Mennonite distinctives
Mennonites have the same basic beliefs as other Protestant groups (God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, salvation through Christ, etc. In addition we have some distinctive beliefs. Listed below are some of them.
- Mennonites practice believer’s baptism which symbolizes an adult making a public commitment to live as a disciple of Christ. In baptism, the believer shows a willingness to share the good news of Jesus by word and actions.
- Mennonites believe that the Bible, or Bible-centeredness, is key and pervades all of one’s life and faith. The church tries to live in obedience to the Word of God. We believe that the Holy Spirit helps the community of believers understand the Word.
- Mennonites believe that the church is made up of people whose sins have been forgiven and who choose to follow Christ’s teachings. We believe that church membership is voluntary, holy, full-time, caring and disciplined. Taking part in a regular worship service enables Christians to respond to God with praise and thanks, and to live for Jesus through the week.
- Mennonites believe that Christians need each other for encouragement and growth, for confronting one another in a supportive way and for help in time of crisis. Mennonites believe that it is important to be concerned for both the spiritual and physical aspects of life.
- As disciples of Jesus, Mennonites try to live under Christ’s rule. For many this means loving the enemy and refusing to use violence or participate in military service, living peaceably with others at all levels, serving the poor and needy, and taking risks to work actively for justice and mercy.
- Mennonites believe that Christians are different from the world, a belief that is traditionally called “non-conformity.” For the more modern groups, the emphasis falls on ethics and justice issues. For some Mennonites, this means having a distinctive appearance and mode of transportation (the Amish and more traditional groups within the Mennonite family).
