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The Assemblies of Yahweh is a nonprofit religious organization with international headquarters in Bethel, Pennsylvania, which developed from the radio ministry of Elder Jacob O. Meyer in 1966.^[1] As of 2006, the group claimed 3,000 members.^[2]

Mission Statement and membership

In 1969 the Assemblies of Yahweh received its charter from Berks County, Pennsylvania. The core of this charter reads: "Our purpose is to teach and preach the word and sacred Name of our Heavenly Father and the truth of the inspired scriptures, to promote the interest of religion and the spread of spiritual holiness throughout the world."^[3] To be a member of the Assemblies of Yahweh an individual must profess a dedication to Yahweh, be baptised (by submersion) in water in Yahshua’s name, have had the hands of the Elders laid on them to receive the Holy Spirit, maintain a life of total dedication to Yahweh and agree with the group's "Statement of Doctrine."^[4]

In 2006 the group claimed a membership of 3,000 and a mailing list of 16,000.^[2] It's based on 51-acres outside Bethel that contains a large meeting hall, a motel converted into office space, its two schools, and the converted gas station that serves as its radio station.^[2] Elder Meyer rejects the use of the word "church" to describe the group, because of his concerns the word is derived from the Greek goddess Circe.^[2] Its members do not refer to themselves as Christians or Jews, but instead call themselves "Messianic Israelites."^[2]

Doctrinal beliefs

The Assemblies of Yahweh profess to follow the Old and New Testaments as closely as possible.^[2] This causes the group to be viewed as an admixture of Judaism and Christianity although they do not actually mix Christian doctrines with the teachings of the Scriptures. They believe that in order to understand the will of Yahweh, the Bible must be harmonized and adhered to as infallible.^[5] Believers must maintain faith in the imminent advent of the Messiah. They choose to call themselves True Worshipers, citing John 4:23 as the basis for this practice.

The group believes the name of the Supreme Being is “Yahweh” and the name of the Messiah is Yahshua. The Assemblies of Yahweh hold that that the Bible from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation contains the keys to eternal life and must be obeyed by humanity. The group adheres to dietary restrictions laid out in Leviticus 11 and Deutoronomy 14 and practices tithing.

The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week and from Friday at sundown to Saturday at sundown a period of rest and worship is observed. In addition to the weekly sabbath the Assemblies observe a number of annual holy days including Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Pentecost (Shavuot), the Feast of Trumpets, the Fast of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day. Among the the things the Assemblies of Yahweh reject as unbiblical are the Trinity, infant baptism, homosexuality, polygamy, female ministers and eternal hell.

Organizational structure and outreach

The Assemblies are led by a "Directing Elder" and since their inception, this post has been held by Jacob O. Meyer. Elder Meyer is the final editor of all publications, the main talent in its radio and television broadcasts and the pastor of the assembly in Bethel, Pennsylvania. He is assisted by a group of individuals called "the Work of the Ministry" who assist him in practical matters and provide council on questions of doctrine. There are also "Teaching Elders" ordained to serve as instructional leaders, deacons ordained to serve the needs of the assemblies and missionaries to help spread the faith. The Assemblies of Yahweh conducts outreach through periodicals, books and broadcasts. It produces a magazine called ‘The Narrow Way’, an internet and shortwave radio broadcast via its wmlkradio.net website, a webcast^[6] and a number of self-published books, among them the Sacred Scriptures Bethel Edition.^[7]

Educational

The Assemblies of Yahweh has two educational institutions located in Bethel Pennsylvania. The Obadiah School of the Bible was founded in 1973 as Obadiah Fraternity, a public speaking class. The Obadiah School has grown and today hosts extensive Biblical instruction.^[8] Today this school's graduates form the core of the Assemblies of Yahweh with many alumni leading local assemblies. The Dalet School was designed by Meyer in 1976 in the style of a one-room schoolhouse. Students are instructed by under-classmen (as a review) and over-classmen (as a preview). The school runs from kindergarten through 12th grade. As of 2005 it had 3 classroom teachers and 38 students.^[9]

References

^ Melton, J. Gordon (2007), Nelson's Guide to Denominations, Nashville: Thomas Nelson, p. 378, ISBN 9781418501969, OCLC 70921342
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Vandermeulen, Rebecca (2006-10-08). "The Assemblies of Yahweh reaches a worlwide audience". The Reading Eagle.
^ Assemblies of Yahweh
^ "Statement of Doctrine". Assemblies of Yahweh. 2004. Retrieved 2008-12-31.
^ http://assembliesofyahweh.com/sod.htm
^ http://sacrednametelecast.com "On-Demand Topics"]
^ http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Scriptures/ssbe.htm
^ http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_pr5cm
^ http://schools.privateschoolsreport.com/Pennsylvania/Bethel/DaletSchool.html

External links

Assemblies of Yahweh Homepage - Official Site of the Organization
“Sacred Name Broadcaster”

[1] Melton, J. Gordon (2007), Nelson's Guide to Denominations, Nashville: Thomas Nelson, p. 378, ISBN 9781418501969, OCLC 70921342

[ReadingEagle-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Vandermeulen, Rebecca (2006-10-08). "The Assemblies of Yahweh reaches a worlwide audience". The Reading Eagle.

[3] Assemblies of Yahweh

[Doctrine-4] "Statement of Doctrine". Assemblies of Yahweh. 2004. Retrieved 2008-12-31.

[5] ttp://assembliesofyahweh.com/sod.htm

[6] ttp://sacrednametelecast.com "On-Demand Topics"]

[7] ttp://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/Scriptures/ssbe.htm

[8] ttp://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_pr5cm

[9] ttp://schools.privateschoolsreport.com/Pennsylvania/Bethel/DaletSchool.html

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 ==Doctrinal beliefs==
-The Assemblies of Yahweh profess to follow the Old and New Testaments as closely as possible, building their faith by harmonizing all of the scriptures.<ref name = ReadingEagle/> This causes the group to be viewed as an admixture of [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]] although they do not actually mix Christian doctrines with the teachings of the Scriptures.<ref name = Doctrine/> They believe that in order to understand the will of [[Yahweh]], the [[Bible]] must be adhered to as [[infallible]]. Believers must maintain faith in the imminent [[advent]] of the [[Messiah]]. They choose to call themselves ''True Worshipers'', citing John 4:23 as the basis for this practice.
+The Assemblies of Yahweh profess to follow the Old and New Testaments as closely as possible.<ref name = ReadingEagle/> This causes the group to be viewed as an admixture of [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]] although they do not actually mix Christian doctrines with the teachings of the Scriptures. They believe that in order to understand the will of [[Yahweh]], the [[Bible]] must be harmonized and adhered to as [[infallible]].<ref>http://assembliesofyahweh.com/sod.htm</ref> Believers must maintain faith in the imminent [[advent]] of the [[Messiah]]. They choose to call themselves ''True Worshipers'', citing John 4:23 as the basis for this practice.
 The group believes the name of the Supreme Being is “[[Yahweh]]” and the name of the [[Messiah]] is [[Yahshua]]. The Assemblies of Yahweh hold that that the Bible from the [[Book of Genesis]] to the [[Book of Revelation]] contains the keys to [[eternal life]] and must be obeyed by humanity. The group adheres to dietary restrictions laid out in [[Leviticus]] 11 and [[Deutoronomy]] 14 and practices [[tithing]].