These are good questions. Some churches teach and expect certain practices, but don't require everything from members. There are certain expected practices that are a test of membership and other expected practices that are not. Some churches allow some rebellious, trendy fashionable, militant people to be part of the church even though these things are taught against in the church. I personally don't think this is good or appropriate for a church to permit this, but realize that most Plain Anabaptists tolerate some of this. I still think it is better if a person goes to a Plain Anabaptist church that allows these sorts of attitudes in the church, as compared with Augustinian churches that permit members to be involved in military service, policing, and divorce & remarriage. If we eliminated all churches that allow for some carnality, the church I am part of would need to be eliminated, as well as John D. Martin's, as well as most other Anabaptist churches. The list would be very small - so small that there would be no need for a Church Index.Praxis+Theodicy wrote: ↑Mon Dec 25, 2023 7:40 amIs there a possibility to get clarification on the following points:
These two things are principles, which can be applied in a variety of ways.We believe it is important to be unspotted from the world and separated unto God. We believe it is important to not resist evil but rather return good for evil. We believe it is important to not lay up treasure on earth but rather lay up treasures in heaven.
Some churches in the BMA insist on discernment in media but don't outright ban things like television, radio, youtube, or internet forums. Other, more conservative fellowships would say that discernment isn't enough, and cutting out media altogether (except for heavily curated media produced or compiled by other anabaptist churches) is necessary to observation of the first principle. Is it good enough to remain unspotted from the world, or should there be active, preventative steps take to avoid exposure to the world as well?We believe it is important to be unspotted from the world and separated unto God.
A common purse Christian community could accuse any average church of failing to apply the second principle if the families in that church purchase private property. John D's church has in their doctrinal statement a direct statement that investments are not something Christians should pursue, but other Mennonite fellowships have members with retirement funds, insurance, or the ever popular "real estate investments". What would ChurchIndex.org consider to be a church that is not applying the principle of storing up treasures? What would they consider a church that DOES rightly apply it?We believe it is important to not lay up treasure on earth but rather lay up treasures in heaven.
I don't think I know of any church that meets these two criteria perfectly except for Hutterite colonies, and since most of them aren't particularly looking to attract new members, I'm not sure they would be of any use on this list.
Those of us involved with Church Index come from a variety of churches. We draw the lines at different places in our churches but we still promote the same principles. If we heard that a church was buying up stocks, buying up properties for investment purposes, allowing police to be part of the church, etc., we would likely un-list them.
This list tends to sort out the churches that we feel affinity with.
Stranger and pilgrim living, rather than conforming to the world.
Modest and simple attire, rather than revealing and fashionable clothes.
Head-covering for women, and not for men.
Not wearing jewelry or outward adornment, but adorning ourselves with good works.
Not swearing oaths, but radical truth-telling.
Marriage for life, not divorcing and remarrying.
Self-examination before communion, as well as collective discernment.
Committed local church life, and church discipline.
A community-based church model that shares with those in need.
