Seekers: what are the important questions?

[MaxPC]

This is a thread for the personal perspectives of those Brethren, Mennonites, Anabaptists who are currently active in their faith and fellowship. No politics nor denominational slagging, please.

When a seeker (who seeks a Biblically adherent church) begins to explore Anabaptist fellowships, what are the important questions for him to ask?

The obvious ones are whether there is obedience to Biblical marriage and God’s design of man and woman. What other questions would you deem to be important to ask?

Any other advice to seekers?

I am not qualified at the moment to give an opinion but curious as to what is meant by a 'seeker' ? I understand a 'seeker' could be a person who is currently not a born again Christian or a 'seeker' could already be a born again Christian but is exploring Anabaptist fellowships looking for a home church.

Well both, actually. Of late I am seeing a huge exodus from mainline protestant denoms. Some have mentioned an interest in Anabaptists. Whether these individuals are truly born again, I cannot say, only God can.

[Josh]

This is a thread for the personal perspectives of those Brethren, Mennonites, Anabaptists who are currently active in their faith and fellowship. No politics nor denominational slagging, please.

When a seeker (who seeks a Biblically adherent church) begins to explore Anabaptist fellowships, what are the important questions for him to ask?

The obvious ones are whether there is obedience to Biblical marriage and God’s design of man and woman. What other questions would you deem to be important to ask?

Any other advice to seekers?

I am not qualified at the moment to give an opinion but curious as to what is meant by a 'seeker' ? I understand a 'seeker' could be a person who is currently not a born again Christian or a 'seeker' could already be a born again Christian but is exploring Anabaptist fellowships looking for a home church.

Well both, actually. Of late I am seeing a huge exodus from mainline protestant denoms. Some have mentioned an interest in Anabaptists. Whether these individuals are truly born again, I cannot say, only God can.

The average mainline Protestant church looks like the waiting room of a geriatric specialist. Churches that are thriving and have young families and youth are all exiting the creaking, failing liberal denominational hierarchies. I am not surprised at all to here what you are saying above.

Have you met any who have moved to Catholicism? I met a few last year, most interestingly from Episcopalianism and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

[MaxPC]

I am not qualified at the moment to give an opinion but curious as to what is meant by a 'seeker' ? I understand a 'seeker' could be a person who is currently not a born again Christian or a 'seeker' could already be a born again Christian but is exploring Anabaptist fellowships looking for a home church.

Well both, actually. Of late I am seeing a huge exodus from mainline protestant denoms. Some have mentioned an interest in Anabaptists. Whether these individuals are truly born again, I cannot say, only God can.

The average mainline Protestant church looks like the waiting room of a geriatric specialist. Churches that are thriving and have young families and youth are all exiting the creaking, failing liberal denominational hierarchies. I am not surprised at all to here what you are saying above.

Have you met any who have moved to Catholicism? I met a few last year, most interestingly from Episcopalianism and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

There were so many fleeing the Anglican and Episcopalian denoms and converting to Catholicism that an Anglican Ordinariate was created by the Pope.

The mainline prots expressing an interest in Anabaptists are from the Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians. Perhaps a few smaller groups.

[Josh]

I met a fellow whose dad was an Episcopalian priest (and married, obviously). His entire church switched to being Catholic and they were in that special ordinariate, and the one of the very few married priests not in the Eastern rites.

[MaxPC]

I met a fellow whose dad was an Episcopalian priest (and married, obviously). His entire church switched to being Catholic and they were in that special ordinariate, and the one of the very few married priests not in the Eastern rites.

Indeed, there have been a number of High Church clergy who were RE-ordained into the Anglican Catholic Ordinariate. There have been former Lutheran priests who also converted and were RE-ordained as Catholic priests.

[Ernie]

Thank you, OJ: primarily I have in mind the questions that a seeker should/would ask.
Anabaptism is a diversified praxis: an entity of many flavors. I am seeking your input in order to help a seeker to ask the right questions.

I am thinking that many seekers come in with the idea that you are all Amish or plain in some way. Of course we know that the reality of Anabaptist praxis is not that at all.

Ok. I missed the intent of the OP. I'll try again.

1. Where do you all fall on the spectrum presented in this paper?
https://churchplantersforum.org/wp-cont ... People.pdf

2. Are you focused on outreach or is most of your church's energy going toward internal maintenance?

3. What reasons have people given for leaving your church? What will happen to me and what will be said about me if I join and then later leave this church?

4. Does your church have any success in integrating people who did not grow up in the church?

5. Who do the leaders in your church submit to in day-to-day function and do they willingly and voluntarily give account of their life and ministry.

[ABC 123]

1. How do you feel about water divination and alternative medicine, especially Eastern mystism (only asked in such a way that everyone understands the question and the answer).

2. When was the last time anyone tried integrating into this church from somewhere else and where are they now?

3. Is my not speaking Pennsylvania Dutch going to be an ongoing issue with the people here?

[steve-in-kville]

This is one of those "can of worms" type things. Every church is gonna have their "warts" so to speak. How leadership acknowledges that and deals with it is key. Is it swept under the rug? Is it a subject that cannot be spoken of? Is there a cover story for the situation? All that comes to mind....

To that end, and not to discourage a young seeker, if something seems really off.... get out. The saying that "love is blind" comes to mind here and that ignoring deep issues over superficial stuff is a big mistake.

Sorry to crash the party.

[MaxPC]

This is one of those "can of worms" type things. Every church is gonna have their "warts" so to speak. How leadership acknowledges that and deals with it is key. Is it swept under the rug? Is it a subject that cannot be spoken of? Is there a cover story for the situation? All that comes to mind....

To that end, and not to discourage a young seeker, if something seems really off.... get out. The saying that "love is blind" comes to mind here and that ignoring deep issues over superficial stuff is a big mistake.

Sorry to crash the party.

You did not crash it, Steve. You make an excellent case for the role of the Holy Spirit speaking to us via instinct and intuition. Giving the seeker questions to ask will also provide him with an opportunity to observe the reaction to the question both in words and body language.