Anabaptist Exceptionalism

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The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly tested God’s people. Government leaders have implemented restrictions that affect us financially, relationally, educationally, and perhaps most significantly, spiritually. Most churches have experienced some level of restriction to their gatherings. This has ranged from full shutdowns, to holding outdoor meetings, to meetings with only a percentage of members in attendance. In addition, we have been encouraged (sometimes required) to practice social distancing, masking, and regular sanitizing.

While the COVID restrictions are not the primary focus of this article, they do illustrate what appears to many Anabaptist leaders to reveal an underlying problem, a problem that shows itself elsewhere but has been especially apparent in our response to this pandemic. The problem has sometimes been labeled Read it all

Speaking and Suffering for Christ’s Sake

“Speak…all the words of this life.” I wonder what they spoke in their effort to meet the mandate. We know they didn’t cease “to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” But what were all those “words of this life”? Whatever they were, they immensely displeased the Jewish leaders, who resorted to threats, prison, and beatings. The apostles, having been told by an angel to speak, humbly replied, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Suffering for Christ’s Sake

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Is It Time for Christians to Defy the Governor Regarding Public Worship?

Do we truly need to choose between honoring God and honoring the governor?
So is there a point where it’s right to defy our leaders?
If so, where is that point?

The two connected questions dropped into the comments on one of my Facebook posts. To know the context is to better understand the questions, so here you are:

  • Broad: Gubernatorial executive orders restricting some normal freedoms during a pandemic.
  • Narrow: Restrictions on a variety of public assemblies, including church services.

I gave two brief answers (“Yes” and “Not yet”) in a follow-up comment and promised a more thorough answer later. This is it.

Heroes of the Resistance? Relevant Bible History

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Above all, love God!