Jon Horton

Over 8 years ago, my family stumbled into the practice of Sabbath. Little did I know how profoundly this small step would radically change the way I view God and live my life. This is the story of how God reconstructed my faith in Him as King of the Universe. (Tap for link)

Just in time for Shabbat, our app Hey Kosher was just accepted to the Apple App Store! heykosher.com/app

This week's Torah portion is Lech Lecha ("go forth") shalom.app/torahportion/lech… I love it for so many reasons, but Abram's faith to follow God's voice is still inspiring today. If you had been in his place, would you have listened? I hope I always have ears to hear! Shabbat Shalom, friends!

I’ve spent the last few months building websites for Messianic Jewish congregations. Right now I’m working on one for my own synagogue. Here’s why it matters more than a website usually does. When someone types “Messianic Jewish congregation near me” into Google, or asks an AI what "What is Messianic Judaism," what comes back shapes what they think. Too often it’s thin, wrong, or sometimes hostile. Antisemitism is rising. And solid, Jewish-rooted theology is nearly invisible online, not because it doesn’t exist, but because the congregations holding it have never had the tools to be found. A congregation with a good website isn’t just easier to visit. It gives them a voice in the broader conversation that can answer genuine questions that people have. So that’s what I’m doing. One congregation at a time. We're building a website platform that can support the Messianic movement. If you lead a Messianic congregation, or you’re part of one that’s hard to find online, I’d like to hear from you. What’s the biggest thing standing in the way?

God has put something on your heart to build. A ministry, a business, an idea the world needs. Too many of those ideas never reach the people they were meant for. Not because they’re wrong. Because nobody helped them get found. That’s why I started @NewCultureCo_, to come along side mission drive people and help their ideas succeed. You carry the vision. We make sure the people who need it can find you.

What if you could PLAY the Torah Portion Lech Lecha and not just read it? My son and I released a prototype game by the same parashah name where you play as Avram, Zelda/rpg style and journey through His story of following God's voice Check it out! godspeed.dev/avram/

This week's Torah Portion is Lech Lecha, which means "Go forth." Read it with me here: shalom.app/torahportion/lech…

For those of you that keep kosher or eat biblically clean, I could use your feedback on something I'm working on! heykosher.com/ Scan a barcode and instantly know if an item is kosher according to your tradition. My family has been eating kosher for several years now, alongside our Messianic Jewish community and generally look for normal kosher symbols on food, but fall back to reading ingredients in the absence of an official seal. As I started getting into kosher food requirements, I realized there is a spectrum of levels of observance that are sometimes difficult to navigate. For example, Orthodox practice requires a recognized hechsher, while conservative Jewish halakhah has differing standards. Further, the Messianic movement can sometimes straddle the line between the conservative rulings and biblically clean foods described in the Torah in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. So I started building an app that lets you choose your tradition, scan a food barcode, and get a quick result on whether or not something is kosher. As I started using it, I realized it could be a great tool for those who are stepping into kosher observance to better understand the nuances involved across traditions. I'm currently working on an app version that lets you scan and add new items as you find them. Go scan something in your pantry and tell me what it says, and whether it matched what you’d have decided.

My children independently decided to make black ink from the ash of burnt matches. I think I should be proud of this and ignore the burning smell in my dining room, right? 😅

First official Hebrew class kicks off tonight! Can't wait to dig in 💯

Excited that one of the apps I built to help families cultivate better rhythms just got first place for the day and 3rd for the week! 🏆 💯 It's been a game changer for my kids, and I love getting to share it with others. 🎉

Have you ever read through the annual Torah portion cycle? Since I started roughly 6 years ago, it's been a great rhythm that's reset my perspective of the "Old Testament" as the lens through which the entire Bible must be viewed. If you're looking to expand your understanding of the Bible, I highly recommend reading through this coming year! We start in Genesis and it kicks off this week. Will you join me? Follow along at shalom.app or download the app to quickly access the Torah portion for the week!

Apparently there are people that think the Jewish people having a right to their homeland is racist. That's just ridiculous. Proud Zionist here that loves my Jewish friends. 🇮🇱♥️

You are the Joy of Torah Every word made flesh HaShem, You gave us life And we celebrate You Joy, joy, joy of Torah (Round and round we go) Simchat, simchat Torah (You will never let us go) youtube.com/watch?v=9oY8y-YK…

Seven days in the sukkah. Seven days remembering how God has always been faithful. And then, as if a week of celebrating wasn't enough, there's a bonus day! Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah." We read the last words of Deuteronomy, roll the scroll all the way back, and start again at "In the beginning." And we celebrate the only way that makes sense: singing and dancing as the Torah is carried around the room. I realize a holiday about the instructions God gave to Moses might sound a little strange to my Christian friends. But it's one of my favorite moments of the year. It's also a moment we practice every single week: every Shabbat, the Torah is carried through the congregation while we sing a blessing over it. You can feel the room shift. Everyone is singing. Everyone is clapping. Simchat Torah is every one of those moments throughout the year, bundled into a single day. I love how much attention and energy is centered on God's instructions. But there's more to it. For Messianic believers, the Torah also points to Yeshua—the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us. The word John uses for "dwelt" literally means tabernacled. He pitched His sukkah among us. It's the whole story in one picture: a God who wants to dwell with His people. The King of the Universe who brought Israel out of slavery also showed them how to stay free. The same God who revealed Himself in fire and smoke at Sinai revealed His salvation in Yeshua. And He's made a way for us to carry His presence in our hearts. So what else can a redeemed people do? We sing. We dance. We proclaim the goodness of the Holy One. We rejoice in God's instructions. We celebrate His salvation. And because we're so prone to forget—we start reading again so that we'll carry the stories of God's faithfulness to the next generation. So, whether you're celebrating with me today or are just hearing about this holiday, may it be filled with joy. May this day mark a new beginning as God continues to work in your life. And may you continue to remember the overwhelming goodness of the great God we serve. 🙏🙌

Who is rich? The one who rejoices in his portion. —Pikrei Avot 4:1

Behold, God is my salvation! I will trust and will not be afraid. For the Lord Adonai is my strength and my song. He also has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. —Isaiah 12:2–3

Despite all odds, managed to get our campground sukkah setup before nightfall! Kids are beyond excited to be under the stars this week! May you all have a wonderful week celebrating God's goodness. Chag Sukkot Sameach 🍋🌿

🍋🌿 Just in time for Sukkot, my wife just wrapped up our Sukkot activity bundle for kids! Build a paper sukkah. Tell stories of God’s faithfulness, eat a meal under the stars, and go on a nature scavenger hunt. 30 hands-on activities for Sukkot, the most joyful week of the year! (On sale until Saturday!) revayah.co/printables/sukkot…

Because of the mercies of Adonai, We will not be consumed, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning! Great is your faithfulness. (In case you needed a reminder of this today) 🙏