Mission, vision, Core Values and

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Community Of The Way Teaching Living From
Genesis To Revelation

• Mission, vision, Core Values and
• Organizational Statement

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Who Are We?

• Community Of The Way is a Torah Observant,
  Messiah Centered Fellowship
• We are Torah Observant because we love God and
  were created for good works.
• We are Messiah Centered, because without the
  Messiah, nothing we believe or do matters.

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What Do We Mean By Torah Observant?

• Yeshua said if we love Him we will keep His
  commandments. (Exd 206, Duet 510, 79, 111,
  22, John 1415, 1510, 1 John 52-3)
• Keeping Gods commandments is the responsibility
  of every believer who loves Yeshua. (Num
  1514-16, Ish 561-3 6-8, Ecc1113, Rom 84,
  James 122-25 etc.)
• If we disobey a commandment of God, by
  definition, we are choosing to walk in sin. (1
  John 34)
• We desire to obey God in ALL our ways, not just
  some of them. (Psm 119, Duet 64-9, Matt 519)
• Therefore, we start by observing and applying the
  simple commandments and these train our flesh to
  be able to obey God when difficult situations
  come up. (Matt 2323, Matt 519, Heb 411)

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What Do We Mean By Torah Observant?

• The Bible makes no distinction between different
  types of commandments. Such distinctions are
  the unbiblical creations of men. If God commands
  something and we fail to act, we have a very
  moral problem. All of Gods commandments have
  moral obligations and implications for our lives,
  both for the Jew and for the Gentile who joins
  himself to Israel by faith in Messiah. (Num
  1514-16, Lev 191-2, 2025-26, 2 Tim 316-17
  etc., Example profaning the Sabbath is
  considered evil something with distinctly moral
  connotations see Neh 1317 Ish 562)
• By NOT sacrificing today we ARE keeping Gods
  commandments and upholding the Torah. (Duet
  1213)

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What Are The Simple Commands?

• Sabbath Exd 208-11 Six days you shall labor and
  do all your work, but the seventh day is a
  Sabbath of the Lord your Godthe Lord blessed the
  Sabbath day (7th Day) and made it holy. Exd
  3112-18 Sabbath is a sign of our covenant
  relationship with Yahweh forever, and we are to
  observe it so that we (and our children) may
  know that Yahweh is our Master.
• Feasts Of The Lord Lev 23 2 Yahwehs Appointed
  Times (Moedim) which you shall proclaim as holy
  convocations MY Appointed Times are these vs.
  3 Sabbath, vs. 235 Passover, vs. 6 Unleavened
  Bread, vs. 15 Counting of The Omer, vs. 24 Feast
  of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), vs. 27 Day of
  Atonements (Yom Kippur), vs. 34 The Feast of
  Tabernacles (Sukkot).
• Diet Yahweh instructed Israel concerning what God
  gave for food and what God did not give for food.
  Pig and shell fish for example are NOT food.
  However, this is not simply an issue of health
  (although it provides that protection and
  benefit), but it is a matter of holiness. Lev
  112 these are the creatures which you may eat
  from all the animals that are on the earth Lev
  2025-26 You are therefore to make distinction
  between the clean animal and the unclean, and
  between the unclean bird and the clean and you
  shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or
  by bird or by anything the creeps on the ground,
  which I have separated for you as unclean. Thus
  you are to be holy to Me, for I Yahweh am holy
  and I have set you apart from the peoples to be
  Mine.
• The Fringes (Tzitziyot) Num 1537-40 they shall
  make for themselves tassels on the corners of
  their garments throughout their generationsit
  shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember
  all the commandments of Yahweh so as to do them
  and not follow after your own heart and your own
  eyesso that you may remember to do all the
  commandments and be holy to your God.
• Good Deeds (Being Mitzvot minded) As we study the
  Torah (Gen, Exd, Lev, Num Duet) each year we
  seek to understand and apply the commandments of
  God in the manner in which we treat other people
  and serve those around us being zealous for good
  works (Titus 214).

• Gods Appointed Times provided the framework
  through which all believers can be discipled by
  the Lord in an annual cycle of sanctification
  throughout their entire spiritual journey.

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Mission Statement

• Proclaiming The Messiah and His way of life
  through family centered Fellowship, Worship,
  Discipleship, Evangelism.

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Vision Statement

• Our vision is to train up disciples of the Master
  who are zealous for good works and who take
  seriously the Great Commission. Therefore, they
  not only work toward having a spiritually
  disciplined life through personal study and
  application of Gods commandments, but they
  eagerly look for opportunities to share the Good
  News with others whom Yahweh brings into their
  life.

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Accomplishing The VisionS.I.N.T.

• The Vision is accomplished through SINT Study,
  Inform, kNow, and Tell
• STUDY A systematic study and application of the
  Torahs commandments, including the study and
  application of the teachings in the Prophets,
  Writings, and Apostolic Scriptures.
• INFORM Through fellowship and mentorship in
  personal relationships in a small group setting
  to gain wisdom, insight, and encouragement in the
  faith.
• KNOW Provide information and instruction about
  the history and traditions of both Christianity
  and Judaism in order to empower people to know
  the difference between something biblically
  commanded and mans traditions, and to
  distinguish observances that may have been
  falsely inherited from pagan traditions that
  could hinder a believers effectiveness as a
  witness.
• TELL Deliberate evangelistic efforts via the
  signs given through observing and inviting
  others to join one in Yahwehs Appointed Times.

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Our Core Values

• Every member shall strive for personal excellence
  without condemnation of others.
• While we will preach and uphold the eternal
  truths of God without compromise, we will also
  extend grace to those new to the faith in order
  to let everyone mature at their own pace, while
  staying unified as a community as all members
  continue to move forward and increase their faith
  walk according to the richness of Gods grace in
  their life.
• With greater wisdom comes greater responsibility
  and accountability to act rightly and
  righteously. Therefore, humility is the hallmark
  of all those who have gained TRUE wisdom. A
  man/woman of wisdom lives by example, more than
  he shares many words.
• Our Core Values
• Obedience
• Prayer
• Preaching Teaching
• Worship
• Fellowship
• Evangelism

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Core Values

• Obedience

• Prayer

• Yeshua said, If you love me you will keep My
  commandments. John 1415 NASB.
• If you keep My commandments, you will abide in
  My love just as I have kept My Fathers
  commandments and abide in His love. John 1510
  NASB.
• to obey is better than sacrifice, to heed than
  the fat of rams 1 Sam 1522

• Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and
  pray for one another so that you may be healed.
  The effective prayer of a righteous man can
  accomplish much. James 516
• Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by
  prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
  your requests be made known to God. Phil 46
• With all prayer and petition pray at all times
  in the Spirit Eph 618

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Core Values

• Preaching Teaching

• Worship

• Proverbs 623 For the commandment (mitzvah) is a
  lamp, the teaching (Torah) is light, and reproofs
  for discipline are THE WAY of life.
• Psalm 11933-35 Teach me O Lord, THE WAY of Your
  statutes, and I shall observe it to the end.
  Give me understanding, that I may observe Your
  teaching (Torah) and keep it (guard it) with all
  my heart. Make me walk in the path of Your
  commandments, for I delight in it.
• Like Ezra we want to set our hearts to study your
  word, to obey it, and to teach it to others.
  (Ezra 710)

• John 424 God is Spirit and those who worship
  Him must worship in Spirit and Truth.
• Psalm 2227 All the ends of the earth will
  remember (i.e. keep covenant) and turn to the
  Lord (i.e. repent), And all the families of the
  nations will worship before You.
• Psalm 956 Come, let us worship and bow down,
  Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

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Core Values

• Fellowship

• Evangelism

• 1 John 16-7 If we say that we have fellowship
  with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and
  do not practice the truth but if we walk in the
  Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have
  fellowship with one another, and the blood of
  Yeshua His Son cleanses us from all sin.

• Matthew 2819-20 Go therefore and make disciples
  of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of
  the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
  teaching them to observe all that I commanded
  you

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How We Apply Our Core Values

• Obedience

• Prayer

• Sabbath.
• Feasts of the Lord.
• Fruits of the Spirit in relationships.
• Studying and applying the commandments as the
  Spirit gives wisdom and insight to each person.

• Commitment to Personal Daily Prayer
• Set times of prayer
• Community Prayer
• During services
• Prayer requests
• Prayer for children during services and Erev
  Shabbat meal gatherings.

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How We Apply Our Core Values

• Preaching Teaching

• Worship

• Community Sabbath Worship Service
• Commitment by all to Personal Study
• Commitment by all to come to services prepared to
  learn and share with others.
• All those with the gift of teaching being able to
  use their gift within the community.

• Community Sabbath Worship Service.
• Feasts Of The Lord Worship Services and personal
  preparation.
• Obedience to the commandments.
• Helping Others In Need that God brings into our
  lives.

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How We Apply Our Core Values

• Fellowship

• Evangelism

• Weekly Shabbat Services and Oneg (Fellowship
  Meals).
• Feasts Of The Lord community gatherings.
• Friday night Erev Shabbat dinners among and
  between community members.
• Extra curricular activities with members outside
  of church activities.

• Primarily
• Commitment to actively invite non-believers to
  Erev Shabbat dinners and share the Gospel in
  non-threatening atmosphere through lifestyle
  evangelism.
• Invite non-believers to community services, Feast
  gatherings, or other events.
• Secondarily
• Community outreach events.
• Charity events.

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Organizational Structure

• Headship Chart

The Godhead
Husband Wife Children
Husband Wife Children
Singles With or Without Children
Community Of The Way
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Organizational Structure

• Administrative Structure

Husband Wife Children
Husband Wife Children
Singles With or Without Children
Community Of The Way

• Maintain personal excellence and lead by example

• Conduct weekly services

• Coordinate Feast Schedule

• Establish order of service and style of music
  etc.

• Organize Gatherings

• Coordinate weekly drosh speakers and teachers

• Coordinate Fellowship meals

Cast vision for community and outreach

• Maintain communication via website and/or email

• Open home or organize meeting location

• Coordinate any guest speakers

SERVICE
Church Planters
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Organizational Structure

• Preaching and Teaching
• At Community Of The Way, all members, both males
  and females are given equal opportunity to
  exercise their gifts within the community.
• Any member may sign up to give the 5 to 10
  minute drosh or personal teaching over the
  weekly Torah portion before each Torah discussion
  time.
• Any member with a gift of teaching and desire to
  share may request an opportunity to give a
  teaching or share some knowledge they have
  learned during the topical teaching time each
  Sabbath. Requests should be made to church
  planters to be placed on the schedule. Church
  planters do maintain the right to refuse a person
  in order to guard the integrity of the pulpit and
  protect the sheep from any unsound or unbiblical
  teaching, or if the person is shown to clearly
  not have the skills necessary to handle the
  responsibility.
• Prophesy members may share a word from the Lord
  in the context of the community gathering and all
  must assess it.

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Organizational Structure

• Apostolic Authority (i.e. Thus saith the Lord
  authority)
• No one person has any greater apostolic
  authority to teach than any other person in the
  community. Therefore, all family units must
  weigh what is taught or shared by any community
  member and each person is personally responsible
  to study the Scriptures daily to prove those
  things be so.
• Administrative Leadership and Pastoral Oversight
• No one person is The Pastor, instead, those
  who are called by God to start a church group
  such as Community Of The Way (i.e. the church
  planters) will act as the administrative leaders
  with regard to the functional aspects of the
  community (i.e. handling communitys scheduling,
  order of service, music selection etc. unless
  otherwise delegated to other members of the
  community by the church planters), while the
  heads of household are each responsible to
  pastor their own family units. However, church
  planters reserve the right to refuse someone the
  pulpit to teach if they feel it will protect the
  community from a teaching not consistent with the
  Scriptures and/or the communitys core values.

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Organizational Structure

• Service Methods, Modes of Worship, Overall
  Style
• Not every community will appeal in style and
  format to every person, so we encourage people to
  come, learn, and then start their own church
  plant if they have a desire for a different style
  of service, format, or music.
• All future members who desire to start their own
  church plant are encouraged to do so if called by
  God, and current church planters will provide
  whatever support and information they can to
  assist the new church plant.
• There is room for many communities in
  Albuquerque, each with its own style in order to
  appeal to and offer a place for a wide variety of
  people with unique tastes and worship preferences
  whether formal, informal, contemporary or
  traditional, charismatic or stoic.

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Organizational Structure

• Handling Conflict
• The Scriptures are ultimately the final
  authority in any matter, but if a theological
  conflict occurs and the community is split with
  regard to the direction that should be taken a
  court will convene to decide the matter.
• Collectively, the eldest 11 men who are proven,
  indigenous, and recognized leaders may be called
  upon to convene the court to decide on critical
  matters or conflicts, should they arise, after
  the community has had sufficient debate over the
  issue in one but no more than two official open
  meetings. To qualify, an elder must have been an
  official member for at least six months (having
  signed a membership letter), in good standing
  within the community, and have evidenced the
  qualifying factors in their life listed in Duet
  1821 and Titus 15-9.
• Although we do not anticipate the need for a
  court, we recognize that sometimes conflicts do
  arise and someone has to be called upon to make a
  final decision. While ultimate administrative
  decisions will be made by church planters, issues
  of a theological nature or impact should be
  decided by the elders as Gods appointed
  shepherds.

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Target Audience

• Demographics

• Target By Age

• Estimates within 10 miles of Community Of The
  Way
• Median age 38.5 years old
• Avg. Household income 66,719
• Marital Status Married 50.2 of population in
  area
• With children ages 5 thru 19 20.4 of
  population in area

• Target Audience based on Age
• 20 to 44 years old 36.8 of population in the
  area
• Generation X and Millennials
• And their children
• Conclusion
• Ideal target audience based on demographics and
  community goals would be young married couples in
  their 20s to 40s, and married couples with
  children.
• Of course everyone is always welcome, but church
  planting statistics show that we are best
  equipped to minister to those like us.

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Growth Strategy

• God Directed

• Website

• Conversion Growth YES
• Non-believers
• After establishing a relationship through
  specific evangelistic efforts as the Lord directs
  each one, we will invite non-believers, seekers,
  and others to join us for services and Lord
  willing they will come to faith through loving
  exposure to the truth.
• New Believers YES
• Existing Believers disenfranchised with current
  church system as usual or those God is already
  preparing to reveal the truth of His eternal
  Torah and who need information, guidance and a
  place to learn and grow in their Torah
  understanding.
• As the Lord brings believers into our lives to
  disciple in the ways of the Master with regard to
  a Torah obedient life, we will invite them to
  join us in services and become a part of the
  community.
• Transfer Growth NO
• We will not look to invite Messianic Believers
  who are already active members in local Messianic
  congregations in Albuquerque so as not to disrupt
  the work God is doing in those communities.

• We may occasionally get calls or visitors because
  of our website and word of mouth in the Messianic
  community, but we will not actively seek new
  members whom we do not have a prior relationship
  or who we have not come into contact with through
  referrals or God directed contacts.
• Our main goal and focus is to look for and be
  open to those God will send our way specifically
  to disciple, train, and grow in their faith in
  order to prepare them to begin to disciple others
  whom God brings into their own lives as they
  mature in their faith and understanding.
• Everyone in the community is both a disciple and
  being discipled in the sense that we all learn
  from each other and we are all capable of
  teaching others what we have already learned.
  There is always someone ahead of us, and we are
  always ahead of someone else. Always look to be
  discipled by someone in the community and be
  looking for whom God desires you to disciple as
  we all grow together in faith and obedience to
  the Master.
• This does not need to be formally done, it is
  just a byproduct of a natural process through
  relationship and the God guided influence people
  naturally have on each other when they are in
  close relationship with one another

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Short Long Term Goals

• Short Term

• Long Term

• Immediate
• Each member establish personal goals and
  strategies to reach them according to each of the
  core value areas.
• Review goals and progress twice annually at
  Passover Yom Teruah/Yom Kippur
• Within 2 Years
• Find church to rent space to utilize on Saturdays
  for Sabbath Service

• Within 10 Years
• Build or Purchase Our Own Church Building
• Open Messianic Childrens Day School
• Offer Adult Yeshiva
• Classes Education
• Have Resource Store within Church

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Example Of Personal Goals List

• Core Values

• Personal Application

• Obedience
• Prayer
• Preaching Teaching
• Worship
• Fellowship
• Evangelism

• Start with the simple commands, and
• This years Passover commitments brought before
  the Lord.
• Daily Set times, Prayer before/after meals,
  corporate prayer.
• Study weekly Torah Portion come to service
  prepared to share, teach children daily during
  home school.
• Staying mitzvot minded daily, corporate services
  moedim.
• Corporate services moedim, extra curr.
  activities with members and other believers.
• Erev Shabbat evangelism efforts, daily witness to
  those God brings into life, teaching children.

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In the End, What Does The Lord Require Of Each
Of Us As Believers?

• The following verse is the evidence of a true New
  Covenant Relationship with God. If we confess
  Yeshua, but do not walk in His ways, than as
  James notes, our faith is dead having no evidence
  of being effectual for salvation. Thus we are
  charged to test ourselves (2 Cor 135), and that
  test can only be done through examining our lives
  and practices in relationship to Gods eternal
  Torah commands. Will your flesh submit to
  Yeshuas commandments? We cannot simply be
  content to call Him our Savior, we must allow Him
  to truly become our Lord (the Master) of our
  lives as well.
• Here is what God requires of those already in
  covenant relationship with Him
• Deuteronomy 1012-13
• Now, Israel both the native born and the
  gentile who joins Israel, grafted in through
  faith in Messiah
• What does Yahweh your God require from you,
• But to fear Yahweh your God,
• To walk in ALL His ways and love Him,
• And to serve Yahweh your God
• With all your heart and with all your soul,
• And to keep Yahwehs commandments
• And His statutes which I am commanding you today
  
• For your own good!

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Community Of The Way

• Ultimately, our primary goal at Community Of The
  Way is to
• Share the Truth
• with all who have ears to hear, knowing that
• An honest but mistaken man, once shown the truth,
  will either cease to be mistaken or cease to be
  honest.
• Jewish Proverb