Comparison of horse and buggy Anabaptists that are accepting of seekers

[Thomas_muntzer]

2) Delano TN type churches (also subgroup of Noah Hoover Mennonites?)
- More english because used to be Elmo Stoll Christian Community
- 3 communities in TN and 2 in AL
- Highly accepting of seekers, specific help to integrate such as teaching farm skills (1/3rd seeker background in some communities)
- Strict ordnung
- Lowest tech out of all Anabaptists


Yes, these seem to be specifically structured to integrate seekers, particularly with:

- Economic system structured around produce farming and a farm market
- Community land ownership where land is assigned to a family who moves in
- Semi-communal house ownership where people swap houses as their family sizes / needs change, which makes it much easier for seekers to move in close proximity as opposed to needing to try to buy possibly very expensive land
- The equivalent of a vocational "training program" where a family who moves in immediately has a job/work to do that is capable of sustaining themselves.
- Church services in English.
- The farm market gives lots of contact with the outside world, which can help seekers who struggle with feeling isolated.

My dad's cousin's best friends have lived next door on an adjacent parcel to one of these communities since before it existed, so they have watched the community from day 1. They often take their grandkids there (who would be my 2nd cousin's children). They speak very, very highly of it. The kids greatly enjoy their time there and playing with the other children there. I am very grateful my extended family has gotten to have such a positive experience of exposure to plain Anabaptist Christianity; it's particularly special and meaningful to me.

JohnH, do Delano-style churches allow any use of electricity? And regarding the internet is it not permitted for work-related matters outside the home?

[Neto]

I just had a telephone call from a Groffdale hose & buggy Mennonite, and he mentioned having heard a speaker from All-Nations Bible Translation. (I didn't ask if the meeting was in a Groffdale congregational meeting, or elsewhere.) I mention this because if they are interested in missionary efforts, then they are most likely also interested or involved in evangelism.

[JohnH]

JohnH, do Delano-style churches allow any use of electricity? And regarding the internet is it not permitted for work-related matters outside the home?

Yes. You can use AAs, AAAs, etc that you order from a Walnut Creek Foods catalog.

No Internet is used at all. They do use a pay phone that’s in Athens. Bring a roll of quarters.

All of their work / employment is generally provided by the community so there is no need for Internet for “work related matters”.

[JohnH]

I just had a telephone call from a Groffdale hose & buggy Mennonite, and he mentioned having heard a speaker from All-Nations Bible Translation. (I didn't ask if the meeting was in a Groffdale congregational meeting, or elsewhere.) I mention this because if they are interested in missionary efforts, then they are most likely also interested or involved in evangelism.

They are. They are just not interested in following the American evangelical formula for doing so.

[Neto]

I just had a telephone call from a Groffdale hose & buggy Mennonite, and he mentioned having heard a speaker from All-Nations Bible Translation. (I didn't ask if the meeting was in a Groffdale congregational meeting, or elsewhere.) I mention this because if they are interested in missionary efforts, then they are most likely also interested or involved in evangelism.

They are. They are just not interested in following the American evangelical formula for doing so.

From what I've read of their newsletters, neither does All-Nations Bible Translation, so I suppose it's a good fit for them, unless they oppose the formal education necessary to do that kind of work.

[MennoSimons1998]

How do the Old Colony Mennonites in Bolivia and Paraguay, and the Sommerfeld-Bergthal Mennonites in Paraguay see seekers who fully comprehend the Bible in High German, and are willing to learn Plautdietsch to join their community?

[JohnH]

How do the Old Colony Mennonites in Bolivia and Paraguay, and the Sommerfeld-Bergthal Mennonites in Paraguay see seekers who fully comprehend the Bible in High German, and are willing to learn Plautdietsch to join their community?

It would be so uncommon that every person would be a unique situation.

[lmcdoss]

How do the Old Colony Mennonites in Bolivia and Paraguay, and the Sommerfeld-Bergthal Mennonites in Paraguay see seekers who fully comprehend the Bible in High German, and are willing to learn Plautdietsch to join their community?

The old colony mennonites don't allow it, you need to be plautdietsch by birth.

[JohnH]

How do the Old Colony Mennonites in Bolivia and Paraguay, and the Sommerfeld-Bergthal Mennonites in Paraguay see seekers who fully comprehend the Bible in High German, and are willing to learn Plautdietsch to join their community?

The old colony mennonites don't allow it, you need to be plautdietsch by birth.

Is this actually the case?

[MennoSimons1998]

How do the Old Colony Mennonites in Bolivia and Paraguay, and the Sommerfeld-Bergthal Mennonites in Paraguay see seekers who fully comprehend the Bible in High German, and are willing to learn Plautdietsch to join their community?

The old colony mennonites don't allow it, you need to be plautdietsch by birth.

Is this actually the case?

Also very curious to know about this, first time that I hear such a thing, not even OO Amish in the US prohibit converts, permanently joining OO Anabaptist communities is something extremely rare and difficult yes, but not completely prohibited.