Charity Ministries

Charity Ministries, also called Charity Christian Fellowship, is a network of Churches that was formed in 1982 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In the early years it was more of a spiritual movement than a church. Most members have roots in Plain Anabaptist groups and the network is seen as Anabaptist by Kraybill and Hostetter, even though they do not identify as Mennonite themselves.[1][2]

History

In 1982 persons 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 (born 1946), and Denny Kenaston, an ex-Baptist (1949-2012), were the main leaders of the new church.[3]

In the late 1980s a tape ministry was started as well as an organisation 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 Ephrata Ministries and in summer 2013 its publication was stopped. In 2016 The Berean Voice resumed the publication.[4]

Belief and practice

In doctrine the Charity churches are quite fundamentalist and the expression of faith is rather charismatic. The churches of the network resemble Conservative Mennonites in many ways. Members wear Plain dress, women with head coverings. Believer's baptism by immersion, Foot washing and the Holy Kiss are practiced. Non-swearing of oaths and opposition to military service is also mandatory.[5]

There is a strong evangelism to win converts from other Anabaptist groups as well as from outside groups.[1] Donald B. Kraybill even states: "They aggressively seek to convert people from traditional Anabapist groups as well as outside these circles.[6]

Members and Congregations

Year Membership
1993~500
20001,467
20122,232

In 1993 there were nine churches in eight states of the US and around 500 baptized members. [5] 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.[1] In 2012 there were 41 congregations with 2,232 members associated with Charity Ministries.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Donald B. Kraybill, C. Nelson Hostetter: Anabaptist World USA, Scottdale PA, 2001, page 159.
  2. ↑ Charity Ministries at Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
  3. ↑ Charity Ministries at Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
  4. ↑ Charity Christian Fellowship: About us. at charitychristianfellowship.org.
  5. 1 2 Stephen Scott: Old Order and Conservative Mennonites Groups, Intercourse, PA 1996, page 197.
  6. ↑ Donald B. Kraybill: Concise Encyclopedia of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites By Donald B. Kraybill, Baltimore, 2010, page 218.
  7. ↑ Charity Ministries at Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
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