Plan Your Visit

  • Our Shabbat service is held each Friday evening at 7:30 PM at 7840 Ditch Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46260. Check our Facebook Page for any special events or schedule changes.

  • We meet at 7840 Ditch Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46260.

  • Modest, casual dress is quite appropriate. You'll find people dressed in a variety of styles, from casual to business casual attire.

  • There is usually someone there by the entrance, often our Congregational Leader Sam Stevens! Whomever you find there, they'll be happy to welcome you, answer any immediate questions, help you find a seat, and provide information regarding children's programs if needed.

  • Yes, our meeting place at 7840 Ditch Rd is wheelchair accessible. If you have specific accessibility questions or needs, please contact us or speak with us upon arrival.

Planning Your Visit

  • Our Shabbat services are designed to be welcoming and spiritually engaging. We typically begin with Shabbat and other Jewish blessings, contemporary Messianic worship music, feature practical, scripture-based teaching from Congregational Leader Sam Stevens or other speakers, and share community announcements. We aim for an atmosphere of heartfelt worship and meaningful connection.

  • We enjoy contemporary Messianic worship music. This style often blends modern worship sounds with lyrics and themes rooted in scripture and our Messianic perspective, often including Hebrew phrases. Our worship also includes Israeli folk dancing.

  • You absolutely do not need to know Hebrew! While we incorporate some traditional Hebrew blessings (like the Shema and Aleinu) and occasionally use Hebrew words or phrases in our worship music, English translations or explanations are provided verbally or on-screen. Our goal is meaningful participation for everyone, regardless of Hebrew knowledge.

  • Our Friday Shabbat services typically last about 75-80 minutes.

  • Sometimes following our Friday evening service, or on Saturday, we enjoy an "Oneg Shabbat" (Delight of Shabbat). This is an informal time to connect with others refreshments and conversation – food around tables, just enjoying community!

  • Absolutely not. We want you to feel welcome and relaxed. We don't ask visitors to stand or identify themselves publicly. Our hope is that you feel the warmth of the community without any awkward pressure.

  • We typically observe the Lord's Supper together about once a month during our Shabbat service, using matzah and grape juice. All believers in Yeshua are welcome to participate with us during these times.

  • As our guest, please feel no obligation whatsoever to give an offering. We don't pass a collection plate during the service. For those who consider Ahavat Yeshua their home community and wish to support the ministry, an offering box is available at the back. The continued functioning of our congregation is made possible through the generous giving of our members and regular attendees.

What to Expect During Service

  • For us, it means we are followers of Yeshua (Jesus), believing He is the promised Messiah of Israel and the Savior for all people. We live out this faith while valuing and incorporating the rich Jewish context of the scriptures, including observing biblical times like Shabbat and the Feasts.

  • We seek to bridge aspects meaningful to both traditions. You'll experience elements familiar to Jewish life (like Hebrew blessings, focus on biblical feasts) integrated with the central belief common to churches: faith in Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah and Lord, based on the entire Bible (Tanakh/Old Testament and Brit Chadashah/New Testament).

  • Not at all! Ahavat Yeshua is a diverse community made up of people from Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, united by our shared faith in Yeshua. If you're seeking to understand Yeshua within this biblical context, you are welcome here.

  • We hold that the entire Bible (Tanakh and Brit Chadashah, or Old and New Testaments) is the divinely inspired and authoritative Word of God. Our teaching and practices are grounded in scripture.

  • We believe in baptism by immersion, and for believers it is a significant step in identifying with Yeshua. If you have questions about baptism or wish to discuss taking this step, please speak with Congregational Leader Sam Stevens.

  • Ahavat Yeshua functions as an independent congregation serving the Indianapolis area. We maintain fellowship with the wider Messianic community.

  • We strive to be a warm, welcoming mishpacha (family)! We are a mix of ages, families, singles, and backgrounds. We value authentic relationships and learning together. The best way to know if you'll fit in is to come experience a service and our fellowship time afterward.

About Our Beliefs & Community

  • We offer an optional Shabbat school program during the service, suitable for most school-aged children. Children are also always welcome to remain with their parents in the main service if you prefer.

  • Your child's safety is important. Our Shabbat school class is supervised by at least two responsible adults, often including members of our congregational leadership team.

  • Of course! Children are always welcome to stay with their parents in the main service if that's your preference. We embrace families worshipping together.

For Families

  • Ahavat Yeshua is led by Congregational Leader Sam Stevens. The congregation is member-governed and led by an elected board.

  • Regularly attending Shabbat services and joining us during other events is the best way to start connecting! If you're interested in learning more about membership, please speak directly with Congregational Leader Sam Stevens.

  • We believe in praying for one another. You can submit prayer requests via email (ahavatyeshuain@gmail.com), by filling out a prayer card during our Friday service, or by speaking with Sam Stevens or the service leader. Confidentiality is respected.

  • Attending Shabbat services and other events are the best ways to get better connected. We also have a prayer meeting on Tuesday nights.

Getting Connected