A Year of The Shalom House
It’s hard to believe that this month we are celebrating a year in the Shalom House, our ministry hospitality center in Roswell, GA! We moved in on June 11, 2024!
The Shalom House is an extension of our greater vision to help the Jewish and Christian communities connect with the Jewish Jesus. Unfortunately, Jesus’ Jewish identity has been blurred over the millennia. The church has distanced itself from the Jewish foundation of our faith - what the Apostle Paul referred to as the “nourishing root” of the olive tree (see Rom 11:11-22). Jewish people know little of the Jewish Jesus. Most Christians know little about the Jewish context of the scriptures. The Shalom House gives us a place - a home - to discuss these most important topics.
When we made the decision to secure a facility for special events, discipleship, teaching, education, and meetings, little did we know how impactful our home would be! Since we began our Shalom House adventure we have renovated, hosted many Shabbat dinners, taught and celebrated three nights of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), six nights of Hanukkah, and seven nights of Passover. We’ve held multiple special events including an evening with a Messianic IDF soldier, a Shalom House Discussion on Antisemitism, and more.
Passover at the Shalom House
Why The Need?
The world has changed dramatically just in the last two years. On October 7th, 2023, with the brutal and deadly attack by Hamas on Israel, the world was altered forever. Many in the church have become more confused regarding Israel and the Jewish people. The Jewish community has become more open in regards to exploring Jesus and cooperating with the church. Antisemitism is at the highest level since the Holocaust.
Because we are a relational ministry, we saw the need for a house in which to meet and minister to others in this difficult world. The Shalom House became a reality!
The Shalom House is needed for education and discussion of topics critical to both the Jewish and Christian communities. It is a place to make very real and necessary connections between the Old and New Testaments. Through teaching on the Jewish festivals, we challenge people to think contextually. Remember that the writers of the New Testament didn’t have a New Testament! Bringing context to the scriptures is vital to understanding them.
At the Shalom House, our team facilitates open discussion on issues related to the Jewish people and Israel. There are no other places like the Shalom House in Atlanta, and few around the world. Churches are ill equipped and oftentimes afraid to engage on the topics we discuss frequently. We are equipped…and not afraid!
One of the most important aspects of the Shalom House is that it is a neutral venue. It is not a church. It is not a synagogue. It’s a necessary “third space” of ministry. We want to meet people right where they are. Openness and disagreement are encouraged! No question is out of the question. The Shalom House is a safe place to explore faith from a Jewish/Christian perspective.
Who We’re Impacting
The Shalom House is an open, casual environment where everyone can feel welcome - we are not a church, or a replacement for the church. We believe in the power of hospitality and generosity to impact hearts for the Kingdom of God. As Rosaria Butterfield put it well, “The gospel comes with a house key.”
We’ve ministered to over a thousand people through the Shalom House in the last year. We encourage believers from all backgrounds to come and learn about Jesus from a Jewish perspective. We also want nonbelievers, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, to come and explore. Our guests come from incredibly diverse backgrounds. For example...
Hannah was raised in an orthodox Jewish home. She is intrigued by Jesus and has come to a few events at the Shalom House. At one event she got to meet Jewish believers in Jesus and hear their testimonies. She said that there was something very welcoming and different about us.
Mark and Lucy, Gentile believers, visited the Shalom House during Sukkot. Mark recently learned that he has Jewish ancestry and is wanting to learn more to incorporate the Jewish roots of his faith into his and his family’s lives. They were blessed by the event and invited us to come speak at their church.
Isaac comes from a traditional, religious Jewish background. We’ve discussed at length his many questions about the Christian faith.
Naveed and Yasmin, a couple from Iran who are believers in Jesus, recently attended Passover at the Shalom House. They minister in the underground church in Iran and also have a heart for Israel and the Jewish people. Learning how Jesus celebrated and fulfilled Passover was very special for them.
Gentile Christians have been blessed, challenged, equipped, and encouraged as they learned about the festivals celebrated by Jesus. Many have attended events, their interest being spurred because of a Jewish friend, neighbor, business associate or family member. We are helping them build deeper connections with those they love.
Jewish believers in Jesus have visited to more deeply connect with their own heritage and culture. We have had believers from many backgrounds visit the house…Iranian, Chinese, Latin American, Ukrainian, and Israeli, to name a few. The Shalom House is a place for discipleship.
Jewish people who do not accept Jesus as Messiah have visited the Shalom House as well. They feel welcomed and safe. All left our events with positive thoughts and impressions. They were also challenged to think about Jesus as the Messiah. We do not hold an event without clearly communicating who we are and what we believe. Many fruitful conversations have followed.
Pastors and ministry leaders have also visited to connect and to learn about what we are doing as a ministry and how we are fulfilling our calling to the Jewish people. The Shalom House has become a place to help and train others.
Where We’re Going Next
In one year the Shalom House has been more fruitful and successful than we ever imagined! We knew the need before making plans and entering into a two-year lease. We just didn’t realize how great the need was or how successful our first year was going to be.
We are very excited about the future of the Shalom House! Keep an eye on your email or our website for educational events at the Shalom House in Roswell, GA.
We are already looking forward to celebrating the Jewish New Year and Sukkot (Tabernacles) in the fall! In the future, we will host discussion groups on varying topics such as The Jewish People and Atonement and The Jewish People and Prophecy, and Hebrew classes!
We also recently joined a global network of Christians who host Israeli travelers. Israelis traveling to the US can see our profile and choose to stay with us for a few nights! Israelis travel all over the world, and this is an amazing opportunity to bless and impact them on their journey.
Our long term vision for the Shalom House is to purchase a property that will even more effectively meet our needs. We want to firmly establish our presence and work in Atlanta. We need your prayers and support.
By Murray Tilles
Founder and Executive Director