Messianic Church Growth Mirrors Rise of Charismatic Movement
Messianic congregations are on the rise in the United States and Canada.
According to ChristianSourceLists.com, there are 272 Messianic churches in the US and 12 in Canada—and that figure does not include small house church fellowships.
Given that there were only a handful of congregations in North America distinctively identified as Jewish Messianic congregations 50 years ago, this is a notable rise.
Of the total number of Messianic congregations in the U.S. today, nearly half are in five states: Florida (28); New York (26); California (26); Pennsylvania (20); and Texas (20). And the three cities boast the most Messianic worship centers are Manhattan (12), Miami (10), and Philadelphia (8).
The term “Messianic Judaism” means acceptance of Jesus Christ as being the Messiah (“Yeshua Ha’Mashiach”) and the second person of the Trinity. Although the term “Messianic Judaism” can be traced back to the late 19th century, where it was used in the evangelical magazine “Our Hope,” it did not gain prominence until the early 1970s.
In fact, the initial growth of this movement seems to parallel the charismatic movement of the 1970s, with the vast majority of the Messianic congregations themselves being charismatic in their theological orientation.
By 2003 the number of Jewish Messianic congregations had grown to about 150. Today the Messianic movement is a global phenomenon, with most estimates placing the number in excess of 400 Messianic congregations worldwide.
