A Little About How I Got Here

Like most of our little association of friends and family I began a serious “awakening” around 1990. I was raised in the church and grew up experiencing nearly all the major denominations and “non-denominations.” In 1989 I was licensed and ordained in a small non-denominational ministry. During this time I was a police officer in Richmond and struggling with PTSD resulting from some of my Vietnam experiences. I found Messianic Judaism on Passover 1990 and was completely blown away. I thought I had finally “found it”, whatever “it” was. As I immersed myself in this new found religious experience I met Angus and Batya Wooten who ran the House of David ministries. I first began to understand about the lost tribes helping them when they lived in Virginia. I soon realized there was a bit of a conflict between wanting to see the tribes united and the doctrines of Messianic Judaism. As I struggled with this I also became convinced that HaShem had a Name and we needed to use it when worshiping Him and singing to Him. That REALLY did not go over well with our Rabbi at Tikvat Israel Messianic Synagogue. I was asked not to use the Name because it was offensive to Jews who might come to the services. I asked for the Rabbi to show me in the Bible his justification and I would show him mine. I was then called before a Beit Din and accused of being “an ultimate truth seeker.” No, really, that was the accusation. I decided not to show up to the Beit Din and was sent a video of the proceedings and the resulting finding, which was expulsion from the body Messiah, removal from the synagogue and I was told that I would be arrested if I returned.
Well, that solved the problem of me having to reconcile the issue of the uniting of the tribes and Messianic Judaism. Since I was no longer able to access the Messiah, I had to figure out how I was going to worship HaShem. Remember now, I was still believing that Yeshuah was God. I started meeting with Angus & Batya and several other families regularly for a while until I decided to go ahead and convert. I asked Rabbi Creditor at the conservative shuel in Richmond to allow me into the conversion classes and since I was interested in marring a nice little JAP I had met he readily agreed. During this time I was corresponding regularly with, of all people, Simca Pearlmutter! I now learn how instrumental he was in helping so many others in our group. He was instrumental in me allowing myself to stop believing that Yeshuah was God; Prophet, messiah, teacher, rabbi, but not God. Since I was a convert and not believing in the Godship of Yeshuah, I fell out of favor with the House of David folks and Angus & Batya Wooten. Fortunately, HaShem was in the process of teaching me a new thing. I told Him I now believed nothing, and was going to start from scratch. The next few years HaShem put me through the ringer. I had a gun drawn on me in a crowded sterrt and the perp pulled the trigger but the gun did not go off. Behind this I started having more and more severe nightmares and other PTSD related issues. I was soon fired from the police department right after the Rodney King mess because I used my foot to push a black prisoner into the wagon since he was trying to kick me while 2 other black officers stood by and would not help. In retrospect it was a good thing, but I was crushed. I wanted to be a cop. The next few years were my desert experience.
I moved to North Carolina and met James Tabor and UIWU in 2002, during the first conference we had in Charlotte. I moved up to Boone, NC in 2001 and founded Cove Creek Center, Inc., a nonprofit that is the umbrella organization for several programs that work with at risk young people. Cove Creek Farm is the residential program and we have around 10 guys living her at any given time. I also incorporated Assemblies of the Ancient Hebrew Faith, a religious organization that can license and ordain clergy. I minister to many disenfranchised veterans and others who have become disillusioned with organized religion and need a place to get married and buried and everything in between.
There is of course a lot more, but I wanted to give folks a quick look at what led me to where I am today, the fat ugly, funny dressing Jewish guy you see at the conferences. I am convinced that HaShem is in total control and our job is to fit in the plan somehow. It is such a joy to be associated with the motley crew that makes up UIWU. As I study Torah and Kabala I learn more and more about how little we understand and how much we need to learn. One of the things that make us so special is how we have so many diverse beliefs about the small stuff, but because we all believe in Torah and the ultimate reunification of Judah and Ephraim we have one heart.

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Comment by Betty K. (Tabor) Givin on July 6, 2009 at 2:33pm: Wow! Chris, what a story. I knew you were a war veteran and about the great work you do with the boys at Cove Creek, but had not idea of all the rest of it. I know I am a little tardy in making it to you page, and I apologize for that...just don't seem to get around to everything that I want to do, but am working on it as I can. I am so glad that you opened up to all of us and shared your tough life experiences that make you the strong, yet sensitive person you are. It looks like you guys had a great retreat at Shavuot! Enjoy the BAR conference and give my brother a hug from me, that is if you don't mind...take care, Chris, and again, thanks so much for sharing your amazing story.

Comment by Tova on May 17, 2009 at 11:26pm: Everything is happening the way it should.

Comment by Chris Christenbury on May 10, 2009 at 3:32pm: .....and it ain't over yet.
Sorry you won't be able to join us for the men's retreat. If things change and you can make it that would be great.
Shalom,
Chris

Comment by David Tyler on May 10, 2009 at 11:00am: Chris,

What a fantatic story. I am sure there is more of it. I think the UIWU should collect a book of stories and essays of Ephraim. I am hard at work on the Album "Songs from Ephraim". I was thinking of calling it Songs From The Diaspora or something with that type of feeling.

It has been one of the most joyous efforts of my life. In fact you have inspired me to write my story on my blog. In fact I encourage all the folks here to do so. To quote the Dead "What a long strange trip it has been ..."

Dave

Comment by Melanie Carroll on May 3, 2009 at 8:44pm: Hi Chris,

Thank you so much for sharing your testimony - ohh and for sharing the pictures of all your animals and family.
Your experiences are ones that truly test a person and it is good to see that you have come through it to be the person HaShem called you to be - in the end this is the most we can be and the best we can do, and you are a living example of this - so thank you for being so willing to share this with us.
Best
Melanie

Comment by Chris Christenbury on May 3, 2009 at 7:31pm: HK,
Thanks for coming on board. Welcome home. If you do start having problems with diabeties get hook up with the VA. The Agent Orange exposure causes it and the VA is must recognize it and offer medical treatment and compensation.

Comment by David on May 3, 2009 at 4:16pm: Hey Chris....Great post. It IS rare to be able to open up to a group such as this and be understood! Hey I have an idea....lets me and you go find that doctor that told you you were an A--hole and show him what one REALLY is! I think you for the insight you have and the desire and passion to work with this present generation of disillusioned youth returning from harms way, thrust back into a society, not understanding how to correctly deal with a perceived enemy, such as "life".
Your buddy
dave

Comment by Chris Christenbury on May 3, 2009 at 3:59pm: Margie,
I feel your pain. I ran away from home at 17 and joined the Marine Corps. More Vietnam Veterans have committed suicide since the end of the war that were killed in action. The same statistics are projected for our young men and women returning from the sandbox. These are VA statistics. Fortunantly for the guys coming home now the VA is a little bit more responsive. When I tried to get help in the 1980's the doctor that evaluated me said" Mr. Christenbury, you do not have PTSD, you're just an asshole." No lie, that's what he said! Tell you men that they can get help from the VA and they can also get compensation for it as well. An entire generation of young men has been riuned because we could not get the help we needed.
Shalom,
Chris

Comment by Pat/Avigail Robbins on May 3, 2009 at 2:05pm: Wow! Your profile is beautiful! Maybe I'll try to write mine. It's great to know more about the "family!"