Hopefully the title of this topic will draw in some readers.
Obviously no one group has it all right. My reason for this thread is not to focus on why Mennonites are doing better, or why other groups are doing worse, but to identify legitimate points of concern within the Mennonite church.
So my question is just that: Where have the Mennonites missed the mark as a church? What would you like to see be done about specific concerns?
I'm the wrong person to be answering this as our family just came out of damaging situation involving a mennonite church. One thing I see that is doing more harm than good is the emphasis on money. In other words, equating financial well-being with spiritual well-being. Highly esteeming those who are wealthy in their congregations. And my favorite: the buying of indulgences!! Yep, you got it. Maybe its not called that, but when the rules don't apply to those who got the big bucks, its basically the same thing.
You can all go ahead and hate me now!!
0 x
I self-identify as a conspiracy theorist. My pronouns are told/you/so.
steve-in-kville wrote:ne thing I see that is doing more harm than good is the emphasis on money. In other words, equating financial well-being with spiritual well-being. Highly esteeming those who are wealthy in their congregations. And my favorite: the buying of indulgences!!
I can't help but wonder how common this is. Being from Protestant-land, I see a lot of this but I wouldn't expect it to be prevalent among Mennonites. Do you think this was a congregation-specific issue?
steve-in-kville wrote:I'm the wrong person to be answering this as our family just came out of damaging situation involving a mennonite church. One thing I see that is doing more harm than good is the emphasis on money. In other words, equating financial well-being with spiritual well-being. Highly esteeming those who are wealthy in their congregations. And my favorite: the buying of indulgences!! Yep, you got it. Maybe its not called that, but when the rules don't apply to those who got the big bucks, its basically the same thing.
You can all go ahead and hate me now!!
Amen and amen. I have been blessed to be part of congregations where this is not the norm - but vigilance is required from the brotherhood and the ministry to keep it that way.
One prominent area where plain Mennonites can easily get it wrong is assuming that separation from the world in appearance means you are really separated from the world. This of course is not the case.
0 x
Remember the prisoners, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily. -Heb. 13:3
steve-in-kville wrote:ne thing I see that is doing more harm than good is the emphasis on money. In other words, equating financial well-being with spiritual well-being. Highly esteeming those who are wealthy in their congregations. And my favorite: the buying of indulgences!!
I can't help but wonder how common this is. Being from Protestant-land, I see a lot of this but I wouldn't expect it to be prevalent among Mennonites. Do you think this was a congregation-specific issue?
I think its anywhere there's a lot of wealthy business owners. We've belonged to some very wealthy churches and we've been part of one that was dirt poor. Big difference in the spirituality of the congregation!!
0 x
I self-identify as a conspiracy theorist. My pronouns are told/you/so.
mike wrote:One prominent area where plain Mennonites can easily get it wrong is assuming that separation from the world in appearance means you are really separated from the world. This of course is not the case.
mike wrote:One prominent area where plain Mennonites can easily get it wrong is assuming that separation from the world in appearance means you are really separated from the world. This of course is not the case.
Indeed. Different appearance is a consequence of separating from the world, not the other way around.
