Plain Answers About the Amish Life Read Free Page A

John 5:13,which says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (emphasis added). Amish who fall on this side of the topic believe that everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior can know with certainty that they have been saved for eternity.
    Is there a person or organization that oversees the Amish church the way the pope does for Catholics or the Southern Baptist Convention does for Southern Baptists?
    No. Unlike many religious denominations, the Amish have no central authority—no pope, synod, convention, diocese, association, or the like. Instead, the ultimate authority for Amish life and practice lies within each local district. This is why rules can vary from district to district even within an affiliation—each congregation follows the rules established by its own leaders.
    The bishops in an affiliation meet together regularly to discuss issues and look for common stances. This provides unity within the affiliation and support for the bishops as they administer their districts.
    Do the Amish think theirs is the only one true religion?
    No. To do so would be prideful, which goes against one of their most basic values. The Amish are respectful of other Christian denominations. As one Amish man said, the Bible is meant to be a mirror, not a spotlight. Better to pay attention to their own walk with God than presume to judge others’. 1
    If I asked an Amish person how to get to heaven, what would his answer be?
    That person would likely refer to God’s will in the matter and then perhaps describe the need to have a personal relationship with Christ. He might also quote an applicable Scripture, such as, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
    Would an Amish person try to convert me to the Amish faith?
    No. More than anyone, the Amish know how rare and unusual such a conversion would be for a person who was not raised Amish. He might, however, encourage you to seek out a good church, one more in keeping with your own upbringing or community.
    â€”I N T HEIR O WN W ORDS —
    The nice thing is that anyone can choose to be a follower of Christ regardless of his lot in life and the cultural context he lives in. No need to be Amish in order to believe in the Lord and have eternal life—unless, of course, the Lord wants you to be Amish.
    May I convert to the Amish faith if I want to?
    The Amish allow converts to their faith, though successful, permanent conversions of outsiders into the Amish church are extremely rare. See chapter 28, “Us and Them,” for more information.
    Do the Amish ever send out missionaries or engage in other mission work?
    According to authors Charles Hurst and David McConnell in An Amish Paradox: Diversity and Change in the World’s Largest Amish Community , “Specific responses to the great commission vary considerably by affiliation, by district, and by individual inclination.” 2 For the Amish who do support missions, they are more likely to focus on charity and relief work rather than on witnessing or evangelizing.
    Any travel for missions is most often to help out in areas that have been affected by natural disasters and are in need of extensive rebuilding. I once had an interesting conversation with two young Amishmen in their early twenties who had gone, hammers in hand, on a mission trip to the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
    In some areas, Old Order Amish will donate to or volunteer at Plain-run nonprofit organizations such as the Mennonite Central Committee or Christian Aid Ministries. Hurst and McConnell describe one such organization based in Holmes County, Ohio, where local Amish church districts “send volunteers for ‘work days’ to can massive amounts of turkey for shipment to Burundi, North Korea, and other sites.” 3
    Despite these mission-related activities, most