Feasibility Study for the Synagogue

of Congregation Beth Messiah

in Stafford, Texas in 2002

In the years of 1999 and 2000 A.D. I worked as a building planner for Texas Instruments, the 175th largest Fortune 500 company in America, and the largest company (more than 1,000 employees) that privately owns the largest tract of land (192 acres) in Stafford, Texas.  Daniel Lerner, one of the deacons in Congregation Beth Messiah (CBM) in Stafford, also worked for Texas Instruments.  Daniel also participated in the Tuesday Lunch Fellowship of my architectural associate Wylie Vale, and also a Wednesday Fellowship in an engineering company on Beltway 8/Bissonnet. Both fellowships prayed for and shared the truth of Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking with tongues.   Daniel Lerner called and asked me whether or not I would like to do a Feasibility Study for Congregation Beth Messiah (CBM) that have purchased a large tract of land (4 acres) in Stafford, Texas. I gave thanks and praised the Lord HalleluYah for this opportunity to do the Feasibility Study for CBM.   I attended a meeting with the CBM Building Committee that consisted of seven men which included Rabbi Richard Freeman, Rabbi Ron Aaronson, Deacon Daniel Lerner and four other professional men that have strong connections or knowledge of the building industry.   Before awarding the contract of the Feasibility Study they wanted to check on my credentials by getting references from the architects that I have worked with. One of their committee members told me that after checking they found out that I have very good references. Rabbi Freeman and Rabbi Aaronson checked on my faith and beliefs. They wanted to know whether or not I believed in the important doctrines that they believed.

1	They are Messianic Jews who identify themselves with the Early Apostolic Church that consisted of Jews and Gentile Christians. It is reported that in 1996 Congregation Beth Messiah participated in the National session of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW). They know that I am an Apostolic Christian who believes in the One True God in the Lord Jesus Christ, and preached the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking with tongues. We have the same beliefs in the Oneness of God.
2	Like all Messianic Jews they baptize with complete immersion with head bowed in the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ's death like our church does.
3	All Messianic Jews believe in keeping all the Ten Commandments and they consider keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath as very important. They were very glad that I am a fervent Seventh Day Sabbath keeper.
4	Rabbi Freeman and Rabbi Aaronson wanted to know whether or not I believed in the New Testament prophecy that God would restore the faith of some of the Jewish people (called remnant) who believe in Yeshua as their Messiah in the End Time (Rom. 9:27-28; 11:1-5, 25-27; Rev. 7:1-8). I told them “Yes, it is clearly prophesied in the Holy Bible”.
5	The Building Committee wanted to know my professional fees for doing the Feasibility Study.  I told them I would work on the basis of an hourly rate, starting from the time I leave my home to the time I return to my home, and be paid for traveling (based on standard mileage calculation). They are extremely happy with this arrangement and we signed a contract based on our agreement.
6	All seven members of the Building Committee that consisted of the two Messianic rabbis unanimously agreed that I was to be the architect to do the Feasibility Study for Congregation Beth Messiah that is located in Stafford, Texas.

Feasibility Study included Research on Synagogue Buildings

I told the Congregation Beth Messiah (CBM) Building Committee that I would research on the Jewish synagogue buildings of the First Century during the time of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the biblical pattern of the Apostolic Christian Church's form of worship, and also incorporate the way that CBM worships. My research revealed some interesting facts.
1	The Lord Jesus Christ regularly kept the Seventh Day Sabbath in the synagogues (Lk. 4:15-16). The synagogues in Jesus' time had a simple floor plan. There was one large hall where all the activities that included reading the Torah, worship, prayer, fellowship and dining, resting and sleeping, etc. There were no separate rooms for different indoor activities. On one side of the large hall is a Courtyard for outdoor open-air activities. The archaeological remains of this synagogue in Capanaum of Jesus' time still stands today. I have visited this archaeological site twice. It can help us to plan the synagogue of today.
2	The Early Apostolic Christian Church have four main activities and all of them took place in the same large hall. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42).

Archaeological Remains of an Actual First Century Synagogue Building

The Building Committee of Congregation Beth Messiah was very impressed by the simplicity of the archaeological site of the synagogue in Capanaum. They liked the design concept of having one large hall for multi-purpose activities. Since today's Messianic Judaism is the revival of the First Century Apostolic Christian Church they would like to have it in their synagogue in Stafford. I have also shown them that Jews in exiled would always face Jerusalem when they prayed (Dan. 6:10). The Messianic Jewish synagogue in Stafford will have the worshipers facing Jerusalem when they pray.

The Building Committee of Congregation Beth Messiah was very pleased with the Feasibility Study that was presented to them. Congregation Beth Messiah found a good construction company that had experience in building synagogues. They had their groundbreaking in 2005 and their synagogue building was completed and dedicated in August 2007.
My Feasibility Study had concluded successfully in February 2002. It was a great blessing and joy for me to work on this Project. Praise and thank the Lord Jesus Christ, HalleluYah!

This Article is a Presentation of Paul Wong to the ARK Forum and published on August 20, 2012 For Comments please write to: [email protected]