Comments on: A Serious Discussion: A Second Attempt

By: kn

kn — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:39:56 +0000

Interesting! Thank you for taking the time to write this! Internal, for-real, obvious change is of the Holy Spirit and glorifies God, not any man. It cannot be forced or invented by man, just as physical life can only come from God. My family tried for many years to “fit in” to the conservative Menno. church as did many others. Just didn’t work! Some of your own may leave because they get disgruntled with the church standards, but may I venture to say, that I doubt few of these people “from the world” leave because they are sick and tired of cape dresses and straight cut suit jackets! However by the time all is said and done and they have been sufficiently traumitized, the sight of one might send them running for cover! How sad…so many “good” people…so much religion…too little relationship. Oh Heavenly Father, help us to hurt with your hurt, with the hurts of those around us! Help us to know Your heart, and love with Your love! And one more thing, dear fellow Christians, let us pray for the carnage left by the wayside…and may God deliver us from our self-rightiousness, me first of all!

By: prettyclosehome

prettyclosehome — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 04:41:32 +0000

There is an old saying that goes something like this - “Even an Indian wouldn’t shoot down another wounded Indian.” So my l-o-n-g standing question is as a former-Beachy-but-now-Mennonite is this - Why are our “wounded” shot down and not helped up???

By: MJS

MJS — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 04:40:42 +0000

Pleased to know there are other “Beachys” out there who care about the walls of culture we’ve put up. I left the Beachys mainly because of this very thing. (Now attend nondenominational church.) For years, I watched “non-Mennonites” come & go. Usually, by the time they left they were angry & I couldn’t blame them.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:58:16 +0000

HI HBB email me when you see this!

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:56:25 +0000

The HBB is my brother. “OUCH!” HA HA! Figure that out. Anyway our mother is not a “Beachy” or “Mennonite” and never will be, even though she has gone to a “Beachy” church for over 30 years. For you see, “Beachys” and “Mennonites” are born. Just as Japanese, Mexicans, and Americans will always be Japanese, Mexicans, Or Americans, so “Beachys” and “Mennonites” will always be “Beachys” or “Mennonites”. And “Non-Mennonites” Never will BECOME “Mennonites” just as “Non-Beachys” never will BECOME “Beachys”. I Could write lots more, but will close with that. Are there any “Testimonies” or “Announcements”,………………………………………………………………….. if not let’s stand for prayer.

By: HBB

HBB — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:43:35 +0000

An excellent point! And that is the final test.

By: Stoltz13

Stoltz13 — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 19:04:36 +0000

“We would reach them if we were a little less self-righteous.”

I’ve been left thinking… what are you doing to change this in your own life?

At least that is the question I have to ask myself.

By: Josh Champagne

Josh Champagne — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 01:25:31 +0000

Good thoughts… I don’t find all your writings to be so inspiring, but this post is good.

To be changed from the inside by the person and life of Jesus Christ and to effectively live in this world and communicate to others the love of Christ is a staggering challenge and no one of us has all the answers. As a non-Menno/Amish background individual who has joined the conservative Mennonite crowd, I’ve found some of the negative things you mentioned true, however I see a change for the better in many, as we become more culturally agnostic and define more clearly what it means to be a disciple of Christ wherever we are regardless of culture, language, ethnicity or other factors that have no bearing on eternity.

By: NB

NB — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 19:30:54 +0000

RIGHT! AMEN! It’s great to see it verbalized so plainly… things I have thought about and wrestled with for a long time. Thank you!

By: Karen Humphries

Karen Humphries — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:01:00 +0000

Hello — haven’t “talked” with you for awhile! How are you? I just wanted to say that I really liked this post — that’s what the Lord’s been telling me for years and years! If the heart doesn’t change, nothing else will!

Hope you’re doing well.