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As I understand it the MB organisation is quite “flat” and congregations hold the power. I suspect institutions derived from the Kleine Gemeinde all have this model, because Holdemans are the same way. For whatever reason the old Swiss model did not prevail.

Of course, the historic Anabaptist position is the amillennial view, other than a few embarrassing exceptions like the Münsterites. Any group that adopts premillennialism (or worse, dispensationalism) is a sign that the group at one point was drinking from strange waters. I haven’t really encountere...

barnhart wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 6:45 am When Sen. Fetterman surfaced in the news as sponsoring a bit of legislation, I thought of this thread. I'm glad he has recovered and seems to be doing his job in a capable manner.

If his job is making sure the Middle East war machine is fully funded, then yes.

Is this essentially a criticism of the hierarchical “conference” model? How do you feel about flat fellowship style organisations where no one congregation lords it over anyone else, and there aren’t bishops? Another difference could be with a fellowship that doesn’t let existing churches “switch” a...

People who don’t want to follow Jesus now aren’t going to want to follow him in eternity either. This seems rather obvious to me.

The obvious blame is on the seminary system itself. A healthy congregation produces its own leaders.

My guess is it will become an informal fellowship of conferences who may end up sharing various agencies (mutual aid, missions, etc.)

Given the “issues” with a strict hierarchical conference model, this seems like a very good idea.

Organisations tend to become ends into preserving themselves in the short term, and then become ends into preserving the salaries and short term prospects of their officers. This is known as the “principal-agent problem”.

Much more common outside plain circles. Cons. Mennonite circles in particular tend to reject these kind of superstitions.

I personally prefer the Old Order view of a “hope of salvation”, and I think it gets a bad rap, mostly due to overexcited evangelists who were busy trying to convert OO people back in the days of tent revivals. I wish they would have some self introspection at where their churches ended up… some of ...