Reconnecting the Family of God: Overcoming Replacement Theology and Embracing Unity

In Episode 34 of Good News on GoodVue, hosts Duke White Jr. and Dr. Lee Kanter are joined by special guest Grant Berry, a Messianic Jewish leader and founder of Reconnecting Ministries and the Romans 911 Project. This episode goes straight to the heart of one of the most pressing—and often misunderstood—issues in the Church today: Replacement Theology.

What unfolds is a powerful and deeply personal conversation about the spiritual fracture between Jewish and Gentile believers and how healing that divide is key to fulfilling God’s plan for unity, revival, and glory.

What Is Replacement Theology—and Why Does It Matter?

Replacement Theology is the idea that the Church has replaced Israel in God’s plan, and that the Jewish people are no longer central to His covenant purposes. Grant explains how this flawed doctrine, which took root as early as the fourth century, has led to deep divisions, generational anti-Semitism, and spiritual blindness within parts of the Church.

The episode draws a direct line between Passover and the resurrection of Christ, explaining that the Gospel itself is the fulfillment of the prophetic picture found in the Passover story. Yeshua (Jesus) is the Paschal Lamb, sacrificed so that the judgment of God would pass over us. His blood on the “doorposts of our hearts” secures our salvation.

The Jewish Roots of the Faith: A Prophetic Key

Grant and Lee unpack how the early Church veered away from its Jewish foundations when Rome institutionalized Christianity. This separation not only removed the Church from its Hebraic heritage—it opened the door for anti-Semitic attitudes to flourish.

Lee shares emotionally about what it meant to be a Jewish believer in Yeshua: enduring persecution from Gentiles and rejection from fellow Jews. “I had to fight to believe in my own Messiah,” he said, describing how he overcame bitterness and pain to embrace both his faith and identity.

This kind of vulnerability brings the issue close to home. Most Christians, Grant explains, don’t understand what Jewish believers go through—even just to consider Jesus as Messiah.

Breaking Generational Strongholds and Walking in Unity

The conversation turns to how generational sin and spiritual influences have shaped our thinking. Using the imagery from the Romans 911 Project, Grant explains how the Church must do more than offer lip-service repentance. We must confront the deep-rooted mindsets that have kept us divided—and pull them out by the root.

It’s not about simply confessing sin at the altar. It’s about recognizing how these spiritual patterns have influenced doctrine, culture, and identity for centuries—and how God is now calling His Church into a new era of unity and humility.

The Glory of God Is Found in Reconciliation

One of the most powerful insights shared was from John 17, where Jesus prays for unity among believers. Grant emphasizes that the glory of God—what many believers long to see—is deeply tied to reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles.

“The fullness of the glory we’re hungry for is connected to love and unity in the family.”

Rather than insisting on uniformity, the episode highlights the idea of diversified unity—honoring the unique expressions of faith that come from both Jewish and Gentile believers. Just like Pope Francis once encouraged, unity in the Body of Christ doesn’t require erasing our differences but rather celebrating them in love.

The Truth About the Name Yeshua vs. Jesus

As the episode wraps up, Duke raises a question many are wrestling with: is it wrong to say “Jesus” instead of “Yeshua”?

Grant answers with grace and clarity. “He was never called Jesus on the earth. He was called Yeshua. But Jesus is the Greek translation. It’s perfectly OK to say Jesus. What we need is love and liberty.”

It’s not about arguing semantics—it’s about the Spirit of unity. The love of God will melt away the obstacles. That’s where the true power is found.

Hope for the Future Church

What stood out most in this episode wasn’t just the theological insights—it was the urgency. Duke noted the increasing hunger among believers to understand the Hebrew roots of their faith. More churches are starting to teach the original context of Scripture. More believers are learning the name Yeshua and asking the hard questions.

But with this awakening comes a warning: don’t let it create new divisions. We must resist the temptation to make language and tradition a reason for more separation.

Instead, we must focus on what unites us: the blood of the Lamb, the Word of God, and our shared identity as the one new man in Christ.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a must-watch for any believer who wants to go deeper—beyond tradition, beyond division, and into the heart of God’s redemptive plan. If we can let go of pride, acknowledge the past, and commit to walking in love and humility, we can truly become the Church that Jesus prayed for in John 17.

It’s not just about understanding our differences. It’s about embracing our shared calling—to be one family, filled with one Spirit, serving one King.