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 paired ideas. “Truth walks on two legs.” This is the 183rd 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...
Mar 23, 2023•48 min•Ep. 183
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 the better. Roseanne Bauman describes the way individuals and churches tended to respond in the past and comments on how responses in our communities have shifted. Becoming a Church That Cares Well for the Abused: https://www.churchcares.com/ Godly Response to Abuse in...
Mar 09, 2023•18 min•Ep. 182
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 first in a series of two episodes where Jaran Miller interviews Roseanne about responding to sexual abuse. Becoming a Church That Cares Well for the Abused Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment Anabaptist Awareness Symposium on Sexual Abuse This is the 181...
Feb 23, 2023•20 min•Ep. 181
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 history, the good, the bad, and the mixed. There is much to celebrate in Anabaptism past and present, but we do well to recognize the shadow sides of our strengths as well as what we have received from other traditions. Learn more about Anab...
Feb 09, 2023•41 min•Ep. 180
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, Kyle Stoltzfus urges us to see the large, rich picture that God has in mind for our living “in Christ.” In light of that, our practical struggle against sinful actions, becomes a fight for our true selves which are found in Christ. The phrase "gospel of sin management" and the...
Jan 26, 2023•24 min•Ep. 179
“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 of David and Goliath. (Hint, we are not primarily David or Goliath in that story!) Also discussed is how Jesus saw Himself in the story of Israel in the wilderness. If you enjoyed this episode, check out Paul’s stimulating overview of Galatians. Redeemed from the Present Evil Age — YouTube...
Jan 12, 2023•24 min•Ep. 178
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 or imperial causes is well worth listening to. Let’s follow the Lord of peace and flee all attempts to enlist God in human war-mongering. The War Prayer is in the public domain and the text can be found online. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_War_Prayer This i...
Dec 29, 2022•15 min•Ep. 177
“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 will often be surprised at the results if we are willing to be humbly and honestly up front with our church leaders. Dean also argues for the trustworthiness of what is known as the “Majority Text” or “Byzantine Text” of the New Testament. The...
Dec 15, 2022•20 min•Ep. 176
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 to Himself. While our guests acknowledge the dangers of empire and arrogance, they encourage all who reach out in humility for the sake of Christ. “Empire is a culture just as much as the kingdom of God is a cultural” “Good solders will be there with bread and firewood a...
Dec 01, 2022•21 min•Ep. 175
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 shining among the ashes. The China Mirage by James Bradley The Way of the Cross by Guy Hershberger Rebekah discusses and quotes extensively from Hershberger’s book in this essay . Stuart Murray, “After Christendom: Does the Label Matter?” Find more o...
Nov 17, 2022•21 min•Ep. 174
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 without using YouTube. See below for links to our Telegram/CloudVeil channels. Jesus, a Refugee by Josh Nisly Anabaptists and Muslims by Dean Taylor: Cultivating Spiritual Creativity by Reagan Schrock: Anabaptist Perspectives Telegram Cha...
Nov 03, 2022•17 min•Ep. 173
How can we see Bible study as a tangible way to know God? Kristi Mast shares how she moved from intimidation at Bible study to delight in seeing God through scripture. She also reflects on cultural factors that can make serious biblical engagement more difficult for women in conservative circles. She calls all of us to study the Bible together in our pursuit of knowing God. This is the 172nd episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of...
Oct 20, 2022•18 min•Ep. 172
Galatians is about God’s New Creation, as Paul Lamicela helps us see. This episode probes major themes in Galatians in light of Jesus bringing the newness that redeems us from the present evil age. For much more detail listen to Paul’s four espisode series on the Think Truth podcast https://think-truth.org/2022/01/18/galatians-series-the-big-picture/ https://think-truth.org/2022/01/31/galatians-series-the-spirit-church-rules-and-culture/ https://think-truth.org/2022/02/09/galatians-series-abraha...
Oct 06, 2022•21 min•Ep. 171
The internet is an “attention economy.” Websites sell your attention to advertisers and use sophisticated algorithms to personalize your feed. Myron Eby and Verlon Miller discuss the downsides of an internet built around selling ads, and encourage us toward some ways to combat those dangers by intentionally seeking good sources of information. 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked Triston Harris – Center for Humane...
Sep 22, 2022•27 min•Ep. 170
What is Digital Minimalism? Does it describe conservative Anabaptist groups? Verlon Miller and Myron Eby discuss Mennonite and Amish hesitations about new information technology and the pros and cons of churches choosing to selectively adopt new technologies. Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport This is the 169th 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...
Sep 08, 2022•22 min•Ep. 169
Does internet filtering work? Is it just a cop-out from the hard work of cultivating a pure heart? Verlon Miller and Myron Eby discuss various tools designed to protect us from the dark side of the internet. They also discuss these tools in relation to the role of community and also guarding our hearts. This is the 168th 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...
Aug 25, 2022•15 min•Ep. 168
Does communion involve the literal body of Jesus? Does baptism save us? Dean Taylor addresses listener comments regarding baptism and the Lord’s supper. These questions were responses to Dean’s episode “The Essence of Anabaptism” in which he emphasized believing scripture “without a complicated interpretation.” Some viewers argued that doesn’t fit with Anabaptist views of communion and baptism. You can view these and other comments, as well as the original episode on YouTube . This is the 167th ...
Aug 11, 2022•28 min•Ep. 167
As our board and staff were together recently, we hammered out a vision statement. “Using digital media to encourage allegiance to Jesus’s sacrificial kingdom.” We also discussed operation improvements. Until now we have run this podcast by seasons and currently we are in Season 4. Going forward, we will not be using seasons. We will instead release episodes biweekly and avoid extensive season breaks. With more time between episodes, this is a good chance to check out our other podcast. “ Essays...
Aug 04, 2022•3 min
[Note: After this episode, we will be shifting to a biweekly release schedule.] One YouTube commenter wrote: “In the Anabaptist worldview, we value community above almost everything else. We are often even reluctant to discuss controversial Bible passages for fear of disrupting our sense of community. In the academic world, on the other hand, promoting, debating, and defending your own controversial views is an essential skill.” This was only one of the comments left on Vince Beiler’s episode “D...
Jul 28, 2022•25 min•Season 4Ep. 166
A listener commented “I love the theology and cannot stand the exclusivity” in reference to John’s episode “ The Kingdom of God in Anabaptist Thought .” John affirms the existence of other Kingdom Christians. His comments also clarify what he means by Kingdom theology. We are to be a city set on a hill, which is a light to the world as a community, not just as individuals. We are to be a society of the redeemed demonstrating what the world should look like. This is the 165th episode of Anabaptis...
Jul 21, 2022•8 min•Season 4Ep. 165
Whether, it’s a Sunday school lesson, topic, or sermon, teaching scripture can feel overwhelming. Verlon Miller gives helpful tools and pointers from years of preaching experience. Verlon calls us to diligence in study, whenever we have the opportunity to share. Tools discussed include cross-references, commentaries, and simple software. This is the 164th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and tho...
Jul 14, 2022•19 min•Season 4Ep. 164
Should Christians “own” all of church history? How do evil things done by those who take the name of Christ relate to us? And switching gears, how does one become Mennonite? What if I want to be Anabaptist but there is no congregation near me? Jaran, Marlin, and Reagan discuss these questions that were posed on earlier episodes. Listen to Allen Roth’s discussion of what to do when there is no Mennonite Church. (This episode was released on Patreon and as Partner content on our website. You can s...
Jul 07, 2022•17 min•Season 4Ep. 163
Why do some church plants fail? How can an older church help start a new church? Allen Roth speaks from experience and observation. Church planting calls for much prayer, clear vision, and a whole lot of practical steps and hard work. Suggested Resources Ten Most Common Mistakes Made by Church Starts by Griffith and Easum [affiliate link] Global Church Planting by Ott and Wilson [affiliate link] Discovering Church Planting by J.D. Payne [affiliate link] Planting Churches that Reproduce by Joel C...
Jun 30, 2022•26 min•Season 4Ep. 162
The church planter is like a rubber tire between the bumpers of two vehicles. Allen Roth describes the challenge of operating with integrity and with respect for both the sending culture and receptor culture while engaged in cross-cultural evangelism. Allen describes what he sees as Anabaptist core values, noting how we can easily be blind to our own spiritual heritage and to how we are shaped by our own culture. He also points us to key passages for cross cultural ministry such as Acts 3, Acts ...
Jun 23, 2022•25 min•Season 4Ep. 161
“How does one plant churches, teaching people to obey clear commands of Scripture that go in the opposite direction of many accepted norms of prevailing culture?” Allen Roth doesn’t stop with asking the difficult questions, but pushes us to be confident in scripture, humble in our understanding, and devoted to knowing scripture. “The Holy Spirit can’t bring to our memory scriptures we don’t know. This episode develops themes from Allen’s essay “Planting an Anabaptist Church in a City” which you ...
Jun 16, 2022•19 min•Season 4Ep. 160
Our founders, Reagan and Jaran, tell the story of Anabaptist Perspectives from their perspective. Why they started, humor and encouragement along the way, and what keeps them excited five years in. As they say in the episode, we are especially grateful for all of you who have sustained this ministry with your gifts. Recommended Resources: Plough Publishing House Life Together Podcast “A Change of Allegiance” on YouTube “A Change of Allegiance” on DVDs at Scroll Publishing The first episodes we f...
Jun 09, 2022•34 min•Season 4Ep. 159
We should learn from monks and nuns. Monastics were responsible for the revival of agriculture, in addition to schools, libraries, and hospitals. These works of service accompanied their focus on the interior life and recovering personal wholeness. Stephen reminds us of the origins of monasticism in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 7 and 1 Timothy 5:9-12), and highlights the possibility that those who served a celibate calling helped bring the rest of the church back closer to God’s original des...
Jun 02, 2022•18 min•Season 4Ep. 158
Kristi Mast highlights women, past and present, who have inspired her. As the conversation progresses, she highlights the power of reading scripture congregationally. Then she offers a brief review of egalitarian and complementarian ideologies in contemporary Christianity. Kristi encourages women to see themselves first as disciples, rather than any other identity. She calls all of us to keep coming back to the text of the New Testament as we navigate issues around the roles of men and women in ...
May 26, 2022•20 min•Season 4Ep. 157
Are commentaries cheating? Marlin emphasizes first hand direct engagement with the text of scripture. If used carefully, commentaries can actually help this process. Marlin also discusses free study resources and biblical language tools. This conversation continues themes from Marlin’s essay “The Inside-Out Sandwich.” Read Marlin’s essay The Inside-out Sandwich: An Approach to Studying and Teaching the Bible Listen to Marlin’s essay here See detailed tips for Bible study from Frank Reed's articl...
May 19, 2022•17 min•Season 4Ep. 156
What does humility mean for studying the Bible? Can only the educated understand scripture? Vince and Roseanne respond to audience comments from Vince’s prior episodes with Anabaptist Perspectives. How can we grow in our understanding of Scripture? Do we need to have an answer for every question? View prior episodes with Vince: Does Academia Cause Loss of Faith Why I’m Studying Hebrew This is the 155th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various...
May 12, 2022•17 min•Season 4Ep. 155
