In keeping with our name as an initiative, we hope for a final unity of Jew and Gentile—expressed in something like a solemn convocation, reminiscent of the First Jerusalem Council described in Acts 15. This, in a sense, represents the ultimate goal of the TJCII initiative.
Such a gathering remains far from the realities of today, and can therefore only be described in the prophetic language of hope, rather than in structural-theological terms. A working title could be the "Second Council of Jerusalem."
It should be a formal assembly of all parts of the Body of Christ—an assembly with sufficient representation from each denominational leadership, so that the entire Body may come to a consensus and speak with one voice.
Given how profoundly history has shaped and reshaped Christianity over the centuries, this gathering would be without precedent in Church history. It will be unique in its form—not a copy of any previous Church council, nor comparable to any international leadership conference.
At such a universal convocation of Christian leaders, the recognition of the "Church of the Jews" by the Gentile Churches must finally take place.
- It should be the inverse of the First Council(Acts 15). At the First Council of Jerusalem, the Apostles decided that Jewish believers had to make room for Gentile believers—without requiring them to become Jews. A Second Council would need to be the inverse of that. Gentile Christian leaders would have to formally recognize the resurrection of the Messianic Body and enter into full communion with the "Church of the Circumcision." Such an event will only occur under a special leading of the Holy Spirit. Only the Spirit can reveal to the churches how such a communion—recognized by all denominations—could take place.
- Great Humility is required – Such a Council will only take place when humility, brokenness, and repentance open the hearts of men and women and bring forth the ability to welcome the Messianic Movement as a gift of God. For this to happen, all Gentile Christian leaders must encounter one another—and above all, their Jewish partners—with a humble spirit and open hands. In the Book of Revelation, we see the image of the Elders offering back to the Lamb their "crowns" (Rev 4:10). There, they humble themselves first and foremost before God. But is there not also a need for the Elders to humble themselves before one another? This kind of humility involves the willingness to speak and act toward one another not from a position of title or governing power, but rather as co-followers of the Lamb—wherever He Clinging to titles will not help when this "reordering" of relationships within the Body takes place. God will challenge all leaders! To each one, He may say something like: "Come down from your thrones. Do not cling to your positions. Be ready to lose your reputations.Come and kneel together before Me and My sheep—offering your servant-attitude." This is what the Holy Spirit will require from all—Gentiles and Messianics alike. Otherwise, the Gentile Church will never fully comprehend that the Messianic Jews are part of the unified Body, and the Messianic side will not be ready to take its place within the Body. Only when we are humble and broken can we make room for all this. Such overwhelming humility will be the fruit of deep and sustained prayer.
- The Elder Brothers need to be accepted – Receiving Messianic Jews merely as an interesting religious phenomenon is not enough. They must be received as the "Elder Brothers." They must not become just another denomination among the thousands that already exist. Being our "Elder Brothers" implies a special place—a position, above all, of spiritual authority. They represent something of the spiritual authority carried by the first Jewish believers. If the Messianic movement continues to develop in the coming season into this Church of the Circumcision, then a particular authority will rest upon them. In a mysterious way, they embody the "Jewish" lineage of the Apostles—Peter, Paul, James, and others—within the People of God today.
- The Messianic Jews have a particular role within the Body – Receiving them as "Elder Brothers" corresponds to the re-establishment of the Jewish part of the Church. Such a Second Council of Jerusalem would likely result in a dramatic "reordering" of the entire There should be a deep unity—one that goes further and deeper than any form of ecumenism to date. This new depth of unity will emerge because the momentum of the Messianic witness will challenge all Gentile Churches in their relationships with one another. The first split wounded Church unity profoundly, and all subsequent "breakaways" within Gentile Christianity were, at least indirectly, related to that original rupture. As the first split became normalized—setting loose a "division-virus"—this reunion of Jew and Gentile will, conversely, be a blessing to the Church and to the world, bringing healing, unity, and peace.
- It will bring healing from the wounds of separation – An attitude of humility and repentance on all sides will allow the Messianic Jews to take their rightful place within the Body. It will usher in a level of healing for the broken Body of the Messiah like never before. Wounds of separation between Christian denominations—some of them burdening relationships for centuries—will be cured. A climate of embrace and forgiveness will open the way for new beginnings. There will be supernatural healing power to restore trust between fathers and sons, and sons and fathers (Mal 4:6), referring to the relationships among the various historic and independent churches.
- An ecumenical earthquake – Such a Second Council will be an ecumenical earthquake! But this reconciliation will not occur miraculously all at once. It will be the fruit of decades of preparation and of thorough reconciliation work—between Jews and Gentiles, and within the Gentile denominations—a labor many of us have already been engaged in for a long time. This Second Council will mark the completion of this faithful "ecumenical labor" and should yield a lasting harvest from the many Christian convocations and unity conferences that have gone before. During this process, the Holy Spirit will need to reveal new pathways for the Church to realize true The biblical principle of unity in diversity may guide us forward. The twelve tribes of Israel, despite their differences, were able to be one chosen people of God. Their distinctives enriched their unity rather than diminished it. Could this be a model for the "One Church"— united in essentials, yet vibrant in diverse forms of ecclesial and liturgical expressions?
- Unity in diversity & unity through diversity – There is a special anointing upon the Jewish people. As the Jewish part of the Church joins, they could become a model for how the principle of "unity in diversity" functions. The Jewish concept of unity is never uniformity. What will draw us together into one Body is the intense love and passion for the Messiah—and all that we believe about him. At the same time, our differences will become a blessing, not a threat. Diversity reveals the creativity of the Holy Spirit. God's Spirit rejoices in all the variations, reminding the Church that her many expressions reveal something of the fullness of the revelation of Christ (John 16:13-15). Unity in diversity—and unity through reconciled diversity—within the Church may ultimately become an inspiration for pathways to peace and unity in secular society.
- There will be a reexamination of many parts of our respective theologies in the light of this development – Such a Council will also be a time of significant reexamination of Christian teaching. Not that the teaching of the Church was wrong! The Holy Spirit has faithfully protected the Church through all these centuries—even without its Jewish component—so that it did not fall into heresy. But to use an analogy: all of our Church beliefs will be thrown into the "washing machine" of the Holy Spirit to be purified. What happened in the presence of the Holy Spirit at every former Council, Church convocation, and Synod will happen again—this time in the presence of the Messianic Jews. Their Hebrew mindset will shift some of our perspectives. Our unity as Gentiles with them will profoundly affect the way we teach Biblical truth. Things will be purified. In the presence of the Messianic Jews, systematic theology, liturgy, and church practice will be re-evaluated. This new attitude toward teaching will not begin at the Council itself. Much of it will unfold beforehand, as Christianity increasingly recognizes the Jewish roots of her faith. To be clear: this is not about "Judaizing," but about seeing Church teaching within an enlarged framework of belief—one that honors the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Such a transformation requires a particular quality of relationship among Christian and Messianic leaders and theologians—one capable of bringing many rich traditions into harmony.
- Jerusalem will be the center – A Second Jerusalem Council would shift the "center of the Body of Christ" from Rome, Constantinople, Geneva, London, or Springfield to Jerusalem—the City of the Great King! As a result of such a Council, the prophecy of Isaiah 2:2-5 could begin to unfold. It may not be realized in its ultimate eschatological form, which would involve the return of the Eternal King to the throne of David. But it would serve as a powerful sign to the nations when all churches choose to "organize" their unity from Jerusalem rather than from other places. To host such a Council in Jerusalem would require, first and foremost, an established and united Messianic Jewish and Gentile eldership in the city—one prepared to welcome denominational delegations for such an event. This role of Jerusalem's elders as hosts would become even more vital should Gentile Church leaders begin to relocate their headquarters to the Jewish capital. Before reaching such a goal, much intercession and healing will be needed. All efforts made in our day— in the city of David—to foster unity among the Messianic Jewish eldership and between them and Gentile elders and bishops are worth the price. These are the necessary preparations for realizing Jerusalem's ultimate role. Even now, all Christian denominations should begin to reorient themselves to see Jerusalem as the focal point of salvation history.
- The eschatological dimension – "No one knows the hour, not even the Son, only the Father" (Matt. 24:36). The final events and the ultimate hour of salvation are not in human hands. Nevertheless, such a Council would carry an eschatological dimension—even though it would still unfold in the sphere of human history and responsibility. In fact, it may become a pivotal step in preparing this now-united Church to become the Bride with fewer spots and wrinkles: better prepared for the end-time evangelistic harvest; better prepared for the persecution through which the Body will be cleansed; better prepared to reveal her bridal beauty; better prepared to stand against the attacks of the enemy, which will be more severe and destructive than ever Only when the Church is united will she be able to fully direct all her energies toward the holiness and sanctification required to fulfill her eschatological destiny.
- The realization of the "One New Man" – What has been accomplished by the blood of the Messiah to establish this One New Man, according to Ephesians 2, should be finally and formally realized in such a Council. This will bring the Church into its "fullness" more than ever before. Such a development will serve as a powerful witness to humanity. It may lead to mass conversions among the nations—and among those in Israel who, until then, had opposed the recognition of Jesus as their Messiah. It will be a witness for reconciliation and peace for all of mankind, and may promote dramatic political shifts in the direction of human rights and dignity. Above all, it will stand as an overwhelming testimony to the redemptive power of the blood of the Messiah—before all religions.
- The last miracle of Jesus before his Second Coming? – In the autumn of 2006, a TJCII delegation—consisting of Messianic Jewish, Protestant and Catholic theologians—met for the first time in a theological encounter with Romanian Orthodox Church leaders. The meeting took place in an old monastery nestled in the snowy mountains of Central Romania. To our astonishment, four bishops, forty priests, and at least ten lay theologians gathered, along with a significant number of interested lay leaders from Eastern Orthodox renewal movements. Although the encounter began well, it quickly turned into As TJCII representatives, we felt a great deal of prejudice—almost hostility. The breakthrough came on the final day of the conference. A Romanian Orthodox bishop stepped forward to the pulpit to deliver his statement. The bishop, himself a well-known New Testament scholar, spoke about the resurrection of Lazarus from the Gospel of John. He emphasized that the resurrection of Lazarus was the last miracle Jesus performed before His own resurrection. The fact that the Messianic Movement has come "to life again from the dead" may be the last miracle Jesus performs before His Second Coming. The Lord has resurrected them from the dead. But we, as Gentile Christians, must lead them out of their grave. We must roll away the heavy stones that block their path. We must unbind them from everything that hinders them from receiving the full freedom the Messiah intended. The bishop finished with an almost prophetic statement: "When the Jews finally come out of their grave, what else will this be, other than a global celebration of restoration—of coming home, home to Zion. Maybe this could be the Second Council of Jerusalem?"
