Our Vision
Introducing the people (both Jewish and non-Jewish) of Greenville and the Upstate of South Carolina to Yeshua (Jesus), the Jewish Messiah.
Providing a place where people can worship the G-d of Israel in spirit and in truth.
About Us
Our Congregation
We are an independent local Messianic synagogue. We provide a place where people can consider the claims of Yeshua in a Jewish context and also provide an opportunity to experience the Jewish roots of the New Covenant faith. Our name, Adon Olam, is Hebrew for “L-rd of the World” and is taken from a liturgical prayer. We believe that the G-d of Israel is indeed, the L-rd of the World. The history of our congregation tells about our journey to where we are today. Our Statement of Faith explains exactly what we believe.
Messianic Judaism
Messianic Judaism is a branch of Judaism which is based on the Scriptures. It is a worldwide movement of Jewish and non-Jewish people who believe that Yeshua is the promised Messiah of the Jewish people and of all mankind. Messianic believers still maintain their Jewish heritage and lifestyle by worshipping Yeshua in a Jewish context. A Jewish lifestyle includes observing Shabbat (Sabbath) and the other mo’adim (appointed times) of the L-rd with the added understanding of G-d’s revelation in the New Covenant Scriptures.
Our Leadership
Todd Lesser
Messianic Rabbi
Todd Lesser was raised in a reform Jewish home but stopped attending synagogue soon after his Bar Mitzvah. While in college, a friend shared the Jewishness of Yeshua (Jesus) with him. After learning of the many Messianic prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures, Todd accepted Yeshua as his Messiah and began learning about the Jewishness of his New Covenant faith.
After graduating from Georgia Tech with a degree in Nuclear Engineering, he served for five years in the U. S. Navy as a Nuclear Submarine Officer, then returned to Atlanta, GA. He attended Congregation Beth Hallel, and served as a Deacon for eight years. In 1997, he and his family moved to Greenville, SC, and began attending Adon Olam Messianic Congregation (AOMC). Todd became an elder at AOMC in 2002 and in 2013, he became the full-time Congregational Leader.
Todd was ordained as a Messianic Rabbi by the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues (IAMCS) in 2015.
Volunteer Team
- Fred Scott (wife, Janeal), Shamash
- Maye Galloway, Music Leader
- Sara Lesser, Dance Leader
- Mick Jones, Building and Grounds Supervisor
Our History
Adon Olam Messianic Congregation has a 25-year history of sharing the Jewish Messiah and teaching the Jewish roots of the New Covenant faith here in Greenville, South Carolina.
1995-1998
In June of 1995, Upstate Messianic Fellowship was incorporated and began meeting monthly at the First Christian Church on Edwards Road in Greenville, SC under the leadership of Paul Cohen.
The meetings were moved in 1996 to Redemption World Outreach Center on Byrdland Dr. in Greenville. At first, the group met once a month, but soon shifted to twice a month.
In 1997, the meeting location and schedule were changed once again. The meetings were now held every week at the Senior Action Center on East McBee Ave. in Greenville.
The meeting location changed to the Fellowship Hall of Augusta Road Baptist Church in Greenville in 1998 where weekly Shabbat services and a mid-week Scripture study were held.
2002
Upstate Messianic Fellowship officially became a congregation as part of the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues (IAMCS) and took the name Adon Olam Messianic Congregation.
2003-2004
In December of 2003, the congregation purchased a building on 18 acres of land in Piedmont, SC and began renovating it for use as a synagogue.
The congregation held its first Sabbath service in the newly renovated building in May of 2004 and the official dedication of the building was held in November of that year.
2008-2015
The Rabbi resigned in September of 2008 and one of the elders, Todd Lesser, took over as interim leader of the congregation.
In July of 2013, Todd Lesser became the full-time congregational leader of AOMC.
Rabbi Lesser was ordained by the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues as a Messianic Rabbi in January of 2015.
Statement of Faith
1
We believe both the Tanakh (Old Covenant) and the B’rit Khadashah (New Covenant), the whole Bible, to be the only inspired, inerrant, authoritative Word of G-d.
Jeremiah 31:31; 2 Timothy 3:16
2
We believe that there is one G-d, eternally existent, consisting of:
G-d the Father, Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah, and the Ruakh HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit).
Genesis 1:1-2; Prov. 30:4; Isaiah 48:16; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19
3
We believe in the deity of our L-rd Yeshua the Messiah; His virgin birth; sinless life; miracles; vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood; His bodily resurrection; His ascension to the right hand of G-d the Father; and His personal return in power and glory. We believe that Yeshua is both Mashiakh Ben Yosef (Messiah son of Joseph, suffering servant – first coming) and Mashiach Ben David (Messiah son of David, ruling King – when He soon returns).
Isaiah 7:14; Matt. 1:1; 4:23; Rom. 5:8; Gal. 1:3-5; Heb. 9:24-26; 2 Cor. 5:15,21; Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12; Zech. 12:10; Isaiah 11:1-2; 1 Cor. 15:3-4
4
We believe in the imminent return of our L-rd Yeshua the Messiah, that according to the scriptures, He will come for His bride (the body of true believers) to take us to the place that He has prepared for us, and that we will remain with Him throughout eternity.
Acts 1:9-11; John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-17
5
We believe that Messiah Yeshua will establish His millennial (1000-year) kingdom on earth and that we (His body of true believers) will serve under him.
Rev 20:1-6.
6
We believe that everyone is born with a sinful nature and is in need of G-d’s forgiveness. Salvation is not earned by human merit, but according to G-d’s standard of Righteousness, it is obtained by His grace through our willingness to confess our need for forgiveness of our sins, to repent of our sins, and to turn to G-d through our faith in the atoning death and resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah, who willingly offered up himself as a once-and-for-all sacrifice to provide the blood atonement for our souls and that this is the only way of Salvation.
Isaiah 53:6,12; Rom. 3:23; 1 John 1:9-10; Eph. 2:8-9; Luke 13:3; Heb. 9:26; Lev. 17:11; Acts 4:12
7
We believe our salvation is sealed by the down payment of the Spirit of G-d in our hearts, which enables us to be regenerated by the Spirit as a new creation. True salvation will be evidenced by the fruit of G-d’s Spirit, our desire to be obedient to His commandments, confession of our faith in Messiah Yeshua, and works of covenantal love.
2 Cor. 1:22, 5:17; Titus 3:5; John 3:5; Gal. 5:22-25; Rom 10:9-10
8
We believe that Satan will finally be judged and cast into the lake of fire.
Rev. 20:10
9
We believe in the physical resurrection of the Believers. That people are either brought back to life, having accepted Yeshua’s atoning death and will live forever with G-d, or that the spiritually dead will be judged and will be forever separated from G-d, being cast into the lake of fire, where they will experience everlasting contempt and weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Daniel 12:2; Rev. 20:15; Luke 16:22-26; Matt. 13:49-50
10
We believe in the following observances:
- Water immersion (mikveh) – Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3-4
- Communion (following the Passover meal) – Luke 22:7-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26
- Dedication of children – Numbers 6:23-27; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Mark 10:15,16
- Matrimony – Genesis 2:24; Mark 10:6-9
- Anointing with Oil – James 5:14
- Laying on of Hands – Acts 6:6; 28:8; Hebrews 6:1-2