The year is 1553, the Anabaptists in the Netherlands are being fiercely persecuted and Leenart Bouwens has just been elected to the ministry by the congregation at Sommeldyk. His wife fears for his life and writes to Menno Simons, hoping that he can relieve her husband from such a frightening responsibility. This is his replay. … Continue reading Letter from Menno Simons to the wife of Leenart Bouwens
History
There were two tabernacles
When Moses was up in the mountain communing with God during the Exodus, God gave him detailed directions for the structure that should be the centre of the people’s worship. He was to build a long tent, or tabernacle. The inside was of gold and beautiful tapestry, the outside was a drab, waterproof covering. At … Continue reading There were two tabernacles
Hatred cannot build a road to peace
It is sad to see the hatred manifested by many in Canada because of a conflict in the Middle East. One would think that people come to this country in order to live in peace, so why import hatred? Of course, Canada has seen this sort of thing before. Back in the mid 1800's the … Continue reading Hatred cannot build a road to peace
Pray for Haiti
Several agencies of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite sent a letter to the North American congregations requesting a day of prayer for Haiti in Sunday, September 10. Here are a few facts about the situation in that country. Haiti’s borders are porous. Just a glance at the horseshoe shape of Haiti on a … Continue reading Pray for Haiti
Sin and the heart of man
It was long the belief in major Protestant denominations that the spread of the gospel throughout the world would lead to a betterment in moral and spiritual uprightness and finally lead to a golden age, a thousand years of worldwide peace, after which Christ would return. This teaching is called Postmillennialism and there are still … Continue reading Sin and the heart of man
History of the Christian Hymnal
This is a slightly abbreviated version of a talk I gave in our congregation yesterday evening. The Christian Hymnal that we find in our pews was first printed in 1959 and to date 392,000 copies have been printed. About half of these are sold to congregations and individuals of other denominations. If hymnals in congregational … Continue reading History of the Christian Hymnal
The Origin of the Mennonites
Trying to trace the origin and history of the Mennonite faith by ethnic or genealogical lines leads to confusion and error, much like those who trace the lineage of their church through a continuous line of ordination from the days of the apostles. One might be able to establish a historical connection from person to … Continue reading The Origin of the Mennonites
How Mennonite became an ethnic label rather than a religious one – Part five
The Kleine Gemeinde Klaas Reimer was elected minister of the Flemish Mennonite church in the Danzig area in 1801. He began to study the Bible, the Martyrs Mirror, and other books and came to the conclusion that there was no future for the Mennonites in the Danzig area. In 1804 he and 30 members of … Continue reading How Mennonite became an ethnic label rather than a religious one – Part five
How Mennonite became an ethnic label rather than a religious one – Part three
By 1870, there were close to two million Germans living in Russia. For the most part they lived in self-governing colonies, exempt from taxation, military service and other obligations of Russian citizenship. They had their own German language schools, regulated their own affairs and kept apart from the Ukrainian and Russian people. Is it any … Continue reading How Mennonite became an ethnic label rather than a religious one – Part three
How Mennonite became an ethnic label rather than a religious one – Part two
The two most prominent leaders of the church that came to be known as Mennonites were Dietrich (Dirk) Philips of Flanders (now part of Belgium) and Menno Simons of Friesland (northern part of Netherlands). These leaders did not establish a new faith, or a new church, but simply gathered together the remnant of the Waldensians … Continue reading How Mennonite became an ethnic label rather than a religious one – Part two
Flatlander Faith 