The year was 1697. Mennonites fleeing persecution in Switzerland had been living in Alsace for some time. There was danger without because Louis XIV had sent his troops to annex Alsace to France. There was trouble within because Jacob Amman, one of the Mennonite ministers, accused the church of apostasy and worldliness. He demanded a … Continue reading Gerhard Roosen and the Amish division
How a Biblical worldview can make life better for everybody
There was a school shooting a few days ago at La Loche, a small community in northern Saskatchewan. A teenager who had been relentlessly bullied took a gun and killed two people in their home and then went to school, killed two more and wounded a number of others. It appears that the young man … Continue reading How a Biblical worldview can make life better for everybody
Holdeman Mennonites
I have been a member of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite for half my life (in a few weeks it will be 37 years out of 74). The church name is a bit of a mouthful. Ideally we would like to simply call ourselves the Church of God, but at least 50 other … Continue reading Holdeman Mennonites
But what do they think of us?
The city of Saskatoon has been growing rapidly aver the past fifteen years. Among the many newcomers, there is a high percentage of people Of Asian and African origin, including several thousand Muslims. Two large mosques have been built and are reported to be full to over flowing. Many of these people are showing up … Continue reading But what do they think of us?
Please slow down
It is winter in Saskatchewan. Last night there was a heavy fog; the fog deposited its humidity on roads and streets where it formed a sheet of ice. After a rash of accidents in Saskatoon this morning, the police issued the following bulletin: Speed limits are set based on ideal road conditions. THESE are not … Continue reading Please slow down
Don’t second guess your repentance
To repent is to rethink, or change your mind. In religious terms, repentance toward God means to reconsider the way you have been living, ask God to forgive you and resolve to live differently with the help of the Holy Spirit. This is a complete change in a person's way of thinking and is not … Continue reading Don’t second guess your repentance
The weakness of God
As I reflected on the latest atrocities, in Jakarta and Ouagadougou, perpetrated by those who claim to be followers of Allah, my mind went to a well known quotation: "A fanatic is a man who does what he believes God would do, if God really understood the facts of the situation." I don't know the … Continue reading The weakness of God
Very young heros
Recently, in a small town in western France, a father was at home with his two little children, aged five and two, while his wife was working the late shift in a town 12 km away. Suddenly the father collapsed and fell to the floor and did not respond to the questions of the five … Continue reading Very young heros
What am I looking for?
I appear to have a talent for spotting faults. I worked as a grain buyer for a number of years, which involved scrutinizing a sample of grain to detect foreign matter and any type of damage to the kernels. Later, I worked as a quality assurance inspector in an auto parts plant. The job was … Continue reading What am I looking for?
Flatlander Faith 