About Us

DEFINING TERMS

A Christian Synagogue

You might wonder why Christians would use the term synagogue instead of church. It’s certainly counter-cultural, but we think we have good reason.

The word comes from the Greek synagōgē (συναγωγή), meaning “assembly” or “a bringing together.” The original Hebrew term is Beit Knesset (בית כנסת), literally “house of assembly.” This reflects the same communal concept as the Greek term.

The word “church” comes from the Old English words cirice or circe. These, in turn, derive from the Proto-Germanic kirika, itself borrowed from the Greek kyriakon, meaning “of the Lord.”

The question is, which Lord? Presumably, it’s a reference to the Roman Catholic version of Jesus, which is not the same as the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua, as represented in the Gospels and the Book of Revelation.

Some in the Hebrew Roots community have taught that church derives from Circe (Greek Κίρκη), a figure in Homer’s Odyssey whose name is likely rooted in a word for “falcon,” reflecting her parentage by the sun god Helios. At the current time, we have not found compelling evidence that this is true. Should strong evidence come to light, we will be especially glad to have avoided using the term.

Messianic believers have used the word synagogue since the first century A.D., and we find no reason to substitute that word for a more recent one further removed from the biblical Hebrew.

We also appreciate the word ekklesia (ἐκκλησία), meaning “assembly” or “called-out ones.” In Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, this was the word used for Christian gatherings.

During the creation of the King James Version of the Bible, King James I instructed his translators to retain the familiar ecclesiastical term church rather than render ekklesia as “assembly” or “congregation.” By so doing, he ensured that the text reflected and upheld the unity and hierarchical order of the national church of England.

Prior to that, William Tyndale had purposefully avoided the term church, opting for congregation to emphasize the communal nature of ekklesia. His choice was driven by a desire to distance the New Testament community from the institutional Roman and English churches.

We applaud Tyndale’s efforts, vain though they ultimately were.

HOW WE CAME TO BE

Our History in Brief

Disciples of Yeshua Congregation (DOYC) was born out of a shared desire for authentic fellowship and faithful teaching within the Hebrew Christian tradition. In the wake of a difficult season at a Messianic synagogue in Georgetown, several families found themselves without a spiritual home. With no similar congregations nearby, a former elder reached out to Alexander Lawrence—then a worship leader and assistant preacher—to help establish a new gathering rooted in Scripture, humility, and community. Although he had not been seeking such a role, he prayerfully agreed to serve as a non-vocational minister.

Alongside two other founding families, Alexander and his wife, Amanda, launched DOYC as a house fellowship in rural Taylor, Texas, in late 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t stop them; instead, it helped forge a tight-knit community where worship and fellowship thrived in a warm, family-like environment.

For nearly two years, the congregation met weekly in that space. When the homeowners could no longer host due to health concerns, DOYC paused its weekly Sabbath services but continued to gather for the mo’edim (appointed times). In September 2023, the Lord graciously opened a new door through the generosity of St. Philip’s United Methodist Church in Round Rock, where DOYC relaunched on Yom Teruah—a day that felt providentially timed for a new beginning.

While we remain a small, close-knit family, we are full of optimism for what’s to come. We are prayerfully asking the Lord to expand our family and bring us new brothers and sisters dedicated to helping us grow into a more influential assembly, ready to embrace new opportunities for teaching, service, and outreach.