Tania Taylor enlisted in the United States Army along with her husband, Dean Taylor. They were stationed in West Germany during the Cold War, and during that time they came to believe in nonresistance and enemy love. She and her husband filed for conscientious objector status from the Army. After leaving the Army they joined a new church group with David Bercot. Tania tells of her childhood faith, her journey into and out of the Army, and her faith journey up to the present. Dean Taylor’s book, ...
Jun 26, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 273
The term “faith” in our English Bibles could often better be translated as allegiance—or so argues Matthew Bates. The term “allegiance” better captures both the authentic relational import of faith and its relationship to the royal gospel of Jesus, who is Christ the King. Taking seriously both the nature of the Gospel as a proclamation of kingship, and faith as a response of trusting loyalty, is a step toward the Christian unity for which Jesus prays. Matthew W. Bates (PhD, Notre Dame) is Profes...
Jun 19, 2025•53 min•Ep. 272
Hew Gregory-Smith was an Anglican vicar and missionary from the United Kingdom. Hew began a long journey of reexamining his beliefs after he encountered challenges to what he believed and taught. Eventually, this led him to the teachings of the Anabaptists, and he moved his family to Ireland to join a Mennonite church there. In this episode Hew shares his testimony of how he came to Christ, and why he made significant changes to his beliefs about church. This is the 271st episode of Anabaptist P...
Jun 12, 2025•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 271
A listener asked: “Which early church creeds can Anabaptists affirm?” Jaran, Marlin, and Reagan discuss how the Anabaptists have engaged with the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed. What did the early Anabaptists believe about the Creeds? The Complete Writings of Menno Simons: Anabaptism in Outline: Song II from the Ausbund : Lecture on the Trinity with David Bercot: Christina Moss’ statement about Anabaptists and creeds: 2024 Motion to Add the Nicene Creed to the Baptist Faith and Message: Ap...
Jun 05, 2025•24 min•Ep. 270
Fred Saldana was a US Marine during the Vietnam War whose platoon saw intense combat during the Tet Offensive and other significant battles throughout the war. Wounded many times and awarded multiple Purple Hearts, Fred eventually left the Marine Corp full of bitterness, trauma, and anger. For years afterwards he searched for meaning, and ultimately encountered Christianity. In this episode, Fred tells his story of coming to Christ and eventually coming to the belief in nonresistance. Disclaimer...
May 29, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 269
Do the debates about Christianity that stirred so much violence in the 1500’s still matter? Stephen Russell and Dean Taylor emphasize the importance of a believer’s church and the church refusing to adopt governmental power. “The same theology in similar circumstances will likely produce similar results” Love Is Like a Fire: Stephen Russell talks about Erasmus’s influence and legacy: Dean Taylor mention’s Chesterton’s story from Orthodoxy about an Englishman discovering England: This is the 268t...
May 22, 2025•43 min•Ep. 268
Jeff and Deana Swanson spent years searching the Scriptures to find what Christ was calling them to. They share their story of looking for a community that they could plug into, and how they came to the Anabaptist worldview. This is the 267th 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 or becom...
May 15, 2025•53 min•Ep. 267
The English Bible is a translation of manuscripts in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. How did we get the manuscripts that Bible translations use? Why do we see differences between different translations of the Bible, and should this concern us? Andrew Lamicela pulls from his experience as a teacher of biblical Greek to explore why biblical languages matter to us today. NET Bible: Biblical Language Center: biblingo: The Polis Institute: Episode on Bible Study: This is the 266th episode of Anabaptist P...
May 08, 2025•39 min•Ep. 266
Susie Coyne grew up in Slovakia and was part of the Gothic underground. She later became involved in New Age Spiritualism and other dark practices, and had no interest in Christianity. In this episode, Susie tells her story of how she came to see that every knew will bow to Jesus, and ultimately how her and her husband left the New Age world behind and instead followed Christ. Sounds Like Reign: Dunemore East Christian Fellowship: I Was Once a Jehovah’s Witness by David Bercot: This is the 265th...
May 01, 2025•52 min•Ep. 265
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Charles Moore joins us to discuss a radical picture of truthful, peaceable, subversive allegiance to Jesus. The conversation is framed around Stanley Hauerwas’s latest book which Moore helped him produce. Moore also reflects on the significance of Hauerwas’s work for his own Christian journey and for the American church. Get the book “Jesus Changes Everything” This is the 264th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel t...
Apr 24, 2025•47 min•Ep. 264
There are many forms of addiction. What causes it? How can we relate to those suffering from an addiction, and what are tools for dealing with addictions? Michael Hochstetler, a counseling that focuses on helping those trapped in addiction, gives insight into how we as individuals and churches can properly care and help those in addiction. Essays For King Jesus: This is the 263rd episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservativ...
Apr 17, 2025•36 min•Ep. 263
The hosts of Anabaptist Perspectives respond to concerns that some of our guests are “woke” (or associated terms). This term can be used to identify awareness of social dynamics, to advocate for specific agendas regarding gender and sexuality, or as a catch-all term of critique. The currently popular “anti-woke” movement brings its own set of dangers. How can we think well about these terms, and what do they mean? Lutheran and Mennonite Dialogue Summary: Action on the Legacy of Lutheran Persecut...
Apr 10, 2025•50 min•Ep. 262
Edsel Burdge walks us through plainness, starting with the Quakers, addressing concerns of plainness at various points of conservative Mennonite history, and makes a case for why considerations of plainness should matter to Christians today. Burdge thinks of plainness as an approach to life that identifies a person with God’s people while resisting pressures of wealth, consumerism, and sensuality. Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College: Ready to Harvest’s Video ...
Apr 03, 2025•48 min•Ep. 261
Trauma is complicated, with many different opinions and stigmas surrounding it. But what are basics all of us should know about trauma, to help us be more caring and gracious towards those that have experienced it? Michael Hochstetler is a counseling that speaks from his experience of helping those who have experienced trauma. Frank Reed Course: This is the 260th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life...
Mar 27, 2025•33 min•Ep. 260
How did Mennonite thinking develop in the two centuries after they arrived in North America? Edsel Burdge reflects on their concerns and the social conditions to which they responded. Shippensburg Christian Fellowship History Series: “Building on the Gospel Foundation” by Edsel Burdge and Samuel Horst: This is the 259th 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 ...
Mar 20, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 259
Romans 9 is often used as an example for predestination and Calvinism. But does Paul actually teach predestination? Or did Calvin miss something significant in this passage? David Bercot explores the challenges of free will versus predestination, and shows a framework for what Paul was communicating in Romans 9. David Bercot’s Romans commentary: David’s previous episode on Romans: This is the 258th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various asp...
Mar 13, 2025•54 min•Ep. 258
Saher Haddad was a nominal Christian in Baghdad. He fled Iraq as a refugee and settled in the Netherlands, where he lost his faith. Over time, Saher came back to Christ, and in this episode tells the story of his faith journey. Saher lives in the Netherlands with his family. Episode on the church in the Middle East: This is the 257th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought. Sign-up for our ...
Mar 06, 2025•46 min•Ep. 257
Romans is often considered one of the hardest and confusing books of the New Testament. What is Paul telling us through this complex book? David Bercot breaks down what the early church believed about the book of Romans before the time of Augustine, and why it matters to our understanding of Romans today. David Bercot’s Romans commentary: I Was An Anglican Priest. Here’s Why I Left: This is the 256th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various a...
Feb 27, 2025•53 min•Ep. 256
Communication is something we do every day. But why does communication matter, and why should we try to do it well? Rick Rhodes describes how this should inform our churches and the way we present the message God has given us, while also giving many practical tips for learning to communicate better. Rick Rhodes’ communication conference: This is the 255th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and tho...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 255
In this episode Matthijs Blom shares his journey of searching for a fellowship of likeminded believers. And sheds light on the state of the Anabaptist church in Europe. Episode with sister Judy: This is the 254th 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 or become a website partner to enjoy b...
Feb 13, 2025•35 min•Ep. 254
Supporting those suffering from mental illness is hard, complicated, and fraught with many opinions. Elizabeth shares some principles for how our communities can care for, and be gracious towards, those suffering from mental illness. Episode on Abuse in the Church: Trauma Informed Churches: This is the 253rd 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 w...
Feb 06, 2025•24 min•Ep. 253
The book of Revelation can be confusing. Knowing the context for all the amazing scenes is important. In this episode Paul Lamicela discusses key points in the book of Revelation that provide context for it’s entirety. Paul’s Previous Episodes: What is Galatians All About?: Stepping Into Scripture's Stories: How to Read Revelation & Avoid the Mark of the Beast: The Nation-State of Israel & the Church: Exile and the Storyline of the Bible: Jesus vs. the Politics of the Beast: Revelation, ...
Jan 30, 2025•52 min•Ep. 252
Conrad Grebel was a significant figure in the founding of the Anabaptist movement. Who was he? What did he teach that was so radical that it resulted in literal burnings at the stake? And how can his life and writings inform us today? Conrad Grebel: Son of Zurich book: Funeral Service for Harley Wagler: Episode with John Roth: This is the 251st episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought. Sign-...
Jan 23, 2025•51 min•Ep. 251
Tirzah Heinzel was born in Ireland to Irish and Swiss missionary parents. Due to their work in overseas missions, they never joined a local Irish church. Tirzah tells the story of her journey as an adult coming to embrace and commit to an Anabaptist church in Ireland. She discusses how she processed baptism, accountability, community, distinctive clothing, head coverings etc. in the process of seeking God’s will for her life. “It’s important to remember that ultimately God is in our story.” Epis...
Jan 16, 2025•39 min•Ep. 250
The rich imagery of Revelation contains a multitude of connections to the rest of the story of the Bible. Paul Lamicela helps us explore fascinating details in Revelation 21 and 22 to help us answer questions such as: Why is there no temple in heaven? or What are we supposed to learn from all the measurements John gives? Link to previous episode on how to read Revelation: Recommended commentary by Craig Keener: Recommended commentary by D.A. Carson and G.K. Beale: This is the 249th episode of An...
Jan 09, 2025•48 min•Ep. 249
Charlie Duke was the tenth man to walk on the moon as part of the Apollo 16 mission in 1972. It is an honor to have him on this episode as one of only twelve people in history to walk on the moon. But the story doesn’t end there; Charlie Duke came to Christ after his experience. Enjoy this special episode as we journey with Charlie on one of the greatest explorations ever lived. NASA images and videos used in this video are in the public domain. Official NASA page on Apollo 16 mission details Ch...
Jan 02, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 248
Glenn’s book Stephen Russel's Episode This is the 247th 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 or become a website partner to enjoy bonus content! Visit our YouTube channel or connect on Facebook . Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King Jesus Subscribe ...
Dec 26, 2024•19 min•Ep. 247
Elizabeth Vendley describes her life as a social worker, and how this work can serve our communities, churches, and people we interact with in daily life. What is social work, and how can it inform how we serve our communities? First episode with Elizabeth Episode with Gary Schrock Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content! Join us on Patreon or become a website partner to enjoy bonus content! Visit our YouTube channel or connect on Facebook . Read essays f...
Dec 19, 2024•31 min•Ep. 246
Yuriy Kravets was born in Ukraine behind the Iron Curtain, in the Soviet Union. His family emigrated to America, where they experienced many different church situations on a journey to finding a community to plug into. Yuriey explains the challenges and joys of following Christ’s leading to America, and ultimately back to Ukraine and beyond. This is the 245th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and...
Dec 12, 2024•44 min•Ep. 245
There are many different opinions about what God’s will is, and how to find it. Rick Rhodes gives principles and practical insight on how we can discover what God’s will is for us, and how this informs our walk with Christ. Rick Rhodes’ Sold Out Ministry This is the 244th 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 conten...
Dec 05, 2024•49 min•Ep. 244
