Alabamian among Messianic Jews ordained

SAN ANTONIO — Alabama’s Jay Isbell of Beth El Shaddai Messianic Synagogue in Bessemer was one of five men ordained to the gospel ministry June 9 by the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship (SBMF) at the group’s annual meeting in San Antonio. It was the first time for the group to hold such an ordination service.

Ric Worshill, the group’s president, said the fellowship was essentially functioning as a local association does in the ordination process. Churches requested that the fellowship assist them in holding an ordination service for their respective ministers. He said many representatives of the individual congregations were present at the ordination, and that members of the SBMF would travel to each of the churches for those who were ordained to do an installation service.

In addition to the ordination, the group held a worship service and heard speakers address the topics of prophecy and evangelism to Jewish people during the two-day meeting.

The Jewish population in the United States numbers than 6 million, Aslam Masih of the North American Mission Board told the group, noting there are only 15 Messianic Southern Baptist churches.