Originally adopted by consensus 02/09/07 (5767).
Revised by unanimous vote (Rosh HaShannah 5768) 09/13 & 09/14/07.
I. Name: This fellowship of believers shall be known as; Kehilat Yahshua Yisrael (Assemblies of the Salvation of Israel).
II. Mission Statement: We seek to increase our walk, understanding and communion with our LORD YHVH (Yahshuat Adonai)* through restoration of Davidic Praise and Worship, Berean Study of The Word and exploration, practice and maturation of our walk in the Hebraic roots of our faith in Yahshua Ha Mashiach*. Further, we seek to share our resources, knowledge, revelation and discoveries with as many as will receive them, including all of Ephraim and the lost tribes of the House of Israel, as they are brought to us by Ruach Ha Kodesh/The Holy Spirit. For further elaboration refer to our, Statement of The Yisraelite Roots of Our Faith.
III. Membership:
A. All sincere seekers in The Way of Yahshua Ha Mashiach* are welcome to participate in congregational events. Children are welcome and encouraged to attend, though anyone bringing children is responsible for their conduct. All are expected to be courteous, respectful and nondisruptive in their behavior and speech.
B. Core Members are able to raise issues, debate and vote at congregational business meetings. All Core Members must support our congregational Mission Statement & Doctrines. A Core Member must demonstrate a substantial commitment to our congregation over a period of time through the giving of time, materials and/or other services and blessings, while not belonging to another congregation. Candidates for Core Membership shall be reviewed, and a decision made at a designated business meeting.
IV. Corrective Action: Any and all disciplinary actions shall be done in a restorative spirit of love and humility, and shall follow the established biblical pattern presented in II Timothy 3:16 and Matthew 18:15-35.
V. Meetings: There shall be regular, special and annual meetings of the Core Members.
A. Regular meetings shall be scheduled and publicized to the entire membership in a timely manner.
B. Special meetings may be called by any three Core Members.
C. An Annual Meeting shall be held. This meeting may be for the purpose of selecting officers, recognizing the contribution of individuals to the congregation and developing and approving a yearly congregational vision statement and budget.
VI. Amendments to Bylaws: These Bylaws may be amended by a 3/4 majority vote of the Core Membership over the course of at least two consecutive meetings, in order to give everyone an opportunity for informed discussion and consent.
*The LORD of our Salvation, also known in English as Jesus Christ
Statement of the Yisraelite Roots of Our Faith
The Complete Torah of The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Bible, the TaNaK, (Old Testament) and the B�rit Chadassah, (Renewed Covenant or New Testament) is the divinely inspired, infallible WORD of YHWH in the original Hebrew texts and manuscripts, and that they are true. We believe the Written Torah of Moshe (Moses), and all the Commandments are the foundation for the rest of Scripture, and are the standard of YHWH for set-apart living between YHWH and all of mankind.
We believe the Scriptures must be our final authority for faith, doctrine and practice and must be correctly studied, and interpreted holistically, in an historical, cultural, lingual, Hebraic, and Eastern context and mindset.
We believe Yahshua Ha Mashiach came to show us how to live out the Torah daily in our lives, not to abolish or to do away with it.
We believe in living a Torah observant lifestyle as Yahshua Moshieynu (Our Messiah) did. We do not believe this will save us, but establishes our faith and expresses our love, devotion, and obedience to YHWH.
We believe that the rejection of and disobedience to the Torah is sin. (Yochanan Aleph 3:4)
We believe YHWH rewards (blesses) those who obey Torah and punishes (curses) those who disobey Torah. (Devarim 27-28)
We do not believe that the Torah has been done away with, nor will it be exchanged for another. (Mattityahu 5:17-20)
We believe the Torah we have now is the same one given to Moshe at Mount Sinai, which anticipates and encompasses both the TaNaK and the B�rit Chadassah.
The Covenants of YHWH
We believe in and accept all the Covenants of YHWH:
� The Adamic Covenant � The Noachic Covenant � The Abrahamic Covenant � The Mosaic Covenant (Torah) � The Davidic Covenant � The Renewed Covenant (B�rit Chadassah)
All these Covenants (except the Temple sacrifices) still exist and are in full effect, each one confirms and builds upon the other. None of them have been nullified, or cancelled out on account of Yahshua Ha Mashiach�s sacrificial death, and resurrection. On the contrary, they are reaffirmed, and will be brought into their completion in the fullness of time.
YHWH ELOHIM
We believe YHWH was not created and has always existed and is eternal. We believe YHWH created everything. We believe YHWH is One (Echad: One in plurality. Not Yichad: As in One singularity.) We believe YHWH is a Spirit and cannot be affected by natural phenomenon. We believe HE is the Aleph (First) and the Tav (Last). We believe we should only pray to YHWH and to no other. We believe YHWH knows, sees, hears and has power over all creation.
Mashiach
We believe Yahshua Ha Mashiach of Nazareth is the prophesied Mashiach of Yisrael. That He is FULLY YHWH to be able to redeem us from our sins, and FULLY man to have the right to redeem us from our sins, to be our Kinsmen Redeemer (Ruut, Yirmeyahu 17:5-7, Yochanan.1). Yahshua is the perfect, holy, sinless Mashiach, the Only Begotten Son of YHWH, who is the Word that became flesh, and dwelt among us (Yochanan 1:14), who came to dwell in a mortal body that never saw corruption (Tehillim14:10), a pure Elohim manifest in the flesh. He was not an incarnation, which would denote that 100% of YHWH came in the flesh. Yahshua was FULLY YHWH in the flesh, but not 100% YHWH. YHWH is so infinite that He is everywhere and fills everything, so it would be impossible for ALL of YHWH to be limited to a mortal body.
We believe that Yahshua is the Kohen Ha Gadol (High priest) who became the ultimate, once and for all atoning sacrifice. He freely gave Himself, for all mankind (Ivrim 4:14-5:10; 6:19-8:2). We believe salvation is only available through Him. We believe Yahshua came first as Mashiach ben Yosef, the Suffering Servant (Yeshayahu 53), and will return as Mashiach ben David, the Conquering King (Gilyahna). We believe that these two pictures given of Mashiach in Scripture are one and the same.
We believe in Yahshua Ha Mashiach�s prophesied virgin birth, His holy sinless life, His Torah observant lifestyle, His miracles, His redemptive sacrificial death, His victorious resurrection and ascension, and His future return and Reign in Glory.
We believe Yahshua Ha Mashiach will come again soon, according to The Scriptures.
Ruach Ha Kodesh (The Holy Spirit)
We believe that the Ruach Ha Kodesh is an inseparable part of YHWH.
We believe that through the Ruach Ha Kodesh one can properly worship, pray to YHWH, and have power of discernment to interpret Scripture, and to live a Torah obedient life.
The Gifts of the Spirit
We believe in the baptism of the Ruach Ha Kodesh, and in all the gifts of the Spirit and in the Shlichim (Apostles), Nevi�im (Prophets), Roim (Pastors), Morim (Teachers), and M�vasrim (Evangelists) according to Qorintyah Aleph 12-14.
Mikvah: Water Baptism
We believe that complete water submersion is symbolic of the death and burial of our former sinful life, and the resurrection of our New Life in Yahshua Ha Mashiach.
Salvation
We believe that Salvation is a gift from YHWH to all who will accept Yahshua Ha Mashiach, The Living Torah. This should lead to confession, repentance, and turning away from sin. We understand that our righteousness is not through our own efforts, but is solely based upon our belief in the Righteousness of Yahshua Ha Mashiach. This will result in one becoming spiritually alive and indwelt with the Ruach Ha Kodesh of YHWH. This in turn will cause one to desire to love, obey, and please YHWH. One shows this by keeping the Written Torah. In other words, one will walk in the footsteps of Yahshua Moshieynu (our Mashiach) by walking in the Torah. Salvation comes by grace through faith alone. We believe that a person who exercises this faith will spend eternity with Yahshua Ha Mashiach. Salvation is not earned by Torah observance.
Eternal Punishment
We believe those who reject Yahshua Ha Mashiach, the Living Torah will be cast into the Lake of Fire. (Gilyahna 20:14-15).
Kehilat Netzarim
We believe in being as close to a first century Kehilat Netzarim (community) here in the modern day as possible. We desire to live as closely as possible (within our modern context) as the first century Kehilat Netzarim did in faith and practice. We desire to be such an assembly, that Yahshua and His Talmidim (disciples) would feel right at home among us. We believe that our Kehilat Netzarim (community), and our leadership, according to Torah, has the right and the obligation, when necessity arises, to discipline one of our own, through a Beit Din (House of Judgment), and to make decisions concerning and establishing Halakah (the way one lives out Torah) in the same fashion.
Mo�edim (Biblical Appointments)
We believe that the Feasts of YHWH as summed up in Wayiqra 23 are not �Jewish� Holidays, but are to be celebrated by all of YHWH�s people, Jew and Gentile alike. We believe that these Feasts have a past, present, and future prophetic fulfillment.
Ha Moedim, the Biblical Appointments of YHWH, are specific times and dates on the biblical calendar which YHWH has set aside to meet and commune with us.
We also have our daily prayers. Some observe these as the Shacharis (Morning), Mincha (Afternoon), and Ma�ariv (Evening) prayers. YHWH expects us to boldly come before HIS Throne of Grace in prayer continually.
We believe in celebrating the Feasts of YHWH within the framework of the calculated Hebrew calendar set up by the Sanhedrin just before they were forced to disband. This was done so that those throughout the Diaspora could observe the Feasts of YHWH together in unity. Yahshua is recorded in The Scriptures as having followed this very same calendar.
We believe in the celebration of Jewish Holidays such as Chanukah, Tish B�av, Lag B�omer, Purim and the like. We understand that they are not commanded to be celebrated, but nonetheless are important events in the history of YHWH�s people. Yahshua celebrated Chanukah (Yochanan 10:22-23). Yahshua being a Torah observant Jew also celebrated Purim (see Sefer Hadasah).
WE DO NOT recognize Sunday or the, �Lunar Sabbath� as true Shabbats. We do not observe Christmas, Easter, Halloween, or any other holidays as acceptable expressions of true Biblical faith, except Thanksgiving, which appears to be modeled after Sukkot. All these other worldly holidays have their roots in pagan Babylonian mystery religions.
End Times / Eschatology
We absolutely DO NOT believe in any form of Replacement Theology!
We recognize that sincere Believers may otherwise have legitimate differences of interpretation as to the specific unfolding of prophetic End Time events.
During the Great Tribulation, YHWH will protect the remnant of Believing Yisrael (Gilyahna 12:13). Immediately AFTER the Great Tribulation (Mattityahu 24:29; Yochanan-Moshe 13:24), Yahshua Ha Mashiach will appear in the sky (Daniyel 7:13-14; Mattityahu 24:29-31; Tesloniqyah Aleph 4:16-17). The Shofar Ha Gadol will sound (final great trumpet blast) (Gilyahna 8:2; 11:15; Mattityahu 24:31; Yeshayahu 27:13; Tesloniqyah Aleph 4:16-17; Qorintyah Aleph 15:52). There will be a resurrection (Qorintyah Aleph 15:50-55; Tesloniqyah Aleph 4:16; Gilyahna 20:4-6; Yeshayahu 25:8; Hoshea 13:14; Yechezkel 37:1-14). There will be a gathering together to Yahshua Ha Mashiach in the sky (Mattityahu 24:29-31; Yochanan-Moshe 13:24-27; Tesloniqyah Bet 2:1; Tesloniqyah Aleph 4:17). Followed by Yahshua Ha Mashiach coming with His set-apart ones to establish His 1,000 year reign on Earth from Yerushalayim (Gilyanha 20:1-3, 7).
Eretz Yisrael: The Land
We believe that the Promised Covenant Land of Yisrael and all its borders as described in the Scriptures belong forever and always to the people Yisrael, as established by YHWH. When Yahshua Ha Mashiach reigns during the Millennium and in Eternity in the World to Come, on the Renewed Earth (Gilyahna 21:1-4), Yisrael will finally have and occupy the entire Land of Promise (Beresheeth 15:18, Tehillim 105:8-11).
Beresheeth: The Creation
We believe that in the beginning, YHWH established The Creation in a literal 24 hour, 6 day time period as recorded in Sefer Beresheeth. We believe that the Biblical accounts reveal an Earth approximately 6000 years old. We understand that a failure to recognize this denies the entire foundation and integrity of The WORD of YHWH, thus opening the door for apostasies such as evolution.