Chaim Urbach was born in Israel.  His parents accepted Yeshua as their Messiah when he was very young.  After spending his childhood in Israel, Chaim came to the United States in 1967, where he pursued an education in the biological sciences, obtaining an MA in Zoology from the University of Northern Colorado.  He worked in bio-medical research for a number of years, while active as a layman in Messianic ministry.

     Chaim served as one of the founding elders of a local Messianic Jewish congregation, where he became an assistant pastor in 1987.  The following year, he coordinated a national Messianic Jewish conference.  He was ordained in 1990, and that same year led the formation of Congregation Yeshuat Tsion.  He received his theological training at Denver Seminary, graduating in 1991 with an MA in New Testament Studies.