Below are two recent accounts from Christians who have come in contact with the “Ex-Amish”, Amish who have been excommunicated from their communities because of their faith in Jesus Christ the Savior.
NOTE: Names from the exceprts have been changed to preserve the privacy of those involved.
We were with the ‘ex-Amish’ last night. They are an amazing people. Jesus is doing amazing things. All of the couples are younger than us. At their service the other night with over 120 people, there were no older people. They have large families. Five or six years ago, there were just a few families who were saved and meeting together. Now there are at least 20 families, I think. They have a passion for Jesus.
The Amish believe you do the best you can and you might make it to heaven. You won’t know until judgment day.
Hannah told how they lived in a house on the same property as her parents. When she and her husband got saved, her parents sold their house and moved away because they couldn’t stand to be near them. Others have been officially excommunicated. Some of their Amish families keep contact with them hesitantly.
Mary told what a big hurdle it was to drive a car to her parents for the first time (as opposed to a buggy). She was afraid they would be very angry. Jesus had softened their hearts and it wasn’t a big deal.
Rebekah shared how angry she was as an Amish young person that she wasn’t allowed to continue her education past 8th grade. She talked to me excitedly about how much she is looking forward to homeschool her son in the upper grades.
Joseph told how he is from an Amish family in Pennsylvania. His brother got saved and started reading the English Bible to Joseph. The Amish are only allowed to read the Bible in German (an old German) and the Amish use some German in everyday talk, but not enough of the vocabulary that the Bible uses to understand the reading of it. Joseph then got saved once he knew what the Bible really said. Their family was so mad and so persecuted his brother that his brother became depressed and put in a mental hospital for awhile. That is when the believers in PA moved Joseph here to Indiana because the family began to persecute him as well.
The spirit of these people is so sweet. They are very open and active in evangelizing the Amish community. I suppose that is why they are growing so much.
Even while we were with them last night, a teen relative of one of the men called him on the phone. This Amish boy was at an Amish drinking party with his friends and he was challenging his relative to come over and talk to them. They find the saved ex-Amish entertaining. The boys even agreed to listen to a sermon CD. So, all the men at our gathering packed up in a van and headed over there. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the story! Even though the saved know that these youth don’t always take them seriously, they know that seeds are being planted and some do get saved.
Karin Litchfield
www.shadrachyouth.org
Karin writes: Another story of an Amish conversion. This is my mom writing about a couple that was at an RFOD Sunday School class in Clare Michigan this past weekend.
But there was an Amish couple there. She still dresses like our Amish
in Grabill… no buttons, long dress, and white bonnet. He has changed
to where he wears shirts with buttons and even a little color in his
shirt.
In the class I was trying to really figure them out.
I wish I could remember all the story, but evidently he would drive by
the church there and every time the Lord will tell him to call Pastor
Paul. He said himself that he was very stubborn and wouldn’t do it.
He evidently was very sick of the Amish way.
One day he was so depressed that he took a gun to his mouth.
I think it was then that the Lord spoke to him in an audible voice,
and essentially said, “Put that gun down and call Pastor Paul.”
So he finally did and that started a wonderful relationship.
It took another year or so until his wife started coming with him to the Clare Christ Fellowship. I guess they are very regular in their attendance now. They have been rejected by
family and the Amish church. Even his own grandmother will not talk with him now.
I guess he is a wonderful wood craftsman, and can make about anything, and does it very well. I got to talking more to him at the meal, and he is quite a talker and interesting to listen too. Very different in many ways, but interesting.
Marcia Schultze
www.schultze.org
Praise the Lord for how He helped! I appreciate the standards of the Amish communities, but I greater appreciate those who are willing to break free of anything that holds them from doing what God wants them to.
Thanks for listening and God bless!
-b
Minosa Films 