First photo credit to AFF's Margie, second photo credit to an unknown newspaper reporter who convinced my family to pose at the Turnpike sign in 1965.
Awesome story Steve. Was it primarily your Mother or your Father's conviction that led him back to the OOM? It sounds like you grew up in a great family.
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
Yes on the bolded. Why do I doubt the other items? I suppose it's possible, though unlikely, that any Elders made declarations of one being "saved" whether in good standing with the church or not.
It is true... but more in a way of determining when someone sinned. They had to go to the one who stands as Peter for forgiveness before they could be saved and enter the gates.
__________________ ...MY THOUGHTS, ANYWAY.
"Many Christians do not try to understand what was written in a verse in the Bible. Instead they approach the passage to prove what they already believe."
Ok I have to tell you a story Bro Hoover that should give you a good chuckle.. when we first bought our building in bethany ok. It had been owned by the hdqtrs of the mennonite church there and from what I am told it was the very strict order of mennonites as well. Everything seemed in order.. nothing was overdone... well.. except for the pink flamingos someone had painted alllllllllll over the church when they were leaving?!?!? We still havent figured that one out! But here is the funniest part... someone asked them if they had phone lines etc installed and they informed us NOT absolutely NOT that was not like them and they wouldnt do that! They even came out and moved their buggies I kid you not when they were leaving... but as we were renovating the parsonage which would end up being my families home... guess what we found in the master bdrm closet???? PHONE JACKS Andddddddd internet connections and a computer monitor!!!!!!!!! we all had a little laugh over that.. then one of the people came back and very meekly asked for their monitor back
Yea, we all still laugh over that! Buggies and all and then a computer and phones and all that good jazz.. in a closet! And I DO have pictures to prove it somewhere too LOL... it was very comical to say the least! But those pink flamingos ?!?!?!?! Just dont get that part!
Steve, what a great page you put together!!! NICE!!!
I'd really love to hear more details about your story if you ever have time. Tell us what your siblings are doing now. Are they still OOM? (except the one we know is Pentecostal) Did your father farm? If so, what kind of farming did he do? How is it that you were all allowed to go to public school?
I could go on and on because I have LOTS of questions. I'm not "questioning" you, I'm interested!
And one more question:
My ancestors (in the very early 1800's) came to Fulton County in Ohio because they were Amish-Mennonite. Do you know what that might mean? Were they Amish? Or were they Mennonite?
Someone mentioned that the Yoder name is so dominate in Pennsylvania. Here in NW Ohio if you are Amish-Mennonite descent than you will have a connection to the Stuckey's. MOST of the people in the western part of our county are related to the Stuckey's (that's my line, by the way. My great grandmother was a Stuckey)
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Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of a battle ! ! ! !
THere was a Mennonite family in my Mid -Wives office yesterday. We have lots of Mennonites in a small community in Southern Arkansas. There language was very strange, something I had not heard before. I met thier little boy but I guess he did not understand my language because when I ask him what his name was he held up 3 fingers! LOL!!
Anyway, they must have been liberal because one of the ladies had on bright pink.
Thanks for sharing your life's story with us, Stephen. I remembered when I watched you and your family on Wife Swap and how proud I was to see fellow Apostolic Christians willing to take such a bold move in order to share their testimony. I have been thrilled to read how the Lord used your appearance on that show to minister to so many people.
God bless you and your family.
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Isaiah 53:5: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."(KJV)
"God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves." Dwight L. Moody
Bro Hoover, I watched a movie/documentary one time called the "Devils Playground". It highlighted the lives of amish young people who were allowed and some apparently encouraged to sow their wild oats so to speak before they made the decision to stay within the group. Are there any similarities to your group?
I saw that too and it was quite troubling. It would be a mistake to think that video represented the majority of Amish youth. I would say perhaps 10 - 15% of the Amish youth take their "Rumspringa" liberties to that extreme. The Old Order Mennonite youth practice this also to an even lessor degree.
The Devils Playground footage needs to be balanced with this story:
The Amish, A People of Preservation is a PBS award-winning documentary that includes Amish and Old Order Mennonite footage.
It is very accurate. And i would highly recommend this exclusive footage of Amish/Mennonite culture.
__________________ "It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." Dave Barry 2005
I am a firm believer in the Old Paths
Articles on such subjects as "The New Birth," will be accepted, whether they teach that the new birth takes place before baptism in water and Spirit, or that the new birth consists of baptism of water and Spirit. - THE PENTECOSTAL HERALD Dec. 1945
"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves