Levi Miller wrote an article in the mid 90's that gave a great overview of the evangelical nature of Anabaptism, and the efforts by some academics to reshape Anabaptism into something different.  He looked at what was happening in the Presbyterian Church and compared it to the situation among Mennonites at that time.  The Bender he refers to is Harold S. Bender.

"The relevance of a recovery of evangelical Anabaptism becomes all the more clear if one considers current trends in the mainline Protestant churches. The authors of Vanishing Boundaries: The Religion of Mainline Protestant Baby Boomers, a recent study of Presbyterians who grew up in the sixties, traced the religious journey of Presbyterian youth who were confirmed in the 1960s, most of whom have since left the church.  On the basis of the authors' research, the strongest indicator as to whether these now middle-aged adults would be members of a Christian church was whether they held a strong core of Christian belief and faith and whether they scored high on the "Christ Only" index.

"The authors argued that the decline of the Presbyterians in the last thirty years, after steady growth since colonial times in America, is not a result of the countercultural movement of the 1960s or the influence of higher education. Rather, they concluded that the membership has fallen sharply in recent years because mainline churches have become weak churches filled with "lay liberals." Lay liberals are highly individualistic church members who have trouble saying that Christianity is truer than other religions. They claim only that Christianity is truer for them or that it meets their needs.  Bender's question, "What think you of Christ?" could not be more appropriate. Without a strong evangelical Christian base, Mennonites, Brethren or other groups descended from Anabaptism will become weak churches which increasingly elicit weak commitment. Indeed, one key to the survival of these groups will be a reconstruction of evangelical Anabaptism as a living, vital core of their collective history."

Click here to read the entire article.

Today’s post is from Tyler Hartford, lead pastor at Pleasant View Mennonite Church, Goshen, IN

Jesus is simply the most hospitable, approachable person I have ever met. I don’t know of a single person he ever declined meeting, including the Accuser himself. Yet, he didn't just accept people where they were at, he also called them to new ways of being.

A woman who was looking for love in all the wrong places was condemned by religious leaders who knew the letter but not the spirit of the law. Christ stepped into the fray and dispersed the mob with a few inspired lines in the sand. He then turned to the outcast woman, and offered her a new way of living.

Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:10-12)

I believe what Jesus demonstrates here is one of the hardest acts of humanity: the ability to speak and act out of love while having expectations for change and growth. This is the ability to show unconditional love without showing unconditional approval.

Jesus models for us how to draw near to someone with genuine love, and say, “Don’t act in this destructive way, but rather act in this life-giving, God-honoring way.” He promises us that the Holy Spirit has been sent, the Counselor is with us, teaching us all things and reminding us of everything he has said to us (John 14:26). May God grant us each the strength to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, and the discernment to know how to share with Holy Spirit power.

-Tyler Hartford

i've been thinking a lot about tree metaphors for how we relate to each other in the church.  A few weeks ago I participated in a spiritual retreat at Amigo Centre with other youth pastors.  As I walked through the woods, there were several times that I came upon two trees near each other that had very different growth patterns.  One had a main trunk, with branches spreading out far above.  The other had common roots but grew in multiple trunks out of that one root system.  So often we think of the perfect tree as the one with the single trunk, but I also felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to recognize the beauty of the other tree.

Within the broader Anabaptist stream there is a movement beginning, a branching, that is larger than an institution.  In the past there has been fragmentation, but this movement is guiding us forward together through the power of the Holy Spirit.  It is rooted in the active power and presence of Jesus Christ in our lives today.  It is truly multi-cultural, with an embrace of energetic and passionate worship.  It seeks the miraculous healing and transformation of God in our world.  I believe the Holy Spirit is the one that is drawing this together and and He is calling us to repentance, confession, prayer and worship.  It has a high view of Scripture.  It is radical in it's love for all people, choosing nonviolence. 

I also want to say what it is not.  It is not a movement that seeks to align with secular political movements on the left or the right.  It is not about endless arguing about ethical choices.  It is not a basic ethic of living that is devoid of a real connection with Jesus Christ.  It is not centered in our educational institutions, it is rising up from the pew.  It is not about gutting the theological and ethical aspects of our shared beliefs to make a place for the Swiss-German children of our leaders who have aligned with secular political forces.  It is not about staying comfortable in our traditions and customs.

Political manipulations and votes and resolutions may seem to be at the forefront right now, but it is the active power of Jesus Christ that is moving this movement forward.  I am excited to be a part of it.
-John M Troyer

I took someone's life away from them twelve years ago and badly injured another.  Tomorrow is the anniversary of that day, at 11:45 am.  I had planned to meet Sheila for lunch, and as I drove along, I missed a stop sign.  A man died, leaving behind parents, siblings, a wife and children.  I survived the accident, and I remember every detail of it and the aftermath.    As I spent the next days and months and years coming to terms with what I'd done, I had only grace to fall back on.  I badly wished for something different.  I wanted to pay, to be punished in some way.  I wanted to make it right.  But the worst of it was that I never could.  I had taken someone away from a family that loved him and there was nothing that could fix that.

Some family members agreed to meet with me and offered their kindness and grace.  They gave one wish for me, that I could make something good come out of this in my life.  The congregation I was pastoring gave me time off to heal.  God was with me in that dark time in a way I've never experienced before.   A few months later, I wrote a lament of my thoughts.

"My Lament" by John Troyer

I can’t get any lower and I’m yelling for you God.
Are you listening?

I know you’re listening, because you’ve shown yourself to me before.
All I can do is cry help.

I’m in so deep, and I don’t see any way out of this one.
There’s nothing I can do, no where I can go.
How can I trust you when you don’t fix things up?
You can fix it up, but why don’t you?

But what choice do I have, where else can I run?
Bitterness and anger, they’ll swallow me up.
Taking it out on you will only ruin me.

No, the only choice is to turn to you.
So I’m waiting, waiting, waiting
I ache with waiting, my head hurts...

I’ve learned one thing.
God’s the only place to go, there’s nowhere else.

I have had many moments of grace since that time, and also continuing sadness.  I continue to pray for those who have had to bear the cost of what I've done.  

I also have had to look in a new way at what it means to be pro-life.  Too many times we think in hypotheticals about what we would do if we had to defend ourselves. Would we take someone's life? I would simply say it's never worth it. Eternity is too clear, Jesus' witness is too strong, the choices of the early Anabaptists speak to loudly. Whether it's abortion or war, as a follower of Jesus I cannot actively participate in and support intentionally taking the life of another human being.  I have instead chosen to build life and support life.  If we want to advocate for the innocent, the most powerful response is to speak loudly but do no harm.
-John M Troyer

Home is a complicated subject.  And in this post, I'm talking about being "at home" which is defined as feeling at ease, relaxed and comfortable, in harmony with surroundings, on familiar ground.   I've been a part of the Mennonite Church for 27 years, pastoring at several congregations and attending others.  My story is that in congregational life, I've often felt at home.  In denominational and conference life, I often have not.  The language, the energy, the focus has sometimes felt just a little bit "off" to me.

But last summer I did find a home.  I attended the Anabaptist Renewal Conference, a gathering of Anabaptists from all walks of life.  As one pastor described it, "I felt I was somewhere that they spoke my language."  Interestingly enough, this was a gathering of a variety of ethnicities, in planning, attendance and leadership.  English was not the first language of many who were there.  But it was refreshing.  The "at homeness" started earlier in the year when I first encountered the vision and commitments of the organization.

Our Vision

To mobilize the Mennonite and Anabaptist community to bear witness to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our Commitments

We commit ourselves:

• To be radical in our love for the Lord and compassion for our neighbors
• To be full of His grace and truth as we passionately follow Jesus
• To earnestly seek more of the Holy Spirit and His transforming power
• To rejoice in the holistic witness of Scripture
• To affirm the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective and call the church to faithfulness
• To joyfully embrace Biblical sexuality as taught by Jesus and His apostles
• To understand our brokenness and in humility seek spiritual renewal
• To encourage fellowship in the Mennonite church and welcome a new move of His Spirit

We gathered together for three days to hear stories, worship, pray, and hear challenges that spurred us toward faithfulness.  This is not a separatist group, but simply a gathering of sisters and brothers that have clarified their focus and gathered in like-minded fellowship.  Since that time, I have been privileged to sit with more brothers and sisters across the church and experience some of the most gracious, humble, Holy-Spirit-empowered people I have known. There truly is a bright future for the Church in North America, even in the midst of the struggles and conflicts we experience as Mennonites.  If you know of other gatherings and places where Evangelical Anabaptists can feel at home, please let me know and I would love to help publicize it here.  Welcome home.
-John M. Troyer

I took the ice bucket challenge. I care about doing the right thing.  When I saw questions raised about the kind of research done by the ALS Association, I was intrigued.  It was about the use of embryonic stem cells.  In a another post, I will talk more about what it means to have a consistent pro-life ethic.

I found it interesting the way this was portrayed.  Remember, in this case, this is not about public policy, it is about a personal choice to invest money in a particular charity.  People are asking questions and looking for alternatives.  On the side of those looking for alternatives, I found these concerns were raised in a balanced way.  They stated their support and concern for those suffering from ALS.  They tried to understand the current status of the research and found some indications that adult stem cells are the most promising lines.  They looked for alternatives, and found several that were not doing research using embryonic stem cells.

Then the backlash began. There was a Salon article which had a number of inaccuracies.  Mary Elizabeth Williams began by describing opponents as anti-choice, even though they simply wanted a different choice for their donation. Then she stated there were calls to "immediately cease" any fundraising plans for the Ice Bucket Challenge.  Wrong again.  The calls were to direct funds to other ALS agencies that did not do embryonic stem cell research.   Then she used the rest of the article to articulate why the efficacy of embryonic stem cells should override objections, why it should not matter because they were developed in vitro, why it should not matter because all public funds donated to the ALS Association are used for adult stem cell research.  In each case, she failed to truly understand the reason these objections are there in the first place.  And then she ended the article with this advice, "But ignorance helps no one, and if you’re going to take a stand on an issue, at least do your own soul searching and get the facts straight first."

It's too bad she didn't take her own advice.

In my own ignorance, here is where I made my donation, the Cell Therapy Foundation. It is an organization that started in Indiana and is committed to using only stem cells derived from adults.  At the donation link, you can designate funding to ALS research.
-John M. Troyer
 

My name is John M. Troyer and Evangelical Anabaptist Network has been a dream for some time.  As a pastor in Mennonite Church USA for over 20 years, I am captivated by so many things that are a part of our identity.  I grew up in a Beachy church, a fellowship of Anabaptist churches that identify as Amish Mennonite.  In high school, I began attending a Mennonite Church and was baptized there.  At the same time, I became involved in a charismatic Bible study and experienced the fullness of the Holy Spirit in my life.  

The Mennonite Church has given me so many gifts.  I was mentored and encouraged in my faith by people with a deep faith and lives of self-sacrifice.  I have connected with people from other racial and ethnic backgrounds and am blessed by the spiritual blessings I have received.  Our 1995 Confession of Faith resonates with my heart and provides a foundation for joining together as a community of faith.

I live in Goshen, IN, and with my wife Sheila and our two children, Mandy and Michael.  My wife Sheila and I share a full-time youth pastor position, with a commitment to full-time parenting before our children went to school.  Michael is now in kindergarten so I am making a commitment to this project.  

This is where I make a confession.  I "name drop" the wrong people.  As a Mennonite, it's easy to try to find out how I'm related to someone, to talk about what church means to me, to talk about service in a community, if I dumped ice water on my head, and sometimes to tell people what I'm learning in the Bible.  But what I do less often is talk about how I know Jesus.  

According to Wikipedia, name-dropping is the practice of mentioning important people or institutions within a conversation, story, song, online identity, or other communication.  It's the way we as human beings give ourselves credibility.  It also communicates to others what makes us feel important or valued, and what we think has made our lives better.  Everybody names something, and we show the reality of what is in our hearts.

Name dropping relates to the meaning of the word evangelical, a bearer of good news.  What is the good news?  It is that I know Jesus.  Underneath all the layers of culture that I put on, it is Jesus that has changed my life.  He is the one I know, the true source of transformation within. I'm ready to talk about that more, and to be more transparent about what's really happening. 
-John M Troyer

Anabaptist is about a particular stream of belief and action, and Mennonite has become much more descriptive of cultural forms and trends.  I appreciate the vibrancy of faith that is expressed in Anabaptist congregations around the globe.  I believe in a deep commitment to sacrifice and service that has been a hallmark of our Anabaptist history.  It is also a part of who we are.

Each word that was chosen as a name for this site was deliberate.  The Anabaptist movement has been most vibrant when it has embraced evangelical faith.  In 2009, Ted Lewis published an article highlighting the meaning of the "True evangelical faith" quote by Menno Simons.

“True evangelical faith is of such a nature it cannot lie dormant, but spreads itself out in all kinds of righteousness and fruits of love;
it dies to flesh and blood;
it destroys all lusts and forbidden desires;
it seeks, serves and fears God in its inmost soul;
it clothes the naked;
it feeds the hungry;
it comforts the sorrowful; 
it shelters the destitute;
it aids and consoles the sad;
it does good to those who do it harm;
it serves those that harm it;
it prays for those who persecute it;
it teaches, admonishes and judges us with the Word of the Lord;
it seeks those who are lost;
it binds up what is wounded;
it heals the sick;
it saves what is strong (sound);
it becomes all things to all people.
The persecution, suffering and anguish that come to it for the sake of the Lord’s truth have become a glorious joy and comfort to it.”

Evangelical also highlights the connection with many Mennonite World Conference churches in other countries.  Over the years, our Anabaptist educational institutions and some of our leaders have become more aligned with current cultural trends on the left rather than maintaining a commitment to the vital presence of the Holy Spirit and Biblical integrity.  We feel the same push toward alignment with cultural trends on the right, which popular media has labeled evangelical.  That label is a caricature that comes from ignorance, created by the isolation that many in the media have from multicultural expressions of Christian faith and in rural areas.  We need to avoid nationalism and patriotism, but we should not run from the word evangelical.

Bebbinton names four aspects of evangelicalism, all of which have been an integral part the Anabaptism through the years.

• biblicism, a particular regard for the Bible (e.g. all essential spiritual truth is to be found in its pages)
  
• crucicentrism, a focus on the atoning work of Christ on the cross
  
• conversionism, the belief that human beings need to be converted
  
• activism, the belief that the gospel needs to be expressed in effort