The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, is a church among the various Mennonite denominations. We endeavor to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and His apostles in all matters of faith and practice. This faith has been embraced throughout history by true Christians, including the Waldenses, although often in obscurity and under persecution.
We believe that the grace of God brings personal salvation through the new birth.
This new birth begins with faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and results in repentance of sin and obedience to Christ’s teachings. This new life in Christ unites us in fellowship with brotherly love.
We believe the Bible teaches baptism for believers, nonresistance, and a simple, modest lifestyle. The Bible teaches that Christians are to be separate (non-conformed) from the world in spirit (attitude and outlook) and manner of life. Since Christians belong to the kingdom of God, Christ teaches us to live peaceably with others. We do not take part in politics, elected government offices, or the military. We teach that Christian men should wear a beard and that Christian women should wear a devotional head covering.
Because some of these doctrines and practices differ from those of main-line Christianity, we have often been considered different than other Christians.
Origin of the Mennonites
The Mennonites are descended from those known as Anabaptists in the 16th century. The Anabaptists rejected infant baptism and insisted on a believer’s baptism. They believed and practiced the faith taught by Jesus and the apostles. This faith had been continued by the early Waldenses and other nonconformist groups from the apostles’ time. These believers were bitterly persecuted by both Catholics and Protestants for their doctrine and their independence from the state churches.
In 1536 Menno Simons (1496-1561), a Catholic priest in Holland, came under conviction for his sins and began studying the Bible. His repentance and surrender to God resulted in his spiritual new birth. He was baptized by the Anabaptists and was later chosen to be a minister. A gifted, humble man, Menno Simons ardently studied the Bible and became a very capable teacher and writer. Because of Menno’s influence, the Anabaptists were later called Mennonites. These early Anabaptist-Mennonites were known by their adherence to Christ’s teachings in every area of life: pure speech, modest apparel, integrity, moral purity, separation from the world, and nonresistance. Their insistence on experiencing a change of heart through a true conversion to Christ was the basis of their walk of life.
The Mennonite Church in America
Because of persecution and their desire for religious freedom, Mennonites began to immigrate to America in 1683. They braved the dangers of frontier life and became known as quiet, God-fearing people, sober and devout in faith, industrious and temperate in everyday life. The faith that they embraced did not allow them to participate in war, which earned them the reputation of being a peace-loving people.
However, times of test and prosperity brought a spiritual decline. During the nineteenth century, many Mennonites began to deviate from the doctrines of their forefathers. Among those who contended for the historic faith was John Holdeman (1832-1900), of Wayne County, Ohio. He became increasingly aware that the Mennonite Church no longer was practicing the true doctrine in many areas. He appealed to church leaders for spiritual revival. Although some agreed with his evaluation, little reformation took place. In 1859, he and others began worshipping separately. Eventually, this small group organized as the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite.
The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite
John Holdeman was a Spirit-filled evangelist, teacher, and writer. His outstanding work is A Mirror of Truth, a doctrinal book still held in high regard by the church today. He traveled widely as an evangelist, and many who listened to his preaching experienced a spiritual new birth and were baptized. A number of congregations were established in the United States and Canada.
After John Holdeman’s death, the church continued to grow. Today the church publishes and distributes Christian literature and tracts and provides disaster relief and humanitarian aid. A bi-weekly periodical, the Messenger of Truth, has been published since the early 1900s. Evangelism and missionary efforts are engaged in by individuals and through organized programs.
Today, congregations or mission stations have been established in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and various countries in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Europe. Although the largest concentration of members is in North America, the church has a worldwide membership.
Most congregations operate a Christian school for the purpose of providing a sound, basic education, while protecting our children from the worldly influences of higher education, lack of discipline, and the rampant breakdown of morality in today’s society.
We invite people of every culture, race, and nation to come to Jesus Christ for salvation and become a part of this faith and fellowship. With a living hope in God’s grace as sufficient for our salvation and spiritual welfare, we face the future with confidence in God, watching for Jesus’ return.
Summary of Fundamental Bible Doctrines of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite
Salvation
We believe that man is saved by the grace of God through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. He is justified by the blood of Christ on meeting the conditions of faith, repentance, and obedience. Through the new birth he becomes a child of God, is saved from condemnation of sin, and partakes of eternal life. It is man’s blessing to have the inward assurance of peace with God and knowledge of his sins forgiven (Matthew 24:13; John 1:12-13; John 3:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 2:7, 3:20-26; Ephesian 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; James 2:14-26).
The Church
We believe the church is the body of Christ, comprised of those who are born again and baptized into her fellowship. Christ established one true, visible church, and through her He has preserved His faith and doctrine through the ages. It is the church’s divinely appointed mission to proclaim the faith of the gospel to the world, nurture the redeemed by teaching obedience to Christ’s commandments, and show forth a pattern of good works for the glory of God (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:23-27; 4:11-13; Jude 3; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Peter 2:12).
Church Order and Discipline
Jesus, as head of the church, has delegated to the church the authority and responsibility to:
1. Call and ordain faithful, able leadership (2 Timothy 2:2; 1 Timothy 3; Acts 6).
2. Regulate the observance of the ordinances, including baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:2, 17-34).
3. Exercise discipline, including excommunication, in order to preserve the purity of the church and to encourage the disobedient to repentance (Matthew 18:15-18; Galatians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5; Titus 3:10).
4. Hold a scriptural avoidance of the excommunicated (Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15).
Peace and Nonresistance
The kingdom of Christ is peaceable and nonresistant and must remain separate from the kingdoms of this world:
1. Church and state must be separate (John 18:36).
a) The church is called to maintain the gospel standard of Christ’s kingdom for the regenerated children of God (Romans 12:17-21; Matthew 5:38-44).
b) The state represents God’s providential arm of justice within society, but it is not the responsibility of Christians to become involved in the enforcing of justice (Romans 13:1-7).
2. A Christian may not hold civil office, vote in civil elections, nor sit on civil juries (John 18:36).
3. Biblical nonresistance is based on divine love for all mankind and requires that a Christian may not:
a) Quarrel with his fellowmen.
b) Use the law in retaliation or take part in lawsuits.
c) Return evil for evil.
d) Take part in the armed forces or war in any form.
e) Serve in civil law enforcement.
(2 Corinthians 10:3-4; Matthew 5:38-44; Romans 12:17-21)
4. It is the Christian’s duty to pay his taxes (Romans 13:6-7), pray for the civil rulers (1 Timothy 2:1-4), and be subject to the state as long as it does not conflict with his Christian calling (Romans 13:1-7; Acts 5:29).
Nonconformity to the World
A Christian may not love the world nor conform to the ways of the world. He is to be separate and live a holy life (Romans 12:1-2). Therefore, fashion, carnal pleasure and entertainment, competitive sports, politics, prestigious business, idolatrous art, etc., are avoided. The Christian has no interest in television, radio, movies, popular music, and dancing. He keeps himself from alcohol, illicit drugs, smoking, and all manner of immorality (Luke 16:15; 1 Peter 4:1-4).
New Testament Ordinances
We believe it is vitally important to observe the ordinances as taught by Christ and the apostles:
1. Baptism is administered only upon the individual’s confession of faith. It is an outward sign of an inward cleansing and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The church continues to practice baptism by pouring, as did the Anabaptists (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38).
2. Communion is observed as a memorial of Christ’s death, symbolizing the blood and body of Christ, preceded by self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:23-33).
3. The washing of feet is observed with the Communion service, symbolizing both a cleansed walk of life and the humility of serving one another in Christian brotherhood (John 13:1-17).
4. A head covering or veil is worn by the sisters who are members through baptism. This signifies their submission to man according to God’s order (1 Corinthians 11:3-12).
5. Holy matrimony is an ordinance involving the marriage of one man and one woman for life, united in the Lord, symbolizing the holy relationship of Christ and the church (Genesis 2:18-24; Ephesians 5:22-25). We believe it is wrong for a Christian to marry an unbeliever (2 Corinthians 6:14).
The End of This Present World
We believe this present world will come to an end with the glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:31-46; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 3:10-14).
1. When Christ returns, He will not establish an earthly kingdom, but will judge the world (2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 25:31-46).
2. There will be a bodily resurrection of the dead, both of the saved and unsaved, at the return of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15; John 5:28-29; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
3. Jesus is coming soon to claim His own (John 14:2-3; Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 22:20).
Heaven
We believe that heaven is the final resting place of the righteous where they will abide in the fullness of joy with God and the holy angels forever (John 14:1-3; Psalm 16:11; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54; Matthew 6:19-20; Revelation 7:9-17). God desires that all may be saved (2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 22:17).
Hell
We believe that hell is the place of everlasting torment prepared for the devil and his angels, and that the wicked shall suffer with them forever. (Matthew 25:41, 46; Daniel 12:2; Revelation 19:3, 20:10, 21:8).