Starting a home group
Can't find a congregation near you?
There's no place like HOME,
so start your own!
Now that we have a beginning and an end, what about the middle?  

Well, you could read the Torah Portion for the Shabbat from a Chumash (Stone’s Edition) and include some of the
commentary from the lower half of the pages.  You might find some Brit Chadesha verses that echo things found in
this portion by using a concordance or a topically referenced commentary you have.   

Some congregations take turns reading the entire portion or just parts of it and discussing it within the group.  One
of the most unique aspects of Hebrew Roots Fellowship is the open format, where people learn the fastest and get
the deepest meaning from the weekly portions.  An 'Open Format' means that people are able to ask questions
and make comments for discussion on the difficult points of the day's study.  Yes, sometimes, there may be an
occasional monopolizer, but a gentle nudge is usually all it takes to get back on topic.

Some home groups are burning a copy of the "The Road to Emmaus" and "The Gospels and Acts from a Hebrew
Perspective" or last year’s Torah Portion from our audio and video recordings and listening to it as a group, so they
can discuss it later.  We also provide our own free teachings of Hayesod (The Foundations of Hebrew Roots) at the
following links:

Hayesod Audios
Hayesod PodCasts

Another resource that I've found is First Fruits of Zion. We started our second tour of Torah Club, which comes in
5 volumes and takes one year to complete each volume.  It's been a fabulous tool.  Also, you might consider FFOZ's
HaYesod Course.  It covers the foundations of what Yeshua and Paul taught from a Jewish perspective, which by the
way, would have been their perspective!

Now, how much hospitality should I offer?

Hospitality is how Abraham shared his understanding of one God.  Torah tells us it became a huge part of his life.  
His ability to share what God had told him, endeared himself to God and they were friends.

Isa 41:8  But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

Gen 12:5  And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered,
and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into
the land of Canaan they came. ('the souls that they had gotten' refers to the disciples they had taught through this
means of hospitality)

It’s up to you.  What are you comfortable with?  Is it just coffee and cookies for a scheduled break?  That’s fine.  
We grew to include a ‘Fellowship Oneg’ or ‘Breaking Bread’, which means a meal together.  This is what really built
a sense of community at El Shaddai Ministries and I believe it is absolutely essential for unity amongst the brethren!   
Keep it low key and low budget.  Ask everyone you’ve invited to bring a dish or challah ...or dessert.


    Be Blessed,
    Pastor Mark
At El Shaddai Ministries, we started out as a “home group.”  
This is how the 1st century believers of ‘The Way’ began meeting.  Soon
we outgrew the home and found a grange hall to meet in, then a chapel
and now we meet in an actual church building with over 500 congregants
assembling.

You may know that many home groups fizzle, so be prepared with a plan
on how to stay on track with your goal for starting a home group.  Write
down your reason or purpose for meeting and what your beliefs are (you
are free to copy ours).   These two things will help give you direction for
tough decisions in the years ahead.  

From the beginning, we decided that we would include all the elements of
worship that we felt were essential for celebrating the first feast given to
mankind—the Shabbat!  We recommend that you decide what you feel is
essential for your time spent with the King of kings.  

We open and close our time together with a prayer and song to frame
the experience in the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Even if you are not
musically inclined and might not have a piano or organ at home, you
probably have a CD player.  Now, all you need is a couple of Paul Wilbur
or Ted Pearce CD's, perhaps Barry and Batya Segal CD’s would be a
great stand in for a sing-a-long; try to  find a CD that has a recording of
the Shema.  Actually, the Shema is the foundation of our liturgical
service and essential in getting back to a Hebrew Roots style of worship.  
What you will need:...
El Shaddai Ministries  |  P.O. Box 7881  |  Bonney Lake, WA 98391  |  253-862-8010
Office Hours M-F 8:00am-5:00pm
During our prayer time, between 9:00-9:15am (Pacific Time USA), phone calls will go to the answering machine.

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El Shaddai Ministries
El Shaddai Ministries is a Hebrew Roots Resource and Teaching
Ministry. Our congregation is faithful to salvation by grace
through faith as stated in the Torah