Conservative Anabaptist Church Finder & Information

[Josh]

Let’s give an example.

Two of my nieces (in law) came from a broken home, dad long ago abandoned them and eventually ended up in prison. Mom needed help and sent them to her sister to live.

They needed a good school due to several years of educational neglect (possibly the school district’s fault). I spoke with the school board at a moderate conservative church’s school (with a school board stacked with people who had left and gone to an RNoC church) and to my own Holdeman school board and made an appeal for them to be admitted there, and was successful. The girls thrived and after a year or so both are performing well academically.

Eventually my brother and his wife appreciated the good Christian education and that school and started attending services. It was a big change in their life and they both had an experience of being either born again, or born again a second time. Eventually they yielded to church membership and were baptised and became members.

The girls quickly adapted to “plain” life, leaving their old ways of watching TV, wearing worldly clothes, watching videos on a tablet, etc. behind them. Eventually one of them felt convicted to wear a covering and after several years, she is seeking baptism and church membership herself.

Now comes the dilemma: they are in a moderate-conservative church, but people keep leaving to go to a CMC/RNoC church where the youth pastor teaches against the covering and against wearing skirts/dresses. Some youth ignore church rules and are moving in a BMA sort of direction.

This is rather confusing for these dear young souls. After all, if they wanted to live a worldly life with worldly clothes… they could have just stayed in their old situation. (They did attend church in their old home.) It would make no sense at all to them to “transition” back to their old life. They have always believed in Jesus, but in a plain church, a lot of Christianity became real: families that stay together, a church that supports Christian education for families that need it, and a strong Christian lifestyle to prevent things like dad going to prison or mom leaving dad. That stuff really does matter.

Now my brother and his wife are evaluating Amish districts to move to so they can get away from this transitional mess. Of key concern is influences on young people. They don’t want their children around the CMC/RNoC youth pastor who teaches against the covering and against nonresistance, for example.

[ohio jones]

BMA, specifically, is composed of about half former CMC/RNoC congregations...

That's a common misconception; the actual number is 12% (10 out of 84).

[Josh]

BMA, specifically, is composed of about half former CMC/RNoC congregations...

That's a common misconception; the actual number is 12% (10 out of 84).

Thanks for the correction. (Are the ex CMC congregations larger?)

BMA is interesting in that the more conservative minded people seem to have sway at the Alliance level and win votes. My nearest BMA affiliate got booted out of BMA a few years ago, and the new BMA affiliate that formed near me was significantly more conservative.

The one that got booted had a membership composed entirely of ex Amish and ex-moderate conservative people, including a number of families from my old church who still lived in the same area so their young people would feel at liberty to attend any of my church’s social functions. They also felt at liberty to attend my old church’s school and ignore the dress code. The parents informed the school administrator they were never going to make their kids follow the dress code, their grandfather was the founder of my old church (and indeed the entire conservative Anabaptist movement, including the founding meeting of Nationwide), and thus they could do whatever they wanted.

“Say not ye are children of Abraham”, indeed.

[ohio jones]

BMA, specifically, is composed of about half former CMC/RNoC congregations...

That's a common misconception; the actual number is 12% (10 out of 84).

Thanks for the correction. (Are the ex CMC congregations larger?)

UB is the only one over 200. Palm Grove's attendance exceeds that seasonally, but not the membership.

The GAMEO entry for Palm Grove says they have "a church building searing 400." I have experienced warm fellowship there.

[RZehr]

That's a common misconception; the actual number is 12% (10 out of 84).

Thanks for the correction. (Are the ex CMC congregations larger?)

UB is the only one over 200. Palm Grove's attendance exceeds that seasonally, but not the membership.

The GAMEO entry for Palm Grove says they have "a church building searing 400." I have experienced warm fellowship there.

At 400, I would think that the services would be well done in 15 minutes.

[HumbleDan]

Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences and wisdom.

I learned a lot reading through the responses. They gave light to the fact that there are a few things I previously did not consider when I started my search, and that I need to keep having conversations and seeking those with wisdom.

In the next day or so I am going to make a list of a few church's to visit and I'll share them on here for you all to see for any insights as this is all completely new to me.

[danfreed]

Hello Humble Dan,

Dan Freed here saying "Welcome!"

As mentioned by someone in this thread, BMA Annual Convention is in Lancaster, PA this year.
AND this weekend!

Registration is closed, but you can still attend. This may be a good way to start learning about BMA. There are always visitors at BMA convention, who are checking it out, and enjoying the Christian fellowship.

I have enjoyed attended parts of various BMA conventions over the past 20+ years, but am not able to attend this year.
Here is the link...
https://biblicalmennonite.com/convention/

The Sunday morning speakers this year (J. Mark Horst and J.R. Weaver) are excellent Bible teachers, and I'm sure will be worth hearing.

I'll try to personal message you on some other thoughts on BMA churches in your area.

Blessings in your journey.

[HondurasKeiser]

Anyone know of an Anabaptist church in the Sonoma/Santa Rosa region of Northern California? We will be there over Christmas.

[HondurasKeiser]

Anyone know of an Anabaptist church in the Sonoma/Santa Rosa region of Northern California? We will be there over Christmas.

[RZehr]

Anyone know of an Anabaptist church in the Sonoma/Santa Rosa region of Northern California? We will be there over Christmas.

The only thing I have is a good customer in Santa Rosa. Not familiar with any churches there.