I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. This is the final clause of the ancient confession of faith which is commonly known as the Apostles’ Creed. It is the earliest complete confession of the Christian … Continue reading Catholicism or catholicity?
Mennonite
A light shining in the darkness
In 1671 there arose a severe persecution of the Mennonites in Switzerland, causing many to flee the country. Brethren in the Netherlands came to their aid and gave them refuge. In all, about 700 persons, among them some very aged, fled Switzerland. They were destitute, their lands and properties having been seized by the Swiss … Continue reading A light shining in the darkness
Circling the wagons is not an option
The Western movies of my boyhood often contained a scene where Indians attacked a wagon train of settlers. The settlers would draw their wagons onto a circle to form a protective wall, then try to fend off the attackers with rifle fire. This would go on until the ammunition was gone and their doom appeared … Continue reading Circling the wagons is not an option
Uncompromising faith
"Anabaptism was essentially a movement which insisted upon an earnest and uncompromising endeavour to live a life of true discipleship of Christ, that is to give expression in fellowship and love to the deepest Christian faith, with full readiness to suffer in conflict with the evil world order. So long as this willingness to suffer … Continue reading Uncompromising faith
Vinnie and Minnie are asked a question
[This is part of a larger story, which hasn't been written yet. So I ask you, my dear readers, is it worth writing more of the saga of Vinnie and Minnie?] Vinnie and Minnie had been faithful members of the Coulee Bend Assembly of Spirit-Filled Conservative Christians for several years now. When brother Harmon began … Continue reading Vinnie and Minnie are asked a question
The sabbath restored in Christ
When the Lord God had made all things he rested on the seventh day, and since man was made in the image of God and was adorned with the image of God, man was right and good, and without any sin. If man had remained in this state, he would have rested with God. But … Continue reading The sabbath restored in Christ
This blog’s first anniversary
June 13 was the first anniversary of this blog, a milestone that suggests a need to reflect on what I am doing here and where I want to go. As a side note, June 13 was also the date of our daughter's fourteenth wedding anniversary. That is an event much more worthy of celebration. It brought … Continue reading This blog’s first anniversary
A peaceful farmer
This is a story I heard many years ago. It was told as an actual happening, I think the location may have been in Ontario and the time at least 100 years ago. A Mennonite farmer, we'll call him Samuel, one day noticed a large quantity of grain was missing from one of his bins. … Continue reading A peaceful farmer
Ministers, money, and Mennonites
Quote from Menno Simons: O my faithful reader, ponder this. As long as the world distributes splendid houses and such large incomes to their preachers, the false prophets and deceivers will be there by droves. I admit that this seems a little unjust when I think of preachers I have known in small towns and … Continue reading Ministers, money, and Mennonites
Does stupidity make you more responsible?
This is the antithesis of the question asked by the headline of my last post, and it is an even dumber question than the last one. Nevertheless, I have heard sincere Christians advance arguments that sound an awful lot like this question. “We’re just humble people, we know what we believe and don’t need to … Continue reading Does stupidity make you more responsible?
Flatlander Faith 