Ai COG: Messianic Torah Observant Israel? The Armstrong Cult in Disguise

If you're feeling nostalgic for the days of Herbert W. Armstrong, but with a little more “Jewish flair” and fewer endless sermons about the “Philadelphia Era,” then have we got a group for you! Messianic Torah Observant Israel (MTOI)—the group that wants you to believe it’s all about following Jesus while adhering to every last Jewish law—is essentially Armstrongism with a yarmulke. That’s right, folks, you can now observe the Torah while pretending that you don’t know exactly where your “feast day” teachings really came from. Spoiler alert: they came from Herbert W. Armstrong.

A New Name, Same Old Cultish Vibes

MTOI may have traded in the title "Church of God" for something that sounds like a more kosher version of a Torah study group, but make no mistake: underneath the surface, it’s Armstrongism through and through. Led by “Rabbi” Steve Berkson—a former member of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG)—MTOI is a well-crafted rebranding of the same doctrine that’s been keeping its members in a state of spiritual confusion for decades.

Oh yes, Rabbi Berkson may now sport a tallit and encourage you to say "Yeshua" instead of "Jesus," but his teachings are firmly rooted in the same legalistic mindset that the Worldwide Church of God proudly embraced under Herbert W. Armstrong. The key difference? Now there’s a menorah in the front of the room instead of a framed portrait of Armstrong’s face. No wonder Berkson found it so easy to transition from Armstrongism to Messianic Judaism—he was merely stepping into the same doctrine with a slightly different wardrobe.

Self-Appointed Leaders: A Tradition of “Divine” Appointments

Ah, the classic self-appointment—nothing quite says "authentic spiritual leader" like a leader who declares themselves to be just that. Rabbi Steve Berkson is no different from his predecessor in spiritual self-promotion, Herbert W. Armstrong. Both men, in their own ways, decided that they were the “chosen ones” to lead their respective flocks, despite any formal qualifications, theological training, or external validation.

While Berkson might wear the title of “rabbi,” let’s not forget that it’s entirely self-bestowed. Just like Armstrong, who made himself “apostle” without so much as a seminary degree, Berkson has no rabbinical ordination or recognized Jewish lineage. Yet, much like Armstrong’s claim to be the “only true apostle,” Berkson operates as though his position is divinely ordained—because he says it is.

This self-appointed authority isn’t just a quirky habit—it’s a cornerstone of the group's structure. Why question a leader who has appointed himself to the job? After all, who needs a congregation of peers to validate your status when you’re convinced that God himself has granted you the title, right? Just like Armstrong’s exclusive “Church of God,” MTOI’s leadership hinges on Berkson's personal vision, not any external or historical legitimacy.

In the grand tradition of Armstrong, Berkson's followers are expected to buy into the idea that the self-appointed leader is the authority. And if you question that? Well, you’re just questioning “God’s appointed servant”—which is, of course, another classic cultic tactic.

Torah Observance: The Armstrongian Dream

When you step into an MTOI gathering, you’re not just learning about Jesus. You’re being indoctrinated into a meticulous set of rules—Sabbaths, holy days, and kosher food laws—that may make your average Orthodox Jew raise an eyebrow. But it’s not about embracing Jewish culture or tradition for the sake of deeper understanding of the Bible. Oh no. It’s about creating the illusion that, somehow, these practices make you a “true Christian” (or better yet, a “true disciple of Yeshua”). Sound familiar?

Remember the old WCG teaching that salvation was dependent on yourability to toe the line of “biblical obedience”? Well, MTOI has just replaced "The Church of God" with a shofar and swapped out Armstrong’s self-appointed apostles for a whole new leadership structure. You’ll get the same heavy-handed focus on obedience to laws, only this time it’s “Torah observance” and “Jewish identity.”

Feast Days and the Return of the Golden Calf

MTOI is particularly obsessed with the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot—nothing screams “genuine faith” like a tent in your backyard, right? It’s not just a fun way to celebrate biblical history; it’s presented as a necessary part of your salvation. But let’s not kid ourselves: this isn’t about honoring God’s festivals—this is about a cultish insistence that unless you observe these rituals, you might as well be throwing away your eternal life.

Sound like something you’ve heard before? That’s because, once again, this is pure Armstrongian doctrine, dressed up in the robes of Messianic Judaism. Armstrong’s people, just like MTOI’s leaders, were obsessed with specific, nit-picky rituals that had no clear biblical mandate but made the group feel elite. And who could forget the endless church-sponsored trips to Sukkot sites? In MTOI, the same idea is recycled, with Berkson at the helm, eager to remind you that your spiritual well-being is intrinsically tied to how you celebrate the “biblical feasts” that coincidentally reflect the teachings of Armstrong’s original cult.

The Cult of Personality: Just Like Armstrong, but with More Chutzpah

MTOI’s leader, Rabbi Steve Berkson, is a master at presenting himself as the humble “teacher” who is just leading people to the truth. But let’s take a step back, shall we? A leader who once belonged to the Worldwide Church of God—a man who likely learned how to manipulate and coerce people into following him during his time there—is now running a group where the leader is the authority. Does this sound familiar? It should. It’s straight out of the Armstrong playbook.

MTOI, much like Armstrong’s own churches, isn’t about the gospel of Jesus—it’s about following the leader. It’s about observing the law with the same level of intensity as if salvation depended on it. If you don’t toe the line in MTOI, you’ll quickly find yourself on the outside, just like in the good ol’ WCG days. The “community” becomes less about fellowship and more about conformity. After all, who could challenge the "Rabbi" without risking excommunication? Oh wait, that’s just the type of spiritual authoritarianism that Armstrongism thrived on, just with a more Jewish-looking façade.

The Big Hypocrisy: Armstrongism, but With a Side of "Yeshua"

The heart of the issue is simple: MTOI pretends to be a Christian organization, but it’s really just Armstrongism dressed in a new outfit.Berkson and the rest of MTOI’s leaders, who once drank deeply from the well of Armstrong's teachings, can’t help but continue perpetuating the same false doctrines. Whether it’s the emphasis on following the law as a means of salvation, or the insistence that only a select group of people are truly part of the “elect,” the doctrines are eerily familiar.

MTOI may proudly claim they’re following Jesus (or Yeshua, if you will), but the only thing they’re really following is the same legalistic, self-righteous framework that has plagued Armstrongism for generations. You can dress up these teachings in Hebrew roots and Torah observance, but at the end of the day, it’s still the same cultic mindset—your salvation is based on what you do.

Conclusion: From Armstrongism to MTOI—The Same Old Song, But with a New Mask

So there you have it: Messianic Torah Observant Israel is nothing more than Armstrongism with a kippah and a side of falafel. Whether it’s the cultish devotion to rituals, the obsession with Feast Days, or the unquestioning allegiance to a leader who knows exactly how to build a personality cult, MTOI is just Armstrongism repackaged. All the self-righteousness, all the legalism, all the exclusivity—it’s all there, only now it comes with an extra dose of “Jewish authenticity.”

But here’s the rub: The gospel of Jesus Christ is not about following rules and rituals to earn your salvation—it’s about faith in Him and the grace He offers. The real freedom and truth come from trusting in Jesus, not in human-made laws or self-appointed leaders. Jesus came to set us free from the endless cycle of trying to earn God's approval through our actions. He has already done the work, and His grace is sufficient for our salvation.

So, if you find yourself tangled in the web of legalism or lost in a cult of personality, remember that Jesus is the answer, not a list of rules or the whims of a self-proclaimed rabbi. Embrace the gospel—the good news that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Only He can give you peace, freedom, and eternal life, and He doesn’t require a membership card to His inner circle. He’s already offered it freely to anyone who believes in Him.

MTOI can keep offering you a checklist of feasts and laws, but Jesus offers something far better: salvation by grace through faith. There’s no need for a rabbi or an apostle to point the way when Jesus has already lit the path.

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Messianic Torah Observant Israel? © 2025 by Ai-COG is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0