Anabaptist Perspectives

Anabaptist Perspectives episodes:

• 06.27.2024

  Were the Old Testament Saints Wicked?

  How are we to read the Old Testament when it describes things that are so evil compared to how we are called to live today? Stephen Russell outlines the concept of “uplift through covenant”, and explains how through the story...

  
• 06.20.2024

  Can I Lose My “Ticket to Heaven”?

  We should not see salvation as a single event, John Coblentz says, but as God’s ongoing work. Focusing on a time when we “made a decision” or “went forward” in response to an invitation or “prayed the sinners prayer” can...

  
• 06.13.2024

  The Forgotten Eastward Spread of the Gospel

  For hundreds of years, the Middle East was home to a thriving church network. Who were these people? What can we learn from them? Lucas Hilty explains a largely forgotten piece of the church’s history, and brings out lessons for...

  
• 06.06.2024

  The Commitment of Forgiveness

  Roseanne Bauman offers a definition of forgiveness, looks at an example of forgiveness from the Bible, and speaks about her own story of forgiveness. Forgiveness requires a commitment to not dwell on the injury mentally, to not bring it up...

  
• 05.30.2024

  The Bible Around the World

  In the West, we have abundant access to the Bible. But in many parts of the world, believers and sometimes even pastors don’t have access to God’s Word. Tony High shares about the power of the Scriptures in places that...

  
• 05.23.2024

  Do Bad Churches Glorify God?

  John Coblentz writes, “The church in its current state is not always glorious to us. We are still imperfect - our music is at times off-key, our theology is at times wide of the mark, and our interactions with each...

  
• 05.16.2024

  War, Politics, and the Patient Faithfulness of God’s People

  We’re seeing growing conflict once again in the Middle East, with America and its allies getting more involved. How should we be thinking about it? How do we avoid the temptation to take sides and think of this in patriotic...

  
• 05.09.2024

  How God Intends Churches to Exhibit His Glory

  God’s Assembly (”Church”), says John Coblentz, is to show God’s glory, not just to people but to the principalities and powers. We should see local churches within the bigger picture of what God is doing in gathering a people. John...

  
• 05.06.2024

  24SR02 draft

  This is the xxxth episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.  Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content! Join us on Patreon...

  
• 05.02.2024

  The Trinity, the Early Church, and Contemporary Critics

  This is a lecture that was recorded at a ministry training event. David Bercot focused on how to explain the Trinity to those who are not Christians. Watch David's episode on how he was once a Jehovah’s Witness Bercot’s further...

  
• 04.18.2024

  The Nation-State of Israel and the Church

  How should we view the current nation of Israel, and how does it relate to the church today? Paul Lamicela takes us through Scripture to explain how we should relate to the current Israeli nation, Jesus as the King of...

  
• 04.04.2024

  How to Read Revelation and Avoid the Mark of the Beast

  How should we read the Book of Revelation? What is apocalyptic literature, and how does the first century context help us better understand this book? And what is the Mark of the Beast? Paul Lamicela answers these questions and much...

  
• 03.21.2024

  Surprising Things About the Mennonites

  Samantha shares the tidbits and quirks that surprised her in joining the Mennonite world. What are some of the unexpected cultural elements within the Mennonite church that are often confusing to those coming from the outside? For example, what is...

  
• 03.07.2024

  I Became an Anglican Priest. Here’s Why I Left.

  David Bercot explains why he was an Anglican priest, why apostolic succession was initially convincing, and how he ultimately left and joined the Anabaptists. What is it about the High Church traditions that are appealing? How does this fit with...

  
• 02.22.2024

  Is “Mennonite” a Faith Culture or an Ethnic Culture?

  The Anabaptist movement began and continues to have high ideals. Often the people who are attracted also have high ideals. Samantha speaks from her experience as one who did not grow up among Mennonites and the challenges of joining the...

  
• 02.08.2024

  The Historical Jesus and the Risen Christ

  Who is Jesus? Dale Eby reviews basic historical claims most scholars would agree on whether or not they are believers. He presses into the question of what it means to know the risen Christ. This is the 207th episode of...

  
• 01.25.2024

  Microfinance, Evangelism, and Discipleship

  Amata Thomas, a bishop for Christian Believers Fellowship, discusses how business and finance training can integrate with discipleship and evangelism. He explains how Open Hands, the ministry that he works for, coordinates savings groups where participants support each other in...

  
• 01.11.2024

  How Do We Live Well in a World of AI?

  In this roundtable conversation, Reagan, Marlin, and Kyle discuss artificial intelligence, what that means for life in the church, and to live well in a world of AI generated content and conversations. Is AI actually intelligent? How is it helpful?...

  
• 01.04.2024

  How Can the Anabaptist Vision Flourish?

  There are signs of impending death. How can we live the vision? Chester Weaver shares threats to the Christian vitality of Anabaptism and calls us to steady faithfulness. Harold Bender books Mennonite Experience in America Series Smith’s Story of the...

  
• 12.28.2023

  Why Care about Apologetics?

  Jesus appealed to prophecies and to his “works” do call people to faith in him. Peter and Paul used apologetic methods suited for their audiences. Daniel Yoder thoughtfully introduces a few topics and methods of Christian apologetics (from the Greek...

  
• 12.14.2023

  Peacemaking in Business

  What should a business owner do when your customers try to take advantage and cheat you? Gary Schrock started a business building roof and floor systems in 2006 and tells of his experiences working with difficult customers, how to...

  
• 11.30.2023

  Serving Christ among Anglicans, Mennonites, & More

  Sister Judy was converted at 26. She shares her Christian life story. Why does she wear a habit? What has she learned from varied church settings? Sister Judy encourages us to find deeper life in Christ and fellowship with the...

  
• 11.16.2023

  Joining and Leading an Anabaptist Church

  {Note: Tuesday Nov. 28 is the Annual Giving Tuesday event. Your Giving Tuesday donations help support our remaining income budget need for 2023. For our part of Giving Tuesday, all Partner bonus content is freely available on our website...

  
• 11.02.2023

  Integrating into a New Church Community

  Integration into a new church community does not happen automatically and often comes with difficulty. What does it take to successfully put deep roots into a new community? Melvin Lehman brings pastoral experience to questions from audience members and asks...

  
• 10.19.2023

  Why I Read My Text 10 Times before Preaching

  To preach is to explain the Scripture and apply it to the life of the hearer. Paul Emerson calls those preaching to study, to pray, and to present the results simply so Scripture can speak to the listener. Paul gives...

  
• 10.05.2023

  Redemption & the Impact of Abortion

  God can bring redemption after abortion. Dale Eby speaks from his many conversations with women (and occasionally the men involved) who are considering abortion, feel pressured toward abortion, or who have had an abortion. This is the 197th episode of...

  
• 09.21.2023

  Suffering, Growth, and Resurrection

  Suffering, from a worldly perspective, is meaningless. Dale Eby walks us through perspectives on suffering and redemption while acknowledging the hard realities that we don’t know how to respond to. What is the cause of suffering? How does God use...

  
• 09.07.2023

  Why the Church Educates

  We educate for reading the scripture and for service. Paul Emerson urges us to educate for eternity. Children getting good jobs or going to college is not the central aim (though it is not excluded). Since all wisdom and knowledge...

  
• 08.24.2023

  “The Earth Is the Lord’s” in Global Anabaptism

  From the beginning, the phrase “The Earth Is the Lord’s” seized the imagination of Anabaptists. John Roth unpacks the powerful resonances of this phrase in the 16th century and calls us to see its contemporary significance for the global Anabaptist...

  
• 08.10.2023

  Should Churches Build a Culture?

  A viewer asks: “Does Jesus really call us as His children to build anything?......an identity, a structure, or a culture or rather to simply align ourselves with what He has already promised us He would build in and through His...

  
• 07.27.2023

  Growing into Spiritual Maturity

  Freedom comes from mature integrity. Chester Weaver explains we can only relate well to others when we are honest with ourselves, others, and God and guided by God’s Spirit. This is the 192nd episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog,...

  
• 07.13.2023

  What Kind of Community Do We Need?

  What kind of community should Christians cultivate? Melvin Lehman argues that particular Christian communities should be shaped by shared values, shared geography, shared goals, and shared commitments. This includes submitting to brotherhood decisions. But it must be framed within the...

  
• 06.29.2023

  Fostering Faith While Honoring Questions

  Doubt is not a sin and questions are not always doubt. Questions and doubts should spur us to dig deeper in the appropriate areas, be our struggle factual, philosophical, emotional or volitional. Daniel gives practical encouragement for each dimension of...

  
• 06.15.2023

  Doubt is not Sin. It is Temptation.

  How does a struggling believer find reassurance? Daniel Yoder discusses four categories of doubt: factual, philosophical, emotional and volitional. In dealing with any of these we need to investigate the truth.  The power is not in the strength of our...

  
• 06.01.2023

  Emphases in Anabaptist Views of Church

  How do God’s people compose the church? How do they relate to society? What is salvation? Chester Weaver explains how he sees Anabaptists navigating these questions.  The quotation from Frank Reed This is the 188th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a...

  
• 05.18.2023

  Two Views of Community

  How can Christians think about and practice community well? Kyle Stoltzfus describes two perspectives that orthodox Christians have represented, the Evangelical view and the "resident aliens” view. Kyle looks at the strengths and weaknesses of both perspectives and encourages us...

  
• 05.04.2023

  What is the Anabaptist Vision?

  Anabaptists easily outline high ideals. Living them is a continuing challenge which we need to embrace. Chester Weaver articulates a version of the Anabaptist Vision and the challenges to living it out. Chester adapts themes from Harold Bender’s “The Anabaptist...

  
• 04.20.2023

  Dualism and the Birth of Anabaptism

  We are tempted to divide life and exempt parts from Christ’s rule. Chester Weaver decry’s these various dualisms as deadly threats to Christian life. Unless profession and behavior come together, unless work and worship unite, unless our Christianity affects our...

  
• 04.06.2023

  Spiritual Value of Risk & Failure

  How can Christians see risks and even failure as beneficial? Kyle Stoltzfus encourages us to embrace paths where we don't know the outcome and leave growth and increase up to God. We should remember that, “There is a God. I'm...

  
• 03.23.2023

  Salvation as Participating with God

  Salvation is not a ticket to heaven, but the life of God planted in human hearts. The Holy Spirit brings us into God’s life and enables us to do His work in the world. Chester Weaver explains this through various...

  
• 03.09.2023

  Responding to Abuse: Past and Present

  Anabaptists, like most of American society, are much more conscious of abuse than we were a few decades ago. There have been improvements in how we respond. There have also been changes in our response that are not necessarily for...

  
• 02.23.2023

  What if My Friend is Abused?

  Someone discloses abuse. How do I respond? Roseanne Bauman urges us to honor their courage in speaking, to listen well and talk little, and to connect them to someone who has appropriate experience to walk with them. This is the...

  
• 02.09.2023

  Should We Celebrate Anabaptist Beginnings?

  Is it unhealthy to celebrate something that lifts up individuals or that marks a division among believers? How do we view Anabaptist history in relation to other Christian traditions? Long-time Mennonite historian John Roth calls us to “right remembering” of...

  
• 01.26.2023

  Union with Christ or Gospel of Sin Management?

  The gospel is about all that God created us to be. Not just managing sin, but living life with God and ruling creation with Him. Without downplaying the barrier of our sin that is overcome in Jesus’ death and resurrection,...

  
• 01.12.2023

  Stepping into Scripture’s Stories

  “We don’t get to choose what story we are living in, but we can choose what character we will be.” New Testament scholar Paul Lamicela helps us see ourselves in the story of Lot’s family in Sodom and the story...

  
• 12.29.2022

  War Prayer by Mark Twain

  Twain’s biting satire exposes the temptation to think God is on “our side” of a war. Sadly, Mark Twain himself was not a believer, but his insight into Christian hypocrisy and the perversions that come with tying religion to nationalist...

  
• 12.15.2022

  Biblical Interpretation and Church Offense

   “There is nothing, nothing harder to do in my life than church.” Dean Taylor responds to audience comments on deep disappointment with Anabaptism and on difficulties in understanding the bible due to textual complications and lack of historical context. We...

  
• 12.01.2022

  Relearning the Kingdom through Humble Mission

  How can we engage in mission as “little Christs” and not as Americans? Kai Steinman and Rebekah Mui encourage us “learn Christ” in His humility, service, and laying down of Himself. Christ, when He is lifted up, will draw people...

  
• 11.17.2022

  How Empire and Colonialism Perverted Missions

  Western missions were tied to imperialism and colonialism. Kai Steinman and Rebekah Mui discuss the interweaving of empire, Christendom, and mission with all its dark sides. At the same time, they call our attention to the beauty of Christ’s kingdom...

  
• 11.03.2022

  Public Policy and Immigration

  Are Christians naïve to advocate accepting immigration? Staff members, Jaran Miller, Reagan Schrock, and Marlin Sommers respond to listener comments and discuss pertinent biblical teaching and practical realities. Also, a listener asked how to access our videos...