top of page

5773 Recap

Mission Statement

​​Beth El Gibor endeavors to reach the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and the nations in the Lehigh Valley and the surrounding areas, with the Good News of Messiah Yeshua. Our vision is the restoration of the people of Israel and the Nations to the one true God by the re-grafting of Israel, and the grafting in of the nations to the olive tree (Romans 11). We seek to broaden the Messianic vision and experience, offering tangible proof of the Kingdom of God, which is in harmony with a biblical messianic  heritage, and calling. To live and love one another, as Jews and Gentiles we enter into a relationship with the living God through the life, death and resurrection of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus).

Beth El Gibor endeavors to experience the heritage God has called His elect to, as Jewish and Gentile brothers in everyday life, and through the “seasons of our joy” (z’man simchate’nu). Shabbat is embraced and the biblical feasts (moedim) ordained by God in perpetuity are celebrated at their appointed times, always in the context of the revelation and teachings of Yeshua the Messiah. Discipleship, training, and teachings are grounded in the truth of all of Scripture, from the book of Genesis to Revelation (The Hebrew Covenant & The New Covenant) which are inspired by the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit). The bible contains instruction relevant to our everyday walk together as mispocha (family). Worship embraces a traditional liturgical expression of praise and adoration to Adonai (The LORD); focused on lifting God up in prayer, praise, and song

Children are our future at Beth El Gibor. Children are raised in the truths of the Messiah with a rich Messianic heritage. We live out the Jewish life cycles from Brit Milah (circumcision), Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Marriage and going home to be with the Lord. In our community, Jews and Gentiles learn to embrace each other in our unique callings, and are discipled in sound Messianic culture, which reflects the lives of the first-century messianic communities. Messianic culture is expressed and implemented within congregation life, and home settings. We are commanded to love one another as God loves us, devoted to one another in brotherly love, and bearing one another’s burdens. We share with God's people, and our neighbors in need, walking in hospitality. Our desire is to build true covenant relationships with all who are called to our congregation.

We are called to be connected to the Jewish community, and the Church, for we are part of both. We will be a light to the Jewish and Gentile communities by living and encouraging the unity of Jew and Gentile to a relationship with Yeshua. The scriptures, through a literal reading of the Word, in its original context is foundational to our faith.

Core Beliefs

The Jewish Scriptures:
The Jewish Scriptures, consist of the Tanach, which is: The five books of Moses, the Prophets (Nevi'im), and The Writings (Ketu'vim), plus the writings commonly known as the New Covenant (Brit Chadashah). These are the only infallible, inerrant, and authoritative Words of God.  
 
We recognize its plenary-verbal inspiration, and accept its teachings as our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. (Deu 6:4-9; Prov 3:1-6; Ps 119:89, 105; 2 Tim 2:15, 3:16-17)

Though there is no perfect Bible by the hand of men, there is the perfect Word of God, that when accompanied by the Ruach ha-Kodesh can and will lead us to all truth.



The "Shema":
We believe that the "Shema" is a messianic creed.  "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deu 6:4), teaches that God is Echad (one), as so declared: a united one, a composite unity, eternally existent in plural oneness Gen 1:1 (Elohim: God), Gen 1:26. "Let us make man in our image, " (Gen 2:24), Adam and Eve were created to be as one flesh (basar echad)], that He is a personal God who created us (Gen 1 and 2), that He exists forever:
Father, Son, and Spirit, as mentioned in Romans 8:14-17 (Father, Spirit and Messiah/Son) 2 Cor 13:14 and Mat 28:18-20 Tevilah (immersion) in the name of The Father, The Son, and Holy Spirit.



The Eternal Godhead:

Ha-av (The Father):
Eph 4:6: "...one God, the Father of all, who rules over all. works through all and is in all".(Jer 3:4, 19, 31:9: Mal 1:6; John 6:27b; Gal 1:1; Rev 3:5, 21; Mat 6:9, 32;
Luke 10:21-22; John 1:14, 4:23, 5:17-26, 6:28-46; Romans 8:14-15)


Ha-ben (The Son), "The Word":
Messiah is the only "begotten" Son of God (Ps 2; Prov 30:4-6{cf. Heb.1}; Luke 12:35-37; John 1:29-34, 49 3:14-18). The Son, called Yeshua (Jesus, meaning salvation), came to this world born of a virgin (Isa 7:14 {cf. Luke 1"30-35}).

The Son is Deity within the plurality of the God-Head being of the same substance as the Father and is worshiped as God, having existed eternally with Him (Ps 110:1 {cf. Heb 1:13}); Isa 9:6-7; Mat 28:18-20; Phil 2:5-11; Col 1:15-19; Rev 3:21)

​
Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit):
The Holy Spirit is introduced in Gen 1:2b as "The Spirit of God". The Spirit is Deity within the plurality of the God-Head being of the same substance as the Father and the Son, and who is worshiped as God, having existed eternally with Him. (Mat 3:16; 1 Cor 2:12; 1 Peter 4:14)



Mankind
Mankind is created in the image of God and has been endowed by God with a longing for intimate fellowship with Him.(Gen 1:26-27; Ps 41:1-2)
Through disobedience, man fell from his first state and became separated from God. (Gen 2:17, 3:22-24)
Therefore, according to Scripture, all men are born with a sinful nature. (Ps 14:1-3, 49:7, 53:1-3; Isa 64:6; Romans 3:9-12, 23, 5:12)

Man's only hope for redemption(salvation) is through the atonement made by the Messiah (Lev 17:11; Isa 53; Dan 9:24-26; 1 Cor 15:22; Heb 9:11-14; Joh 1:12, 3:36) resulting in regeneration by the Ruach HaKodesh (Tit 3:5), which is the new birth (John 3:3-8). For by grace we are saved, through faith, it is a gift of God (Eph 2:8-9).



The Messiah
The Scriptures promised two "comings" of the Messiah:

First Coming
John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in Him may have eternal life." Promised in Dan 9:24-26. Its purpose was to make an atonement for sin. (Dan 9:24-26; Isa 53:31; Heb 9-10; John 3:16-17; Rom 3:21-15. Redemption (Mark 10:45; Col 1:13)

Second Coming 
1. Promised (Thess 4:13-18; John 14:1-6; 1 Cor 15:51-57; Heb 9:28) 
2. Messiah's return to the earth.
3. The Redeemer shall come to Zion (Isa 59:20-21; Zech 14:4)
4. Personal in character (John 14:3; 1 Thess 4:16)
5. Physical, His return will be bodily (Acts 1:11; Rev 1:7; 1 Thess 4:16)
6. Visible (Mat 24:30; John 3:2; Acts 1:11; Rev 1:7, Rev 22:7)
7. Suddenly, we do not know when. (Mat 24:44, Mat 25:13; Mark 13:32-33; 1 Cor 16:22;
    1 Thess 5:2; 2 Pet 3:10)
 


Resurrection and Judgement
We believe in the resurrection of both the redeemed and the lost: the former to everlasting life and the latter to eternal, separation from God, a state of everlasting punishment. (Job 14:14, 19:25-27; Dan 12:2-3; John 3:36, 11:25-26; Rev 20:5-6, 10:15, 21:7-8).


Israel in Prophecy
We believe in God's end-time plan for the nation of Israel and for the world.  We embrace a Dispensational Theological view, a literal reading of the text, we also embrace Israelology, the restoration of Israel back into the prophetic promises.

A central part of Messianic Judaism is the belief in the physical and spiritual restoration of Israel, as taught in the Scriptures. A miracle of our day has been the re-establishment or rebirth of the state of Israel according to prophecy (Eze 34:11-31, 36-39; Hos 3; Am. 9:11-15; Zec 12-14; Isa 11-43,54, 60-62, 66; Rom 11:1-34) Israel's spiritual redemption (Zech 12:8-13:1; Rom 11:25-27; Heb 9:28; Jer 31:31-34).

Israel's national restoration is to recover the remnant of His people Israel from the four corners of the earth, and restore the Davidic Kingdom (Isa 11) to re-establish the throne of David, which will last forever. (Isa 9:6-7 {cf. Luk 1:30-33}; Jer 23:3-8).



Messiah's Judaism
The Model of Return affirms that we are returning to the true Jewish faith of our forefathers, a faith that looked forward to the hope of a redeemer Messiah.  This expression embraces the Church made up of Jews and Gentiles.  That they are one in the same manner of faith and salvation yet remain as they are called.

Our faith cannot be complete without this central tenet of messianism restored as a core value. We are returning to Messiah's Judaism, the Judaism He lived, taught and died for, and rose for. The message of Yeshua our Messiah affirms the true reality of Messianic Jewish faith, life and practice that is framed in the history of Israel as a nation that calls us to the responsibility of making known Messiah to our people as well as all nations. We "Return" to a life and practice as Messiah lived and practiced it Himself.

Statement of Faith

Beth El Gibor is established on faith in the one (Echad) true God. (Deut 6:4) God’s oneness (Mark 12:29, Is. 43:11) is complex (Gen 1:1;26, Gen 19:24, Is. 6:8, Dan. 7:9-14). He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Yeshua. There is only one God, revealed as Father (Abba) (I Cor. 1:3, Gal 1:1), as Ruach ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit), (Gen. 1:2, John 3:3-8 & 14:17;26, Titus 3:5), and as the Son, Yeshua (Jesus) the promised Jewish Messiah (Psalm 2 & 110:1, Isaiah 53, Luke 12:35-37, Heb 1:8) Yeshua is the Messiah of Israel and the Nations. Yeshua is the Son of David, who God promised would sit on David’s throne forever. (2 Sam 7:16, Luke 1:32) He is fully human (Gal 4:4, Matt 4:2, John 4:6, Heb 4:15) and fully God (John 1:1, Matt. 9:1-8, John 8:58 Rev 19:16), Beth El Gibor embraces the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures), and the Brit Chadashah (New Covenant) only as the whole word of God. (John 17:7, Psalm 119:160, 2 Tim 3:16) Beth El Gibor is a house of prayer to the Jew first and equally to the Gentile (Romans 1:16), as a testimony to all who will hear that Messiah Yeshua has come. We proclaim the Kingdom of God is at hand, and salvation (atonement for our sins before God) has come thorough the life, death (redemption through the shedding of His blood) (Lev. 17:11, Isaiah 53, I Cor. 15:22, John 1:12, 3:36) and resurrection of Messiah Yeshua. We believe in the resurrection of both the redeemed and the lost; the former to everlasting life and the latter to eternal separation from God which a state of everlasting punishment (Job 14:14 & 19:25-27, Daniel 12:2-3, John 3:36 & 11:25-26).
 

Our Purpose is...
“To walk in the likeness of Messiah Yeshua and partner with Adonai in the healing of the world (Tikkun Olam).”

Our Strategy is...
“To WORSHIP the God of Israel, LOVE people, BUILD community, and SHARE the message
of Yeshua with our Jewish people and the nations.”

Leadership

Senior Rabbi Mark Shulman &
Rebbetzin Ranjiena Shulman

Rabbi Shulman was raised and instructed in a traditional observant Jewish home; this training and understanding of the Jewish foundation of the bible have been invaluable in sharing his faith in the Messiah to the Jew first and equally to the Gentile (Romans 1:16).  His religious training prior to being a believer in Yeshua included many years of instruction including studying at Yeshiva Ohavi Zedek; he attended nights while earning a Bachelor degree from the University of Vermont.  He earned a Masters degree in Theology from Northwestern Theological Seminary.

Rabbi Mark has been a believer in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) for over 26 years and has been involved in the Messianic Jewish movement for 25 years.

He has served as chairman of the Northeast Regional of the MJAA (Messianic Jewish Alliance of America) and regularly teaches at the annual International Messiah Conference in Grantham PA.

His S'micha (ordination) is through the IAMCS (International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues.) He is also an ordained chaplain through the UMJC (Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations.)  Rabbi Shulman currently serves the United States Air Force Auxiliary and holds the grade of Major.  He currently serves the Pennsylvania Wing as the Wing Chaplain supervising the Chaplain Corps state wide.

Rebbitzin Ranjiena serves equally alongside Rabbi Mark, she leads several ministries such as Hospitality and the Women's Sharing and Caring Group.

Rabbi Mark and Ranjiena have been married 38 years and have 3 children, Ariel, Ian and Tyler and 6 grandchildren, Kiera, Kendal, Cairo, Luke, Natalie and Lux.

Rabbi Eduardo Arroyo &
Rebbetzin Amy Arroyo

Rabbi Arroyo was born in Brooklyn New York to Anusim (Crypto-Jewish) parents and was raised in a nominally Catholic home. He returned to Judaism, the faith of his fathers, in 2003 at the age of 19 after a meeting with Messianic Jewish Rabbi David Rosenberg on Nyack College campus.

A few years later Rabbi Eduardo moved to Pennsylvania and met the then Associate Messianic Jewish Rabbi of Beit Simcha Mark Shulman in Allentown Pennsylvania. Rabbi Mark became a spiritual father to Rabbi Eduardo.

In 2014, he married the love of his life Rebbitzin Amy Arroyo. They have been together for over 13 years. They have been blessed with five sons; Javontae, Elijah, Jeremiah, Aiden and Zachariah. Rebbetzin Amy serves as a teacher in Tiny Tot and Senior Shabbat school, coordinates the Nursery and Kids Corner, and helps to maintain the Beth El Gibor website and Youtube channel. She homeschools her youngest sons, enjoys making challah and cooking for a crowd​.
​
Rabbi Arroyo graduated from Muhlenburg college with a Bachelors (Double Major) in Jewish Studies and Religion Studies.

In 2019, he received S'micha (ordination) as a Messianic Jewish Rabbi from Senior Rabbi Mark Shulman. Rabbi Eduardo is a fully ordained Messianic Jewish Rabbi by the IAMCS (International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues).

He has also served as a Chaplain for Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.

Rabbi Eduardo hosts a podcast called Radar Apologetics dealing with theology and apologetics from a Messianic Jewish perspective.

Zaken (Elder) Leon Benner
& Kathy Jo Benner

Zaken (Elder) Israel Rodriguez
& Danna Rodriguez

Our Leadership Team

Front Row
Wanda Staples, Kim Rosario, Abigail Patton, Yvonne Wong

Middle Row
Rebbetzin Amy Arroyo, Rabbi Mark Shulman, Rebbetzin Ranjiena Shulman, Danna Rodriguez

Back Row
Delynn Day, Rabbi Eduardo Arroyo, Zaken Leon Benner, Kathy Jo Benner, Zaken Israel Rodriquez

Our Affiliation

image.png

Beth El Gibor is a member of the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues, a congregation organization connected with the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America

bottom of page