As someone with Old Order Mennonite roots and have grown up in the LMC mainline denomination, this is one of the most detailed yet succinct (and respectful!) explanations of my world! Thank you!
I’ve always wondered how people (rather IF) are in the US are born outside of a hospital and don’t recognize the US government, how do they eventually integrate with non-English people? Meaning, you wouldn’t have a birth certificate or SSN and would have a hard time obtaining both of those from being born and raised off the grid.
@@HotTakeAndy It’s not impossible to obtain those things, if you were actually born in the US. I have several friends who were born among Amish splinter groups, whose bishops were opposed to their members having bank accounts, Social Security cards etc. Later when several families moved away from these groups it became problematic, as they needed some forms of identification to obtain jobs, passports etc. Basically, my friends had to obtain statements and have them notarized, from people who were present or knew their families when they were born. If they ever visited a doctor or hospital because of an emergency while they were in an infant, these medical records could also count. The testimony of other relatives, teachers or neighbors has been very helpful. So whether you are born at home or in an Amish run birthing center, if you were born in the United States almost everyone is able to prove this in the future to the degree that would convince a judge, and get you State identification.
I have had a number of Mennonite friends, especially in the first half of my life. The ones I knew were theologically conservative and evangelical in persuasion. Their parents allowed them to date and marry other Christians, usually Baptists or other evangelicals. When I was a young man, my father was often mean to me and I would leave home for a few days and seek solace with my Mennonite friends. I was always welcome and felt safe and happy among the eight children of the parents. The father was a contractor and taught me some skills and he always paid me when I helped. I kept in touch with the family for many years. The boy I was buddies with died at age 21 in a car wreck. I went college with two of the girls and they were beautiful and wonderful singers. I kept in touch with them for years and kept in touch with one of their cousins until last year. I am seventy now. The matriarch of the family was widowed in her sixties. She took a job as a journalist in a local news paper in her 50s and 60s. And she became a social worker later in life. She went to college very late in life. Last I heard she was still a social worker in her 80s. They were pacifists but did not despise those who served in the military. The worked hard, kept their humility, and were not hesitant to sing or worship with other Christian believers. I hear all kinds of bad things about Mennonites but I noticed nothing weird or strange about them. Of course I am aware of the diversity among Mennonites and I have worshiped with several strains. Just my two cents....I like Mennonites. The world needs more people like them.
The whole video was fascinating, and it's crazy and wild that Africa has the most Mennonites of any continent in the world 😲. I don't think that's something anyone would expect.
Africa is what are keeping alive the vast majority of Christian institution. when churches are declining in the western world in Asia and Africa, they're growing.
Granted; Africa is one of the least evolved and ignorant land masses on the planet, second to India. Tribe elders selling their own people into slavery for shiny objects. India not even having adequate sanitation and clean water. So it makes perfect sence.
While working at a Sporting Goods store in Harlingen, Texas I discovered a caravan of Mennonites from Durango, Mexico came to this store several times a year for different supplies (cast iron skillets, hunting, fishing gear & etc). The women and children spoke a dialect of German (I took six years of German in High School and College). I loved being able to use my German, but when I spoke with the men using my German they politely responded in flawless Spanish.
Because the Mennonite men living in Mexico interfaced with Mexican culture for conducting business while the women took care of the children and home which didn't require Spanish but happened in German.
@@jmgonzales7701most Mennonitas here in Mexico only speak two languages German and Plautdietsh (a low German Dialect) but many also speak English and Spanish.
As a person who is joining a Pilgrim Mennonite church, I appreciate this video and the depth, care, and respect you put into it! It’s so often that people just paint Mennonites as Amish-lite without actually knowing anything about the diversity of theologies and practice.
I am blessed to have both Amish and Mennonite neighbors in close proximity to my farm in southern Ohio. Honorable, ethical, moral, hard working, and people of God. I do business with them on a regular basis and consider myself fortunate to have these people as friends. No drive bys, boom boxes, car jackings, home invasions, drug dealers, street gangs, just peace, serenity, and security.
This channel is one of the best on TH-cam. It’s consistently fair, concise, and informative and never hostile or rude. Thank you for setting such a high standard for media in any form.
I am former atheist called into a conservative Mennonite church by the grace of God 13 years now, found this useful as i try to understand what my surroundings are. Thank you.
Excellent overview! I grew up in an ultra-conservative conference and now am part of a moderate-ish unaffiliated congregation, Chambersburg Christian Fellowship. This is about as accurate a depiction as you can get without being a Conservative Mennonite. I would be glad to see an overview of the unaffiliated Conservative Anabaptist churches and Charity/Remnant congregations, since that’s a growing sector today. My church and Ernest Eby’s are part of that sector.
Hi, if I could please ask you for an update. I used to know someone who was part of Charity fellowship. Last we spoke was shortly after Charity and Ephrata split from each other. Is there still a division between the two or have they reunited?
While personnally LCMS, my family has 500 years of Mennonite belief; being a direct descendant of Swiss Mennonite Christian Stauffer. I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about this approach to Christianity.
I never can understand the religious crowd how one group hates another all while calling on the name of the lord. Like how the Baptist claim God saved them while in their sin but not you, you have to go away suffering affliction, oppression a be a better person. I see this with all the religions around me.
My family are good friends of the Old Order Mennonite in Dayton Virginia and they are the best people. There are more progressive Mennonite in that area too as well as the Brethren. And although we are Catholics we have many values that are the same and we are even invited to their family events. We don’t discuss our differences in religious beliefs but focus on the things we have in common. Very loyal and good people are the Old Order Mennonite!
Dear Joshua, I will say it again: I really do appreciate your work. I have long been a student of the Old Order Mennonites, to some extent the Conservative Mennonites, and very little the Progressive Mennonites. For example, I have read Stephen Scott’s book on Old Order and Conservative Mennonites several times. It is an excellent study. You have done the spectrum of Mennonite Churches a great service. Your presentation packs in a great deal of information, all very carefully put together. I very much appreciated having this overview put together in such a succinct and visually easily understood way. Thank you, Joshua, for your excellent work. Sincerely In Christ Jesus, Larry Lewis Ontario, Canada.
Glad to hear it, Larry! I wanted to be careful and detailed while still maintaining interest, and I'm happy to hear that the video was successful in that.
@@ReadyToHarvest - HERE is our Savior YaH The Heavenly FATHER (Genesis 1) HIMSELF was Who they Crucified/Pierced for our sins and “HERE IS THE PROOF” From the Ancient Semitic: "Yad He Vav He" is what Moshe (Moses) wrote, when Moses asked YaH His Name (Exodus 3) Ancient Semitic Direct Translation Yad - "Behold The Hand" He - "Behold the Breath" Vav - "Behold The NAIL"
So glad two of my favorite youtube channels work together to deliver high quality educational content. I have to double check it is not April 1. This is what the internet is meant for.
"The only person who really could know where everyone lands all at once is God himself" - The humblest phrase I ever heard from someone who does religious videos😍🤩 May God keep blessing your good job🤗
I gotta say, your videos can spark up some pretty interesting conversations about the way different denominations and cultures translate the gospel. I had never even heard of the African Orthodox Church until you made a video about them, and they’re quite interesting themselves.
My family lived for a year next door to a Mennonite church building in a log cabin that was offered to house us in exchange for janitorial services. I was five and it was the very late 70's. My memories of the church are very warm and some of the happiest of my childhood. I remember being taught how to sew, people in the congregation putting on skits and how pretty I thought the lacy head coverings were that the ladies wore. (they kind of looked like doilies) I wished my mom would wear one like that but she used a bandana to cover her head. Since we weren't members, just attended the services, she only wore it for church. The cabin had a piano in it. I figured they had to be pretty "liberal" from my memories, but this video got me curious where that congregation fell on the spectrum so I looked them up just now and they are MCUSA and from the pictures on their website, the ladies no longer wear the head coverings.
I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley (Virginia), and remember seeing Old Orders coming through town to go to the Mennonite-owned grocery store. Since this was during daylight, I always called them "Menno-Days." My household went to a Mainline Mennonite Church for a while, and I graduated from a Mainline Mennonite-affiliated high school. I even spent a year at Goshen College. In the end, I decided that the Mennonite Church and I weren't well-matched (I ended up getting baptized as an adult in the Orthodox Church in America).
Its not what church building you go to that matters. God doesn't want church buildings. Do you feed Jesus? How much if any? Matthew 25:35-40. Its weather you OBEY God it not. Do you ?
I'd love to see you do something on the Russian branch of Mennonites. I grew up in a Mennonite Brethren church, my mother still attends there. At this point they're basically in line with modern, theologically conservative Southern Baptists than they are with the Mennonite Central Committee (of which they used to be more connected than they are today). In fact they recently changed their name from "First Mennonite Brethren" to "RidgePoint", going the SBC like "faux-non-denominational" route to distance themselves from MCC. Using the terms "conservative" and "liberal" in the Mennonite context is difficult since unlike many other Christian denominations, this conservatism or liberalism doesn't coincidentally align with political conservatism and liberalism. The MB church is considered a "liberal Mennonite" church ... but both theologically and politically they're way more conservative than the MCC (which at this point is Marxist/globalist aligned and sometimes to the left of the more left leaning of the UMC). One irony is the MB church I grew up in, while historically rooted in the Russian branch of Mennonites, was peopled by mostly German Mennonites (often people that left more traditional Mennonite communities and moved to "the big city").
The "Russian" branch IS still German. My parents are from Russia and their first language was still German. Plautdietsch, to be more precise. Russian only describes the country they lived in for a long time, but doesn't mean they are of Russian descent.
@@Dannyyerushalayim There really is no such thing as "German" Mennonites. Mennonites by European descent are by and large Dutch/North German, and the names for the groups stem more from theological and migration differences.
The Mennonite group in Durango, Mexico says they fled Russia after the Communist Revolution seized all their property and tried to force their children into State schools. They initially fled to Canada but Canada tried to force them to teach either English or French to their children. The President of Mexico offered them the same Autonomous status Native Americans enjoyed, their own territory, free to live with their own language and culture, but an elected board had to be formed that would be fluent in Spanish, to dialogue at times with state and Federal officials. They are still there after 100 years.
@@jacoblandis4535 perhaps they meant MCUSA? I would agree with those sentiments about MCUSA as well as MCC these days. I no longer support either, given their marxist objectives.
My paternal ancestors were Russian Mennonites (that is, ethnic German West Prussians who moved to the Russian Empire in the late 18th century). I've visited their old village in Ukraine twice, once with my father. I was supposed to visit with my wife and baby in late February of last year--you may guess why we changed our plans.
Joshua, I work in an agency of MCUSA, but have connections in LMC, Pilgrim Conference, and other conservative groups… this is a VERY well done explanation of Mennonites, despite the fact (as you said) there are many exceptions to these rules and lines are often blurred. MCUSA is going through a time of transition and turmoil as it tries to come to grips with progressive theology. It is hemorrhaging churches and individuals at an alarming rate, mostly because of the LGBTQ issue, but also other theological and cultural issues. On the conference level in MCUSA, there is very little consensus about this, and oftentimes significant leadership issues. I can say there are around a handful of conferences in MCUSA that are in question about their current relationship with MCUSA. Let’s just say MCUSA hasn’t been treating the conferences very nicely about all of this. Even some agencies of MCUSA are seeking out. In my church, a member of MCUSA, the congregation is not really in tune with what’s going on at the national level. We would not affirm LGBTQ, and are mostly closer to LMC or Rosedale in our practices. But, there is an extreme reluctance for churches to leave or break relationship with their current affiliation. I think this s the case with the vast majority of churches in the Evangelical Mennonite scene. Which makes it all the more staggering the amount of churches that ARE leaving MCUSA. All of it is quite regrettable.
It's shocking that more Churches have not left MC USA. It quite clearly has been overtaken by demonic forces and is teaching the doctrine of demons. 500 years of faithfulness to Scripture and the result in MC USA is wokeism?
As a former member of a church in MCC, it's a similar story. It's a bit sad to see, but let's be honest, it's not the first schism in Anabaptist history.
@@ReadyToHarvest Yes. If I ever get up north, I would love to stop by and hear how you teach a “regular” Bible School class. And your presentation on Mennonites is very good. I am an insider to anything Mennonite or Brethren or German Baptist, but am also a student of Fundamental Baptist churches, especially those who practice conservative values even including dress. On the other side, I study early Church history and orthodoxy.
My family roots come from the Swiss German Mennonite’s. They started in Pensilvania and then came up to Kitchener Canada. It’s incredible learning more about the roots of my family’s history through this video! Thank you!
Interesting. Have you read, Trail of the Conestoga? by Mabel Dunham?? We plan to drive the general route this weekend from PA to Kitchener. Some of my relatives were part of the migration. Kitchener used to be called Berlin. Before that it was Eby Town. 🙂
I hope you will do a video on the Brethren in Christ and on the Mennonite brethren. While each have a unique history, the connections to the Mennonites of this video are very clear. If you want any resources on either of these movements, I can at least point you to the right people and books!
Love how concise and sensitive your videos are. Don't mean to split hairs, but I would restate that "the Mennonite denomination is comprised of many diverse fellowships and conferences"
One thing I would add is there is a fast growing number of community churches that have split from the Mennonite churchs. These churches still believe and observe many Mennonite traditions but have grown tired of the political structures that naturally form in any rules based culture. They tend to believe that the Mennonite church has a lot right theologically but has lost its connection to the Holy Spirits leading. I believe this will be a growing trend that will create a large shakeup in multiple Mennonite denominations.
It just makes sense to me that many Mennonite congregations have split from larger denominations into their own independent/non-denom churches, considering the fact that many baptists also hates big denoms and love being independent congregations...
I assume you are seeing this in the moderate/fundamental space mostly? And perhaps the ultra conservative? From my experience this is not happening at the old order level much, and I'm not very familiar with the MCU.
@Jordan Martin the Groffdale Conference old orders had a split in NY and a couple other states recently, the new group calls themselves Midwest old order mennonites. I think that the last split in Groffdale Conference would have been the Riedenbach (35er) mennonites in 1942. Weaverland also had a conservative splinter group in NY who separated over allowing the internet , though I'm not sure if other Weaverland churches joined with them in other states. While the Old orders have managed to avoid splintering as much as the conservative mennonites as a whole , unfortunately splits have become more common among them in recent years. I grew up Groffdale Conference old order mennonite in the Finger Lakes region in NY and left 10 years ago.
@@abrammartin151 Interesting. I'm in Ontario. There was a split in the older orders in the 30's I think about vehicles... But it has been mostly stagnant in the last number of decades as far as I know. People leave of course but not whole churches. The old order conferences are still growing quite rapidly due to family sizes.
About six months ago, I stumbled on a chat line of phone number! And there are boards where people post but then there are, rooms you can go into where they’re talking. I don’t say anything because I’m an outsider do not want to be offensive and ask any questions, so I just listen! And it is interesting to hear them speak to each other. What community are you in? What states things like that and you can definitely see how there is many differences it’s so intriguing to listen to them it’s peaceful! And then they’ll start talking in German, every once in a while doesn’t bother me. Don’t know what they’re saying, but you can still hear the deep Among them and the laughter is so pleasant
Thanks for sharing this. I am descendant from Pennsylvania Mennonites. However our branch lost track of our roots up until a few decades ago when my uncle retraced our steps and discovered our Swiss roots. My family have remained as reform Christians of different sorts, with some exceptions, but not really Mennonite in any of these forms.
The Mennonites share a similar lifestyle tradition with that of the First Nations People before and after colonization. Indigenous individuals had a mix of Catholic and Anglican influences alongside their native cultures, resulting in a lifestyle that closely resembled that of Mennonites. Sometimes, I find myself wishing for someone who embraces the "oneness doctrine" and lives that lifestyle, although such an individual has not emerged yet. While I don't personally align with Mennonite doctrines, I wholeheartedly appreciate their fresh and beautiful lifestyle, which resonates with my own beliefs. Their emphasis on living off the land, sharing resources, minimizing waste, and embracing a diligent work ethic are aspects of their lifestyle that I deeply admire. Combining the Mennonite lifestyle with the doctrines of Oneness apostolic beliefs, while also adopting an off-grid approach to the world, would indeed create a truly ideal scenario, often referred to as "The Apostleship." This concept involves embracing only the Mennonite lifestyle and adhering solely to the Oneness Apostolic doctrines. Sincerely, - First Nation Name Believer “Oneness Apostolic”
Very good indeed. I am a Catholic but still find it interesting. The days when Catholic women wore a veil over their head in church have almost gone. I remember our mother taking us on our first holiday ever when I was 10 to Spain and we had to take veils in case in the 1970s that was a requirement when we went to church on our holiday. The singing interests me as a singer. If we go right back in the English Choral tradition we had plainsong still often sung but harmony is wonderful but I can understand why they may not want it - and reminds me of the split here in England from Catholic (lots of of lovely music and buildings) to boring dull Lutheran/Protestant who thought that beauty would distract people from God - types. Anyway well done for such a comprehensive and interesting discussion. I presume those on the left of the screen are growing so fast (just as in Israel the hassidic jew increase are and indeed we Catholics used to do) is because of having families of 10 - 20 children - that soon gets the numbers up.
you may be interested to know there is a movement among young and married with children women in our local NE Ohio parish to wear veils again at Mass. I'm not sure how wide spread the practice is.
@@bobcrow7580 In TLM female head covering is the norm. In traditionalist Novus Ordo settings it is not uncommon. Latin Mass adherent dress wouldn't be out of place in the 1950s.
Current Mennonite here, this video is one of the most accurate ones out there. The church I currently attend would be a nondenominational Mennonite church but our beliefs are very similar to Midwest, and I would have spent most of my teen years in a Midwest church. Obviously there is to much variation between churches and denominations, so this information does not apply to all Mennonite out there,(ever church is going to have its our standard) but what was presented all seems very accurate. If you what to learn more about our biblical views look up Anabaptist, (not Mennonite) there’s just to much miss information about Mennonite out there, but we all hold beliefs similar to the anabaptist bass line.
THANK YOU for I Appreciate this Video. I used to regularly visit a Beachy Amish Mennonite Church in KY. They are probably the Most GODLY People I know in my opinion.
I was in Belize this time last year, and the Mennonites there seemed like genuinely good people. Definitely didn't have ton of interactions with them (there are different groups there with varying degrees of interaction with the general public) but I actually watched a bunch of documentaries on them when I got back home, because I was fascinated
Thanks so much for this video! I've been really wanting you to cover much more about anabaptist churches. This is a good video! I wish you covered a bit more about the culture of the groups rather than framing it as a big list of what they "allow" and "don't allow". And you didn't mention one of the core things that make Mennonites/anabaptists distinct: their separation from worldly government. This is what originally set them apart from the aptly called "magisterial reformation". Even believers baptism was only an issue because of its implications regarding the Christendom structure of the reformers' idea of what the "church" was.
@@jmgonzales7701 Here is an article that gives a lot more detail about the values we intend to cultivate. churchplantersforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/CPF-Overview-of-Values-by-Ernest-Eby.pdf
Interesting fact, many of those practices were very usual for christians centuries ago. Woman wearing veil just stopped some time ago. Gender segregated sits was also very common, in my country the largest protestant church still have that practice because they maintained the old Methodist doctrine and practice (even when mainline Methodist don't follow these practices anymore here)
As a Mennonite (EVANA) I see a lot of tension between Evana and MCUSA. We seem to have quite an influx of people because of the LBGT+ influence in MCUSA. It is tough for MSUSA churches to leave the denomination because of their roots, yet they also want Biblical integrity. It was tough for our church to leave, but we haven't looked back. The MCUSA is slowly dying.
LBGTQ infected all denominations to fulfill prophesies Luke 17:28-29 (KJV) 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Amen to that! I have seen online comments from those affiliated with MCUSA dripping with distain or even hatred for Evana that I haven't seen against LMC. Rather, they seem happy to be rid of those in LMC because those were the delegates and churches keeping them from their goals of alphabet acceptance, "dismantling the patriarchy", abolition of law enforcement curriculum, etc. Now they see other churches leaving for Evana and it makes them angry because..... losing money? Oh, and MCUSA is pro-abortion..... change my mind. I am leaving my Mennonite church over their vote to stay with MCUSA. It pains me that so many either don't pay attention to what is going on, or for some, they actually agree with it. I hope other congregations in Ohio Conference find the courage to say ENOUGH and part ways with it and MCUSA. The WOKE will eventually destroy MCUSA, and that's probably for the best.
@@bobcrow7580 I'm sure many in your church would say "good riddance". It's not popular to take a stand (or in the MCUSA they haven't really even taken a stand) and get pounded for it. It looks to me like the 2 things you don't like are political concerns that the Republican party is trying to gain votes from. I'm guessing you voted for Trump and that is where your allegiance is. I'm also guessing you have given up on a non resistance type of religion since it doesn't fit into the Republican narrative.
We have a Mennonite community in our small town in Oregon. They have a small store where you can get the BEST sandwiches and pies and cinnamon roles. They have a super great nursery where all their plants are topnotch. They are so nice and decent. We love our Mennonite neighbors. But thanks for this video because we don't know anything about their religion.
As a Mennonite from Paraguay but living in Canada, I never realised how strict some branches are. We have almost no restrictions on technology, we can wear what we want, we go to public schools, etc. Pretty much the only things we don't allow are same sex marriage & abortion. Even divorce is allowed. For us it's more about being culturally & linguisticly Mennonite than religiously.
@@user-oh5gz4ue6r why would I need to know what Paraguay is like in order to know what is taught in the Bible? What in fact does Paraguay, some temporary manmade dominion, have to do with the eternal dominion of God? Marc basically said they no longer observe New Testament commands of separation, modesty, and purity. If the Bible does not regard wilfully disobedient Christians as being part of the redeemed flock, why should I?
Many Plain Anabaptists have their own financial sharing plans/offerings to take care of medical needs and the elderly. Children are also expected to take care of their relatives when possible. The IRS reviewed their appeal and based on how they care for their own, granted them an exemption. To claim this exemption, exemptees must say that they are conscientiously opposed to accepting monies from government assistance programs. Basically all Plain Anabaptists who hold this exemption, returned their stimulus checks to the IRS a few years ago. If they leave their churches or no longer have the conviction to care for their own, they are expected to report this to the IRS and begin paying social security. Sometimes people hear this and conclude that Plain Anabaptists do not pay taxes. That is not correct. They pay sales tax and income tax like everyone else, except for Social Security. They even pay local taxes to the school district, even though they do not send their children to public schools.
We have some Mennonite folk in Deer Park, WA. The men dress in business casual while the women wear colorful and simple dresses that look traditional or old-fashioned. Women also wear a head covering. A lovely and polite people.
The Conservative Mennonites and Old Order Mennonites can be said to preserve the true Mennonite Anabaptist belief and practice, while the mainline Mennonites have not done so in any meaninful way. There have been many people, in recent years, that have become Conservative Mennonites, due to their emphasis on preserving early Christian practice, e.g. footwashing, headcovering, nonresistance, etc.
Speaking as a former mainline Mennonite, we said the opposite. We felt that Old Order groups reflected a specific colonial culture rather than the original Anabaptist beliefs.
@@astutik8909 no, there was a group accused of being Anabaptists that did keep the Sabbath, but they didn't originate with the Swiss Brethren. After the Munster revolt, Anabaptist was a derogatory term used for any group that opposed the state religions of Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism or Calvinism. The Sabbath keeping Anabaptist group died out long before the close of the 15th century. I think they lasted only a decade or so if I remember correctly.
@@FrKevinDaugherty what colonial culture is that then? The conservative groups, including the ancestors of the apostate MC USA membership, arrived in America 300 years ago dressed exactly how they are today. You will notice that the woman's Mennonite and Amish dress is based on the Catholic nuns outfit from the 12th century, with the outer covering layer stopping at the waist for the brethren women, but going to the ankles with the nuns. A distinct outfit established by the Mennonites in 1560, long before America was even a colony.
I have used Christian Light Education (a Mennonite curriculum)material for all 6 of my homeschooled kids. I usually stop by their booth at the homeschool conference every year. I notice the older Mennonites are exceptionally friendly and open, while the younger Mennonites come across as standoffish and judgmental. Oh well, understandable, I suppose. The 1st grade reading curriculum is second to none, and is incredibly solid. We've had to avoid some of their materials because we're not pacifists. However I do appreciate their strong, unabashed stance against Calvinism.
I live in a town in Yorkshire in the UK. We used to have some neighbours who were mennonites and there is quite a large Mennonite community here in spite of it being a fairly small town. Of course,the Quakers originated from northern England.🇬🇧
Old Order Mennonites do use cellphones which have access to the internet. I have an Old Order Mennonite friend who I chat with regularly with FaceBook Messenger, and know of several other Old Order Mennonites who also access the internet with their cell phones. I have Old Order Mennonite friends who have musical instruments in their homes... guitars, pianos, organs however they don't have any musical instruments in their churches. The congregations sing in four part harmonies in the Old Order Churches that I attend from time to time. I really enjoy your videos!
funny that this video popped up on my feed, a family of german Mennonites is staying in the hotel room next to mine, this little boy was looking at me like he’d never seen a guy with long hair before 😂. ok after watching the video i was breaking all of their rules, long hair, shorts, a Patagonia fleece with a bold pattern. kid thinks im goin straight to hell
I live in Rockingham County Virginia. We have Mennonites of all persuasions including Eastern Mennonite University which is somewhat very progressive now. I attended their Seminary in the 70’s and was not allowed to go to a movie. Quite a change.
Thanks - very interesting. My father's family came from the Old Order German Brethren (Dunkers) which are plain people, but I don't think have a Mennonite history.
My grandparents were the first generation in my family tree to make the switch from Mennonite to non-denominational Christian. My parents then were still raised with a lot of the beliefs of the Mennonites. Interesting to watch. Thanks.
I’m not Mennonite, but grew up strictly Protestant baptist, though we didn’t wear any specific outfits, we were not allowed to: play board games, card games, listen to rock music, use tampons, read anything that wasn’t by a Christian author, didn’t believe in evolution or dinosaurs. I grew up in liberal Massachusetts 🤦🏼♀️
Fundamentalist Mennonites (and not just the Amish, I am told) have very high birth rates which would explain why the Old Order and very strict conservative ones flourishing whilst the liberal Mennonites going the way if the Quakers.
Speaking as a Mennonite, a large reason is the leadership of the "mainline" groups have largely been taken over by progressive liberals. The result is many more conservative churches in these "mainline" conferences have been leaving. I'd say the shift your seeing is actually more to do with individual churches moving between different groups.
I've heard that the Holdeman church isn't flourishing. Don't know the numbers for sure though. I think pacifism is a hard sell in this day and age and that's why the more liberal Mennonites are losing members but do get new members from outside time to time. The more mainline churches are probably holding their numbers just fine except in rural areas where not very many churches are holding their own due to declining populations. Remember, Mennonites were mostly a rural agrarian bunch.
@@keithwiebe1787 from what I can see, the non-Amish Old Order Mennonites seem to have stagnated and in recent times seem to be growing strongly in numbers
As a German Mennonite, it’s very interesting to learn about how it is in America, seeing as how the mennonites in America mainly Stemm from Germany. Nowadays we rarely have conservative groups other than a few and then there also is the separation of north and south. Usually the only time you ever get to actively learn about the mennonites in other countries is at the world conference, which sadly is only every few years.
Thank you for this video on the Mennonites.Banning the use of radio seem to be excessive to me personally.Christian believers are in the world to fulfill God's plan for their lives.Learning about what's happening around are not necessarily evil.Take for example money,the Bible teaches the love of money is the source of evil not money itself.
What seems to be generally true is that most of these groups don't have a very secure anchor. They have not been in existence all that long historically & are moving around a lot.
@@waynesworldofsci-tech Yes. I'm up closer to Waterloo county where there is likely the most Mennonites in Ontario. Was there something that you were curious about?
I went to college with a Mennonite couple. They weren't that much different than the rest of us students other than the way they dressed of course and some their beliefs in fact since they were so far from home and there was no Mennonite church locally they attended services at the independent Baptist church I went to on Sunday and even attended some the events put on our Baptist student union
My friends church simply call their church an Anabaptist church now too but they both grown up when their church was still called Mennonite and fact they attended a public university obviously on the evangelical end that spectrum though they do not attend public K12 schools their church has a school where most the members kids go
The Mennonite Church is a mainline church today (as mainline as Presybyterians are). Most Mennonites are very modern and live like anyone else. Some confuse Mennonites with Old Mennonites who are similar to the Amish (who are also Mennonite). Those are offshoots of the Mennonite Church who broke away centuries ago. I am Mennonite myself - the everyday mainline kind. I'd say the only similarity between mainline Mennonites and Old Mennonites or Amish is pacifism and adult baptism. Nothing else can be compared at all.
I don't know of any Mennonites or Anabaptists who believe that we can save ourself by doing enough good works. They do not believe that salvation can be earned, but rather that salvation is a free gift given to those who meet God's conditions. (By way of illustration, my wife and I pay our daughters to do various things at our place. They earn this money. But if its their birthday, they are going to get a gift from us because they are our daughters - regardless of whether they worked or not. We generally have conditions for receiving their gift. There are a few things we want them to do to prepare for the day, before we announce that we are heading for the family room and bringing out the gifts.) I think most followers of Jesus believe that there are some conditions we need to meet before God will save us. We may differ on what those conditions should be, but we don't differ on whether there are conditions or no conditions. (I realize there are some who don't believe in conditions, but again, I am talking about most followers of Jesus.)
Fascinating. Lots of new info for me to know about, although I must say mennonites sure sound like legalists like most holiness movements. Nothing wrong with doing or not doing some matters, such as not wearing short sleeves for men, if it is a matter of conscience
Plain Anabaptists have a strong belief in community. They believe that God can give a group of Christians a group conscience about on various matters. Since membership in the church is voluntary, they view it as following Jesus, not legalism. Having said that, does not mean that all Plain Anabaptists are free of legalism. They are not.
Definitely more desirable to fellowship with conservative Mennonites than IFB Baptists. I am a Christian, but I told my wife I regret marrying into an IFB family. After several years, most of them have not made me feel welcomed, reached out to me, and place their churches, church camps, church events, church activities above family. The IFB religion and its subculture leaves a lot to be desired. Can’t wait to move to a conservative Mennonite community.
Interesting. However I'd also like info about doctrine, such as the authority of Scripture, God's gift of salvation, the Trinity, end times, predestination, and so forth. But this is informative.
Don't think I've ever met or seen, in person, a real bonafide Mennonite, but I did see Amish on the train in the Midwest several years ago, they were quite friendly.
I'm from Kansas and get out to Colorado for vacation and run into them all the time. They like to take vacations too. Some of them run bakeries, etc. I can count a half dozen places I have seen them. There's a number of Amish and Holdermans in the San Luis Valley. Some Amish near West Cliff.
Interesting evaluation of these groups! As someone not associated at all, I am still very curious as to how these groups live. It appears that they along with all societies today are evolving.
What strikes me about these groups is how culturally dependent they are. And how it's kind of rooted in a very specific cultural understanding of things. Most of the groups seem more strict regarding radio than the Internet?
Also with the neckties thing, it's like this insistence on not doing "as the English do." Not criticizing it at all, I respect any group sticking to tradition. It's just very quirky. It's very idiosyncratic in the things they variously allow or disallow.
Many of these churches around the center-line would be considered theologically liberal, but are still extremely culturally conservative, in the sense of strictly controlling access to media, modes of dress, etc.
I think it is an artifact of being relatively low in population, and kinda spread out... that there have been so many off-branches, splits, individual churches picking a different way. They're a less monolithic group, and so congregations and regional areas have had more autonomy, and any time people are more individual... well, differences will arise. Is this category even meaningful anymore? (besides their roots.) It's like putting Catholics and Lutherans on the same chart.
Plain Anabaptist groups that do not use radios particularly object to "streaming media" that cannot be previewed ahead of time for content and advertisements. Those with these concerns feel they have better control with the internet because they can filter out certain kinds of content and ads.
My grandmother, Lillian Von der Muhlen (b. 1878) was one of ten children of Heinrich Von der Muhlen and Maria Kleber. They farmed near Lewiston and Niagara Falls, N.Y. beginning about 1850. I'm 84 and have lost track of this branch of my family. I understand they were dismissed from their Mennonite church but don't know the particulars.
As someone with Old Order Mennonite roots and have grown up in the LMC mainline denomination, this is one of the most detailed yet succinct (and respectful!) explanations of my world! Thank you!
I’ve always wondered how people (rather IF) are in the US are born outside of a hospital and don’t recognize the US government, how do they eventually integrate with non-English people?
Meaning, you wouldn’t have a birth certificate or SSN and would have a hard time obtaining both of those from being born and raised off the grid.
@@HotTakeAndy It’s not impossible to obtain those things, if you were actually born in the US. I have several friends who were born among Amish splinter groups, whose bishops were opposed to their members having bank accounts, Social Security cards etc. Later when several families moved away from these groups it became problematic, as they needed some forms of identification to obtain jobs, passports etc. Basically, my friends had to obtain statements and have them notarized, from people who were present or knew their families when they were born. If they ever visited a doctor or hospital because of an emergency while they were in an infant, these medical records could also count. The testimony of other relatives, teachers or neighbors has been very helpful. So whether you are born at home or in an Amish run birthing center, if you were born in the United States almost everyone is able to prove this in the future to the degree that would convince a judge, and get you State identification.
😅😊😊😅😅😮😮😅àqq!@@salyluz6535
I like the part about no fad hair. Basically eliminates the broccoli hair problem of today.
I have had a number of Mennonite friends, especially in the first half of my life. The ones I knew were theologically conservative and evangelical in persuasion. Their parents allowed them to date and marry other Christians, usually Baptists or other evangelicals. When I was a young man, my father was often mean to me and I would leave home for a few days and seek solace with my Mennonite friends. I was always welcome and felt safe and happy among the eight children of the parents. The father was a contractor and taught me some skills and he always paid me when I helped. I kept in touch with the family for many years. The boy I was buddies with died at age 21 in a car wreck. I went college with two of the girls and they were beautiful and wonderful singers. I kept in touch with them for years and kept in touch with one of their cousins until last year. I am seventy now. The matriarch of the family was widowed in her sixties. She took a job as a journalist in a local news paper in her 50s and 60s. And she became a social worker later in life. She went to college very late in life. Last I heard she was still a social worker in her 80s. They were pacifists but did not despise those who served in the military. The worked hard, kept their humility, and were not hesitant to sing or worship with other Christian believers. I hear all kinds of bad things about Mennonites but I noticed nothing weird or strange about them. Of course I am aware of the diversity among Mennonites and I have worshiped with several strains. Just my two cents....I like Mennonites. The world needs more people like them.
The whole video was fascinating, and it's crazy and wild that Africa has the most Mennonites of any continent in the world 😲. I don't think that's something anyone would expect.
I'm African and saw a Mennonite church nearby. Told my ex who was Jewish and he didnt believe me lmao
Africa is what are keeping alive the vast majority of Christian institution. when churches are declining in the western world in Asia and Africa, they're growing.
Granted; Africa is one of the least evolved and ignorant land masses on the planet, second to India. Tribe elders selling their own people into slavery for shiny objects. India not even having adequate sanitation and clean water. So it makes perfect sence.
Africa is the least evolved so it makes perfect sence.😮
My neighbors are mennonites, they're fantastic!
Glad you have a good experience. Not everyone has had such an experience, for which I am sad.
Do they play their music at a reasonable volume?
@@user295295 never heard em play music.
Probably not the guys trying to Rob your laundromats or stabbing each other in your trailer park are they?
what do they do?
While working at a Sporting Goods store in Harlingen, Texas I discovered a caravan of Mennonites from Durango, Mexico came to this store several times a year for different supplies (cast iron skillets, hunting, fishing gear & etc). The women and children spoke a dialect of German (I took six years of German in High School and College). I loved being able to use my German, but when I spoke with the men using my German they politely responded in flawless Spanish.
Because the Mennonite men living in Mexico interfaced with Mexican culture for conducting business while the women took care of the children and home which didn't require Spanish but happened in German.
how many langauges do they spek
@@jmgonzales7701 3
@@jmgonzales7701most Mennonitas here in Mexico only speak two languages German and Plautdietsh (a low German Dialect) but many also speak English and Spanish.
@@elmerfriessen1462 there are mennonites in mexico?
As a person who is joining a Pilgrim Mennonite church, I appreciate this video and the depth, care, and respect you put into it! It’s so often that people just paint Mennonites as Amish-lite without actually knowing anything about the diversity of theologies and practice.
There related to Amish but limit electric use
@@alexcholagh8330 the Amish came out of the Mennonite denomination
@@alexcholagh8330 no they DON'T limit Electric use !
My experience with Mennonite food is fabulous! My hat is off to you! :)
I am blessed to have both Amish and Mennonite neighbors in close proximity to my farm in southern Ohio. Honorable, ethical, moral, hard working, and people of God. I do business with them on a regular basis and consider myself fortunate to have these people as friends. No drive bys, boom boxes, car jackings, home invasions, drug dealers, street gangs, just peace, serenity, and security.
what business do they do?
"people of God"??
What a laugh.
Many rip people off.
Many ripped us off.
Speak truth or you too Will Give an Account to God for Lies.
Some maybe.
This channel is one of the best on TH-cam. It’s consistently fair, concise, and informative and never hostile or rude. Thank you for setting such a high standard for media in any form.
Thank you, David!
I am former atheist called into a conservative Mennonite church by the grace of God 13 years now, found this useful as i try to understand what my surroundings are. Thank you.
what have you learned in your new found belief?
He is real, He lightens my load. One doesnt have to live under beliefs that dont satisfy. And peace.
Excellent overview! I grew up in an ultra-conservative conference and now am part of a moderate-ish unaffiliated congregation, Chambersburg Christian Fellowship. This is about as accurate a depiction as you can get without being a Conservative Mennonite.
I would be glad to see an overview of the unaffiliated Conservative Anabaptist churches and Charity/Remnant congregations, since that’s a growing sector today. My church and Ernest Eby’s are part of that sector.
Hi, if I could please ask you for an update. I used to know someone who was part of Charity fellowship.
Last we spoke was shortly after Charity and Ephrata split from each other.
Is there still a division between the two or have they reunited?
@@broz1488 I don't know that much about that. I've been to both churches, but I don't know their relationship.
@@lynnmmartin ok thanks 👍
While personnally LCMS, my family has 500 years of Mennonite belief; being a direct descendant of Swiss Mennonite Christian Stauffer. I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about this approach to Christianity.
Is there a reason you chose LCMS? Curious as I have grown up LCMS.
@@Rman-ln9ff The Sacrament.
Do you know if you are going to heaven when you die?
I never can understand the religious crowd how one group hates another all while calling on the name of the lord. Like how the Baptist claim God saved them while in their sin but not you, you have to go away suffering affliction, oppression a be a better person. I see this with all the religions around me.
@@dianetigert1310 because secular people are so peaceful…😅
My family are good friends of the Old Order Mennonite in Dayton Virginia and they are the best people. There are more progressive Mennonite in that area too as well as the Brethren.
And although we are Catholics we have many values that are the same and we are even invited to their family events. We don’t discuss our differences in religious beliefs but focus on the things we have in common. Very loyal and good people are the Old Order Mennonite!
Dear Joshua,
I will say it again: I really do appreciate your work. I have long been a student of the Old Order Mennonites, to some extent the Conservative Mennonites, and very little the Progressive Mennonites. For example, I have read Stephen Scott’s book on Old Order and Conservative Mennonites several times. It is an excellent study.
You have done the spectrum of Mennonite Churches a great service. Your presentation packs in a great deal of information, all very carefully put together. I very much appreciated having this overview put together in such a succinct and visually easily understood way. Thank you, Joshua, for your excellent work.
Sincerely In Christ Jesus,
Larry Lewis
Ontario, Canada.
Glad to hear it, Larry! I wanted to be careful and detailed while still maintaining interest, and I'm happy to hear that the video was successful in that.
what do the mennonites actually believe
That's not what will get anyone to heaven
Do you OBEY Matthew 25:35-40?
@@endtimesareuponus8930 what about it
@@ReadyToHarvest - HERE is our Savior
YaH The Heavenly FATHER (Genesis 1) HIMSELF was Who they Crucified/Pierced for our sins and “HERE IS THE PROOF”
From the Ancient Semitic:
"Yad He Vav He" is what Moshe (Moses) wrote, when Moses asked YaH His Name (Exodus 3)
Ancient Semitic Direct Translation
Yad - "Behold The Hand"
He - "Behold the Breath"
Vav - "Behold The NAIL"
So glad two of my favorite youtube channels work together to deliver high quality educational content. I have to double check it is not April 1. This is what the internet is meant for.
"The only person who really could know where everyone lands all at once is God himself" - The humblest phrase I ever heard from someone who does religious videos😍🤩
May God keep blessing your good job🤗
I am not a Christian, but I have always wondered about the Mennonites and what they were about. This was informative, thank you!
Then you're in your way to hell.
Your choice.
I gotta say, your videos can spark up some pretty interesting conversations about the way different denominations and cultures translate the gospel. I had never even heard of the African Orthodox Church until you made a video about them, and they’re quite interesting themselves.
interesing in what way?
My family lived for a year next door to a Mennonite church building in a log cabin that was offered to house us in exchange for janitorial services. I was five and it was the very late 70's. My memories of the church are very warm and some of the happiest of my childhood. I remember being taught how to sew, people in the congregation putting on skits and how pretty I thought the lacy head coverings were that the ladies wore. (they kind of looked like doilies) I wished my mom would wear one like that but she used a bandana to cover her head. Since we weren't members, just attended the services, she only wore it for church. The cabin had a piano in it. I figured they had to be pretty "liberal" from my memories, but this video got me curious where that congregation fell on the spectrum so I looked them up just now and they are MCUSA and from the pictures on their website, the ladies no longer wear the head coverings.
Cause they abandoned God's Words.
@@endtimesareuponus8930 All his words?
@@cht2162 Don't bother me with crazy questions?
I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley (Virginia), and remember seeing Old Orders coming through town to go to the Mennonite-owned grocery store. Since this was during daylight, I always called them "Menno-Days." My household went to a Mainline Mennonite Church for a while, and I graduated from a Mainline Mennonite-affiliated high school. I even spent a year at Goshen College. In the end, I decided that the Mennonite Church and I weren't well-matched (I ended up getting baptized as an adult in the Orthodox Church in America).
Its not what church building you go to that matters.
God doesn't want church buildings.
Do you feed Jesus?
How much if any?
Matthew 25:35-40.
Its weather you OBEY God it not.
Do you ?
I'd love to see you do something on the Russian branch of Mennonites. I grew up in a Mennonite Brethren church, my mother still attends there. At this point they're basically in line with modern, theologically conservative Southern Baptists than they are with the Mennonite Central Committee (of which they used to be more connected than they are today). In fact they recently changed their name from "First Mennonite Brethren" to "RidgePoint", going the SBC like "faux-non-denominational" route to distance themselves from MCC. Using the terms "conservative" and "liberal" in the Mennonite context is difficult since unlike many other Christian denominations, this conservatism or liberalism doesn't coincidentally align with political conservatism and liberalism.
The MB church is considered a "liberal Mennonite" church ... but both theologically and politically they're way more conservative than the MCC (which at this point is Marxist/globalist aligned and sometimes to the left of the more left leaning of the UMC).
One irony is the MB church I grew up in, while historically rooted in the Russian branch of Mennonites, was peopled by mostly German Mennonites (often people that left more traditional Mennonite communities and moved to "the big city").
The "Russian" branch IS still German. My parents are from Russia and their first language was still German. Plautdietsch, to be more precise. Russian only describes the country they lived in for a long time, but doesn't mean they are of Russian descent.
@@Dannyyerushalayim There really is no such thing as "German" Mennonites. Mennonites by European descent are by and large Dutch/North German, and the names for the groups stem more from theological and migration differences.
MCC is a para church organization that does volunteer and relief work, working across a wide range of denominations.
The Mennonite group in Durango, Mexico says they fled Russia after the Communist Revolution seized all their property and tried to force their children into State schools. They initially fled to Canada but Canada tried to force them to teach either English or French to their children. The President of Mexico offered them the same Autonomous status Native Americans enjoyed, their own territory, free to live with their own language and culture, but an elected board had to be formed that would be fluent in Spanish, to dialogue at times with state and Federal officials. They are still there after 100 years.
@@jacoblandis4535 perhaps they meant MCUSA? I would agree with those sentiments about MCUSA as well as MCC these days. I no longer support either, given their marxist objectives.
My paternal ancestors were Russian Mennonites (that is, ethnic German West Prussians who moved to the Russian Empire in the late 18th century). I've visited their old village in Ukraine twice, once with my father. I was supposed to visit with my wife and baby in late February of last year--you may guess why we changed our plans.
Joshua, I work in an agency of MCUSA, but have connections in LMC, Pilgrim Conference, and other conservative groups… this is a VERY well done explanation of Mennonites, despite the fact (as you said) there are many exceptions to these rules and lines are often blurred.
MCUSA is going through a time of transition and turmoil as it tries to come to grips with progressive theology. It is hemorrhaging churches and individuals at an alarming rate, mostly because of the LGBTQ issue, but also other theological and cultural issues. On the conference level in MCUSA, there is very little consensus about this, and oftentimes significant leadership issues. I can say there are around a handful of conferences in MCUSA that are in question about their current relationship with MCUSA. Let’s just say MCUSA hasn’t been treating the conferences very nicely about all of this. Even some agencies of MCUSA are seeking out.
In my church, a member of MCUSA, the congregation is not really in tune with what’s going on at the national level. We would not affirm LGBTQ, and are mostly closer to LMC or Rosedale in our practices. But, there is an extreme reluctance for churches to leave or break relationship with their current affiliation. I think this s the case with the vast majority of churches in the Evangelical Mennonite scene. Which makes it all the more staggering the amount of churches that ARE leaving MCUSA. All of it is quite regrettable.
It's shocking that more Churches have not left MC USA. It quite clearly has been overtaken by demonic forces and is teaching the doctrine of demons. 500 years of faithfulness to Scripture and the result in MC USA is wokeism?
As a former member of a church in MCC, it's a similar story. It's a bit sad to see, but let's be honest, it's not the first schism in Anabaptist history.
Joshua, you have the gift of teaching. Wonderful presentation.
Thank you, Herman!
@@ReadyToHarvest Yes. If I ever get up north, I would love to stop by and hear how you teach a “regular” Bible School class. And your presentation on Mennonites is very good. I am an insider to anything Mennonite or Brethren or German Baptist, but am also a student of Fundamental Baptist churches, especially those who practice conservative values even including dress. On the other side, I study early Church history and orthodoxy.
My family roots come from the Swiss German Mennonite’s. They started in Pensilvania and then came up to Kitchener Canada. It’s incredible learning more about the roots of my family’s history through this video! Thank you!
Interesting. Have you read, Trail of the Conestoga? by Mabel Dunham??
We plan to drive the general route this weekend from PA to Kitchener. Some of my relatives were part of the migration. Kitchener used to be called Berlin. Before that it was Eby Town. 🙂
Living in a country with less denominations, these videos are perfect overviews.
Such an invaluable resource your channel is. Thank you for all the work you put in.
Go take a look at Matt's latest video on Anabaptists, and Quakers! th-cam.com/video/7yDgCZ_ZR8M/w-d-xo.html
Extremely thorough and organized. If one wished to understand the Anabaptist denomination, you left nothing to be desired.
Another great lesson. I have learned so much from your channel. Thank you !
I grew up in the Mennonite Church USA. This was great to see how wide the differences of belief are in the Mennonite church.
I hope you will do a video on the Brethren in Christ and on the Mennonite brethren. While each have a unique history, the connections to the Mennonites of this video are very clear. If you want any resources on either of these movements, I can at least point you to the right people and books!
Love how concise and sensitive your videos are. Don't mean to split hairs, but I would restate that "the Mennonite denomination is comprised of many diverse fellowships and conferences"
Thank you for the immense detail you include in these videos! Very insightful!
I've never met any Mennonites! Very informative 👏 always here to learn!
This was very informative. Thank you for taking the time to research all of this and share it 🙏
One thing I would add is there is a fast growing number of community churches that have split from the Mennonite churchs. These churches still believe and observe many Mennonite traditions but have grown tired of the political structures that naturally form in any rules based culture. They tend to believe that the Mennonite church has a lot right theologically but has lost its connection to the Holy Spirits leading. I believe this will be a growing trend that will create a large shakeup in multiple Mennonite denominations.
It just makes sense to me that many Mennonite congregations have split from larger denominations into their own independent/non-denom churches, considering the fact that many baptists also hates big denoms and love being independent congregations...
I assume you are seeing this in the moderate/fundamental space mostly? And perhaps the ultra conservative? From my experience this is not happening at the old order level much, and I'm not very familiar with the MCU.
@Jordan Martin the Groffdale Conference old orders had a split in NY and a couple other states recently, the new group calls themselves Midwest old order mennonites. I think that the last split in Groffdale Conference would have been the Riedenbach (35er) mennonites in 1942. Weaverland also had a conservative splinter group in NY who separated over allowing the internet , though I'm not sure if other Weaverland churches joined with them in other states. While the Old orders have managed to avoid splintering as much as the conservative mennonites as a whole , unfortunately splits have become more common among them in recent years. I grew up Groffdale Conference old order mennonite in the Finger Lakes region in NY and left 10 years ago.
@@abrammartin151 Interesting. I'm in Ontario. There was a split in the older orders in the 30's I think about vehicles... But it has been mostly stagnant in the last number of decades as far as I know. People leave of course but not whole churches. The old order conferences are still growing quite rapidly due to family sizes.
@@jordanmartin1932 definitely more in the conservative groups than the old order.
About six months ago, I stumbled on a chat line of phone number! And there are boards where people post but then there are, rooms you can go into where they’re talking. I don’t say anything because I’m an outsider do not want to be offensive and ask any questions, so I just listen! And it is interesting to hear them speak to each other. What community are you in? What states things like that and you can definitely see how there is many differences it’s so intriguing to listen to them it’s peaceful! And then they’ll start talking in German, every once in a while doesn’t bother me. Don’t know what they’re saying, but you can still hear the deep Among them and the laughter is so pleasant
Thanks for sharing this. I am descendant from Pennsylvania Mennonites. However our branch lost track of our roots up until a few decades ago when my uncle retraced our steps and discovered our Swiss roots. My family have remained as reform Christians of different sorts, with some exceptions, but not really Mennonite in any of these forms.
I would love to see more like this for other denominational families
The Mennonites share a similar lifestyle tradition with that of the First Nations People before and after colonization. Indigenous individuals had a mix of Catholic and Anglican influences alongside their native cultures, resulting in a lifestyle that closely resembled that of Mennonites. Sometimes, I find myself wishing for someone who embraces the "oneness doctrine" and lives that lifestyle, although such an individual has not emerged yet.
While I don't personally align with Mennonite doctrines, I wholeheartedly appreciate their fresh and beautiful lifestyle, which resonates with my own beliefs. Their emphasis on living off the land, sharing resources, minimizing waste, and embracing a diligent work ethic are aspects of their lifestyle that I deeply admire.
Combining the Mennonite lifestyle with the doctrines of Oneness apostolic beliefs, while also adopting an off-grid approach to the world, would indeed create a truly ideal scenario, often referred to as "The Apostleship." This concept involves embracing only the Mennonite lifestyle and adhering solely to the Oneness Apostolic doctrines.
Sincerely,
- First Nation Name Believer “Oneness Apostolic”
Very good indeed. I am a Catholic but still find it interesting. The days when Catholic women wore a veil over their head in church have almost gone. I remember our mother taking us on our first holiday ever when I was 10 to Spain and we had to take veils in case in the 1970s that was a requirement when we went to church on our holiday. The singing interests me as a singer. If we go right back in the English Choral tradition we had plainsong still often sung but harmony is wonderful but I can understand why they may not want it - and reminds me of the split here in England from Catholic (lots of of lovely music and buildings) to boring dull Lutheran/Protestant who thought that beauty would distract people from God - types. Anyway well done for such a comprehensive and interesting discussion. I presume those on the left of the screen are growing so fast (just as in Israel the hassidic jew increase are and indeed we Catholics used to do) is because of having families of 10 - 20 children - that soon gets the numbers up.
you may be interested to know there is a movement among young and married with children women in our local NE Ohio parish to wear veils again at Mass. I'm not sure how wide spread the practice is.
Catholic women still cover their heads in church. It depends on where you are looking.
@@bobcrow7580 In TLM female head covering is the norm. In traditionalist Novus Ordo settings it is not uncommon. Latin Mass adherent dress wouldn't be out of place in the 1950s.
Current Mennonite here, this video is one of the most accurate ones out there. The church I currently attend would be a nondenominational Mennonite church but our beliefs are very similar to Midwest, and I would have spent most of my teen years in a Midwest church. Obviously there is to much variation between churches and denominations, so this information does not apply to all Mennonite out there,(ever church is going to have its our standard) but what was presented all seems very accurate. If you what to learn more about our biblical views look up Anabaptist, (not Mennonite) there’s just to much miss information about Mennonite out there, but we all hold beliefs similar to the anabaptist bass line.
My cousin is Mennonite (Mennonite Church USA). This is a pretty good video at tackling how diverse Mennonites really are.
im suprised there are some more "liberal" mennonite
Great overview, thanks for your hard work teaching us about denominations.
I live in Northern Virginia and this is very helpful 👌
THANK YOU for I Appreciate this Video. I used to regularly visit a Beachy Amish Mennonite Church in KY. They are probably the Most GODLY People I know in my opinion.
That's right. Only God himself can keep the Mennonite question straight!
😅 But he (Joshua) did do well.
I was in Belize this time last year, and the Mennonites there seemed like genuinely good people. Definitely didn't have ton of interactions with them (there are different groups there with varying degrees of interaction with the general public) but I actually watched a bunch of documentaries on them when I got back home, because I was fascinated
what were their beliefs
@@jmgonzales7701 Depends, but in general, they remind me of the Amish, if you are in America...
Thank you! That was an amazing overview. I appreciate it.
Thanks so much for this video! I've been really wanting you to cover much more about anabaptist churches. This is a good video! I wish you covered a bit more about the culture of the groups rather than framing it as a big list of what they "allow" and "don't allow". And you didn't mention one of the core things that make Mennonites/anabaptists distinct: their separation from worldly government. This is what originally set them apart from the aptly called "magisterial reformation". Even believers baptism was only an issue because of its implications regarding the Christendom structure of the reformers' idea of what the "church" was.
Yes, I would like to see such a comparison done as well.
what else do they allow and not allow? and how separation from world government?
@@jmgonzales7701 Here is an article that gives a lot more detail about the values we intend to cultivate.
churchplantersforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/CPF-Overview-of-Values-by-Ernest-Eby.pdf
Very well reported. As an Anabaptist, I learned some tidbits I didn't know before.
Interesting fact, many of those practices were very usual for christians centuries ago. Woman wearing veil just stopped some time ago. Gender segregated sits was also very common, in my country the largest protestant church still have that practice because they maintained the old Methodist doctrine and practice (even when mainline Methodist don't follow these practices anymore here)
Many Assemblies of God churches, especially in Italy still wear veils and sit separately and women are expected to dress modestly
What an awsom video, i am from a evangelical menonite background.... this is an great video!
Bro, You need to be on the radio or the news. You have the perfect voice for those specific places
This was fascinating. I need more of these videos.
As a Mennonite (EVANA) I see a lot of tension between Evana and MCUSA. We seem to have quite an influx of people because of the LBGT+ influence in MCUSA. It is tough for MSUSA churches to leave the denomination because of their roots, yet they also want Biblical integrity. It was tough for our church to leave, but we haven't looked back. The MCUSA is slowly dying.
LBGTQ infected all denominations to fulfill prophesies
Luke 17:28-29 (KJV)
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Wow, that's something I didn't know. As beachy Amish Mennonite...I didn't realize that there were any groups that would even consider lgbt
Amen to that! I have seen online comments from those affiliated with MCUSA dripping with distain or even hatred for Evana that I haven't seen against LMC. Rather, they seem happy to be rid of those in LMC because those were the delegates and churches keeping them from their goals of alphabet acceptance, "dismantling the patriarchy", abolition of law enforcement curriculum, etc. Now they see other churches leaving for Evana and it makes them angry because..... losing money? Oh, and MCUSA is pro-abortion..... change my mind. I am leaving my Mennonite church over their vote to stay with MCUSA. It pains me that so many either don't pay attention to what is going on, or for some, they actually agree with it. I hope other congregations in Ohio Conference find the courage to say ENOUGH and part ways with it and MCUSA. The WOKE will eventually destroy MCUSA, and that's probably for the best.
@@sarahwho3699 Here in Germany from what I gather the Mennonite Brethren are all on-board with feminism and lgbtq-lmnop.
@@bobcrow7580 I'm sure many in your church would say "good riddance". It's not popular to take a stand (or in the MCUSA they haven't really even taken a stand) and get pounded for it. It looks to me like the 2 things you don't like are political concerns that the Republican party is trying to gain votes from. I'm guessing you voted for Trump and that is where your allegiance is. I'm also guessing you have given up on a non resistance type of religion since it doesn't fit into the Republican narrative.
Thank you,Joshua and Matt.🌹🌹🌹🌹
We have a Mennonite community in our small town in Oregon. They have a small store where you can get the BEST sandwiches and pies and cinnamon roles. They have a super great nursery where all their plants are topnotch. They are so nice and decent. We love our Mennonite neighbors. But thanks for this video because we don't know anything about their religion.
Excellent presentation, I can't find fault with anything you said.
Fantastic use of visuals to present a complex subject.
Thank youfor this well-prepared video. You didn’t mention that they began with Menno Simons
A good, informative, helpful video for those who are considering becoming a Mennonite.
As a Mennonite from Paraguay but living in Canada, I never realised how strict some branches are. We have almost no restrictions on technology, we can wear what we want, we go to public schools, etc. Pretty much the only things we don't allow are same sex marriage & abortion. Even divorce is allowed. For us it's more about being culturally & linguisticly Mennonite than religiously.
So basically, not Mennonite or Christian anymore. Just worldly agnostics giving lip service to God with no obedience to Scripture.
@@broz1488 says the guy who has no idea what paraguay is like
@@user-oh5gz4ue6r What'd he say?
@@MarcHarder that they're just agnostics paying lip service, not really mennonnite or christian
@@user-oh5gz4ue6r why would I need to know what Paraguay is like in order to know what is taught in the Bible?
What in fact does Paraguay, some temporary manmade dominion, have to do with the eternal dominion of God?
Marc basically said they no longer observe New Testament commands of separation, modesty, and purity.
If the Bible does not regard wilfully disobedient Christians as being part of the redeemed flock, why should I?
Did I just hear "opt out of Social Security"? I'm listening!
www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4029.pdf
Many Plain Anabaptists have their own financial sharing plans/offerings to take care of medical needs and the elderly. Children are also expected to take care of their relatives when possible. The IRS reviewed their appeal and based on how they care for their own, granted them an exemption. To claim this exemption, exemptees must say that they are conscientiously opposed to accepting monies from government assistance programs. Basically all Plain Anabaptists who hold this exemption, returned their stimulus checks to the IRS a few years ago. If they leave their churches or no longer have the conviction to care for their own, they are expected to report this to the IRS and begin paying social security.
Sometimes people hear this and conclude that Plain Anabaptists do not pay taxes. That is not correct. They pay sales tax and income tax like everyone else, except for Social Security. They even pay local taxes to the school district, even though they do not send their children to public schools.
We are exempt by the S S act. By law
We have some Mennonite folk in Deer Park, WA. The men dress in business casual while the women wear colorful and simple dresses that look traditional or old-fashioned. Women also wear a head covering. A lovely and polite people.
The Conservative Mennonites and Old Order Mennonites can be said to preserve the true Mennonite Anabaptist belief and practice, while the mainline Mennonites have not done so in any meaninful way. There have been many people, in recent years, that have become Conservative Mennonites, due to their emphasis on preserving early Christian practice, e.g. footwashing, headcovering, nonresistance, etc.
Speaking as a former mainline Mennonite, we said the opposite. We felt that Old Order groups reflected a specific colonial culture rather than the original Anabaptist beliefs.
I would affirm the mainline Mennonites are rather lukewarm in their Anabaptist convictions, coming from someone in the mainline.
The early anabaptists kept Sabbath as well.
@@astutik8909 no, there was a group accused of being Anabaptists that did keep the Sabbath, but they didn't originate with the Swiss Brethren.
After the Munster revolt, Anabaptist was a derogatory term used for any group that opposed the state religions of Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism or Calvinism.
The Sabbath keeping Anabaptist group died out long before the close of the 15th century.
I think they lasted only a decade or so if I remember correctly.
@@FrKevinDaugherty what colonial culture is that then?
The conservative groups, including the ancestors of the apostate MC USA membership, arrived in America 300 years ago dressed exactly how they are today.
You will notice that the woman's Mennonite and Amish dress is based on the Catholic nuns outfit from the 12th century, with the outer covering layer stopping at the waist for the brethren women, but going to the ankles with the nuns.
A distinct outfit established by the Mennonites in 1560, long before America was even a colony.
I have used Christian Light Education (a Mennonite curriculum)material for all 6 of my homeschooled kids. I usually stop by their booth at the homeschool conference every year. I notice the older Mennonites are exceptionally friendly and open, while the younger Mennonites come across as standoffish and judgmental. Oh well, understandable, I suppose.
The 1st grade reading curriculum is second to none, and is incredibly solid. We've had to avoid some of their materials because we're not pacifists. However I do appreciate their strong, unabashed stance against Calvinism.
Stance against Calvinism 😅 good to know! Lol
I live in a town in Yorkshire in the UK. We used to have some neighbours who were mennonites and there is quite a large Mennonite community here in spite of it being a fairly small town. Of course,the Quakers originated from northern England.🇬🇧
My family has been Mennonite for over 500 years, with most of our more recent roots coming from the Russo-Ukrainian Mennonites in Molotschna.
Old Order Mennonites do use cellphones which have access to the internet. I have an Old Order Mennonite friend who I chat with regularly with FaceBook Messenger, and know of several other Old Order Mennonites who also access the internet with their cell phones. I have Old Order Mennonite friends who have musical instruments in their homes... guitars, pianos, organs however they don't have any musical instruments in their churches. The congregations sing in four part harmonies in the Old Order Churches that I attend from time to time. I really enjoy your videos!
funny that this video popped up on my feed, a family of german Mennonites is staying in the hotel room next to mine, this little boy was looking at me like he’d never seen a guy with long hair before 😂. ok after watching the video i was breaking all of their rules, long hair, shorts, a Patagonia fleece with a bold pattern. kid thinks im goin straight to hell
I live in Rockingham County Virginia. We have Mennonites of all persuasions including Eastern Mennonite University which is somewhat very progressive now. I attended their Seminary in the 70’s and was not allowed to go to a movie. Quite a change.
Thanks - very interesting. My father's family came from the Old Order German Brethren (Dunkers) which are plain people, but I don't think have a Mennonite history.
The origins of the Brethren movement can be read about here. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Mack
My grandparents were the first generation in my family tree to make the switch from Mennonite to non-denominational Christian. My parents then were still raised with a lot of the beliefs of the Mennonites. Interesting to watch. Thanks.
such as?
I’m not Mennonite, but grew up strictly Protestant baptist, though we didn’t wear any specific outfits, we were not allowed to: play board games, card games, listen to rock music, use tampons, read anything that wasn’t by a Christian author, didn’t believe in evolution or dinosaurs. I grew up in liberal Massachusetts 🤦🏼♀️
Fundamentalist Mennonites (and not just the Amish, I am told) have very high birth rates which would explain why the Old Order and very strict conservative ones flourishing whilst the liberal Mennonites going the way if the Quakers.
Speaking as a Mennonite, a large reason is the leadership of the "mainline" groups have largely been taken over by progressive liberals. The result is many more conservative churches in these "mainline" conferences have been leaving.
I'd say the shift your seeing is actually more to do with individual churches moving between different groups.
@@TheOwenMajor I'm sure it's a major factor and the most immediately noticeable one
I've heard that the Holdeman church isn't flourishing. Don't know the numbers for sure though. I think pacifism is a hard sell in this day and age and that's why the more liberal Mennonites are losing members but do get new members from outside time to time. The more mainline churches are probably holding their numbers just fine except in rural areas where not very many churches are holding their own due to declining populations. Remember, Mennonites were mostly a rural agrarian bunch.
@@keithwiebe1787 from what I can see, the non-Amish Old Order Mennonites seem to have stagnated and in recent times seem to be growing strongly in numbers
As a German Mennonite, it’s very interesting to learn about how it is in America, seeing as how the mennonites in America mainly Stemm from Germany. Nowadays we rarely have conservative groups other than a few and then there also is the separation of north and south. Usually the only time you ever get to actively learn about the mennonites in other countries is at the world conference, which sadly is only every few years.
here in my country Philippines i encountered a group of Mennonite thou they are very small and in number and live in rural areas
I live about an hour from Mennonite country, and I saw an actual Mennonite horse and buggy while on a drive with my dad a few weeks ago.
This is so helpful. Thank you so much
Very informative. Thank you!
I enjoy your ministry it's very insightful. 😊
Thank you for this video on the Mennonites.Banning the use of radio seem to be excessive to me personally.Christian believers are in the world to fulfill God's plan for their lives.Learning about what's happening around are not necessarily evil.Take for example money,the Bible teaches the love of money is the source of evil not money itself.
Lot of work went into this. Danke!
What seems to be generally true is that most of these groups don't have a very secure anchor. They have not been in existence all that long historically & are moving around a lot.
Thank you. Would it be possible to cover Canada? I live in an area with a large Mennonite population, and know very little about them.
May I ask where roughly in Canada? As a Mennonite living in Canada I may be able to help you with some questions.
@@jordanmartin1932
I live in London Ontario.
@@waynesworldofsci-tech Than I can likely help. I live an hour and a half from there in one of the main Mennonite Hubs. London is a nice place.
@@jordanmartin1932
Oh, it is. I like it here. So does Loki, the Dog of Mischief. Great area for long doggie walks!
@@waynesworldofsci-tech Yes. I'm up closer to Waterloo county where there is likely the most Mennonites in Ontario. Was there something that you were curious about?
I went to college with a Mennonite couple. They weren't that much different than the rest of us students other than the way they dressed of course and some their beliefs in fact since they were so far from home and there was no Mennonite church locally they attended services at the independent Baptist church I went to on Sunday and even attended some the events put on our Baptist student union
My friends church simply call their church an Anabaptist church now too but they both grown up when their church was still called Mennonite and fact they attended a public university obviously on the evangelical end that spectrum though they do not attend public K12 schools their church has a school where most the members kids go
The Mennonite Church is a mainline church today (as mainline as Presybyterians are). Most Mennonites are very modern and live like anyone else. Some confuse Mennonites with Old Mennonites who are similar to the Amish (who are also Mennonite). Those are offshoots of the Mennonite Church who broke away centuries ago. I am Mennonite myself - the everyday mainline kind. I'd say the only similarity between mainline Mennonites and Old Mennonites or Amish is pacifism and adult baptism. Nothing else can be compared at all.
The Mennonites is worth based we are saved by grace not by works lest any man should boast!
I don't know of any Mennonites or Anabaptists who believe that we can save ourself by doing enough good works. They do not believe that salvation can be earned, but rather that salvation is a free gift given to those who meet God's conditions. (By way of illustration, my wife and I pay our daughters to do various things at our place. They earn this money. But if its their birthday, they are going to get a gift from us because they are our daughters - regardless of whether they worked or not. We generally have conditions for receiving their gift. There are a few things we want them to do to prepare for the day, before we announce that we are heading for the family room and bringing out the gifts.)
I think most followers of Jesus believe that there are some conditions we need to meet before God will save us. We may differ on what those conditions should be, but we don't differ on whether there are conditions or no conditions. (I realize there are some who don't believe in conditions, but again, I am talking about most followers of Jesus.)
I appreciate the scale/matrix. Easy to understand. Thanks
Another great video, you earned my sub, thank you
Fascinating. Lots of new info for me to know about, although I must say mennonites sure sound like legalists like most holiness movements. Nothing wrong with doing or not doing some matters, such as not wearing short sleeves for men, if it is a matter of conscience
Plain Anabaptists have a strong belief in community. They believe that God can give a group of Christians a group conscience about on various matters. Since membership in the church is voluntary, they view it as following Jesus, not legalism.
Having said that, does not mean that all Plain Anabaptists are free of legalism. They are not.
@@ernesteby2793 It does not matter how they view it as, what matters is what Bible objectively says.
Anabaptism is certainly one branch that I have an interest in studying, even though I know I'm not an Anabaptist! 🙂
Everyone who reads their Bible free of manmade doctrines is an Anabaptist.
To be an Anabaptist is to be a biblical Christian.
Definitely more desirable to fellowship with conservative Mennonites than IFB Baptists. I am a Christian, but I told my wife I regret marrying into an IFB family. After several years, most of them have not made me feel welcomed, reached out to me, and place their churches, church camps, church events, church activities above family. The IFB religion and its subculture leaves a lot to be desired. Can’t wait to move to a conservative Mennonite community.
Interesting. However I'd also like info about doctrine, such as the authority of Scripture, God's gift of salvation, the Trinity, end times, predestination, and so forth. But this is informative.
Don't think I've ever met or seen, in person, a real bonafide Mennonite,
but I did see Amish on the train in the Midwest several years ago, they were
quite friendly.
I'm from Kansas and get out to Colorado for vacation and run into them all the time. They like to take vacations too. Some of them run bakeries, etc. I can count a half dozen places I have seen them. There's a number of Amish and Holdermans in the San Luis Valley. Some Amish near West Cliff.
Interesting evaluation of these groups! As someone not associated at all, I am still very curious as to how these groups live. It appears that they along with all societies today are evolving.
Does anyone know why the men don't wear neckties? I know it's a small thing, but I've been curious about it for years. Thanks.
Neckties are considered "adornment" that serve no useful purpose. 🙂
What strikes me about these groups is how culturally dependent they are. And how it's kind of rooted in a very specific cultural understanding of things. Most of the groups seem more strict regarding radio than the Internet?
Also with the neckties thing, it's like this insistence on not doing "as the English do." Not criticizing it at all, I respect any group sticking to tradition. It's just very quirky. It's very idiosyncratic in the things they variously allow or disallow.
It's a very fascinating view into a group of churches that is very tied to a specific time and place.
Many of these churches around the center-line would be considered theologically liberal, but are still extremely culturally conservative, in the sense of strictly controlling access to media, modes of dress, etc.
I think it is an artifact of being relatively low in population, and kinda spread out... that there have been so many off-branches, splits, individual churches picking a different way. They're a less monolithic group, and so congregations and regional areas have had more autonomy, and any time people are more individual... well, differences will arise. Is this category even meaningful anymore? (besides their roots.) It's like putting Catholics and Lutherans on the same chart.
Plain Anabaptist groups that do not use radios particularly object to "streaming media" that cannot be previewed ahead of time for content and advertisements. Those with these concerns feel they have better control with the internet because they can filter out certain kinds of content and ads.
I hope you follow up with a video discussing global Mennonite trends as the US looks very different than much of the world.
is the rise only in the US?
My grandmother, Lillian Von der Muhlen (b. 1878) was one of ten children of Heinrich Von der Muhlen and Maria Kleber. They farmed near Lewiston and Niagara Falls, N.Y. beginning about 1850. I'm 84 and have lost track of this branch of my family. I understand they were dismissed from their Mennonite church but don't know the particulars.
Thanks much for this video.