Revival The Missing Link?

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

Meaning their numbers are insignificant considering the overall size of the Amish?

meaning, all it is is an impressive stat when not compared to the bigger picture

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

Here is an Amish that would like to change evangelism.

Part one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhoz_...eature=related

I thoroughly enjoyed Part 1. I will try and finish the next 5 tomorrow.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by crakjak

...
When folks start thinking for themselves and studying for themselves things begin to change. It is happening all over.

Several years ago when I was attending the local Vineyard Church one of the people in my prayer group was from a family of Jehovah's Witnesses. She and a couple family members had left that cult but most of them were still under JW control.

She told me that the internet was great as far as helping JW's. They could read the Word and hear testimonies and read teaching on the Word that they never would have heard in their JW cloistered environment under the control of the local leaders. People were receiving enlightenment and realizing that what they had heard and accepted for years was not Scriptural. They could begin thinking for themselves and have a relationship with God that was more than control by a religious institution.

The internet can also help those who are under the control of local UPC (and other) pastors. Sites like the Spiritual Abuse Site, Acts 18, and forums like this can be a source of enlightenment and people can be exposed to the Word, teaching, and testimonies from outside of what is some times a cloistered and controlled environment. People can think for themselves and have a relationship with God that is more than control by a religious institution.

[whoami]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

Here is how the Amish do it...

The main factor behind the growth is simple: Big families and a high “retention rate.”

"A new study estimates the number of Amish has increased nearly 10 percent in the past two years alone, to a total population of 249,000, compared with about 227,000 in 2008."


"They are sort of challenging some of the mainstream assumptions about progress and how you achieve the good life and happiness," said Elizabethtown professor Don Kraybill, the study's director. "They're not merely surviving; they're thriving, and growing at this very rapid rate."


The study focused on all Amish groups that use horse-and-buggy transportation, so it excluded such automobile-driving groups as the Beachy Amish and Mennonites.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100728/...thriving_amish

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/...pulation-boom/

I think you have a point. I'm thinking more of the retention of children born into the religion, rather than the number of children born into the religion. It appears to me (from my location here in the shadow of the Mother Ship (lol Hazelwood) that the retention of children born and raised Apostolic is much lower than that of the Amish.

Something from my personal experience, I live right next to a horse and buggy Amish community and growing up Apostolic I always felt a bit slighted in that my parents and church seemed to get more excited about new converts than us kids that were being raised in the church. I realize that wasn't your point specifically, just a memory this brought up for me. I remember thinking that my Amish friends parents were more focused on teaching and interacting with their children and my parents were all about participating in outreach programs for "the lost". Since I was homeschooled (except for a few years at a private Apostolic school), I had more interaction with the Amish kids then with "worldly" kids or even the Apostolic kids, because most of them went to public schools.

Not saying that all Apostolic parents are like that or even that all Amish parents are like that..

Another thing that I think is VERY key in the Amish retention rate vs. Apostolic retention rate (of children raised in the faith) is the way some Amish communities allow their children to experiment and make their own decision. (Yes, I realize that not all Amish communities practice rumspringa, but the one I live near does. Although they don't do it in the way depicted by Devil's Playground. LOL) When my Amish friends turned 16, some bought cars, went out in "worldly" clothes, etc. Their parents worried about them and prayed for them but didn't push them towards a decision. Most decided mainstream life was too stressful and officially joined the Amish church. When I turned 16 and sat down with my parents and told them I wanted to wear modest pants and didn't agree with the standards, they said as long as you live under our roof you'll be Pentecostal - standards and all! I left a few months later and never went back.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

Here is how the Amish do it...

The main factor behind the growth is simple: Big families and a high “retention rate.”

"A new study estimates the number of Amish has increased nearly 10 percent in the past two years alone, to a total population of 249,000, compared with about 227,000 in 2008."


"They are sort of challenging some of the mainstream assumptions about progress and how you achieve the good life and happiness," said Elizabethtown professor Don Kraybill, the study's director. "They're not merely surviving; they're thriving, and growing at this very rapid rate."


The study focused on all Amish groups that use horse-and-buggy transportation, so it excluded such automobile-driving groups as the Beachy Amish and Mennonites.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100728/...thriving_amish

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/...pulation-boom/

According to the video you shared earlier in the thread the Amish consider it brazen and almost prideful or boastful to share the gospel with others.

That would leave growth through family growth as the main option.

[*AQuietPlace*]

Originally Posted by whoami

Another thing that I think is VERY key in the Amish retention rate vs. Apostolic retention rate (of children raised in the faith) is the way some Amish communities allow their children to experiment and make their own decision. (Yes, I realize that not all Amish communities practice rumspringa, but the one I live near does. Although they don't do it in the way depicted by Devil's Playground. LOL) When my Amish friends turned 16, some bought cars, went out in "worldly" clothes, etc. Their parents worried about them and prayed for them but didn't push them towards a decision. Most decided mainstream life was too stressful and officially joined the Amish church. When I turned 16 and sat down with my parents and told them I wanted to wear modest pants and didn't agree with the standards, they said as long as you live under our roof you'll be Pentecostal - standards and all! I left a few months later and never went back.

That's an interesting thought.

[crakjak]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

Here is an Amish that would like to change evangelism.

Part one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhoz_...eature=related

I love these people!!!! Wow, what courage!! What boldness, and calm strength!!

Can these characteristics only be birthed and maintained in a cloistered environment???

And like always, when one begins to take steps of faith, they are hit with circumstances that make them even stronger!!

I was referring to the couples in the video, that were questioning, and reading the Bible for themselves. This always creates problems with the "elders". It is just unbelievable that leaders could "shun" such passion and hunger for truth, what happens if the elders hear and join the search???

Hoovie, is your path from Amish similar to these folks??

[Baron1710]

My daughter made a comment that pretty much summed up my feeling when watching these videos, "They sound like the Roman Church of the dark ages."

The fact that they are forbidden to read and study the Bible is an amazing tool of Satan. While the folks in the video had genuine faith it makes me wonder how many Amish have a genuine faith in Christ and how many simply have a list of rules.

[whoami]

Originally Posted by Baron1710

My daughter made a comment that pretty much summed up my feeling when watching these videos, "They sound like the Roman Church of the dark ages."

The fact that they are forbidden to read and study the Bible is an amazing tool of Satan. While the folks in the video had genuine faith it makes me wonder how many Amish have a genuine faith in Christ and how many simply have a list of rules.

I haven't watched the video's (can't access youtube right now) but I've never heard of Amish being forbidden to read or study the Bible. The Amish I know (horse and buggy Old Order Amish) do read their Bible, every day during their family devotions.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Baron1710

My daughter made a comment that pretty much summed up my feeling when watching these videos, "They sound like the Roman Church of the dark ages."

The fact that they are forbidden to read and study the Bible is an amazing tool of Satan. While the folks in the video had genuine faith it makes me wonder how many Amish have a genuine faith in Christ and how many simply have a list of rules.

Ive posted this on FB as well, our relationship with Him is based in part on knowledge, really knowing Him personally is based in part in knowing about him from the word