Unwritten, yet commonly understood rules/standards/beliefs that your church has?

[Heirbyadoption]

For all of our recorded decisions and regulations on/against various pieces of technology, the Old Order group I grew up in (OGBB) has never had one on televisions.

[AndersonD]

For all of our recorded decisions and regulations on/against various pieces of technology, the Old Order group I grew up in (OGBB) has never had one on televisions.

Is there any legislation about music or the radio?

[Josh]

For all of our recorded decisions and regulations on/against various pieces of technology, the Old Order group I grew up in (OGBB) has never had one on televisions.

Is there any legislation about music or the radio?

Holdemans have never had any "legislation" (we would call it a "Conference Decision") on television either, and indeed never really had any guidance from the annual Deacons & Ministers' Meeting which is not binding like a conference decision on TV either. It is just something that obviously a Christian should not have in their home, nor partake of watching.

Overall the zeitgeist has switched from thinking objects need to be taught against to rather that certain uses should be taught against.

[mike]

You can't dye your hair blue

[RZehr]

Or green.

[mike]

Also, you can't roller skate in a buffalo herd.

[RZehr]

Also, you can't roller skate in a buffalo herd.

The closest, is skiing in a cattle herd. You just grab a tail with a firm two handed grip, get up to skiing speed, and wait until your foot hits a fresh cow pie.

[Heirbyadoption]

For all of our recorded decisions and regulations on/against various pieces of technology, the Old Order group I grew up in (OGBB) has never had one on televisions.

Is there any legislation about music or the radio?

The radio was a strong point of contention back in the early 1900s, but our Annual Conference voiced against it and it was never approved thereafter. Types of music were never really addressed, either, somewhat as a natural extension of the restrictions against the radio and musical instruments, though singing was always strongly encouraged.

[Ernie]

It's interesting how different Christian cultures develop.

In Colombia, S.A., there is a Christian group that practices non-violence, modest dress, head-covering for women, disciplined church life, etc. I don't think they have much written down. (And yes, believe it or not, they never had any influence from Anabaptists.

In most disciplined churches with these sorts of convictions, there is an invisible fence around the communion table. At communion time, a visitor finds out who is inside the fence and who is outside unless they find out through inquiry ahead of time.

At the church in Colombia, there is an actual waist-high chain link fence about 3/4 of the way back through the auditorium. Members sit in front of the fence, non-members and the excommunicated sit behind the fence. This may seem really bizarre but I have no problem with it.

Only Christians from other churches who meet the dress code can sit in front of the fence. The dress code for men is a red shirt and white/light pants and no red socks. (wearing red socks could give the impression that one is trampling underfoot the blood of Jesus.)

Some Nationwide Fellowship Mennonites visited the church and were allowed to sit in front of the fence wearing dark pants, since they were foreigners and unused to the church's customs.

Other neat things about this group of churches is that one of pastors try to check in with each member of the flock each day to make sure they are doing ok. Westerners might think this is overboard, but I love it. It is the opposite of what most pastors do that I am familiar with.

[barnhart]

I agree with Ernie, there is a lot of freedom on how to operate a church. The new testament has remarkably little instruction on such things.