A House of Praise on Lithia Pinecrest Road
On five acres along Lithia Pinecrest Road in the rolling suburb of Brandon, Florida, Beit Tehila gathers every Saturday morning for the Jewish Sabbath it calls Shabbat. The name is Hebrew for “house of praise,” or, in the fuller translation the founders prefer, “house of honest praise.” The community teaches the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith, sees itself as a Spirit-filled family of believers grafted into the olive tree that represents Israel (Romans 11:17), and reads the Torah, the Prophets, and the Apostolic Writings as one whole counsel of God.
The church’s mission is direct: “Teaching the Hebrew Roots of the Christian Faith to those that are coming out of the nations of the world.” Its vision is “to build a strong community and to raise up the next generation.” Pastors Nick and Danielle Plummer lead the congregation today, joined by Pastors Tikvah and Timothy Lee Kolbo, the founders of the community.
Hebrew Roots and the Whole Bible
Beit Tehila teaches that the entire Bible is the only inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God. From that foundation, the church holds to the deity of Yeshua (Jesus), His virgin birth, His atoning death, burial, and resurrection, the necessity of being born again, salvation through Him, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the laying on of hands. The community embraces every spiritual gift enumerated in 1 Corinthians 12, including the gift of tongues, and confesses the Godhead as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Tithing and offerings are taught as the scriptural pattern of giving established by Abraham and Jacob.
What marks Beit Tehila out from many Christian congregations is its commitment to the Hebrew roots of the faith. The church teaches that the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, is relevant for today and that the Mosaic Covenant is a perpetual sign between God and His people. Members honor the seventh-day Sabbath, keep the biblical dietary laws of Leviticus 11, and observe the Appointed Feasts of the Lord laid out in Leviticus 23. Beit Tehila teaches that the children of Israel are the chosen people of God and that the Holy City of Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. The community believes that both Jews and non-Jews make up the whole House of Israel and that Gentile believers are grafted into the commonwealth of Israel through their relationship with Yeshua.
Beit Tehila also teaches that the institution of marriage was created by God between one man and one woman and that betrothal, not casual dating, is the biblical pattern for courtship. In matters of worship, the church teaches that God is restoring the arts to His people and that dance, music, drama, and visual expression can all be used to share biblical truth.
Shabbat and the Rhythm of the Week
The center of Beit Tehila’s weekly life is the Shabbat service. Every Saturday at 11:00 a.m., the congregation gathers in the sanctuary for worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship. A half hour before the service, at 10:00 a.m., members come together for prayer and meditation in preparation for the day. The service includes congregational praise led by the worship team, the dance ministry, intercession, and a message grounded in the Bible.
The worship team is led by Josiah Plummer. The team ministers each Sabbath at the 11:00 a.m. service and at various special event services, blending English and Hebrew Messianic songs. Guitar, voices, and a range of instruments anchor the music, and the team sees its role as drawing the congregation into worship rather than performing for them.
Monday extends the rhythm of the week. From 10:00 a.m. to noon, Beit Tehila holds a worship and prayer service in the sanctuary. The prayer ministry gathers to intercede for the city, the country, the nations, and Israel. Monday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. are given over to a circle-style Bible study that walks together through the Gospel of John. On the first Monday of each month at 10:00 a.m., homeschool families in the community lead the worship and prayer service as a deliberate investment in raising up the next generation of praying believers.
Wednesday evenings belong to the young people. Youth Fellowship meets from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. for ages 13 through 18, with Bibles and notebooks encouraged. Twice a month the women’s fellowship gathers on the second Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall, and on the third Wednesday the men gather in the same hall. Both groups share food, fellowship, and study in the Word.
Two more gatherings fill out the month. On the first Sunday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., the College and Career Fellowship meets for young adults making their way into the next stage of faith and life. Once each lunar month, on the day of the New Moon, Beit Tehila holds a special worship and prayer service. The community sees the New Moon as a biblical marker of time and a recurring feast worth gathering to honor.
The Fall Feasts and the Biblical Calendar
Three times a year, Beit Tehila’s calendar orients itself around the Fall Feasts of the Lord. The church teaches that Yeshua fulfilled the Spring Feasts at His first coming and will fulfill the Fall Feasts in the future, and each one is observed with care, reverence, and joy.
Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets, opens the season. The name itself comes from the Hebrew word teruah, meaning a loud noise or shout, and the day is marked by the sounding of shofars and collective shouts of praise. Beit Tehila teaches that the day points to the return of the King and to a coming day of public prayer when all nations will gather before the Lord.
Ten days later comes Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the holiest and most somber day of the biblical calendar. The community gathers for a Kol Nidre service at the close of the Ten Days of Awe, humbling themselves before the Lord and asking for corporate forgiveness. Members often visit a Mikvah, a ritual bath, the day before for ceremonial immersion as a picture of cleansing. Beit Tehila teaches that Yom Kippur is a shadow of what was to come and is fulfilled in Yeshua, who is the believer’s High Priest and atonement.
The fall season closes with Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, an eight-day celebration that remembers Israel’s wandering in the wilderness and rejoices in God’s provision. Sukkot is the Feast of Ingathering, traditionally marked by building a sukkah, a temporary booth with at least three walls and a thatched roof through which the stars can be seen at night. Members invite guests into their sukkah and greet one another with “Chag Sameach.” Beit Tehila also observes Simchat Torah on the Eighth Great Day as a celebration of the joy of Torah.
Beyond the appointed feasts, Beit Tehila walks through a yearly Torah cycle. The cycle follows the traditional weekly divisions, beginning each fall with B’resheet and moving through the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Each portion carries a Hebrew name and pairs readings from the Torah with passages from the Prophets and Apostolic Writings. Pastor Nick has prepared a Torah Questionnaire to help members and visitors study each portion.
Worship Through Dance and the Arts
If there is a single thread that ties Beit Tehila’s story together, it is dance. The church’s vision for restoring dance to worship is one of the most distinctive features of the community and has shaped its identity since the very beginning.
Tabernacles of Praise, Beit Tehila’s dance ministry, was founded by Pastor Tikvah (Dryer) Kolbo in 1991 as a foundational part of the church. It started as the Daughters of Zion Hebraic dance ministry, traveled to conferences, and danced throughout the land of Israel. As men joined the ministry, the name was changed to Tabernacles of Praise. Today the ministry incorporates contemporary, ballet, modern, and Hebraic Folk dance styles and is led by Joanne Cecere. The ministry has produced two videos, “Praise Him with Dancing” and “Dancing through the Feasts in Israel,” which can be ordered through the church office.
Beit Tehila teaches that worship is far more than singing. According to the church’s teaching on worship, the whole congregation is called to participate through singing, choirs, a variety of instruments, clapping, lifting of hands, bowing or prostrating, speaking praise, shouting praise, rejoicing, circle dancing, teams of dancers, marches and processionals with banners and flags, obedience to the Lord’s teachings, celebrating His appointed feasts, giving tithes and offerings, and prayer and intercession. King David’s tabernacle, the return of the Ark to Jerusalem, and the restoration of all things in the last days are recurring illustrations in this teaching.
Children, Youth, and the Next Generation
Beit Tehila takes seriously the church’s vision to “raise up the next generation.” The children’s ministry runs alongside the weekly Shabbat gathering. Nursery care is available on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. through the end of the service for children from birth through age three. After the worship portion of the service, children ages four through twelve are dismissed to learn at their own level. On Mondays, childcare is available for ages one through five during the morning worship and prayer service.
Youth Fellowship meets Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. for ages 13 through 18. The church also runs the homeschoolers prayer service on the first Monday of each month, where families come together with their kids. The College and Career Fellowship gathers on the first Sunday evening of each month for young adults making their way into the working world or continuing their education.
Men’s, Women’s, and College Fellowships
The men’s and women’s fellowships meet monthly in the fellowship hall for a shared meal, fellowship, and study in the Word. The women’s fellowship meets on the second Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and gathers around growing in faith and wisdom with God and building friendships with the women of the community, with an emphasis on being spiritually and physically prepared for the Kingdom of God. The men’s fellowship meets on the third Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and gathers around the same twin pursuits of growth in faith and friendships.
The College and Career Fellowship meets on the first Sunday evening of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and gives young adults a place to continue walking out their faith as they move into the next stage of life.
Bible Study, Prayer, and Discipleship
Beit Tehila’s Bible study on Mondays from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. uses a small-circle format. The group journeys together through the Gospel of John, gaining fresh insights and building community around the Word. The church’s prayer ministry meets Monday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the sanctuary for a time of worship and intercession for the city, the country, the nations, Israel, and individual needs.
An eleven-week discipleship course is available for anyone wanting to grow in the foundations of the Word. Appointments with discipleship leaders are arranged through the church office. Membership classes are offered throughout the year for those wanting to make Beit Tehila their home congregation.
Healing, Marriage, and Family Resources
Beit Tehila partners with Ellel Ministries, an international, non-denominational Christian healing and discipleship ministry founded in 1986 in Northwest England by Peter Horrobin. Ellel offers practical biblical teaching and prayer ministry for people facing emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual struggles, and now spans more than 25 countries. Through Beit Tehila, members and visitors can connect with Ellel resources.
For marriages, Beit Tehila points to re|engage, a marriage ministry that examines God’s design for marriage and applies biblical principles to move couples toward greater communication, oneness, and love. Sessions are held on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. at The Crossing Church’s Tampa Campus at 10130 Tuscany Ridge Drive in Tampa. The program serves couples married two months or forty years whose marriage is broken, struggling, or simply wanting to grow closer together.
The church’s All Pro Pastors resource links to a network for encouragement, accountability, and unity among pastors across the Body of Christ. Beit Tehila also lists a marriage resource hub on its site.
The Marketplace and Israel Support
A small marketplace inside the church offers Bibles, books, devotionals, notebooks, jewelry, hats, shirts, shofars, tallitot, mezuzahs, kippahs, anointing oils, and hanukkiahs. The dance ministry’s two video resources are also available there, with “Praise Him with Dancing” running over seventy minutes of instructional dance and “Dancing through the Feasts in Israel” featuring eight dances designed for each of the Appointed Feasts of the Lord outlined in Leviticus 23, filmed in locations across the land of Israel.
Beit Tehila also runs a Support Israel initiative and has been organizing trips to Israel since Randy and Tikvah Dryer’s first visit in 1994. The community hosts and leads trips so others can experience the land the church teaches was promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The Story of Beit Tehila
Beit Tehila was founded in 1991 by Randy and Lori Dryer, who took the Hebrew name Tikvah, meaning “full of hope,” together with their two daughters, Danielle and Dina. Randy and Lori had accepted Yeshua as Lord and Savior in 1977 at the age of twenty-one. In the years that followed they were filled with the Holy Spirit, baptized in water, and grew in their love for Israel and the Jewish people.
In 1989, the family received a deeper hunger for the things of God and was led to a church where prophetic words confirmed a calling to pastoral ministry and to the restoration of ancient things. The conviction to celebrate the Appointed Feasts of the Lord and to honor the Sabbath grew from there. The Lord moved on Lori to restore dance to the church, and the Daughters of Zion dance ministry was born.
In 1994, Randy and Lori made their first trip to Israel, a turning point that led them to host many more trips in the years to come. By 1996, they were meeting in their home with likeminded believers. That same year the Lord gave them the name Beit Tehila. After gathering at seven different locations, the church purchased nearly five acres of land and erected a modular building, holding its first worship service in October 2002 for the Feast of Tabernacles.
Tragedy struck that same year. Pastor Randy Dryer was diagnosed with cancer, and on November 17, 2002, he went to be with the Lord. Earlier in 2002, Randy had ordained his son-in-law, Nicholas Plummer, as a pastor to assist with the ministry. Nick had been raised Catholic but, in March 1992, at the age of twenty-four, was born again, was later baptized in water at a local Baptist church, and was baptized in the Holy Spirit at a Word of Faith church. He met Randy and Tikvah’s daughter, Danielle, while serving in the youth ministry at a non-denominational church in Brandon. He joined the Dryer family’s home group, led worship on Saturdays, and on October 19, 1997, in Jerusalem, told Randy and Tikvah of his intention to court their daughter. Nick and Danielle married on July 24, 1999, and have since raised a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters, in Brandon.
In 2011, Lori, now known as Tikvah Kolbo, remarried Timothy Lee Kolbo, and the two now serve together with Pastors Nick and Danielle to keep the vision of Beit Tehila moving forward. The community continues to celebrate the Feasts of the Lord, walk the Torah cycle, gather every Shabbat, and host trips to the land of Israel.
Planning a Visit to Beit Tehila
Beit Tehila’s main meeting location is at 1705 Lithia Pinecrest Road in Brandon, Florida. Shabbat services begin at 11:00 a.m. each Saturday, with prayer and meditation at 10:00 a.m. Visitors are warmly welcomed. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The office can be reached by phone at 813-654-2222 or by email at info@topraise.net.
Services are livestreamed on YouTube, and recordings of recent messages and special event services are archived on the church’s channel. Online giving is available through the church’s secure portal, and donations can also be made by Venmo to @Beit Tehila. Checks can be mailed to PO Box 3692, Brandon, FL 33509. The church’s online calendar lists the weekly schedule, New Moon services, and the dates for the Fall Feasts.
Anyone wanting to know more before visiting can reach out to the church office, attend a weekly Shabbat service, or join a Monday evening Bible study circle. The congregation describes itself as “Mishpacha,” family, and welcomes anyone curious about the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith to come as they are.