Email from Tricia Tillin regarding Hebrew Roots

http://www.SeekGod.ca/tillinletter2.htm

This was forwarded to me Tuesday, February 16, 1999 1:06 PM

-----Original Message-----
From: Tricia Tillin <Psalm60-4@banner.org.uk>
To: Tricia <Psalm604@banner.org.uk>; Tom Lamb <radicalpilgrim@xtra.co.nz>
Cc: Joseph Chambers <pawcreek@pawcreek.org>; Shane Hammond
<shaneph@powerup.com.au>; Wendy Beuster & Wendy Howard
<despatch@mail.cth.com.au>; David Hunt <qdavhun@ozemail.com.au>; David
Gibson & Aldina Pasquin <DavidGibso@aol.com>; Darren Lane
<darren@cubic.co.uk>; Bernie & Dar Koerselman
<b.koerselman@netaccess.co.nz>; Andrew Craig <dinkum@iweb.net.au>; Rob Ward
<robw@clear.net.nz>; Nancy Klass <nklassy@home.com>; Kevin Burge
<kcburge@multipro.com>; Midnight Herald <herald@awake-ministries.org>; Sue
Malin <suemalin@rochford58.freeserve.co.uk>; Chris Morkemo
<morkemo1@icsp.net>; Chip Brogden <helper@interpath.com>; Jeff Williams
<jeffwill@voyager.co.nz>; Hughie Seaborn <rseaborn@ozemail.com.au>; Dean
Flanders & Richard Engstrom <tgd@multipro.com>; Dave & Sue Monahan
<uptonoaks@xtra.co.nz>; Gavin Phillips <g.j.phillips@xtra.co.nz>; Art Katz
<discussion@benisrael.org>; Philip L Powell
<philipl@christian-witness.co.nz>
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 1999 12:16 PM
Subject: RE: The HRM & your stand

Dear Tom (and apparently a lot of other people not many of whom will even
know my name!)

Thank you for writing to me. You say that I have now "taken a stand" against you and those who are exposing the Hebrew Roots Movement and "am siding" with those who have made those worrying comments about Nazi propaganda etc.

Later I will comment on that. Firstly however, I am distressed that battles which ought never to come to public attention are now being fought in the arena of web sites and mailing lists, with name-calling and accusations
flying hither and thither. Is this the way we should conduct ourselves as servants of Christ?

It wounds the Body of Christ and brings the name of Jesus into disrepute that we look to outsiders rather like hyenas pulling at this matter like a piece of carrion. I never intended to be dragged into this dispute, and was pulled in by the simple and unfortunate happenstance that my web site was quoted (without my
permission) on the original documentation by Barbara Aho and others as supportive evidence for an attack on the Hebrew Roots Movement.

I have made it plain that I, while not being an expert in this subject, DO see dangers and problems and - yes - heresies - being preached in the name of the HRM. BUT that has never clouded my thinking to such an extent that I fired off indiscriminately in every direction at once, wounding even my friends and fellow-ministers in a dishonourable way, in the cause of exposing the HRM.

I will not name names of persons who have been hurt by the people involved in this argument, because this is not the place to do so and I don't have their permission, but there are several people who have become close
friends of mine, that I know to be sound in the faith and brave fighters for truth, who have been either maligned, criticised or misunderstood - and THAT is the issue that coincerns me, my dear brother.

If we lose sight of how we should act as Christians, and endorse any kind of language or behaviour without check, then all of our work to expose error is forfeit because we have ceased to be the servants of the Lord Jesus and have become self-important justifiers of our own cause and our own opinions. (I do not accuse or criticise anyone with this statement - it is not aimed at you or anyone in particular. It is a general truth.)

Gal 5:13-15
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
(KJV)

I now need to explain myself, although I should not have to do so. My site speaks for itself. Many people - like yourself Tom, and others who have received regular mailings from me in the past - know my doctrine and I hope have judged me as biblically orthodox.

I have also in the past opened my web site to Andrew Gould, a friend of mine, who did some research on the subject of the Hebrew Roots Movement and found much that was worrying and even some things that were heretical. I was glad to host Andy's research (though he now has a web site of his own, and since his articles have altered much since he first wrote them, he has asked me to direct enquirers directly to his own site in future, instead of place them on my site, which has a somewhat different emphasis. I am glad to do this.)
I also published Andy's research in my magazine. These things should convince anyone about which "side" if any I am on. I have been at pains to point out that all is not well with the HRM as a whole. But should I, or
anybody, be forced into "taking sides?". Do we not deal with doctrine, rather than people?

1 Cor 1:12-13
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

But it is necessary to keep a sensible and balanced approach here, because not every single thing and every single teacher in this area is wrong and heretical. We cannot tar everybody with the same brush. At no time did Andy imply that ALL those who work for the Jews or support Israel or who have such ministries were a part of the Movement, nor that everyone who unwittingly accepted various parts of the Hebrew Roots teachings was to be accused of occultism and rank heresy. Nor did he say or imply that, despite the heresies, there were NO benefits to be had by studying Hebrew, understanding Hebraic patterns of thought, or looking at the beliefs and history of the Jews.

It's always easy - and a temptation for researchers in their desire to expose error - to go for the jugular by massaging the facts to make them seem more damning that they in fact are. That in my opinion is what has
happened here, and I disapprove of those techniques. Equally I disapprove of personal attacks on fellow researchers, which has been a feature of this dispute.

In the course of research, in the past, Andy (and I) needed to correspond briefly with Peter Michas, and it was not an altogether happy experience. However, speaking for myself, my own research does not take me directly to the area of Hebrew Roots and I am unqualified to make any judgements for or against, not having seen the amount of literature that, for example, Andy Gould has at his disposal. I have not been following the arguments myself, nor reading the research documents.

Thus while having some personal reservations, I did not make any public statements about Peter Michas as such. I am still unable to do so. I neither support nor condemn him. However, I have read his repeated assertions explaining his position with regard to the accusations that have been made about his teachings and ministry and I believe that he has denied much of what is said of him. That surely at least must be considered?

When it was brought to my attention that a certain situation had arisen, and bad feeling caused amongst discernment ministries, and I read some of the correspondence, I decided to write briefly and honestly to Peter Michas, simply explaining to him (as a matter of common courtesy) that my website was used supposedly in support of the allegations, but in fact that was all I had to do with it, and that I disassociated myself from the matter. I did not ask, nor did I imagine, that he would circulate my letter around his
mailing list, but it was done before I could object. I wrote to him as a personal individual, not as a supporter of his cause!

I had no intention whatever of "siding" with anyone! Unfortunately, in these situations, a comment to the effect that one does not agree is often taken as support for the "other side" - but can we be so very black and white? I have no desire to be seen as "pro" anybody or "anti" anybody, but am an impartial witness to this. I can honestly say that I do not support Barbara and her group in the way they have handled this, nor do I subscribe to their more obsessional beliefs re the HRM. I believe they have taken their comments way beyond what is called for. But at the same time, I would not like to go on record as being PRO the Hebraic Roots Movement, Peter Michas or anybody else in that camp.

Now I come to the other issue that involves me in a personal capacity, which is the direct attacks on Yacov Prasch. Without looking at the documentation, and from memory, it has been suggested that his use of midrashic interpretation of the Bible (the belief that there are layers of meaning that are progressively revealed, and parables reoccurring throughout the scriptures in which God teaches us basic doctrines and truths) is somehow "kabbalistic" and that he is near to being involved in the occult. This, for one example, is a serious abuse of his actual stance, and I can't be expected to agree with those who circulate such allegations.

Why cannot we, as believers, accept that other people (like Yacov, whom I know personally) have their foibles and blind spots and yet IF they are known to be otherwise sound and IF they are truly working towards the same goals of exposing false teaching and upbuilding the Church, they can be fellow-workers for the kingdom, and we can accept them on a certain level and respect their ministries. We only draw the line if they throw off the reins and go headlong into sin or heresy.

Yacov Prasch has written AGAINST the JSSR. He dictated his article in my office, and I typed it up - Andy Gould was standing nearby while he did so. He and Andy are on the best of terms, and they agree on the heresies of the Movement. Yacov has repeatedly explained his position with regard to Hebraic Roots. Why then drag Yacov's name in the dirt in this dishonourable way?

In this country, hardly anyone has stood out against the Toronto Blessing, PK, Pensacola, the Word-of-Faith Movement and suchlike. But Yacov and Moriel Ministries have been boldly and actively making a stand, to the extent that they were to be taken to court by the Elim churches. Yacov has lost a lot of ministry associates through this. He has received abuse, curses and reviling, yet he has consistently preached biblical truth and exposed heresy, none the less.

To see him misunderstood and attacked in these documents is painful to me and to many in this country, who support Yacov and what he does. Of COURSE there are doctrines and associations with Moriel that we disagree with - could that not be said for all of us? Especially when other people are in charge of his websites and offices (Yacov travels and speaks. He cannot keep control over everything his staff does. Often he has not even read the books his ministry offers. Silly of him, I know, but we do not publicly condemn
and abuse somebody for being too busy to do proper research into everything that is going on. If that were the case, and every mistake were to be a case for condemnation then do we not all stand accused? Do we not all make many mistakes?)

Barbara and Vicky are making Hebrew Roots into some kind of touchstone of Christian orthodoxy. If anything, I would endorse what they say - and there is much truth in it - but at the same time their methodology cannot be commended, and they have - perhaps unwittingly - gone overboard and accused
people and things unjustly. In the name of discernment, they have hurt people whom they ought not to have hurt.

That is not the way we work in Banner Ministries. We believe in exposing the doctrines, if they can be proven false, but we try to bear in mind the commands to love, give honour where it is due, and to be respectful and
above all fair in our research. Where we have strayed from those commands we can only apologise and make any corrections necessary when they are drawn to our attention.

Only by a balanced, fair and respectful approach can we expose the false teachings of others. Some may be caused to repent. Others may be shamed. But however incensed we are, it is unchristian to present loaded arguments and fallacious, badly-researched statements, with attacks upon named individuals - attacks that are not removed, but intensified, when that person responds with an explanation.

To summarise. I am thankful for your support and will continue to link to your web site, even if you are now ashamed to associate with me. I run that risk every day of my life and it is a familiar scenario!

I am also grateful that you have written to me, and given me a chance of explaining my position. Many people would go ahead and construe whatever they liked out of statements circulating on the Net, but you have at least given me a chance to explain.

I take no "stand" in this. My feelings and opinions are what they are, and I stand by them, but they are not a public position. I am acting as an individual who answers to the Lord. Until such times as I research deeply
into the HRM for myself and come to a well formed conclusion based on that documentation (which is unlikely) I don't consider myself qualified to judge. Clearly you will disagree, because you have looked into this for yourself. But I can't be expected to "side" with you, either - and I hope you would have the courtesy to allow me to remain somewhat neutral therefore.

However much truth is contained in the web articles exposing HRM, (and there is plenty) it must not be turned into a weapon for dividing and damaging ministries, nor should it be presented abusively, loosely, indiscriminately and tendentiously.

As believers [and I am speaking of doctrinal disputes between people who are truly saved, obviously, not proven apostates and heretics] we must discuss and refute the various doctrines in a respectful manner (and there is sin on BOTH sides here!) not condemning all opponents out of hand simply because they fail to understand or agree with one person's particular interpretation.

If we fight for biblical truth on the ground of love, well and good, but if we turn on eachother as enemies and do damage to eachother and to the Body of Christ in the process, then we have already lost the battle.

In Christian love
Tricia Tillin
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* /    / / Lift up a Banner for the Peoples / *
* /    / /           Isaiah 62:10           / *
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*    / / Tricia Tillin of Banner Ministries   *
*   / /      E-Mail Tricia@banner.org.uk       *
* / /    Visit the CROSS+WORD Website at:     *
* / /            www.banner.org.uk             *
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