We are once again in a presidential election year in America. This is bringing up all the many conversations the church has been having for hundreds of years around issues like political involvement, voting, and separation from the world. What are ways that we can positively contribute to society and properly influence culture? Merle Burkholder shares practical ways the church can contribute to society much more effectively than through political involvement.

ViewPoint article referenced in this episode

This is the 222nd episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.

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The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

How are we to read the Old Testament when it describes things that are so evil compared to how we are called to live today? Stephen Russell outlines the concept of “uplift through covenant”, and explains how through the story of Scripture God is bringing his people forward to the coming of the Messiah and the practice of radical enemy love.

Stephen Russell’s book Overcoming Evil God's Way

Stephen’s other episodes with AP

This is the 221st episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.

Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!

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Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King Jesus

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The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

We should not see salvation as a single event, John Coblentz says, but as God’s ongoing work. Focusing on a time when we “made a decision” or “went forward” in response to an invitation or “prayed the sinners prayer” can trouble believers who should have assurance and confidence while giving false assurance to those not walking with Jesus.

John discusses union with Christ and the Spirit as a stamp and a guarantee of our inheritance.

Am I a Believer (Doubt Is not Sin. It is Temptation.) - Daniel Yoder

John Coblentz’s devotional commentary on Ephesians

This is the 220th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.

Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!

Join us on Patreon or become a website partner to enjoy bonus content!

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Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King Jesus

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Support us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.

The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

For hundreds of years, the Middle East was home to a thriving church network. Who were these people? What can we learn from them? Lucas Hilty explains a largely forgotten piece of the church’s history, and brings out lessons for us today.

The Patient Ferment of the Early Church

This is the 219th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.

Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!

Join us on Patreon or become a website partner to enjoy bonus content!

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Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King Jesus

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The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

Roseanne Bauman offers a definition of forgiveness, looks at an example of forgiveness from the Bible, and speaks about her own story of forgiveness. Forgiveness requires a commitment to not dwell on the injury mentally, to not bring it up and accuse the other person with it ever again, and to not gossip about it. This commitment must be chosen over and over again.

Roseanne’s previous episodes:

What if My Friend is Abused?

Responding to Abuse: Past and Present

This is the 218th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.

Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!

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Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King Jesus

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Support us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.

The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

In the West, we have abundant access to the Bible. But in many parts of the world, believers and sometimes even pastors don’t have access to God’s Word. Tony High shares about the power of the Scriptures in places that don’t have access to it, and how the Bible is so transformative in the lives of those that read it.

Tony High is director of Heralds of Hope Ministries

Training2Send was mentioned, and how they are shipping English Bibles to believers in West Africa. If you have Bibles you would like to donate (as Tony mentioned in this episode), you can mail them to the shipping warehouse at:

Attn: Doug Campbell

Roto Rooter 66 International Lane

Staunton VA 24401

This is the 217th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.

Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!

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Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King Jesus

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Support us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.

The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

John Coblentz writes, “The church in its current state is not always glorious to us. We are still imperfect - our music is at times off-key, our theology is at times wide of the mark, and our interactions with each other fall short of the love we profess.” John encourages us to see what God wants to do and to work for the broader church, even in the face of difficulty, failed or abusive relationships, and the inherent tendency to shrink our associations to those like us. John talks about appreciating and welcoming believers from varied cultures.

Church is Hard (Biblical Interpretation and Church Offense) - Dean Taylor

John Coblentz’s devotional commentary on Ephesians

This is the 216th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.

Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!

Join us on Patreon or become a website partner to enjoy bonus content!

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Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King Jesus

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Support us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.

The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

We’re seeing growing conflict once again in the Middle East, with America and its allies getting more involved. How should we be thinking about it? How do we avoid the temptation to take sides and think of this in patriotic terms of “our” country beating the “enemy”? Stephen Russell shares how he came to believe in nonresistance, and principles for how the Anabaptist people should be thinking about politics, war, and foreign policy. Instead of trusting in worldly nations, we should be trusting in Jesus and his kingdom, and patiently and faithfully pointing people to Christ instead of a political agenda.

Russell’s book

The Patient Ferment of the Early Church

This is the 215th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.

Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!

Join us on Patreon or become a website partner to enjoy bonus content!

Visit our YouTube channel or connect on Facebook.

Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King Jesus

Subscribe on your podcast provider of choice

Support us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.

The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.