Articles on current issues
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Why We Don’t Vote
As citizens in modern democracies, we are urged to vote as a way to keep dangerous leaders out of power and preserve our country. This brief article summarizes ten reasons conservative Anabaptists resist this opportunity.
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Discipleship in the Local Church
Over the past decades, counseling centers have arisen among conservative Anabaptists. What responsibilities, then, do pastors and local church members have? The emphasis in this article is a call to be faithful in the local church’s mission of nurturing others in the knowledge of Jesus. The paper describes five important skills of making disciples, and…
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Conservative Anabaptists and Social Media
Where Have We Been and Where Do We Want to Go? The dangers of Facebook, Instagram, and X are well known. Conversations descend to shrill bickering while “friends” lose out on meaningful in-person relationships. But social media is everywhere for a reason. As the authors of this article show, social apps are developed in light…
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Same-Sex Attractions and Gender Dysphoria
How should we respond to our culture’s embrace of same-sex relationships and transgender lifestyles? In this article, the authors trace the foundations of modern ideas of sexuality and offer five guidelines for a Christian response.
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Hard Conversations, Committed Relationships
If the modern world is a word fight, how do Christians engage? Rather than taking positions on controversial issues, this article steps back to consider our responsibility: to speak the truth in the love of Christ.
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Truth and Discernment
Conflicting explanations of “what’s really going on” in the world have a real impact on churches. How can we sort through the barrage of information and guide our congregations in truth? Parts 1 and 2—The Problem: Why do we struggle with bad information, and why does it matter? Parts 3 and 4—The Solution: What steps…
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The Christian and Nationalism
Can citizens of the kingdom of God do good in politics? This article contains three parts:
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Some Guidance on COVID Vaccines
Side effects. Fetal cell lines. Changes to DNA. Toxins. How should we sort through concerns about COVID vaccines? A group of conservative Anabaptist doctors, nurses, and pastors offer perspective.
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Anabaptist Exceptionalism
When the government restricts our church services in the interests of public health, how should we respond?
builds on the Anabaptist value of community wisdom. A team comprised primarily of older, ordained men forms the core executive group. Subcommittees are then formed to address particular issues, drawing in people experienced in the subject. Viewpoint was formed in response to repeated calls for help in addressing issues facing conservative Anabaptist leaders. A number of church leaders asked Faith Builders (Guys Mills) to facilitate the effort. The Viewpoint executive committee includes Steven Brubaker (PA), Merle Burkholder (ON), John Coblentz (PA), Matt Landis (PA), Gary Miller (ID), David Yoder (KS), and Marvin Wengerd (OH). Materials produced by Viewpoint are intended to assist and encourage church leaders, not to dictate or control them. Leaders are free to use the uncopyrighted materials as best suits their needs.
Read future articles as they are published