Our Mission
Who is Beyt baMidbar Messianic Outreach?
Beyt baMidbar Messianic Outreach is an assembly of Jews and Non-Jews, gathering to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and His Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus), in a mix of traditional and modern worship forms. The congregation’s name is Hebrew, and means ‘House in the Wilderness,’ a nod to B’Midbar (Numbers) 1.1, Acts 7.38, and Revelation 12.6.
We are based in North Idaho and can relate to the isolation of the ‘wilderness’ of having few in number but enjoying close relationships.
We worship the One True God in a tradition known as Messianic Judaism, which can be defined as lovingly doing God’s commands, as delivered to Moses in the Torah (instructions), walking in Jewish tradition where it does not conflict with Torah or the teachings of Messiah, and embracing Yeshua as Messiah. Messianic Judaism is the one branch of Judaism which acknowledges Yeshua as the Messiah promised by the Prophets.
At Beyt baMidbar Messianic Outreach, we embrace the redemption made available to us by our Messiah, and invite the impartation of God’s Spirit. We also believe God intended for us to live by His commandments, as the way of righteous living before a holy God, and as a testimony that God is real and to be taken seriously. This is accomplished by learning and emphasizing Biblical Torah and applying it to our modern lives. Obedience to the commands found in the Torah is not incompatible with salvation through God’s grace or ‘walking in the Spirit,’ and is the ideal lifestyle of God’s redeemed people.
We gather on the Sabbath (the seventh day, as God defines it), on the holy days and Feast days, as outlined in Leviticus 23, as well as important Biblical and traditional occasions, such as Khanukah and Purim.
We read from our Torah, as well as study Tanach and the Brit haKhadeshah (commonly known as ‘Old Testament’ and ‘New Testament’). The Bible is our guide from God on how a redeemed people are to live a holy life before a holy God. We also learn Hebrew as a means to better understand what God wants of us and what He instructs.
We maintain an affinity to Jewish people, culture, and history, and support the nation of Israel. We acknowledge Gentiles are ‘grafted into’ the commonwealth of Israel by the sacrifice of Yeshua and are considered as native-born in all aspects of congregation life. B’mid’bar (Numbers) 15.14-16. Romans 11.13-18.
Beyt baMidbar Messianic Outreach promotes a healthy family atmosphere where each member is encouraged to grow into the man or woman God intends them to be and thus reach their deepest fulfillment, doing the works God set out for them.
Rules of Engagement
How to have a good Yeshiva discussion!
1. Respect others.
Leviticus 19.18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. Eleazar ben Arach: Let the honor of thy neighbor be as dear to thee as thine own.
2. Encourage others to speak up.
Proverbs 11.14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
3. Make your point, then stop.
Ecclesiastes 5.7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God. Matthew 6.7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Proverbs 18: 2 A fool takes no pleasure in trying to understand; he only wants to express his own opinion.
4. Do not wander far from the topic.
Philippians 3.14 I keep pursuing the goal in order to win the prize offered by God’s upward calling in the Messiah Yeshua.
5. Allow others to disagree.
Ecclesiastes 7.5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6. Allow time for others to consider your position.
Proverbs 20.3 It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel.
7. Consider the differing position before responding.
Proverbs 27.17 As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
8. Accept correction gracefully.
Proverbs 27.6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
9. Separate Bible from misguided tradition or doctrines.
Matthew 15.9 And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
10. Our goal is to win people, not crush them.
1 Corinthians 9.22b I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
11. Repress the desire to speak up or respond to every comment or point.
1 Corinthians 14.26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.