and smite the land with a curse." (Malachi 4:4-6)
Through the years we fellowshipped with many groups and home-assemblies, yet did not become "members" of any. In so doing we we able to "glean the truth" from many Sabbath-keeping churches as well as the "Messianic movement", where we were first introduced to "Y'shua", the abbreviated name of the Messiah. In the course of the next ten years, however, we became convicted in our hearts through study and association with some in the "Sacred Name Movement" that the Creator Himself also has a Name, YAHWEH, and desires it to be used! Now many Sacred Name and Messianic Fellowships have become overrun with immoral doctrines and an insurgence of counter-missionaries turning many away from the truth, yet as with Christianity and the Sabbath-keeping churches before, it provided an avenue whereby we came to understand the distortions of Judaism and the pagan origins of Christianity as they diverged from the Hebrew roots of the Original Faith.
It has been said that searching for truth is much more productive than searching for a true "religious faith", and in our lifetime we have shared much fellowship and obtained much truth through the Father's mercy, but also had to discern much error. It has been almost 30 years now since we embarked on this journey, 15 years partaking in this particular aspect of service, and 10 years since YAHWEH allowed for the JoyInTheWorld.info and RealMessiah.Name locations of His truth being carried online. With conviction we believe that "we were born for such a time as this"; by His strength we are pressing on, and we invite you to EXTOL YAHWEH with us!
