My Trip ... So Far ...

Chris Christenbury - can't get more Christian than that can you? - Just joking - inspired me to tell my story - in summary form - about my search so far.

Let me start by saying that the "so far" thing is very important. I keep my mind open to all possibilities and would not ever say I know the "Truth". That we can save for G-D. So there have been many "periods" in my life that have changed me and brought me closer to the One, the only One - YHWH - whose name is Holy - who is the Creator. The only thing I would consider worthy of worship. The power that binds the Universe - The Ancient of Days - The Eternal. The G-D of Abraham.

It all began for me as a Roman Catholic. I had my first communion at 7, but only went through the "motions" to please my parents. Then in their equivalent of a Bar Mitzvah I began to study for the "Confirmation" of my faith as a Catholic (Universal). This was 1972. I began to read the "Bible" seriously and began to see that what was taught was different than what I read. I began to ask questions and got told "listen to your teacher" type responses. Finally it escalated and my parents and my entire family left the church. They were to say the least troubling times. I was a teenager and had the entire changing into manhood thing happening.

There was the first James in my life. James Stocker – an older man who had very similar beliefs and always had a smile on his face. He always had the bible and did not belong to a church. He died and the Feast of Tabernacles on the 8th day! I gave his eulogy. He had a limp as his leg had been crushed in a coal mine as he worked in one as a child in Pennsylvania. He was an orphan who was raised by an “Old Irish Woman” with similar beliefs. He and my dad were very good friends. We would sit and discuss the bible for hours. At 12 I would read the bible and go into my Mom and Dad’s bedroom and preach to them. What nerve I had, but my parents encouraged it! My Mom had read the entire bible in the months before I was born and decided to dedicate me to G-D the Father in her belief system and named me David.

As a 12 year old I feel in love with music and began to play and play and well play. Rock, Blues, Jazz, Folk, Country, etc. I let my faith go dormant over the ensuing years. I never lost my faith, but I did not know where to go. I was told by most groups I was very "Jewish" in my thoughts. I never, even for a moment thought the historical or mythical Jesus was G-D or even equal to G-D. G-D is a poor word to even use when we talk of the Creator. My opinion is that G-D is way to Greek in its meaning. I read the bible often.

During this time a met a beautiful young woman named Patty Townsend (her adopted name). On our first date I explained to her that I had another great love in my life – G-D. She agreed and we got married very soon after we met. That was in 1981 and I was 22 she was 21. She supported my search and it became hers as well. She was very open-minded and never had a faith to speak of in her upbringing. We began very “non-denominational”, but the Jesus isn’t G-D thing got us kicked out of any serious groups.

Over the next 20 years I went to many churches of many denominations, I read and argued with so many people I can't even begin to say how many. We began collecting books on religion and the like (nearly 3,000 in our current library). We have been in churches in nearly every state in the union and several countries overseas. We looked into many Christian religions – Protestant types of all kinds – Baptist, Primitive Baptists, Born-Again types, Evangelicals, Lutheran, Methodist, JWs, Mormon, Seventh Day Adventists, etc., etc. even so-called non-denominational, Eastern religions - Zen, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, etc., etc., etc., Cults - Church Universal and Triumphant, Scientology, The Way, EST, etc, etc. etc., Atheism, Philosophy you name it. We sincerely searched for Words to live by, we searched for the meaning of life, for truth for a Creator, a reason why. Why?

A criticism of myself – I had a little knowledge and I wielded it like a sword. I would argue with folks and spew so much facts and data at them I forgot the one thing G-D is about: Love. I needed to Grow Up. I have changed a great deal, but like many of this on this form I am very knowledgeable about religion, history, science, philosophy, etc., etc. However, arrogance should never be a part of any belief system. I usually keep my mouth shut and try to learn. My silence does not mean I agree with you, however until I think it is important enough to discuss I usually don’t discuss it. I tend to think there are many fights we could get into, but let’s really discuss the important ones. Fight the battles that will change the War – Sun Tzu. I push myself to drop my ego and get on with it.

People like Benny Hinn and Robert Tilden make me ILL! I would love to scrap with them, but to what avail? For my Ego? One local “Evangelical Church” says they are just like a first century Christian church! What? Are you Ebionite? Do you follow Torah? Share all things in common? It used to make my blood boil, but over the past 35 or 40 years I have learned it was part of the plan, the path. The NT is like an Ark carrying the Torah to literally billions of homes. I am where I am today because of it. I doubt I would follow HaShem of it wasn’t for the Christian Church. It is a dose of humility. I try to work this message with love, kindness and understanding. James Tabor and Ross Nichols are very good examples of doing it this way.

It struck me one day when I was researching my 150th or 175th religion or whatever – I would never find a group, I was not a joiner. As I read the bible I realized that my thoughts were very close to forms of Judaism. Jews had helped me learn along the way, starting out with the historical Jesus or Y’Shua or Joshua if you refer to the so-called book of Acts. My next door neighbors for much of my life were Guggenheims! And then there was Abraham who styled himself as a “Delicatessen Jew”. He was a librarian in my hometown and he would help me study – he got me reference books and quite rooms throughout my academic career through my graduate degree. The day of “Revelation” was in the 1980s. I keep searching why the term LORD was capitalized in the “Old Testament”. I went to see Abraham and he got very quiet and said go to the study room and I will be right with you. He showed up 20 minutes later with reference books. Many books, Jewish, Scholarly, etc. He said you need to spend some time alone.

I began a frantic race through the pages that took me hours and then there it was – the “Tertragrammaton”. The VERY NAME of the CREATOR! It was a REVELATION to me; G-D had a name. David, Moses, the prophets they called him by his name! A name above all names. A commandment. Wow!?! I felt a presence around me that day that was powerful and comforting. I began to use it everywhere. Then it dawned on me several years later. The ten words spoke of this…uh-oh. I shouldn’t be using it so commonly (profanely). But from my discovery that day came a filling out of my faith – The Torah, The Prophets, and Israel. It made so much sense.

Then Patty and I had the day of coming clean with our bible study group – which we founded – we will not eat pork. No shellfish, no found the creator deemed “unclean”. The Ham was steaming on the table I and I told my mother sorry I can NOT eat it. That was a tough day and those were tough times. My mom and dad were always behind me, but now – what had I become – A Jew? Thank G-D for Patty. We were alone for several weeks until my Dad said he let’s look into this. Long story short – they all believe the same today. Thank HaShem.

Patty met James Tabor after calling her when she saw him on TV. She was born as baby Tabor so she called with genealogical questions and she discovered we had similar religious believes. That was in the mid-1990s. We got a booklet copy of the RAF. We became very interested in the Original Bible project. We were on the roots of faith list and were interested in Jezreels’ call. We met by phone Dennis Jones and J David Davis. We looked into his B’nai Noach stuff. Dennis said why don’t you come to the true religion- Judaism. I comment that stuck deep in my heart and soul. I love Dennis Jones! Like James Tabor I feel I can do more as a non-Jew.

Finally James Tabor persuaded us to come to the UIWU meeting in 2008 and we found follower seekers. James has truly been a loving and caring sort that has allowed us to nest here for a while. We have a great friendship with his family and he has caused us to become friends with many in this group. We will stay as long as there is the openness and search for HaShem and his ways. Something tells me that will be for a long time.

The RTF book is very close to my faith at this time – as always subject to change – but as I said to James it is a book I would have liked to written…for my brothers in Ephraim.

I would love to hear other stories. Thanks Chris for beginning your blog!

Shalom v’Shalom,

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