Mennonites Join Adventism
How a Seventh-day Adventist church overcame cultural differences with believers in the three angels’ messages following a simple way of life
Shared by Ken Lund and published under a Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.
The Beauvallon Seventh-day Adventist church in rural Alberta, Canada, discovered that 11 Sabbath-keeping Mennonites in the area were meeting together in a home church. They were passionate about spreading the three angels' messages in their Old Colony Mennonite community. Sadly, they had experienced a form of shunning due to bringing forward biblical questions in their Mennonite church. In some ways, it had been stressful for them to be Mennonite in culture and tradition while embracing the Adventist faith and doctrine.
Why didn’t they just join our church? What was the big deal? Over time, we realized we had a problem. If they were going to reach their own people, we might hinder these steps because we have different cultural values. So, how could we help them out?
We invited an Amish man from Ohio—Andy Weaver, a convert to Adventism who continues to practice the plain dress of his Anabaptist tradition—to connect with his people at a revival we planned to host in the nearby Mennonite community in Two Hills, Alberta. Maybe we could attract some to come out and hear a man who looks similar to them. This was uncharted territory for us. But we prayed and asked God to reach the hearts of those looking for something more.
Andy Weaver came and preached the gospel truth. We saw Mennonite families throughout the weekend. Two Mennonite ministers showed up Friday night and expressed agreement with what they heard. Family members and friends of the Sabbath-keeping Mennonite group came and stayed to fellowship. God poured His Spirit into this event. Afterward, one of the young men approached me and expressed joy and gratitude for what had taken place. During the following Sunday brunch, Andy shared his personal journey with the Sabbath-keeping Mennonite group. This helped encourage them to want to join the Adventist Church.
As part of the follow-up and a growing commitment to Christ, all of the members of the Mennonite home church have been baptized by immersion into the Beauvallon Adventist Church, with one joining through profession of faith. The significance of this spiritual milestone underscores their commitment to living out the truths of the Bible as they embrace the gospel message of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Historically, Mennonites are known for their devotion to Jesus' practical teachings, valuing nonviolence, community support, and a simple way of life. The decision by these individuals to join the Seventh-day Adventist church underlines their serious and prayerful consideration of Biblical truth. The risk of rejection from their community is a real fear they wrestled with before taking this step. But these baptisms represent a public declaration of their commitment to following what they believe is the most accurate interpretation of biblical teachings—especially baptism by immersion and the Sabbath.
The Beauvallon Adventist Church members celebrated this occasion with much joy. We recognize the courage it takes to make such a life-changing commitment. Their baptism is a testament to the power of the Holy Spirit constantly moving on the hearts of all humanity.
In conclusion, we learned that these steps took them time to process. We did not pressure them but rather listened and sought to understand where they were in their journey with God. We still don’t see eye to eye on dress, traditions, music, Bible translations, or church policy. But we love them and are grateful for their contributions to our church family.
Jeremy Wellman is currently serving in his fourth year as a pastor of two churches in rural Alberta, Canada.