Anabaptist Perspectives

Some claim that there are variations in the manuscripts that our English Bibles are translated from, and therefore this proves the Bible is false. Others say that the King James Version is the only true Bible. How should we think about these issues? What is a proper understanding of textual variants, and is the KJV a good translation? David Bercot presents a framework for how to think about these issues, and explores the history of some of the texts that English Bible translations are based on.The reference mentioned that is translated with word or work - Romans 9:28.This is the 240th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Ben Harris is a computer scientist researching LLM’s. He also cares about spiritual formation, thoughtful living, and education. Ben and Marlin discuss the formative role of studying in church and school and how to simultaneously protect education from technologies that replace study and teach students to use technologies that support active study.Business, Math, and Righteous Living with Dr. Benjamin Harris – Episode 004Into the AI Flood by Ben HarrisThis is the 239th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Ruth Anna Kuhns shares from her experience teaching neurodivergent students. How can we better understand and care for those that are different from standard ways of learning? How can parents, teachers, and schools make the educational experience better for all students?Episode with Kyle Stoltzfus on higher educationThis is the 238th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

We are all busy and seem to be getting busier all the time. Overload and burnout are natural consequences of our lack of rest; Merle Burkholder explains what we should do when pressure stops increasing performance and starts producing burnout. What are ways we can see the problem coming and avoid it altogether?Tyranny of the Urgent by Charles HummelTwo-part series with Joel Yoder on burnout:Part 1Part 2This is the 237th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Revelation is often used to explain present day politics. But is this the proper approach? What is God telling us through Revelation about the beast, earthly empires, and the antichrist? And how is this relevant for us today?Paul’s former episodes on Revelation:How to Read Revelation & Avoid the Mark of the BeastThe Nation-State of Israel & the ChurchThis is the 236th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Ben Harris is a computer scientist and business professor researching LLM’s. Ben and Marlin discuss AI optimism (pessimism) with a focus on the nature of artificial so-called intelligence.Statement on AI riskCNN report on CEO surveryBusiness, Math, and Righteous Living with Dr. Benjamin Harris – Episode 004Into the AI Flood by Ben HarrisThis is the 235th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Merle Burkholder has spent over four decades in ministry; he shares some of the stories from his life and ministry, along with the insights and lessons from them.This is the 234th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

This is a sample chapter from David Bercot’s book “In God We Don’t Trust.” David examines the history of the American revolution and contrasts it with the behavior that trust in God should produce.Get the audio book on any major platform.AudibleApple BooksPrint the ebook directly from Scroll Publishing Previous episode with David Bercot on this topicSample chapters previously released as audio on our podcast:What It Means to Trust The Other Triangle of EvilThe Myth of the Valley Forge PrayerThis is the 233rd 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Janelle Glick is interested in how churches that are trauma-informed can better extend the grace and light of Jesus for people joining us from any place in their lives, especially those who have experienced difficult circumstances. Janelle casts a vision for churches that are educated in understanding how past trauma can present itself in human interactions in a variety of settings and that find space inside our current structures and our systems of beliefs for more compassion and learning and less self-sufficiency.This is the 232nd 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

This is a sample episode from a lecture series we are releasing on its own channel. Click through to subscribe on your favorite platform or find us in podcast apps as “Developing as a Servant.”WebsiteYouTubeTelegram/CloudVeilThese lectures were recorded at Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute in 2014 from two of Frank Reed’s classes. Two lectures will be released weekly until the series is complete. This series offers biblical teachings and spiritual principles. The content in these videos does not constitute professional advice or counseling, and is not a substitute for licensed therapy or counseling. The content presented does not officially represent the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute.Handouts for this lecture:#2: https://anabaptistperspectives.org/wp-content/uploads/2-Basic-Principles-of-Human-Behavior.pdf#9 https://anabaptistperspectives.org/wp-content/uploads/9-Developing-the-Servant-Understanding-Human-Behavior.pdfSharon Mennonite Bible InstituteFrank Reed’s websiteThis is the 231st 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Did Paul teach the kingdom of God? Why do some perceive a tension between the teachings of Jesus and Paul on this topic? Marlin Sommers explains his personal journey with coming to an understanding of the kingdom, and how this theme runs through all of Scripture, not just in the Gospels.EpisodesThe Importance of the Kingdom of God - Episode with John D. MartinExile and the Storyline of the Bible - Episode with Paul Lamicela Jesus' Genealogy Is NOT Boring - Paul LamicelaEpisodes with John CoblentzEpisodes with Dean TaylorBooksDivine Conspiracy - Dallas WillardThe Kingdom That Turned the World Upside Down - David Bercot Why the Gospel? - Matthew Bates This is the 230th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

What does proper leadership look like? Merle Burkholder outlines principles for how we can lead in a Christlike way, and what serving leadership looks like.Essays for King JesusThis is the 229th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Over the last year, a number of changes have happened within Anabaptist Perspectives. Marlin and Reagan talk through the mission and vision for this podcast, and where we are going in the future. Why have we chosen to use digital media?Subscribe to our monthly email newsletterJoin our Partners programOur Phone Number: [737 773 2848] (PERSPECTIV)Get the audiobook In God We Don't TrustJaran and Reagan describing Anabaptist Perspective's beginningsTwo episodes with Lucas Hilty:What Happened to the Church in the Middle East?The Forgotten Eastward Spread of the GospelThis is the 228th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Initially, the early Christians refused to fight. Over time, they adopted a Just War stance, and in time used this to justify the forcible conversion of conquered peoples. With the Crusades, Just War was expanded to include what was called “Holy War,” and Christendom went to war in the Middle East with the Islamic empires. Stephen Russell outlines these critical pieces of the church’s history and explains how the church modified the Islamic concept of jihad to justify attacking their enemies. Russell shows how this was a seismic shift away from the teachings of the New Testament and what the early church had practiced.Stephen Russell’s bookOther episodes with Stephen RussellThis is the 227th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Janelle Glick suggests that, as we come to peace with our own lives and the God who is working in us, we are more at peace with others and God who is working in them, which makes unconditional love and peace in community possible.Janelle also offers that reading through the New Testament and watching closely for the presence of women brings pleasant messages of hope for women. As male and female, we are called by Jesus to serve together in our communities. This involves hearing from each other and having challenging but peaceful conversations together.Virginia SatirJean McLendonSeven Desires by Mark and Debry LaaserThis is the 226th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

For hundreds of years, there was a vibrant, growing church across the Middle East, spreading across places like Iraq and Syria, expanding as far as China, India, and beyond. These Christians have largely been lost to history; what happened to them? What events led to their disappearance, and what does that mean for us today? Lucas Hilty explains this largely forgotten disappearance of a once well-established church network. The tragedy of a region losing Christianity is a sober thing, and there is much for us to consider from this story.Previous interview with Lucas on the early church in the EastThe Patient Ferment of the Early ChurchThe Lost History of ChristianityThis is the 225th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

High profile cases of those who have failed morally and ethically disappoint many of us. Merle Burkholder describes how he personally has experienced this disappointment. This episode explores what we should do with this disappointment, and how we can address the avalanche of moral failure as a church and as individuals.This is the 224th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

How can we learn to read the Bible as a whole story, instead of as disjointed fragments? In this episode Paul Lamicela explains biblical theology, using the storyline of Scripture for better understanding the Bible, and what we can learn from the theme of exile in the Bible.Paul's episode on GalatiansPaul’s websiteThis is the 223rd 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

We are once again in a presidential election year in America. This is bringing up all the many conversations the church has been having for hundreds of years around issues like political involvement, voting, and separation from the world. What are ways that we can positively contribute to society and properly influence culture? Merle Burkholder shares practical ways the church can contribute to society much more effectively than through political involvement.ViewPoint article referenced in this episodeThis is the 222nd 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 of Scripture God is bringing his people forward to the coming of the Messiah and the practice of radical enemy love.Stephen Russell’s book Overcoming Evil God's WayStephen’s other episodes with APThis is the 221st 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 trouble believers who should have assurance and confidence while giving false assurance to those not walking with Jesus.John discusses union with Christ and the Spirit as a stamp and a guarantee of our inheritance.Am I a Believer (Doubt Is not Sin. It is Temptation.) - Daniel Yoder John Coblentz’s devotional commentary on EphesiansThis is the 220th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 us today.The Patient Ferment of the Early ChurchThis is the 219th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 and accuse the other person with it ever again, and to not gossip about it. This commitment must be chosen over and over again.Roseanne’s previous episodes:What if My Friend is Abused?Responding to Abuse: Past and PresentThis is the 218th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 don’t have access to it, and how the Bible is so transformative in the lives of those that read it.Tony High is director of Heralds of Hope MinistriesTraining2Send was mentioned, and how they are shipping English Bibles to believers in West Africa. If you have Bibles you would like to donate (as Tony mentioned in this episode), you can mail them to the shipping warehouse at:Attn: Doug CampbellRoto Rooter 66 International LaneStaunton VA 24401This is the 217th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 other fall short of the love we profess.” John encourages us to see what God wants to do and to work for the broader church, even in the face of difficulty, failed or abusive relationships, and the inherent tendency to shrink our associations to those like us. John talks about appreciating and welcoming believers from varied cultures.Church is Hard (Biblical Interpretation and Church Offense) - Dean TaylorJohn Coblentz’s devotional commentary on EphesiansThis is the 216th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 terms of “our” country beating the “enemy”? Stephen Russell shares how he came to believe in nonresistance, and principles for how the Anabaptist people should be thinking about politics, war, and foreign policy. Instead of trusting in worldly nations, we should be trusting in Jesus and his kingdom, and patiently and faithfully pointing people to Christ instead of a political agenda.Russell’s bookThe Patient Ferment of the Early ChurchThis is the 215th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 shares the pain he has felt over division in the church and ways he has purposed to walk in unity.An Anabaptist View of Church - Val YoderJohn Coblentz’s devotional commentary on EphesiansThis is the 214th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 WitnessBercot’s further teaching on the Trinity The history and full text of the Nicene CreedBercot’s episode on Infant BaptismThis is the 213th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite 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 Israel, how this connects with prophecy, Zionism, and much more. 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 more in this interview. Paul’s websitePaul’s Episode about GalatiansPaul’s Episode about Biblical StorylineThis is the 211th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 the Mennonite game? Why do Mennonites often play harmonicas and accordions? What’s with the prevalence of Mennonite choirs and singing groups?Is "Mennonite" a Faith Culture or an Ethnic Culture?Samantha’s TestimonyThis is the 210th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 the teachings of the Ante-Nicene fathers, and are the Anabaptists correct in their interpretation of the early church writings?Scroll PublishingBercot’s series on infant baptism.Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs.Bercot's Episode: I Was Once A Jehovah's WitnessSign-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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 Mennonite church.Samantha’s TestimonyThe Inner Ring by C. S. LewisThis is the 208th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 completing a training program that moves trainees away from financial vulnerability, exposes them more deeply to Christ and his word, and encourages restoration of four fundamental relationships: God, others, self, and creation. This and similar programs have helped to stabilize and grow the vulnerable, orienting them toward standing together in Christian community.This is the 206th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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? What are the implications for future human interactions, and how is this technology a risk to humanity?Our previous series on the internet, algorithms, and proper use of technology:Software and the Heart: Internet Filtering and AccountabilityWhy Some Mennonites Use Half the InternetDon't Let the Algorithms Trap YouThis is the 205th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 booksMennonite Experience in America SeriesSmith’s Story of the Mennonites 5th edition - C Henry SmithIntroduction of Mennonite History - Cornelius DyckThis is the 204th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 apologia, “defense, answer”) and defends the importance of this mode of thinking for strengthening believers and for engaging with unbelievers. While Anabaptists may have invested less in formal apologetics than some other traditions, the early Anabaptists very much cared about proclaiming Jesus as Lord and explaining their beliefs to others. This is an example we should follow.This is the 203rd 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 respond when people cheat and steal from us, and how to be honest even when that is costly.Kevin Brechbill - Business That Serves the KingdomThis is the 202nd 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 fellow-disciples he brings to us.Access the Martyr’s Mirror onlineAccess the Ante-Nicene Fathers onlineSee all our episodes with David BercotView Brother Bercot’s “An Anabaptist View of Salvation” on YouTubeThis is the 201st 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite 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 from now till Giving Tuesday. This material is normally exclusive to our monthly donors. https://anabaptistperspectives.org/partners/. }Anabaptism has grown far beyond its European and North American past. Amata Thomas recounts the growth of the Mennonite churches in Kenya and his own journey into and current role in the movement. He also talks about strengths of African Christianity and some of the difficulties some believers in Kenya face in their relationship with education.This is the 200th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 us to remember that participating in strong communities come at a price. Though building communities that is both strong and welcoming comes with challenges, Melvin encourages us to embrace the task.This is the 199th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 guidance on Bible study and Greek and Hebrew that are useful to anyone, preacher or not.Getting Ready to Share from Scripture Episode — Verlon MillerThe Inside-Out Sandwich Episode — Marlin Sommers The Inside-Out Sandwich Essay — Marlin SommersStudying the Word of God Essay — Frank Reed This is the 198th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 it in our lives? What is the Christian’s ultimate hope with regard to suffering?This is the 196th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 come from Christ, education is ultimately Christology. Learning how to read scripture is not just a matter of learning to read words in the early grades. For example, the study of literature and genre in high school or college also provides valuable training. The conversation ranges across the role of postsecondary bible schools as well as K-12 education. This is the 195th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 movement.This is the 194th 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 ekklesia?” This was in response to Melvin Lehman’s previous episode “The New Conservatives”. In this episode Melvin argues that the New Testament calls churches to proactively create culture.The episode that sparked this comment.That episode followed up on this essay from Melvin: The New Conservatives.Hannah Coulter — Wendell BerryThe Story of Dirk Willems — AudioThe Story of Dirk Willems — TextThe Earth is the Lord’s — John RuthThis is the 193rd 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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, 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

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 greater commitment to the Lordship of Jesus. Look for two more episodes with Melvin to further develop these ideas.Wendell Berry’s book Hannah Coulter {affiliate link}The story of Dirk Willems as told in the Martyrs Mirror This is the 191st 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 JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.