Berk, consider how Pentecostals would view a couple of university students with cameras, tape recorders and clipboards to document the "tongue speakers".

Just for you Berk. Obviously this guy is the conservative stripe I once was...

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...34672784&itm=1

And here is the only good in depth documentation of the group I was a part of. It contains a few pics of some of my own realatives.

I question the 18,000 number -- it must be for members. They typically join the membership at about age seventeen to nineteen, so the number would be much higher for total constituents.



http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...0271028651&z=y



They systematically compare the Wengers with other Mennonite groups as well as with the Amish, showing how relationships with these other groups have had a powerful impact on shaping the identity of the Wenger Mennonites in the Anabaptist world. As Kraybill and Hurd show, the Wengers have learned that it is impossible to maintain a static culture in an ever-changing, high-tech world. Examining how the Wengers have cautiously and incrementally adapted to the changes swirling around them, this book offers an invaluable case study of a traditional group caught in the throes of a postmodern world.

95% hmmm... now that is an interesting statistic.

If you like 6 straight days of waking up with the chickens and cows and spending the day barn raising....go for it

yeah, I can do that!!

I live amongst the Amish and they treat us very well~

The Amish have always interested me. I have been to an Amish Community in Illinois. They were very friendly. Lot's of roadside stands to buy things.

I have also been to Seymour, MO, that is up in your neck of the woods, I think, Bro. Hoover. They were not very friendly and did not see the stores and roadside stands.

Are there different "orders" of the Amish as with the Mennonites?

I live right in the heart of their community, one on my left the other on the right...

When I was growing up my grandparents lived right in the middle of the community. My grandpa and grandma both drove for them. They always invited us to big dinners and we invited them to family dinners also.

AS a matter of fact my dad met up with that same amish family--they moved to Michigan years ago--and they had a special dinner because he was in town.

The Amish are some of the most friendly and down to earth people I have ever met....

Well, Stephen Hoover is filling my mind with horror stories... to sleep with one eye open ... etc. :lol

We bought an Amish built home from a couple who became Mennonites. We have lived here for five years now, we get along great, they ride pass our place in buggies, sometimes we drive them into town. I could never ask for better neighbors.

There is a few different orders - even among the ultra con horse and buggy types. The group you speak of in in Seymour are Swartzentruber I am quite sure VERY CONSERVATIVE! They actually went to court over NOT allowing the triangle (slow moving viehicle sign) on the back of there buggies.

Next time you see them say Vee Gates!

I don't live this way... but a part of me wants to. :)

Same here, the Amish hold a big dinner once a month for the community, it cost $ 3.00, all you can eat, great food and fellowship. The money goes to help other's in need in the community.

We also made great friend with an elderly couple, who've had us over many times for supper or drop off bake goodies. The kids really enjoyed telling Elmer who's in his 80's about Pinocchio , he never heard of the story before.

I love to stop at Ada's in McNairy County, TN - between Henderson and Selmer.

http://www.mcnairy.com/living/attractions.html

http://www.tnvacation.com/vendors/ad...country_store/

Berk, if you are serious, you should go to the christian bookstore and buy the novels on the Amish (Beverly Lewis and some other authors). They are aimed at women, I'm sure, but you will learn so much about the Amish lifestyle. It's fascinating! However, B. Lewis portrays them as really not believing in a relationship with Jesus, but portrays the Mennonites as really having one. Not sure how true that is!

Sherri, like most things "really not believing" is open to interpretation. If she states this without qualification and exception, I would disagree. It is a point to remember but is not true accross the board...

Is is true, that many of the old order groups (especially Amish) are very much into the lifestyle and often little emphasis is placed on being born again. That does not mean it is not preached. The shed blood of Jesus is preached in the Amish Church. Funny - People get very nervous when the experience of others does not match their own. So... where is that church that legalism has not made inroads??

We all know individuals who are big on speaking in tongues, "witnessing" and preaching about Jesus at the drop of a hat, but have little fruit to substanciate their Christianity.

Also in Southern Missouri! In the Diggens area there are a number of Amish.

Also up in the Trenton area there is a large group. When I preached a revival in Trentor for Pastor Melvin Rhoads back in the late 70s I used to drink coffee and have breakfast at a cafe in Trenton and my waitress was a shunned Amish girl. She had left the community for the bright lights of Kansas City and then returned to the area. My oh My the stories she told me.

One of the funniest ones was about how the boys would occasionally get drunk and unhook their beautiful John Deere tractor from the conveyor belt that handled the movement the eggs in their egg farm operation and put the tires back on it and head to town and drive up and down main street on their tractor. :)

Have fun Berk... I am sure it would be an experience of a lifetime!

I would strongly suggest before taking that big of a leap that you first read as many books and watch as many videos on the Amish as possible. Then, if you are still interested at that point, move to an Amish community. You will be held at arms length for quite some time, I imagine. From what I know about the Amish, you would have to dress like them, act like them and attend church with them for at least a year or more before you would even be considered for membership.

It is very strange, but from my understanding they don't drive buggies there. (They ride bicycles.)

I have had a fascination with the plain groups for many years. I am drawn by the simplicity of life, lack of divorce and many other facets of the lifestyle. However, I have come to understand something. It is not the lifestyle itself as much as it is the principles of simplicity and family life that so many are drawn to. I believe we can live these principles while not living in the "have to do this" environment that produces fear and a closed society. I would love to live in an Amish community (in general), but I would never actually be Amish.

Right!

http://www.amishnews.com/amisharticl...hinflorida.htm

I probably have about as much "plain" in me as possible for never having been plain and not having any plain relatives. For some reason (and this may sound wierd) I have secretly (to myself) called them "my people" for years. I think what I would really love is having a place that plain people could come who were contemplating leaving the lifestyle. I would not judge and I would not encourage any direction but I would love to give a place of exploration to make an informed and good decision.

This picture demonstartes what we dressed like growing up as OOM.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jblough/195550156/


This one is interesting...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/artcphoto/440035734/

"My people" is a proper term for the plain people. Unzsre Lite (Our People) was simply the term used to identify.

That sounds like a noble cause. You would be more effective if you spoke the language.

Most communities have existing churches with various degrees of conservativness (is that a word?) that a wayward one will often gravitate toward.

What?? No one joining the Amish today?? LOL!!!

Berk, have done joined them?? Is that where you went?

Emma, I would like to go to a simpler time and a simpler place. ........The rats are winning the rat race for me somedays. ...Guess I'm just tired of work, work, work as my profile says. ....No hope for an early retirement for me. :sad :depressed

I ain't seen me no messican Amish before, wow! Hope this won't be a new trend amongst us. Although we do have the Big Hat thing down!! Take a sombrero Berk!

I would like to learn the language but I wonder how I could accomplish that??

And yes, since many plain just go to less conservative churches, I wonder how much of a need there would be for something like that. Particularly something run by someone English. ;)

Me too. Sometimes life is just too hard. The plain people work very hard, but I think there is a simplicity along with it....meaning a lack of having so many, many decisions that we have to in this old English life.

Berk,

I have some contact with the Amish here in Illinois, and I have made good friends with a couple that have just converted to oneness pentecostal, but the local UPCi church has set themselves against me and my relationship with said family because I am an Independent within the Apostolic movement that, though conservative from my POV, grows a beard, has church at home...etc.

They are in the "ban" with the Amish for being UPCi, I'm in the "ban" with UPCi for being more interested in truth than the company line. Though the UPCi Pastor tells me I'm always welcome, he tells them to shun me. At least I have family in that church that sticks up for me. Nevertheless, we have bonded with this wonderful couple and very much enjoy their fellowship. They aren't going to allow a pastor to pick their friends and run their lives. They say that they have had enough of that from the Amish. Amen.

Well, at least the Amish are honest when they shun you. It was very disappointing, I even called the UPCi Pastor before I wrote to the family, to discuss the matter and stated that my intentions were to encourage them to stay at his church...but I guess that means nothing. He had no problem with my writing them, and no problem with a visit to the church, but didn't think that I ought to go visit them as he stated that they were being overwhelmed already. That seemed reasonable until this family called and invited us over for dinner, which turned into over night and church in the morning. They had heard so much about us, as it turns out, that they felt they wanted to get to know us as soon as possible.

The twist in the tale is that one of my best friends, who is Old German Baptist Brethren, lives in the Amish community and visited the family to discourage them. As a result and in counter response, I was only trying to help in keeping them stable on a course for the new birth and more truth of a higher importance than my difference of opinion with the UPCi, as the man's wife had received the Holy Ghost with Baptism in Jesus Name, and he had only been baptized. It seems with some UPCi people, that no good deed goes unpunished. No matter, it is easily forgiven, for they know not what they do.

Meanwhile, their testimony reveals a dark side to the Amish. We knew that to some degree, (every faction has one), but they are mostly good people. So, just know that there is more to the Amish than meets the eye.

We've had a burden for the plain people for some time now. We know of many that have received the new birth and have come out from among the various anabaptist movements in our general area and look to meet more.

Now then, I would encourage you to broaden your scope and study the anabaptist movements in total. Being in California, you have many Old German Baptist Brethren districts in your state. If you find one you won't be sorry. They speak and preach in English, they are every bit as friendly, yet even more so engaging. I've spent many weekends among them in their homes, with mostly elders, having church, meals, fellowship, and late night discussions. My wife has made many friends also and we are welcome to visit anytime.

The elders even gave me audience at my first church meeting with them after service. They were most interested in my understanding of the Godhead and what not. Very easy to talk to, very loving. They may disagree with you, but they will do so with such genuine love and respect that it makes for wonderful conversation. Many stayed long into the afternoon wanting to hear more and inviting me to their homes for the weekends. I could go on, but in general, they are willing to discuss the Word, and honest in their approach to finding the truth in all things.

They are a very receiving people, they love visitors, and joining the church is not nearly as difficult. Some drive cars, have electricity, some are somewhat more primitive in their convictions than the Amish are in general. Even among the horse and buggy OGBB, I have found very friendly and loving people.

If I didn't know any better, I'd join them. Better Christians I have yet to find, though they yet lack but a few things.

Therefore, dear brother, you don't have to join the "Amish" to learn about them, experience them, and walk among them. There in much more to the movement than the Amish.

Pray about it, perhaps what you are feeling is a burden to help reach for them in showing them the way more perfectly. You know that the UPCi has an Amish/Mennonite outreach, right? Though I would that they find a better name that describes it with greater accuracy, it might be a way for you to focus your enthusiasms for the Kingdom.

God Bless, PM me anytime.

Written to Berk - I know... But I would like to comment a little later when I have more time.


Your post was very interesting to me.