ChurchIndex.org

[Ernie]

ChurchIndex.org is a new online database of Plain Anabaptist and similar churches. US churches will include those whose church gatherings are in English as well as those that offer Spanish services and Spanish translation.

Church Index is a ministry with a vision for linking people in search of a church to a supportive community of believers and for facilitating connections with churches that are more isolated. There are many ministries, churches, and individuals who receive continuous requests from people who are looking for a church that is faithful to the teachings of Jesus. Our mission is to create and maintain a public database of Plain Anabaptist and similar churches from around the world who strive to live out the teachings of the New Testament and who recognize other churches with similar faith and practice as being part of the church of Jesus.

The Church Index website is created with a map, some location information, and a way to contact the churches that people may wish to visit. Additionally, Church Index provides churches, organizations, and individuals with a web code that they can embed on their own website.

We are using publicly available data, and also contacting various churches and fellowships to inquire about adding additional churches. If your church is already listed, you can make sure that the contact information is correct. If your church meets the Church Index criteria and is not listed in the database, you can submit that information on the Church Index website.

[Josh]

What are the criteria to be listed?

[Judas Maccabeus]

And where are you getting your data ? CLP will exclude BMS.

[Soloist]

One of the churches listed near where I live doesn’t exist.

[Ernie]

And where are you getting your data ? CLP will exclude BMS.

We are inquiring with BMA about using their database.

[Ernie]

One of the churches listed near where I live doesn’t exist.

send a note to church index.

[Ernie]

What are the criteria to be listed?

https://map.churchindex.org/church_criteria.php

[Josh]

Are you planning to exclude the Apostolic Christian churches and the Holdeman churches?

There are often the closest churches, or the closest reasonable option at all, to many people, especially in major cities.

Perhaps it would be possible to list them with an asterisk.

[Praxis+Theodicy]

What are the criteria to be listed?

https://map.churchindex.org/church_criteria.php

Is there a possibility to get clarification on the following points:

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.

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.

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 not lay up treasure on earth but rather lay up treasures in heaven.

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?

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.

[Ernie]

Are you planning to exclude the Apostolic Christian churches and the Holdeman churches?
There are often the closest churches, or the closest reasonable option at all, to many people, especially in major cities.
Perhaps it would be possible to list them with an asterisk.

This is yet to be determined. I like your suggestion.