Author: admin

WTKM 104.9 FM Amish Interview With Author Reynold Kremer – Hartford, Wisconsin

Listen to the entire Amish interview by Reynold Kremer by clicking the image below:

101 Bible Meditations on the Famous, Not So Famous, and Infamous

Order Here

Kremer Resources LLC has added a new product to this already popular 110 page “Real People” paperback book by Reynold Kremer. Now each of the 101 Bible study meditations includes a deeper insight into the session theme. Discussion questions and cross reference Bible passages lead the reader to a greater appreciation of the subject.

“Real People” is $15.99 for 10 copies or less and $14.99 for more than 10 copies. Excellent for adult or teen Bible study groups and for use in the classroom.

The study guide is included free of charge for more than 10 books and is $15.99 when ordered with 10 books or less.

To preview a sample study guide page, click here >

For more information on “Real People” by Reynold R. Kremer, or to order, click here >

© 2012 Reynold R. Kremer

STANDING UP FOR CHRISTIANITY

“If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (1 Peter 4:16.) In the many presentations I have given about the Amish, the question I am asked most often is, “Are they Christian”? I enjoy the question because it helps to lead me into the first part of my talk dealing with the history of the Amish people which began on October 31, 1517, when a monk named Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. From there our focus shifts to Ulrich Zwingli’s church in Zurich, Switzerland, the birthplace of the Anabaptist movement. (I give more details in another article.) In the very early years of the Anabaptists, two creeds were penned that attempted to explain their stand on the major church doctrines. First came the Schleitheim Articles which were later refined and expanded in the Dordrecht Confession. These two documents showed that the early Anabaptists were indeed Christians who believed in the truths of sin and salvation. They confessed that believing in Jesus Christ was the only way for one to achieve eternal salvation. (“God comforted man by giving them a hope that there was still a way to become reconciled to God, namely through the Lamb, the Son of God who would redeem and raise up fallen man from his sin, guilt and unrighteousness. . . . We must go to God with an upright heart and in perfect faith, and believe in Jesus Christ that we might be forgiven, sanctified and justified, and made children of God.” Dordrecht Confession para. 3,6) The other doctrines mentioned in the papers included adult baptism, the Lord’s Supper, swearing oaths, views regarding the government, excommunication, marriage, etc.

 

…

With my background as a Lutheran minister of education, I respectfully disagree with several areas of Anabaptist teachings. (I will detail many of these differences in other articles.) However, having said that, I do not wish to make any attempt to change their church doctrine or practice. That is not my place or belief. Rather, I continue to pray that these people would remain true to their foundation that was originally built on faith in the redemption that is ours through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This means that although I have many Amish contacts, I will not attempt to enter their arena and try to change their church in any way as long as their foundational beliefs remain true to Christianity. However, if the actions of an individual or district are opposed to the basic tenets of Christianity, or if I see that the foundations of Christianity are attacked or distorted by those within the Amish religion, I will say so.

STANDING UP FOR THE AMISH

I began with the above paragraphs because I have a care and concern uniquely for the Amish people. It’s not the romantic feeling that many English have when they shop in an Amish grocery store and are enamored by their lifestyle. Rather, I sometimes secretly sit on the sidelines and cheer for them because I do admire many of the things the Amish people stand for. In many ways they have taken a stand apart from the world where few societies have. When I see so many modern Christians bending over backwards to be like “the world” I often wonder what makes us different at all. Certainly I realize that they are as far from perfect as any other Christian church. Some Amish are downright evil, and the Amish are by no means immune from any heinous and despicable sins. Just being Amish does not provide a ticket into heaven. But there are many parts within their culture that I deeply respect (and even envy.) (I once said that to an Amish lady who looked at me askance as if to say, “Why would you admire us?”) I’m certain that many of the Amish do not realize some of the blessings that their society provides.

The family is certainly one aspect that the Amish hold in high regard. In modern society (including modern Christian society), divorce, unwed mothers, children ruling the home, and fathers not accepting responsibility for their families are far too common. Among the Amish, pre-marital sex is always a sin, divorce is forbidden, and marriage is only blessed between two adults who share the same faith. These views are rigid and unmovable, and they reflect a deep and demanding respect for the family institution.

Respect and care for the elderly is also a positive of the Amish life. Grandparents are cared for in the home where they can receive the help, love, and respect they have earned through years of trials and hard work. The role of the father is also important to the Amish. Home is where dad belongs, and it’s also where he wants to be. Theirs is a patriarchal society in which there is unquestioned respect for the father. He has the final say in important decisions and he takes his role as head of the household seriously. Yet the Amish also know that the woman of the house is far more important than just for having babies. She is the glue that holds the family together. She sees that schedules are kept, meals are prepared, gardens are planted, clothes are mended, the sick are nursed, and that the home is clean and tidy. Children are also an integral part of Amish life. They discover at a very young age that they are an important part of the functioning household. They are constantly in training as they grow older until the day that they can function on their own as responsible adults. This is truly an area that is sorely lacking among the English. Too often the English place their children on pedestals trying to prove that our kids are smarter, more athletic, better looking, more talented, and certainly more deserving than all others.

The Amish philosophy of humility or selflessness (Gelassenheit) is another trait that deserves attention. The Amish have turned topsy-turvy the world’s whining of “me first” with their conviction that our purpose in life is not to stand out above the rest, not to climb the ladder of success, and not to be worshipped and praised, but rather to be of humble heart, quietly thanking the Maker who designed us.

And in a world of excess, Amish birthdays are celebrated, but with restraint. Gifts are given at Christmas time, but within reason. Weddings are joyous occasions, but without great expense and extravagance. The Amish view of self and others is one of the most difficult elements for outsiders to deal with. The Amish lifestyle and work ethic, the surrendering of oneself and the humble attitude that is purely Amish are areas that need to be bred from little on.

Many of us long for a time and a place where we and our families can live our lives separate from the sins, lures, and entrapments of modern society. We can’t help but agree with the hymn writer who said that “the world is very evil, the times are waxing late.” We often wish our families could simply withdraw to some secluded place and live out our lives with those of our faith and conviction. It almost seems that the Amish have attempted to find that secret Utopia that we all are searching for.

© 2012 Reynold R. Kremer

Amish education has had only a brief history. Compared to public education in the U.S., Amish schools are still in their infancy. Up until the mid-1900’s most Amish children attended one room public country schools. However the 1950’s brought about a consolidation of many public schools and forced high school education. Neither idea was acceptable to the Amish. Consequently the Amish began purchasing many of the empty one room schools. They wished to use them exclusively for their own children. Some dates given for establishing these new one room Amish schools were: 1938 (Pennsylvania), 1944 (Ohio), 1946 (Iowa), 1948 (Indiana), and 1966 (Wisconsin). By operating Amish only schools they could establish their own curriculum and secure their own teachers. Today there are about 1400 Amish schools, a number that is increasing rapidly year by year.

Nineteen seventy-two brought about a landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Wisconsin vs. Yoder. The case was centered around a Wisconsin Amish man who refused to send his children to school beyond the eighth grade. After being arrested by the State of Wisconsin an English group that stood up for the Amish rights took the case to court. The ultimate ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court was totally in favor of the Amish, stating that eight grades was sufficient for their formal schooling because the Amish youngsters continued their education at home in the years following.

…
Today Amish children attend school from first to eighth grade. Their teachers also are only eighth grade graduates. Teaching is a paid position with the salary being provided by the parents who are assessed by the number of children per family and estimated personal wealth. Although many of the teachers are young ladies who have not yet married, there are more and more young men who enjoy the vocation. All Amish schools are regulated by school boards usually made up of three men who are responsible for caring for the school property and overseeing the teachers and curriculum. Parents must also sign an agreement prior to the start of the new year. Parent-teacher meetings are held regularly. Teachers also meet periodically with one another to discuss problems and discover new teaching ideas. The Blackboard Bulletin (published monthly) is the Amish periodical most teachers rely on for classroom hints and suggestions.

The Amish school year generally runs from September to April with few days off for mid-term vacations. The early dismissal allows the children to help on the home farms in spring. Daily scheduling is similar to all other U.S. schools with subjects including reading, writing, arithmetic, history, singing, and phonics. Writing is especially important because that is the means by which most Amish communicate with each other. Although religion permeates all that is taught in the Amish school, it is not usually taught as a separate subject. That is left to the fathers and ministers. German is spoken exclusively in the Amish home to children younger than school age. The Amish want their little children to learn German before they enter first grade where English is first taught to them. (Most Amish text books are printed in English.)

Amish school buildings are simple yet practical. Rooms are bright and cheery with plenty of windows that allow in necessary light since there is no electricity. Many of the schools still have wood stoves in the classrooms and outhouses for boys and girls, although newer buildings now have indoor plumbing. Some schools are also built with a small upstairs apartment for the teacher. This single room provides a bed, table and sink. Chalk boards topped with English and German penmanship charts hang in the front of the rooms. Many classrooms have walls filled with delightful artwork, poetry, Amish proverbs and posters. If the class size becomes too large for one teacher, a second teacher will be added – usually in the same room with a necessary drawn curtain dividing the large room in half. In most classrooms one will still see a thick rope dangling from the ceiling for ringing the school bell. During recess children love to run around outdoors and play games of softball or kickball. There are some very conservative communities that do not allow team sports.

Children are taught to be quiet in the Amish classroom and keep to their work throughout the day. Beginning each lesson, teachers invite the grade to come to the front of the room and sit around a large table. Here the students receive quiet one on one teaching. The young scholars (as Amish students are called) dress according to their church Ordnung. This would determine a black or white prayer cap for the girls and the type of shoes and color of shirts worn by the boys. Some Amish schools allow children to attend in bare feet. Noticeably missing in any Amish classroom are references to the United States such as a flag, picture of a former president, or the Pledge of Allegiance.

I have had the wonderful opportunity to visit several Amish classrooms over the years. It has always been a delightful experience that brings back memories of the fifteen years I spent teaching. Interestingly, children are children no matter what their dress or background. Giggles, blank faces deep in daydreams, and intense pencil pushing seem to be universal traits. A visit always includes signing the classroom register book. I have observed that Amish classrooms demonstrate a godly work ethic among the scholars. The extreme quiet allows the teacher to speak in a soft voice as well as setting an atmosphere conducive to good learning habits. Amish children do not boast of good grades yet they realize they are there for the purpose of learning. Desks are kept neat and orderly (sometimes even having a small paper wastebasket taped to the side of them.) Children are also responsible to keep the room and outside property clean and respectable. One item I noticed at each school I visited was the Amish love for proverbs. Often at the start of the year each child chooses a personal proverb that remains theirs throughout the year.

Today there are some problems that Amish schools face. One is the closeness in age between students and teachers; sometimes as little as a year or two. There is also considerable teacher turnover since most young ladies only teach until the time they get married. From then on their sights are focused on the family and home environment. Other problems they share with the English schools are parents not taking a great enough interest in their children’s education, and simple respect for the teachers.

The English would do well to step back in time and return to the basics that Amish education still uses. Their proven methods of teaching, classroom design, curriculum, and discipline repeatedly turn out scholars who are ahead of the national norm of children. Generally speaking, Amish children are better prepared to live as a young man or woman than are English children. Hopefully the Amish will stubbornly adhere to their practices for many years to come. And, by the way, if ever you have the opportunity to attend the year end program that the scholars prepare for their parents and friends, don’t pass it by!

© 2012 Reynold R. Kremer

 

The Amish church is considered equal to or even more important than the Amish home. From little on, Amish children are taught that there are but two purposes in life: to serve family and to serve the church. Apart from these two goals there is nothing more that Amish strive to do. This concept is very difficult for English people to grasp since the goal of any English young man or woman is to do well in life by becoming successful.

…
The Amish worship time is a highlight in any Amish life. Each Amish district schedules worship only every other week at the home of a member. Districts (or congregations) are comprised of about 200 people or so. Once they exceed that number, they divide into another geographical district. In some settlements like Ohio members are allowed to join districts not of their geographical area, however others like northern Indiana force members to attend the district in which they reside. That means that if a family is at odds with the bishop, the only way they can resolve the situation is to move into another district, often leaving behind homesteads and precious family farms.

Amish do not believe in the necessity of a church building since they teach that where two or three are gathered together in God’s name that comprises a church or place of worship. Schedules are drawn to determine which member is responsible for hosting the next worship Sunday. Preparations take weeks of planning and cleaning as Amish families retrieve the church buggy that is filled with hinged oak benches, hymnbooks and dishes for the noon meal.

On Sunday morning just before 9 AM the buggies begin arriving. The young men untie the horses and lead them into the barn while the women go into the house. The men usually stand around discussing the latest news until it is service time. Since most Amish services last about three hours, that last bit of standing will do the men well. As they enter the home, they follow a strict age order with the oldest members entering first. Women and small children always sit in one area and men in another.

Since the Amish church does not follow any strict liturgy (non-liturgical) like traditional Catholic or Lutheran churches, the services are somewhat informal. They do follow specified Bible readings that are preplanned for the entire Amish community. The Ausbund is the hymnal used by most Amish. It includes texts of many hymns dating back to the persecutions in the 15-1600’s. This hymnal boasts the extinction of being the oldest Protestant hymnbook still in use today. Although melodies are not included in the hymn book, the tunes have been passed down from generation to generation. Tempo is usually determined by the conservative natire of the district.

The service begins with an opening hymn during which the ministers will discuss who will be the preachers for that day. The second hymn is always the Loblied (O God, Father, We Do Praise Thee), thus establishing a link of fellowship with all other Amish churches. Following that hymn they usually have the introductory sermon or Anfung. Kneeling for prayer and Bible readings by the Deacon usually follows. Next comes the main sermon which lasts well over an hour. Here the minister exhorts the people to remain true to the Lord. Many Bible stories are mentioned in the sermon as well. Testimonies, closing remarks, prayers and the benediction usually close the service. If there is business to conduct such as a shunning, the members must remain until dismissed. At the end of the service, members also are given the opportunity to discuss or even criticize the sermon (zeitness).

Most Amish congregation are lead by a chosen staff of a bishop, two ministers, and a deacon. Each has specific duties such as preaching (ministers), performing special rites like baptism, marriages, etc. (bishop), or conducting the church readings and keeping tabs of the church treasury (deacon). These men are specially chosen by lot and are asked to serve for life. They do this willingly for no salary while continuing to do their daily work routine at home.

Should a church district need another minister to replace one who has died or moved away, a special time is set aside at the morning worship service to do the choosing. On the Sunday of selection, usually a communion Sunday, the members are asked to vacate the worship area while visiting bishops and ministers prepare two booths for voting, one for the women and one for the men. Male and female baptized members file past the men and whisper the name of a candidate of their choice. The recommendations are then tabulated. When the final list has been established, a second vote often takes place which narrows the list of candidates. Finally the remaining slate of candidates is asked to leave the room while an equal number of Ausbund hymnbooks are prepared. In one of the books there is placed a slip of paper which states, “The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord” (Proverbs 16:33.) The hymnbooks are then shuffled and laid across a table. The men are then asked to return to the room. The man who picks the book with the Scripture passage is named the new minister. The choice, they say, has been made by God. From that moment until death he has been chosen to lead his people and he cannot refuse such responsibility. The entire process is considered very solemn, and there are often tears shed and prayers silently spoken during the process.

In most congregations this calling process has done well to establish a godly staff of ministers, deacons and bishops. Yet, here also the wiles of Satan take their toll as in any other Christian church. Just recently I was told of a faithful and experienced Amish man who was chosen minister in district that he had just moved to. He was blessed with tremendous Bible insight despite his eighth grade education. He was also enjoyed by the people of his new church district. However, one Sunday in his sermon he made comments which were not well received by bishop who happened to be in the congregation that morning. Within a few days this young minister was silenced and forbidden to preach again. When he asked the bishop what heresy he had spoken that was against Scripture, he was told that although he spoke no heresy, he should not have said what he did. Once again, the whim of one powerful bishop sealed the fate of this preacher. Once again Satan accomplished his goal by removing a godly man from the ministry.

I often pray that the leaders of the Amish church districts would follow the humility that was shown by Christ himself instead of being puffed up with their own selfish pride, and that they would display the same love and forgiveness to their members that our Lord taught us to show to others.

© 2012 Reynold R. Kremer

Since the beginning of time, the family has been the center of creation’s society. A husband and wife surrounded by a quiver full of children is precisely what the Lord had envisioned for his people. And the Amish family well serves as an example of that home designed by the Lord.

…

From little on, Amish children are taught that their role in the family is important. As soon as the youngster is old enough to help gather eggs, carry milk, dust the furniture, or shovel snow, he or she is put to work as an important cog in the wheel of the Amish family. Mother’s train their daughters to become adept in carrying out household chores such as laundry, cleaning, cooking, baking, and sewing. These arts will become necessary for them when they marry and help their husbands raise another generation of Amish. Young boys are taught to handle the horses and perform all sorts of farm chores. It is not unusual to see a seven year old boy holding the reins of two mammoth Belgian mares in the field. Seldom flinching from their daily assignments, these children take delight in helping on the farm so they can provide their small part in the success of the family.

Up to the 1950’s, the Amish family was kept intact through the blessing of the farm. To the Amish, farming was the next best thing to godliness. Families often consisted of 10 or more children because operating a farm demanded work hands to plow, sew, reap, milk, and care for the animals. In addition to the daily chores, farmers also planted large gardens to provide the necessary food to keep such a family healthy and strong. Yet as open land became more and more scarce and expensive, many Amish families found themselves without land and in need of moving or finding employment elsewhere. For instance, in Pennsylvania there has been little land affordable for farms, which has caused many families to move to Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, and elsewhere. This farm problem has also caused many dads to seek employment in local factories. In northern Indiana, thousands of Amish are employed by the RV industry. In one church district near LaGrange, Indiana, only one family still owns a farm. In fact even that Amish farmer also makes wagon wheels in his shop to supplement his meager farming salary with a second income. All other fathers are lunch pail fathers working in the RV factories. Fifty years ago this change of employment caused a considerable amount of problems for the unsuspecting Amish men. Insurance plans, pensions, strict hours, working with women, and putting up with the foul-mouthed factory workers all took their toll among the Amish laborers. As a result, many of them either moved to jobs in Amish-only factories, or they began household businesses like woodworking, leather working, toy manufacturing or other trades. Unfortunately in some Amish farm communities there are Amish bishops who refuse to allow their members to work their farm land in such a way as to become competitive among the English.

Today there are thousands of home businesses run by the Amish. These range from quilting to raising prize deer, from cooking sorghum to making horse harnesses, and from figuring taxes to building sheds and barns. Banks are usually more than willing to loan the Amish money to begin a new enterprise because they realize that the Amish business is far more apt to succeed than are English businesses. The Amish take pride in their workmanship and spend unlimited hours in perfecting their products and skills.

Children also grow up with a sense of family togetherness. They know they are loved and wanted by their parents and relatives. Unlike most English homes today, Amish children are not the center of attention. Yet the Amish are careful not to heap too much praise and honor on the accomplishments of the children. The family does not revolve around children and their schedules. Rather, children are taught to obey and serve the family in any way they can. Parents, on the other hand, are viewed as the keepers of the family. Their word is to be supreme, and children who do contrary to their wishes are guilty of a sin against the fourth commandment.

The Amish family is also careful to make a clean separation between girls and boys, and between the adults and children.

The love for one’s family does not end with adulthood. Grandma and grandpa are viewed as a special gift to young families. They will not be put out of the house. When grandma and grandpa come to the age that caring for each other in a large house becomes too difficult, a son or daughter builds an addition to their houses called a dawdy house or grandpa house. Consequently as one travels through Amish country one will notice a distinct pattern of houses and added dawdy houses. The help and wisdom provided by grandparents in invaluable to the young families. Here the grandparents will stay until they die. Most of their senior years will be spent assisting in caring for the next generation of children and grandchildren.

It is a joy to see Amish families take such an important role in the raising of their families. Unlike much of the English world where children are set atop pedestals as heroes playing no useful part in the operation of the daily home life, and where the grandparents are hidden in nursing homes, the Amish have faithfully maintained the traditions that make their homes lasting homes.

© 2012 Reynold R. Kremer

I have often been told that the Amish church is a church of forgiveness. If one searches Amish forgiveness online, one is inundated with sites that mention the Nickel Mines tragedy where so many innocent schoolgirls were brutally murdered by a crazed killer. The Amish community, and especially the families of the children, came together and offered their forgiveness to the family of the gunman. It was a moment that sent shock waves throughout the news media which could not imagine how forgiveness could be a part of the story. Such forgiveness is commendable, because that is what God would have us do.

…

Yet there seems to be a disconnect between that account and the forgiveness (or lack of it) that is practiced among fellow Amish. Take, for instance, the plight of a certain Amish husband and father. For past misunderstandings and transgressions, this northern Indiana Amish man has been in a partial ban for the past several years. The act of shunning brings with it serious consequences including condemnation of hellfire. It also severely strains any relations that person had with his church family as well as with his wife and children. For several years this man’s wife has had little to do with him, she has destroyed some of his personal belongings, and she has systematically turned his older children against him to the point that they call him names, refuse to help him, and feel free to talk back to him and even taunt him. Outwardly the partial shunning means this man is restricted from most church functions, especially participation in holy communion. Inwardly it means daily torment. The only hope this man had was to come before his congregation, kneel down, and ask forgiveness, that the ban might be lifted allowing him to once again share in the fellowship within his home and church. Yet as many times as he tried to do so, he was told that he still hadn’t done enough. His work and efforts still fell short of his wife’s and his bishop’s expectations. Amish forgiveness! Although offered freely to the outside world, it was nowhere to be found within this northern Indiana church district. How can this be justified?

In the 1500’s the Amish (Anabaptist) church was founded upon Scripture. The Dordrecht Confession states that their faith is anchored in Jesus Christ and his universal forgiveness. These people believe that the Savior shed his blood on the cross of Calvary to offer full and complete atonement for their sins. Today however, some within the Amish community would do well to discover what Scripture also has to say about true forgiveness among their own members.

St. Paul states in Colossians 3:13: “Even as Christ forgave you, so also ye do.” He repeats himself in Ephesians 4:32: “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” What is Paul telling us? He is clearly saying that Christ has forgiven us. But that’s not all. He is also pointing out that we should forgive others in the same way that God forgives us. Well, how does God forgive us? What does he do with our past sins and transgressions? If we are to mirror his forgiveness, we need to take a look at how God forgives.

Scripture is very clear about how God deals with our sins. We certainly know that he takes all of our sins away, but what does he do once he has taken them? What does the Bible say about how God disposes of our sins?

Isaiah 38:17: “”Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.”

Isaiah 43:25: “I will not remember thy sins.”

Jeremiah 31:34: “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Hebrews 8:12: “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”

The Bible tells us that God’s forgiveness is immediate, complete, and he chooses not to remember ANY of our past sins. He will never bring them up again. He will never trouble us with them, and he will never use them as weapons against us.

If that is how God forgives us, then that is also how we are to forgive our brothers and sisters. If someone seeks our forgiveness, we should offer it immediately and completely. We are not to make our brother or sister pay for a sin again and again until we feel they have somehow earned our forgiveness. That is not godly!

Read the Bible’s great faith chapter in Hebrews 11. Here we see passing before us a parade of some of the most prominent Bible heroes. There is Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Samuel, David, and Moses. Each of these men’s lives included sins; some terrible sins, to be sure. Yet in all of Hebrews 11 we do not see those sins mentioned. Why? God blotted out those sins! God chose not to remember them any more. Those sins were gone! And how far away does God place all those sins? “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgression from us” (Psalm 103:12.)

Satan, on the other hand, also knows of our sins, since it is he who helped orchestrate them in the first place. Satan would love to have us remember our sins. He wants us to keep a list of each one of them. He loves to bring discord among God’s people and to place the burden of guilt on our hearts. That is why in Revelation 12:10 Satan is called the accuser for he “accused them before our God day and night.” He desperately wants us to feel the weight of our guilt before God because that takes our focus off the Lord Jesus and places it squarely upon ourselves. David wrote in Psalm 38:4: “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.” Yet when he placed his eyes on the grace of God, he also wrote: “You forgave the guilt of my sin.” (Psalm 32:5) When Satan brings the accusation of past sins before God’s throne, God responds: “Those sins are forgiven and I choose not to remember them any more.”

How can this Amish bishop justify his action of withholding forgiveness from a repentant Amish man? How can this bishop refuse to accept this man into the fold once again as a repentant sinner? How can the accusers of this Amish man (including his wife and children who have been in close contact with the bishop) constantly bring up list after list of past offenses he has committed? How can they tell him that he hasn’t yet done quite enough to deserve forgiveness?

Was this bishop given any special divine authority to decide when someone fully atoned for his or her sins? How can these men judge the heart of a person asking for forgiveness? Where in Scripture do they find the right to remember past sins and hold a brother accountable again and again for them? Didn’t Paul tell us in 1 Corinthians 13:5 that: “Love keeps no record of wrongs?” Sadly, this is not the first instance of this bishop forcing a member to repent of past sins again and again. This bishop has repeatedly brought pain and sorrow to those who have felt the unforgiving wrath of his power and judgment.

I am not Amish, yet I have respect for the Amish people. I have studied their society, culture and religion for many years and I frequently pray that they will seek the truth and rediscover the beauty of the Gospel message of Christ’s love for us and draw from that love to forgive and love one another. I often feel that many of the Amish (such as the bishop and many members of this northern Indiana district) have lost contact with that “one thing needful”. Ordnung rules and power of position have become their motivation, not the Gospel message. Satan has redirected their focus from the cross of Jesus Christ to their own work righteousness, their own lust for power and their own exercise of judgment.

Certainly the Law is necessary in the life of any believer. It provides guidelines for us to follow, it hems us in like a curb, and it reflects our sins like a mirror. Yet the Law should only be used to lead one to a deeper need for the loving sacrifice of God’s Son on Calvary. It is the Gospel that is to be the centerpiece of Christianity. Appreciation for Christ’s atoning sacrifice will motivate us to forgive and embrace our brothers and sisters in the faith immediately and completely upon their heartfelt confession, while remembering those sins no more.

This is how the Master put it: “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

My fervent prayer is that this Amish church district will follow the Scripture in Ephesians 4:32: “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Copyright 2012 Reynold R. Kremer

To the Amish, the term martyr has special significance. It was in 1660 that Thielman van Braght’s first edition of his famous Martyr’s Mirror or The Bloody Theater or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians was published. Consulting over 350 sources, van Braght compiled in a single volume the writings and confessions of hundreds of defenseless Christians who died for their beliefs. Beheading, drowning, burning at the stake, and every other sort of cruel punishment was brought down on every Anabaptist who dared to stand up for his or her convictions, women and young people included. Catholics, Protestants, and the state all wished to put a quick end to the radical reformers who followed the teachings of a few young men from Zurich, Switzerland. The newly formed Anabaptist church (the re-baptizers) was soon savagely attacked simply because of its disagreement with the established authority. Some estimate that over 4,000 innocent martyrs died in the persecution. You will likely find a copy of this 1,300 page volume in most Amish homes, and you will hear it quoted frequently in Amish sermons.

…

This single book exposed the evils that mankind brought upon his fellow man. It showed what happens when one zealous religious group imposes its beliefs over individuals with whom they disagree. Indeed there were areas of strong disagreement, however; to destroy those who preached a different baptism was hardly a reason for persecution, torture, punishment and death.

It is easy for today’s Christians to say that such excessive punishment should never be tolerated. However, a different form of torture is now happening behind the scenes in some Amish districts. The circle seems to have been completed, except this time it is Amish against Amish. Causing mental and spiritual torture through the threat and use of silencing and shunning, some bishops have misused their authority to bring the wrongdoer to his or her knees (and even perhaps to the grave.)

For the first hundred years of the Anabaptist church, the believers held fast to their teachings as shown in their Schleitheim Articles and the Dordrecht Confession. These two documents were intended to both tie their groups of believers together and to tell the world that they were indeed a people who were Christians first not that different from the Catholics and Protestants. Their confessions laid out point by point their belief in the curse of sin, the need for a Savior, the love of God in providing a Savior, and the need to believe in that Savior to one day receive eternal bliss in heaven. Today Amish young people are taught these truths during their instruction prior to Baptism. Unfortunately the amount of time spent on such instruction is pitifully weak, measured in hours rather than weeks or years. This means that most Amish young people fall far short of the necessary training in the teachings of Scripture and in showing them the need for a personal relationship with Jesus.

Yes, the martyrs of long ago can still be found today; amazingly right within the walls of the Amish church. An Old Order Amish district in northern Indiana serves as an excellent example. (It should be noted that this district is not necessarily typical of all Amish districts. Many districts do adhere to the preaching of Jesus Christ and maintain their belief in the precious teaching of sin and forgiveness as found in the Good News of the Savior.) In this particular district (which shall remain unnamed) the bishop (who has established a reputation among other northern Indiana districts) rules with an iron hand. His feels his position warrants him to get what he wants. What rules he wishes to maintain must be followed, and whoever runs afoul of his expectations or opposes his will ultimately bears the scars. Only he has the authority to dole out forgiveness and then only to those he deems worthy. He has been known to insist that some members drop to their knees before the entire congregation time and time again pleading forgiveness for the same sin. The constant threat of being banned is held over members’ heads like a club ready to beat them down. And, of course, with that ban comes the terror and dread that their souls are eternally lost in the fires of hell. This bishop has become a man who has set himself up as his own god, and placed himself on the judgment seat of Jesus Christ.

There are many examples of this bishop’s actions. His district is well known among the Amish of northern Indiana. For one thing, he refuses to allow anything new to come into his church to adjust the church Ordnung which might make his members able to compete in the marketplace. No milking machines, no rubber tires, no allowing larger plows that might work bigger fields, and certainly no phone shacks at the end of members’ driveways – only at the cemetery and the school house. His aim is to keep his members poor and destitute and apart from any competition in the English workplace. And what if a member disagrees with him? Time and time again this bishop has sent many members to the mental institutions of Pennsylvania for “counseling and treatment” until they agree with his ways. It is little wonder that there has been a major exodus from this man’s district by members who could no longer endure his policies. There are many who now understand what is happening in his church. Unfortunately, many of them have left that district and uprooted their families to other locations. This has left a gaping hole among his members where once there was opposition to him. Now the only ones remaining in his district are those who agree to be led by him, shirking with fear lest they become the target of his wrath.

How sad! Where once Anabaptist martyrs gave their lives for their personal beliefs and convictions, today they are once again wearing the martyr’s cloak. Although the modern martyrs may not die by the sword or by the flames, the mental anguish that these outcasts and shunned members endure is excruciating. Weeks of mental torture turn into months, and months into years. Sleepless nights, weight loss, broken homes, and mental breakdowns are not unusual as this bishop systematically divides his congregation. Members turn on other members, and husbands and wives are divided against each another. Even the children are trained by the bishop to follow his wishes and words instead of their own parents.

Martin Luther once wrote: “Whoever employs the name of God for any sort of wrong profanes and desecrates this holy name.” The shameful practices of this bishop and any others who force their power on Bible believing Christians should be stopped. This is not what a church of Jesus Christ is all about. Rather it is a cult that is set out to destroy anyone who refuses to live by one man’s set of laws. And for those who still worship in such a church, they should ask themselves, “Is this truly what God intended for his church on earth? Is this how we employ the mercy given us by our Lord and Savior? Is this how we treat those among us who have shown penitence for a sin they had committed? Are our rules so important that they supersede God’s grace? Has our commitment to this church become a stumbling block that is keeping us from a personal relationship with the Good Shepherd? Is this all there is to the beauty of Christianity?”

God’s church was always intended to be a haven of rest, a place where the hurting find comfort, where the tired find rest, where the lonely find friendship, where the sick find healing, where the guilty find peace, and where the tearful find happiness. That was all part of God’s intent for his church. That is the sort of church that can raise its voice as one in worship and praise to the Lord Jesus Christ.

© 2012 Reynold R. Kremer

The Amish claim an interesting history based on Jacob Ammann (1656-1730). Jacob was an Anabaptist minister (and likely a tailor by occupation), who proposed several changes within the Anabaptist society. Those changes included a doubling of the celebration of Holy Communion from one day per year to two, that everyone dress in plain clothes, without the adornment of buttons, (granted, buttons were just coming into vogue in those days and their prohibition was not completely ungrounded. ) the washing of feet prior to Holy Communion, and the shunning of individuals who were unrepentant of their sins.

…
Unfortunately the other Anabaptist ministers near to Ammann’s congregation were cool to his suggestions, so he excommunicated the lot of them. After having second thoughts, Amman reinstated them all and instead excommunicated himself. This remains a very sensitive incident in the Amish past since the namesake they follow was himself an excommunicated Anabaptist preacher.

Soon the followers of Jacob Ammann grew into a sizable group calling themselves the Amish people. Little is known about Ammann after that. No writings have been found and no grave marker has been located for the man after whom an entire church body has been named.

The Amish church today follows a hierarchical system of leaders. In general, each church district (that is church congregation) is led by a bishop (minister with full power or Voelliger-Diener) who is responsible for the major rites conducted within the church and is a powerful force in all decision making. Next come the ministers or preachers (Diener zum Buch or ministers of the book), usually two of them, who are responsible mainly for the preaching at the regularly scheduled home services or at neighboring church districts on off Sundays. At the bottom of the hierarchy serve the deacons, (ministers to the poor or Armen-Diener) who are responsible for the daily busy work within the congregation.

These men are chosen strictly by lot, an intriguing system by which names are drawn from hymnbooks placed on a table, however not too far adrift from many other church bodies who call a minister from a provided list. In each case, the final decision is always left up to the Lord. Certainly this system is in agreement with the Lord’s command to conduct the work of the church in a decent and orderly way. God does not wish for his Church to become a disorganized confusion of leaders and followers. The Amish are careful to follow their policies to the letter.

Yet after all the meticulous striving for orderliness within the Amish church there seems to be a major flaw that was never intended. The simplicity of the Amish bureaucracy which includes no synods, headquarters, councils, conferences, boards or committees that rise above the local church district can often cause major problems. The local Amish bishop enjoys his status at the top of the triangle. Above him there is no power, advisors, or board that can question his decisions. As a result, the bishop enjoys complete freedom to exercise his will knowing that he is infallible. Like the pope, his word carries absolute power, and no one dares speak against him for fear that they will meet with his displeasure.

In districts where the bishop is a sincere and loving Christian man who has the interests of each member at heart, there is little problem. However, in districts where the bishop wields his power like a dictator, members shrink into obscurity lest they come under his wrath and, God forbid, his excommunication.

It is well known among the Amish where those dictatorial bishops reside. One in particular has been known to send his members to a counseling center in a neighboring state simply because they disagree with him. He carefully wields his power among his members with threats of sending them away, tearing apart their families, or even shunning. On the surface this may sound like a bombastic threat, yet to the Amish who live their lives in constant fear of being shunned (that means declared destined for hell) this means a lot. Some innocent Amish have felt this burden to the point of having mental breakdowns or thoughts of suicide, all due to the evil power wielded by the bishop. And to compound the problem, this process can take many years in developing as the individual is slowly worn down until he or she lives every day in constant fear.

Not only are such power hungry individuals using God’s name to lie and deceive, they have also lost all touch with the Gospel message of love and forgiveness. Terms such as cult and dictator are indeed fitting for such people. Yet, because church district lines are drawn geographically, members have no recourse but to grin and bear it or pack up and move.

Here lies the Amish flaw. Such dictators are completely untouchable. There is no church synod, hierarchy, or council that supersedes his power or that can call his actions into question. (There is a system in place whereby they invite three bishops from other districts called “strange faces”. These men can study a situation and give counsel or even silence the offending bishop.) For the most part, however, he is completely untouchable. He still holds the final say in all things. How sad that such a despot can work his evil among God’s flock and go unchecked–for life!

What is the purpose of the leaders in the church? God laid it out well in Ephesians 4:11,12: “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” In any Christian church, the leaders and called servants are to hold in highest regard the uplifting of their members; the strengthening of their flock; the encouragement of the wayward sinner; the healing of the troubled heart. Never must such an office be used for vengeful power seekers. A true bishop of souls will always strive to serve and save those under his care (1 Timothy 4:15).

© 2012 Reynold R. Kremer

In the 1700’s the Anabaptist believers began to create rules within each congregation called the Ordnung, a German term that means order or discipline. This practice has survived to the present day especially among the Amish people. Today each Amish church district (congregation) boasts its own set of Ordnung rules. Although remaining unwritten, these rules are taught to Amish of every age beginning with the very young. Twice each year these rules are reviewed (at communion time) where they can be altered to add or subtract as necessary. The Ordnung is not necessarily considered the law of God, but rather a list of guidelines for daily living. They give each church its distinctive character. The Amish people feel it reflects God’s orderliness which stands in stark contrast with the disorderliness of the world.

…

The purpose of the Ordnung is simple. The Amish believe that without a detailed set of rules, over time the church will lose its identity. These rules govern everything that would threaten their existence such as style of clothing, family life, worship, and education. When a young Amish man or woman is baptized, he or she promises never to forsake the Ordnung. If they do, they will be excommunicated. One Amish woman said, “The Ordnung is not meant to tell us what to do, just what we are not to do.”

Ordnung rules vary from state to state, settlement to settlement, and district to district. Basically, there are two types of regulations: those that were written years ago in the confessions and regulations, and those that guide members in everyday areas of Amish life and are designed to bring about a feeling of oneness.

Some rules are universal, such as no public electricity, no central heating, no telephones in the home, no automobiles, no scissors or razor to touch a woman’s body, no mustaches for men and no education beyond the eighth grade. However on top of these universal rules one will find the details added by each district, including the width of a man’s hat brim, the number of pleats in a woman’s starched prayer cap, the color of paint to use in upstairs bedrooms, the wearing of only high top shoes, no part singing in church, no pictures hung in the homes, no carpeting, no use of milkers in the barn, and only single bottom plows. Within less than a mile, one district of Amish may be allowed to use milkers and have a phone shanty at the end of the driveway while the next district is forbidden all of those things. Some Amish congregations seem quite liberal in their rules, allowing Sunday school, pictures on the walls, and more modern conveniences while others like the Schwartzentruber’s are far more conservative.

All areas of the Ordnung, although discussed and voted upon twice yearly by every baptized member, are really under the direct supervision of the bishop. If there are dissenters against the bishop’s will, he may take them in a back room and try to “convince” them to vote otherwise. If a bishop has only his own power and authority at heart, he will oppress his congregation and force them to follow his wishes no matter how much it hurts his members. Such is the case in one northern Indiana Amish distrist where the bishop has consistently threatened his members with sever consequences if they should ever usurp his authority. If, on the other hand, a district has an evangelical and loving bishop who cares for his members, he will fashion the Ordnung to serve the purposes of the congregation as a whole as well as the welfare of the individual membership.

The Ordnung may well be a blueprint of expected behavior designed to maintain the Amish traditions that hold an Amish community together, however over the years it has become a millstone hung around the necks of many Amish people. A certain Amish woman who was once very active on her community decided to leave the Amish church. Of course, she was banned and excommunicated from her church district. When I spoke with her and asked the most difficult changes she had to make in crossing over to become an “English” person, she said the most troubling times were differentiating between which laws were God’s laws and which were man-made Ordnung rules. She felt the guilt of sin when looking at a colorful dress in a department store. She felt the guilt of sin when going to see a movie in a theater. She felt guilty when she listened to instrumental music. She felt that same guilt when she removed her prayer cap for the last time. Each of these actions was considered sinful in her former life as an Amish, yet none of them were ever condemned in Scripture.

Therein lies the problem! Where once the Ordnung served as a set of rules to follow for the purpose of maintaining identity, those rules have now taken on the very same significance as the Law of God instituted on Mt. Sinai. God wrote upon his tablets of stone that it is a sin to take his name in vain, to hate or kill, to commit adultery, to bear false witness, to disrespect mother or father, to take God’s name in vain, and to steal or covet. This was God’s moral law that he gave to all people. To go against God’s Law is nothing short of a sin. Yet over the years the Amish have placed their Ordnung on the same level as God’s law. To them, wearing a wrong size hat brim, driving a car, listening to the sweet sound of a violin, studying Scripture, enjoying higher education, parting one’s hair in the middle, installing a phone in the house, or having air filled tires is also considered sin, and even more-so, a sin that would cause one to be shunned and pronounced damned.

It is difficult to find when this transition began and the Amish started to intertwine man-made rules with God’s rules. But it is a fact that most Amish have no idea whatsoever which Laws God established and which were added by mortal men who wanted to control the lives of their members. Scripture says that dancing is a sin, if it causes me go against God’s commandments. Music is a sin, if it causes me to sin against God’s commandments. My clothing is sinful, if it causes others or myself break God’s commandments. Notice that each of these cases is viewed according to the light of God’s law, never man-made rules.

Beverly Lewis, acclaimed author of many best-selling books on the Amish, once wrote that the Amish are “steeped in 300 years of tradition-doing things the same way, adhering to the bishop’s rulings, and, in many cases—if those expectations are ignored—then being excommunicated and shunned from family, friends, and the church community.”

Many Amish lives have become so clouded with the Ordnung rules that they have lost sight of the glorious light of the Gospel. In a way they have traded away “the one thing needful” for a list of rules that will keep the community together at any cost. Is it any wonder that there are so many Amish today who are starving for the true Gospel of Jesus Christ when all they see around them is a church built upon work righteousness and founded upon threats of hell and damnation? Why? Because they didn’t wear the right style of suspenders, they sang in four part harmony, or they cut their hair the wrong way!