Charity Ministries

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Anabaptism

A 1685 illustration by Jan Luyken, published in Martyrs Mirror, of Dirk Willems saving his pursuer, an act of mercy that led to his recapture, after which he was burned at the stake near Asperen in the present-day Netherlands

Background

* Christianity
* Radical Reformation
* Sermon on the Mount

Doctrines and practices

* Theology of Anabaptism
* Believer's baptism
* Lovefeast
* Nonconformity to the world
* Nonresistance
* Free will
* Freedom of religion
* Priesthood of all believers
* Separation of church and state
* Foot washing
* Holy kiss
* Plain dress
* Shunning
* Simple living
* Singings

Documents

* Schleitheim Confession
* Dordrecht Confession
* Ausbund
* Martyrs Mirror

Key people

* George Blaurock
* Hans Denck
* Conrad Grebel
* Melchior Hoffman
* Balthasar Hubmaier
* Hans Hut
* Jakob Hutter
* Alexander Mack
* Felix Manz
* Pilgram Marpeck
* Melchior Rink
* Michael Sattler
* Menno Simons

Largest groups

* Amish
* Apostolic Christians
* Brethren in Christ
* Bruderhof
* Conservative Mennonites
* Hutterites
* Mennonite World Conference
* Mennonites
* Mennonite Brethren
* Old Colony Mennonites
* Old Order Mennonites
* River Brethren
* Russian Mennonites
* Schwarzenau Brethren

Related movements

* Schwenkfelders
* Pietism
* Radical Pietism
* Moravians
* Inspirationalists
* Quakers
* Neo-Anabaptism

Christianity portal

* v
* t
* e

Charity Ministries, also called Charity Christian Fellowship, is a Conservative Anabaptist network of churches that was formed in 1982 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.[1][2]

As with other conservative Anabaptist Christian churches, the Charity Christian Fellowship seeks to emulate early Christianity and practices plain dress, believer's baptism, "feet washing, the devotional head covering, the holy kiss, non-swearing of oaths and practicing Biblical Nonresistance (As described in Matthew 5:45)."

Many members of the Charity Christian Fellowship have roots in other Anabaptist denominations that practice plain dress, though their emphasis on evangelism has led to individuals from non-Anabaptist Christian backgrounds becoming a part of the Charity Christian Fellowship as well.[3]

## History

[edit]

In 1982, individuals with roots in different Plain Anabaptist groups met in New Holland in order to form a church that would recapture the zeal of early Christianity and the tenets of the Anabaptist movement of the 16th century. Mose Stoltzfus, an ex-Amish (1946-2020), and Denny Kenaston, an ex-Baptist (1949-2012), were the main leaders of the new church.[4]

In the early years it was more of a spiritual movement than a church.[4]

In the late 1980s, a tape ministry was started as well as an organization for foreign missions. A publication called The Heartbeat of the Remnant, short The Remnant, was started in 1994. In 2011 its publication was transferred to its affiliated Ephrata Ministries and in summer 2013 its publication was stopped. In 2016 The Berean Voice, a ministry of Faith Christian Fellowship, resumed the publication.[5]

Beginning around 2010, a number of conservative Charity congregations regrouped together as the Agape Christian Fellowship.

## Belief and practice

[edit]

Main article: Anabaptist theology

The Charity churches profess to be Conservative Anabaptist in doctrine.[1] The churches of the network resemble Conservative Mennonites in many ways. Members wear plain dress, with some of the women observing plain dress through the wearing of the cape dress with a head covering in the form of a hanging veil. Believer's baptism by immersion, Foot washing and the Holy Kiss are practiced. Non-swearing of oaths and opposition to military service are also mandatory.[3] They also place a strong emphasis on evangelism towards other Anabaptist and non-Anabaptist groups.[2][6]

## Members and congregations

[edit]

Year  | Membership

|

1993 | ~500
2000 | 1,467
2012 | 2,232

In 1993 there were nine churches in eight states of the US and around 500 baptized members. [3] Around the year 2000 there were 24 congregations in the network in fifteen states of the US, mainly in Pennsylvania and Ohio. There were 1,467 members and an estimated total population including children and young adults not yet baptized of 2,787 people.[2] In 2012 there were 41 congregations with 2,232 members associated with Charity Ministries.[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Charity Christian Fellowship - Church". Charity Christian Fellowship. July 2020. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
2. ^ a b c Donald B. Kraybill, C. Nelson Hostetter: Anabaptist World USA, Scottdale PA, 2001, page 159.
3. ^ a b c Stephen Scott: Old Order and Conservative Mennonites Groups, Intercourse, PA 1996, page 197.
4. ^ a b c Charity Ministries at Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
5. ^ Charity Christian Fellowship: About us. at charitychristianfellowship.org.
6. ^ Donald B. Kraybill: Concise Encyclopedia of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites By Donald B. Kraybill, Baltimore, 2010, page 218.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

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