Category: Personal Interest

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Daniel Kauffman Part B

By Dan Zimmerman July 2025 in The Sword and Trumpet

My Generation and Younger, Birthed & Reared In Anabaptist Communities Too Often Are Clueless of the Role Daniel Kauffman Played Historically… If you’ve not yet read yesterday’s post, Part A, I suggest you do that first...

In addition to doctrines, Daniel also defended Mennonite practices. He vigorously promoted what he called a “separated life,” by which he meant a lifestyle characterized by simplicity, plainness, commitment to church work, and the avoidance of the fashions and amusements of society. Daniel firmly believed that this kind of lifestyle had Scriptural support , and he used Bible verses to demonstrate this. He studded his sermons and books with Scriptural references, although he did little expository preaching or writing. Later generations of Mennonites criticized this, arguing that Daniel sometimes applied verses without due regard for Scriptural content. Certain key aspects of Mennonite thinking such as non-resistance, taught by Christ Himself in the Sermon on the Mount, seemed to be diminished in importance when placed in the company of matters such avoiding life insurance and membership in secret societies. Be that as it may, in his own time Daniel Kauffman gained the respect and approval of the Mennonites for his efforts to promote correct doctrines.

          As soon as he was ordained, Daniel Kauffman started to promote the idea of a General Conference. As a member of the small Missouri-Iowa Mennonite Conference, he saw a clear need for an organization to link the scattered Mennonite Conferences, to provide direction for missions and church organizations, and to provide the Mennonites with a unified voice. This idea gained traction in the midwestern states, and in November 1898, Daniel Kauffman presided at the inaugural Mennonite General Conference, held near Wakarusa, Indiana. He went to serve as conference moderator three more times and never missed a conference until 1941. The Mennonite General Conference soon established boards and committees to oversee missions, Mennonite colleges, and publications. Daniel showed himself a great committee man: he was organized, deliberate, gracious of opponents, and sought consensus. At one point, he sat on  twenty-two committees! Daniel saw the General Conference as a means to unify and equip the Church, and he poured his life into it. Fourteen regional conferences joined as members within ten years, much to Daniel’s satisfaction.       

          He also poured his life into another work: in 1905 he agreed to take the job of editor of a new Mennonite periodical, the Gospel Witness, based in Scottdale Pennsylvania. Three years later, this became part of the Mennonite Publishing House. The periodical was renamed the Gospel Herald after the Mennonite Publishing House bought John F Funk’s periodical, Herald of Truth. A steady stream of editorial articles flowed from Daniel Kaufman’s typewriter, shaping Mennonite thought and opinion for decades. In addition, he continued to write books, some of which grew out of his articles, about doctrinal matters, the Christian life, contemporary challenges, and Mennonite history. Daniel was undoubtedly the most prolific Mennonite writer of his time.

          In the midst of all these time-consuming but rewarding labors, Daniel found time to begin family life again. On February 6, 1902, he married Mary (“Mollie”) Shank, a young lady from Missouri. Fourteen years younger than Daniel, Mollie had once been his student in school. Six children arrived between 1903 and 1917: Homer, Eunice, Paul, Alice, Fannie, and John Mark. In 1909, Daniel and Mollie moved their family to Scottdale, PA, so Daniel could more easily oversee the Gospel Herald. They lived in Scottdale until 1942.

          Tragedies and trials continued to mark Daniel’s personal life. In 1905, his daughter Eunice died suddenly when eight months old. In 1917, his son John Mark died when less than three months old. In December 1922, his son Paul died just days after turning sixteen, when he fell through the ice while skating near Goshen, Indiana. And in 1933, his eldest son James died unexpectedly at the age of forty-five from a rare form of blood poisoning. Daniel also suffered debilitating illnesses repeatedly. His back was severely injured in an automobile accident in 1941. Despite these trials, he continued to work for his Lord and the church.

          In 1943, he finally retired from his responsibilities as editor of the Gospel Herald, and he and Mollie moved to Parnell, Iowa, to live with their daughter Alice Gingerich and her family. During the fall, he began to feel weak and ill. On Sunday, January 2, 1944, he preached the morning sermon at West Union Mennonite Church, where Alice and her husband were members. That afternoon he felt very unwell, and his health declined rapidly. On January 6, 1944, he died at the age of seventy-eight. His wife Mollie, their son Homer, and their daughter Alice and Fannie survived him, as well as ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held in both Parnell, Iowa and Scottdale, Pennsylvania.

          Daniel Kauffman’s influence on the Mennonite church from 1896 to 1944 was immense. His work in building up the church through the General Conference made a lasting impact on the Mennonite church. His efforts to clarify and promote correct Biblical doctrines in word and print shaped and molded the thinking of the entire Mennonite church. His conservative approach to beliefs and practices, codified in Doctrines of the Bible, though abandoned by mainstream Mennonites, continues to guide many conservative Mennonites today.   

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DANIEL KAUFFMAN  1865-1944 Part A

By Dan Zimmerman July 2025 in The Sword and Trumpet

My Generation and Younger, Birthed & Reared In Anabaptist Communities Too Often Are Clueless of the Role Daniel Kauffman Played Historically…

Daniel Kauffman was without question the most prominent Mennonite church leader during the first three decades of the twentieth century. His efforts to define biblical doctrines, both in word and print, and his work to organize a General Conference for the Mennonite Church had immense consequences that remain to this day.

          Daniel Kauffman was born to David and Elizabeth (Winey) Kauffman on June 20, 1865,in Richfield, Juniata County, Pennsylvania, their seventh child. Daniel was born into a family living under a load of grief. In the late fall of 1862, four out of five children in the family caught diptheria, and three of them died within a month: John (age eleven), Susannah (age ten) and Hannah (age five). Daniel’s sister Mary Ann, then age eight, survived her illness, and her brother Jacob, then age two, did not get sick. Elizabeth gave birth to another son, Samuel, about a month after the third funeral. Thus Daniel had three living siblings when he arrived in 1865. Three younger siblings came over the next decade.

          When Daniel was nine months old, in March 1866, his family moved to Elkhart County, Indiana, seeking better farmland. In April 1869, the family moved again, this time to Morgan County Missouri. Daniel grew up near Versailles, Missouri, where the local Mennonite congregation called his father David to be a minister in 1871, then to be a bishop in 1875. David wanted Daniel to become a farmer, but Daniel was interested in education. After sustaining a broken leg in a riding accident 1879, which healed poorly, Daniel was permitted to pursue his interest.

          In 1883, after gaining his certificate, he served as superintendent of the Morgan County public schools from 1887 to 1890. He also married Ota Bowlin, a local Baptist girl, in 1887, and they had a son James, born in1888. Tragedy struck in early 1890, when Ota sickened and died after giving birth to a daughter, (who also died). Later in the year, John S. Coffman arrived to preach for three weeks of evangelistic meetings. Daniel attended, and on the last evening, surrendered his life to Christ. He was baptized several weeks later. The Mt Zion Mennonite congregation recognized his abilities and called him to the ministry in October 1892. Dan preached like he taught school: he organized his thoughts carefully and spoke clearly and plainly. In August 1896, David Kauffman died and Daniel replaced him as a bishop the following month, at the age of thirty-one.

          As a preacher, Daniel traveled widely. He aligned himself with the “Quickening” movement among the Mennonites, advocating for what he called “aggressive Christian work”: evangelistic meetings, Sunday Schools, and missions. Although he spoke Pennsylvania German from childhood, he preached in English. As a young bishop, he keenly felt the need for sound books explaining the doctrines of the Bible. Unfortunately, he found nothing in that line written by Mennonites. He decided to write one himself. He stopped teaching school in 1897 and went to live with his mother on the family farm. The following year, he published A Manuel of Bible Doctrine, the first in a series of versions which culminated in Doctrines of the Bible in 1928.

          Daniel wanted to shore up the doctrinal foundations of the Mennonite Church. At this time, controversies raged among many Protestant churches over doctrinal matters. The liberals or modernists denied the accuracy and inspiration of the Bible, while the conservatives (many of whom were later called fundamentalists ) defended both. Daniel identified himself as a conservative in these matters, taking historic Christian positions that the Bible is inspired by God and trustworthy in its accounts. He preached about doctrines, which was unusual among Mennonites at the time, demonstrating the Scriptural basis for the teachings of the church. He spoke at Bible conferences.

To Be Continued Tomorrow:

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SO, WHERE ARE THE OTHER NINE?

Practicing A Great Attitude While Prepping This Morning For Corporate Worship

Paul Brubaker

Winston Churchill used to tell the story about a sailor living in Britain’s westernmost principal city of Plymouth. One day the sailor plunged into Plymouth Harbor and successfully rescued a small boy from drowning. Several days later the gallant hero met the boy walking with his mother on the streets of Plymouth. Upon seeing the man who saved his life, the youngster nudged his mother. She thought the sailor vaguely familiar, and thus asked, “Are you the man who pulled my son out of the water the other day?” The sailor’s face lit up. He grinned, saluted and answered briskly. “Yes, ma’am.” Already in the back of his mind he was figuring how to best respond to her gratitude. But she saved him the trouble. With eyes narrowed and pursed lips, she snapped, “Then where’s his CAP?”

          The Bible has a lot to say about gratitude…. as well as the lack of it! Regarding unregenerate humans, Paul wrote to the young Christians at Rome: “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21) Well said Paul. We can relate. But we’re learning, for as long as we remain faithful to God, we retain a sensitivity to His presence.

          Jesus’ healing of the ten lepers gives us an example of how highly God values gratitude. On the way to Jerusalem one day, as Jesus was traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee, ten leprous men – nine Jew and one Samaritan – called from afar, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” (Luke 17:13NIV). And Jesus did have pity on them, and thus instructed the lepers to go show themselves to the priests. And miraculously as they went, all ten were healed! But only one of the lepers, a despisde Samaritan, returned to the Great Healer to pour out his heart in thankfulness and gratitude. It was then that Jesus asked three questions: “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:17-18, NIV). Jesus’ heart was indeed saddened by the ingratitude of the other nine – the vast majority of the lepers that day!

BOTTOM LINE:

          So, what’s the lesson for us today? While the world’s masses, and possibly at times, even some of us in the church, may defiantly snub God and disregard His continual blessings day after day, hopefully you and I will never be found guilty of the sin of ingratitude. May our praises ever ascend to the One from whom all blessings flow, starting this morning now, or perhaps corporately, in a few hours! Originally published in BRF Witness. Republished in July 2025 by The Sword and Trumpet, founder 1929.

Next Up:

My Generation and Younger, Birthed & Reared In Anabaptist Communities Generally Have No Idea the Role Daniel Kauffman Played Historically… Mon Part A, Tues Part B. Then Wed thru Sat, featuring Wendell Martin’s Miracle at Age Ten when plagued with 52 warts.

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If I were the devil …

If I were the Prince of Darkness, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I’d have a third of its real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree — Thee. So, I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first — I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: ‘Do as you please.’

To the young, I would whisper that ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’ And the older, I would teach them to pray, after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington…’

And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.

If I were the devil, I’d soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions — just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.

Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography — soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil, I’d make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.

If I were the devil I’d take from those who have, and give to those who want until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.

And what do you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would caution against extremes and hard work in Patriotism, in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be. And thus, I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were the devil I’d just keep right on doing what he’s doing.”

Paul Harvey, Good Day!

I presume by now most of we oldsters have seen this frequently since its debut in 1965. I do find it amazing how 60 years ago Paul Harvey so accurately “predicted” the future spiritual condition of the United States. At that time, many of his statements were considered ridiculously outlandish in our culture. What has happened here? Consider Mission Drift: The Unspoken Crisis Facing Leaders, Charities, and Churches by Chris Horst, Peter Greer, George W Sarris as featured earlier in the seven consecutive posts beginning Jun 30, if you missed them.

Next Up:

So, Where Are The Other Nine? Sunday morning worship warm-up?

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Counseling the Conspiracy Theorist, Part B continued

Written by Daniel Szczesniak, July 2025 The Sword and Trumpet, Pg 19, originally published by ACBC at biblicalcounseling.com

If you missed Part A, you’d be advised to read that first!

2. Confirmation Bias vs Renewal of the Mind

Confirmation bias is a fancy, technical-sounding way of saying that we hear what we want to hear. People love to hear the things that “suit their own passions,” and thus “turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” 2 Timothy 4:3-4). Conspiracy theories have enough truth sprinkled in to plausibly conform what we already think – wish? hope? – to be true.

          Challenge your counselee with this passage, then study Romans 12:1-2, where Paul calls for believers to be transformed in our thinking as an act of worship. Teach them to think biblically and help them grow in discernment as they learn to love what is “good and acceptable and perfect.”

  • 3. Blame Shifting vs Taking Responsibility

As difficult as it for us to change our minds, it may be even more difficult to change our habits. Myths allow us to avoid responsibilities for how we spend our time by placing the blame on someone else: Them!!

Every conspiracy involves a “they.” After all, it is far easier to believe that a shadowy cabal of elites has intentionally compromised our food supply than it is to change our diet and begin exercising.

A subtler form of blame-shifting, and one that is perhaps more common, is for your counselee to focus their efforts on exposing and fighting “them” in chat rooms and social media debates instead of prioritizing God’s instructions for their lives. The lie is that they are pursuing noble causes (Truth! Justice!). But the reality is that they are surfing the internet instead of fulfilling their duties to God and neighbor (Matt 22:27-40).

Help your counselee see these things with the classic illustration of the “circle of concern” and “circle of responsibility.” Draw a circle and label it “circle of responsibility.” Inside, write down the God-given responsibilities they’ve been neglecting in their pursuit of so-called “truth.”

Next, draw a wider circle around the first one, and label it “circle of concern.” Write down things that they may be concerned about, but are not necessarily their responsibility. Help them think through where things like “civic duty” and “current events” fall, and what that should look like in their life.

  • 4. Self-Centered Narrative vs the Story of Redemption

Conspiracy theories provide a framework for us to make sense of the world around us. Like Asaph in Psalm 73, we see the prosperity of the wicked and wonder why they succeed while we struggle. A good conspiracy theory explains our struggle by placing us within an epic story of good versus evil, the global elites plotting against regular folks such as ourselves.

Yet the structure of the narrative is itself the problem. As Carl Trueman has said, “Conspiracy theories… make us feel more important in the grand scheme of things than we are. If someone is going to all this trouble to con us into believing in something, then we have to be worth conning.” In the end, conspiracy theories are about US!

BOTTOM LINE:

          But there is a much better story!

          It’s the story of God’s beautiful creation and our purpose to reflect His glory. It’s a story in which we are are the ones who conspire against our Creator, turning from him to seek our own glory and pleasure. Yet in this story, God sent His own Son to save us from the trouble we inflicted upon ourselves by forgiving our rebellion, giving us new hearts, calling us to walk in His ways, and promising us a glorious future.

          Train your counselee to view the world through this priceless act of redemption. Teach them the beautiful truths about Christ, help them renew their minds in the Word, prepare them to value and live out their God-given responsibilities, and help them locate their life in the Bible’s narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation.

NEXT UP:

Book Review: Released in ’25; Scrolling Ourselves to Death: Reclaiming Life in a Digital Age edited by Brett McCracken & Ivan Mesa

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Menno Simons Part B continued…

Menno had faults like any man, but he deserves his place in history with the other Reformers of that age, maybe even deserving a higher ranking than the others. Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli accomplished their roles in conjunction with the state’s political power. In contrast, Menno Simons played his part by obeying the Scriptures, bearing the cross of Christ, and enduring the shame of persecution. He traveled, he preached, debated, and wrote many treatises and letters, many of which are available today. A volume of The Complete Writings of Menno Simons has 1092 pages. His influence on the Mennonite church, which bears his name, is incalculable.

What message did Menno preach in his day that we need to be reminded of today? The following quotes are all from his own writings:

True religion must bear sanctified and holy fruit. The state churches did not call their members to be born again as a prerequisite for membership. You were basically born into the church by being baptized into it as an infant. The Anabaptists insisted on membership by choice, and the standard was the New Birth. This made their way of life straight and narrow. The state churches left it broad and open.

Such a repentance we teach and no other, namely, that no one can or piously glory in the grace of God, the forgiveness of sins, the merit of Christ, unless he has truly repented.

It is not enough that in appearance a man speaks much of the Word of the Lord. It must also be verified by devout and unblameable conduct as the Scriptures teach.

For true evangelical faith is of such a nature that it cannot lay dormant; but manifests itself in all righteousness and works of love; it dies unto flesh and blood; destroys all forbidden lusts and desires; cordially seeks, serves and fears God; clothes the naked; feeds the hungry; consoles the afflicted, shelters the miserable, aids and consoles all the oppressed; returns good for evil; serves those that injure it; prays for those that persecute it; teaches, admonishes and reproves with the Word of the Lord; seeks that which is lost, binds up that is wounded; and heals that which is diseased and saves that which is sound.

The Church is a Brotherhood. The state churches who persecuted the Anabaptists were made up of citizens of their local city/state. They were there by birth, not by choice. Mennonites are members of a Brotherhood because they willingly submit their lives to the body and care for one another.

Menno Simons had much to say about the life of preachers. This may be because of his own experience in the priesthood, and also because the loose living and depravity of church leaders was rampant. Speaking of the state churches he says:

“Under these splendid trappings (crosses, belts, organs, masses) may plainly be seen the slily, crouching wolf, the earthly, sensual mind, the antichristian seductions and bloody abominations; for they seek nothing but the favor of men, honor, splendor, venery, idleness, self, gold, silver, gluttony, and suffer themselves to be called spiritual doctors, teachers, lords, abbots, guardians, fathers and priors.”

Speaking of true preachers, he says,

These are they who gather with Christ what has been scattered, bind up the wounded, and heal the sick, for they are influenced by the Spirit of the Lord and urged by unfeigned love. They are vigilant and assiduous in the discharge of entrusted duties. They fight daily with the weapon of obedience. They tear down, break, and destroy all that which is against the word of God, not by external power, with sword and spear, but by the preaching of the holy word, in power and spirit, with the word of the Lord. They till, sow, water, and plant. They cut down what is ripe. They gather their grain and sheaves, and carry them into the Lord’s barn and their fruits will abide unto eternal life.

Shunning Babylon (the world) 

We further teach and admonish from the word of God, that all true children of God, who are regenerated from the incorruptible living seed of the divine word, who have separated themselves, according to the Scriptures, from the idolatrous generation, and yielded to the yoke and cross of Christ, and who are able to judge between true and false doctrines, between Christ and antichrist, must shun according to scripture, all seducing and idolatrous preachers and their doctrines, sacraments and worship. They must avoid all, of every doctrine, faith, sect, creed and name, who are not found in the pure doctrine of Christ, and in the scripture usage of his sacraments, because they have neither calling, doctrine, nor life, according to the word of of God, but are sent by antichrist, and ordained in his employment and service.

Menno was a voluminous writer. Only small samples can be given here. One thing that shines through and through was his “divine enthusiasm” for the work of Christ in the heart of the true believer. Here is a quote from him:

“Behold, worthy reader, all those who sincerely believe in this glorious love of God , this abundant great blessing of grace in Christ Jesus, manifested toward us, are more and more renewed through such a faith; their hearts overflow with joy and peace; they break forth with joyful hearts, in all manner of thanksgiving, they praise and glorify God with all their hearts, because they, with a good conscience have received the Spirit; they believe and know that the Father loved us, so that he gave us poor, wretched sinners, his own and Eternal Son, with his merits, as a gift and an eternal ransom, as Paul says, “The grace and love of God, our Savior, appeared not on account of the works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

After a busy and fruitful life, Menno Simons died of natural causes on January 31, 1561. God used him mightily to stabilize and bless the Anabaptist movement. God is calling men and women to Kingdom work today. May we be faithful and take courage to step forward in faith and answer His call.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:1-2)

Originally published in the March 2025 issue of Pilgrim Witness. More recently published in July 2025 The Sword and the Trumpet.

NEXT UP:

FINALLY! How to Counsel A Conspiracy Theorist!

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MENNO SIMONS Part A

PILGRIM WITNESS / 500 YEAR ANABAPTIST ANNIVERSARY SERIES David Sweigart

Good Week Morning Readers!

I came across a historical sketch of Menno Simons which I’m including strictly FYI. Those Protestant swaths forthcoming from their Reformation & Anabaptist roots are wide when you include all the Baptist and similar offshoots, whereas the Menno Simon’s variety would be declining worldwide if it were not for the conservative Mennonite & Amish higher birthrates and their stand against doctrinal error which compromises faith and leads to apostasy. merlin

It is important to understand that the Anabaptist movement began in two separate areas in Western Europe – Switzerland and the Netherlands. In Switzerland, they were known as the Swiss Brethren. Several years after the beginnings of the Anabaptist movement in Switzerland, the movement reached the Netherlands through the influence of a wandering preacher with a Lutheran background named Melchior Hoffman. Hoffman had fanatical notions about the earthly kingdom of God, which bore fruit and culminated in what became known as the Munster tragedy. Two men influenced by Hoffman, John of Leiden and John Matthys, established their “kingdom” in the city of Munster. They instituted a reign of terror for about a year until the opposing forces annihilated them and the few holdouts with them. While they could be called Anabaptists because they were re-baptized at the beginning of this saga, they obviously did not stay true to other Anabaptist principles.

Among the many baptized by Hoffman or his followers, a pair of brothers became very significant: Obbe and Dirk Phillips. These two brothers and their followers, who opposed the violence and fanaticism of the Munsterites, became known as the Obbenites, who are rightfully considered the founders of the Dutch Mennonite movement.

Even today, any new movement must come to terms with its fringe elements and tendencies. The aforementioned Munster incident was one of those divisive elements. Some held to hyper-literal interpretations of the Gospel. The fledgling Anabaptist movement needed a leader to stabilize and unify the cause.

In 1536, it had been traditionally accepted that Obbe Phillips baptized a former Roman Catholic priest named Menno Simons, who was born in 1496 in the Dutch town of Witmarsun. Menno was ordained a priest in 1524 but was not serious about life. He involved himself in partying, cards, drinking, etc. However, events in his life led him to begin to question the Catholic practices of transubstantiation. “… during the first year (as priest) he was suddenly frightened. While he was administering the Mass he began to doubt whether the bread and the wine were actually being changed into the flesh and blood of Christ. First he considered these thoughts the whisperings of Satan; but he was unable to free himself through ‘sighings, prayers, and confessings.’”

He struggled with his doubts for two years. Finally, picking up a Bible and beginning to read, he discovered that the teachings of the Catholic church were incorrect. Several events also were instrumental in bringing him to a crossroads of faith. News of a public beheading reached him and disturbed him because the reason fro the beheading was rebaptism. A second baptism seemed a strange doctrine to him. He had never doubted infant baptism. In his hometown of Witmarsum about 300 Muensterites took over a monastery and tried to defend themselves against the governor, but all were killed, probably including his own brother. The news of Muenster and the Hoffman/Muensterite prophets’ influence prompted him to speak out publicly against these fanatical excesses.

Finally, in January of 1536, he made the break – closing the door to a priestly career and a life of ease and pleasure and instead embracing the cross of Christ, a wanderer with a price on his head. “I voluntarily renounced all my worldly honor and reputation, my unchristian conduct, masses, infant baptisms, and my unprofitable life, and at once willingly submitted to distress and poverty, and the cross of Christ.” He spent a year in seclusion studying Scripture, and around 1537, Obbe Phillips ordained him.

He was a hunted man with enemies everywhere – Roman Catholic traditionalists and other Reformers on one side and fanatics on the other. But he had a burden for the souls of men, the common people who found themselves caught in the middle of the swirling winds of change. “Thus reflecting upon these things my soul was so grieved that I could no longer endure it. I thought to myself – I, miserable man, what shall I do? If I continue in this way , and live not agreeably to the word of the Lord, according to the knowledge of truth which I have obtained; if I do not rebuke to the best of limited ability the hypocrisy, the impenitent, carnal life, the perverted baptism, the Lord’s supper and the false worship of God, which the learned teach; if I , through bodily fear, do not show them the true foundation of the truth, neither use all my powers to direct the wandering flock, who would gladly do their duty if they knew it, to the true pastures of Christ – Oh, how shall their shed blood, though shed in error, rise against me at the judgment of the Almighty, and pronounce sentence against my poor miserable soul.”

BOTTOM LINE:

Menno Simons was a humble servant of the Lord, willing to serve but painfully aware of his inadequacies. As he reflected on the needs of the poor, straying flock who as a sheep without a shepherd, he wrote, “My heart trembled in my body. I prayed to God with sighs and tears, that He would give to me, a troubled sinner, the gift of his grace, and create a clean heart within me, that through the merits of the crimson blood of Christ, He would graciously forgive my unclean walk and unprofitable life, and bestow upon me, wisdom, Spirit, candor and fortitude, that I might preach his exalted and adorable name and holy word un-perverted, and make manifest his truth to his praise.”

TO BE CONTINUED IN Part B

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Undercover Spiritual Espionage Engineering For Relationship Bridge Building

When I was a kid, the above title was just called “Friendship Evangelism.” Nowdays, small groups are assigned; prior as a kid, I watched them just sprout organically and if/when they got too large, qualified leadership volunteered to lead the splinter group… and theoretically, in time…. they didn’t duplicate into oblivion. Actually, my home congregation physically went “underground,” after nearly 90 years, as we all will eventually, if you walk through the cemeteries with your eyes WIDE open. If you desire more of my personal historical perspective read the August 1 post titled AYFC Chapter One: Create Meaning with Small Wins. Warning, it is long! But unparalleled in historical interest & content in this 500th year of Anabaptist history.

At this moment in history, I’m thinking far beyond the underground tunneling Wendell Martin (author of Go Now: From the Innermost Parts of the Heart to the Uttermost Parts of the World) helped engineer in China with his 50+ smuggling trips of spiritual boring equipment for God’s use in the Chinese underground church, enabling His millions of Christ-Followers literally starving for Bibles to expand & thrive. I keep thinking Wendell Martin needs to write his personal “Letters to the Church”, as Francis Chan did in 2018. Wendell is the closest Anabaptist man I know whom exhibits a practical clone-ship to the Apostle Paul.

The bottom line to this totally secular book “Are You Fully Charged” with its outstanding clarity for the methodology of building undercover dynamic thriving spiritual relationships in & about the remaining remnant congregations to the masses outside our enclaves, ( especially when they are frequently & defiantly shaking their fists at God, perhaps even us, if/when we threaten their ideology), in my estimation, offers a phenomenal blueprint for Christ – Followers to expand their thriving (OR NOT) spiritual relationships footprint in their practical day-in-day-out-lives, especially as we may be increasingly scrutinized and persecuted. Now, back to the epilogue. You and the Holy Spirit need to the connect the dots!

Epilogue: Create a Positive Charge

          The best use of an hour is to invest it in something that will continue to grow. When you add a positive charge to another’s day, it carries forward a into each of their subsequent interactions. Even when you do not see the results directly, investing an hour in the growth of another person can increase the well-being of an entire network of people in the span of a day. It will also help you grow.

          You are much better at helping yourself if you are also helping another person with a similar problem, even if your experience with the affliction was years earlier. Perhaps that’s why thriving Christians who consciously, even subconsciously, adhere to the saying “There, but for the grace of God, go I” accredited to the 16th century reformer John Bradford who said it first while watching fellow prisoners being led to their execution, recognizing that he was no more righteous than they were, and that he had only escaped their fate through God’s grace.

Likewise, research from one of the largest clinical trials in alcohol research found that 40 percent of the alcoholics who helped other alcoholics during their recovery were successful and avoided drinking in the year following they treatment. In contrast, only 22 percent of those who did not help others were able to stay sober. Helping someone else with a similar problem nearly doubled success rates. A subsequent study found that 94 percent of alcoholics who helped other alcoholics experienced lower levels of depression.

          A series of studies conducted with hundreds of college students suggests that people may be even better at solving the same problem for another person than they are for at solving the same problem for themselves. It seems people are “simply wired” to do good and create meaning, even for complete strangers (No great surprise for those who know Creator God).

SHARE YOUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCES 

What’s most intriguing about the research on giving is that it appears to be a universal phenomenon that transcends wealth in countries rich and poor. When a team of leading researchers examined data from more than 200,000 people in 136 countries, they found that donating to charity improved well being in all parts of the world. This held true even when people reported having trouble securing food for their family.

          When these researchers compared vastly different parts of the world, such as Canada and South Africa, they found that people consistently felt happier when they donated to charity versus buying themselves a treat, even when they would never meet the beneficiary of their gift. This led researchers to conclude that people are not merely donating for direct satisfaction or social connection. Instead, it appears that something deeply embedded in people’s natures makes them feel better when they act altruistically. (Again, it’s no surprise to we who know Creator God)

DO GOOD For A LIFE WELL-LIVED

          We all have a limited number of days to make a difference. This is one of the few certainties that everyone shares. It can also be an extraordinary motivational force. Embrace the fact that you need to infuse a lot of good into this world while you can. You have the opportunity to decide how you will spend your time. Use this knowledge to stay focused on doing what’s most important everyday.

If you don’t prioritize what’s more important today, you may later find yourself wishing you had spent more time with your spouse or children. You may regret that you didn’t pursue an idea you had many years ago. Fortunately, you do have time to add a positive charge to the world today by:

  1. Start with work that creates meaning.
  2. Invest in each interaction to strengthen your relationships.
  3. Make sure you have the energy you need to be your best.

          Doing these three things, in combination, is the definition of being fully charged and adding a positive charge to those around you.

In addition, before we move on, I want you to be aware that beginning on Page 213 – 216, Tom has crated a list of nine books he lists “As Essential Reading” for those of us appearing as on steroids from merely reading AYFC, already envisioning enhancing public/private school curriculum modules; actually, any educational components involving meaningful interactions strengthening both direct & collateral relationships, including even the training protocols for sales & marketing resources, etc., all being built on the Golden Rule from Matt. 7:12 & Luke 6:31. For deeper diving, beginning on page 217- 240, Rath lists the books 235 references, most with links or websites, indeed a unique treasure trove! 

BOTTOM LINE:

Again, there is so much more I want to share here for the future of His Kingdom IN YOUR LIFE, but this is not the time. I am trusting He’ll open the necessary doors in His future timing. Continual Blessings on your journeys as you seek His guidance and sustenance for meaningful work, interactions, & relationships from His resources all about us, and, sometimes in/from the most unsuspecting persons & places. Till we meet again, I believe you now possess sufficient creative ammo to expand your footprint realizing & proving your ultimate strength is first finding, and secondly, developing the God given talents in others in meaningful endeavors and relationships impacting Kingdom Living for all of humanity! Go Now!

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ASAP Realize Our Ultimate Strength Is Finding & Developing Talent In Others

Chapter Fifteen: Build a Cumulative Advantage

Help Someone See What Could Be

As a result of my grandfather, Don Clifton’s, lifelong study of strengths, I was raised in an environment in which my family was looking for early traces of talent at every turn. By the time I was five, they had spotted my deep interest in reading. When I was nine, my grandfather noted some entrepreneurial talent and helped me stat a little business selling snacks. He helped me find space and figure our how to buy snacks in bulk. And he taught me some financial concepts. But the most valuable lessons I learned were about people, interactions, and relationships.

          Throughout my grade school, high school and college years, it became clear to me that my talents and interests were in the areas of business, research, and anything involving technology. When I graduated from college in 1998, Don asked me if I would work with him to bring his research on strengths to a wider audience through technology and this new thing called the internet. I spent the next few years with Don and our team to create an on-line strength-based assessment, dubbed the StrengthsFinder. But in the midst of all that excitement around this new project, Don learned he had stage IV gastroesophageal cancer and most likely only a few months to live.

          Given that I had been battling cancer for a decade at the time, I used my knowledge and dedicated all my time to helping my grandfather extend his life as much as possible. Don and I assembled all the research we could find on the topic as we traveled to different medical centers for treatment. In the midst of this ordeal, I remembered that Don had once told me he thought it was crazy that people wait until someone is gone to say kind things in a eulogy.

          So I stayed up late for several nights and wrote a very long emotional letter to my grandfather, explaining how much he had influenced my life over the years. It was essentially a eulogy written to someone who was still alive. This letter told my personal story about battling cancer as a teenager and went into great depth about what a difference my grandfather’s ideas and approach to life made during this time. I explained how his love, caring, and thinking had essentially built a reserve that helped me make it through all of my health challenges in relatively good shape.

          Because I had almost no confidence in my ability to communicate effectively in writing, I was hesitant to even share this heartfelt letter with Don – but given the circumstances, I decided to give it to him. When he read it, he was deeply moved and grateful. That part did not surprise me, but a brief interaction we had for a few days later caught me off guard.

           Don told me after reading the letter multiple times, he thought I had a real talent for bringing things to life with words. This was something no one had ever suggested, let alone stated explicitly. He asked if I would be willing to share my personal story from the letter in a book. As long as somebody else was doing the writing, I figured that would be okay.

          Then Don asked me if I would help write that book over the next two months. This was the only time he ever acknowledged the reality of his condition in our conversation. So I agreed to give it a shot and do my best, knowing that my grandfather had quite a bit of wisdom that could benefit other people. We worked tirelessly over the next couple of months and were able to finish our first draft of the book, “How Full Is Your Bucket,” just before Don passed away. That book has since helped my grandfather’s work reach millions of people, and we even turned it into a children’s book that is now used in classrooms around the world. 

Develop the Ultimate Strength

          This personal experience showed me how a single interaction and observation can have a lifelong influence. After nearly three decades of exploring my own talent, having great people around me, and taking countless strengths assessments, writing was the last thing I ever planned to do. Then one person said he spotted a talent worthy of investment, and that insight continues to influence how I now spend my time every day. The more I reflect on this experience, the more I realize that the ultimate strength is finding and developing talents in others.

          One of the best ways to help another person grow is through the right types of praise and recognition. Simply telling someone they did a “good job” on a project is nice but not very helpful, especially if your comments lack sincerity. In fact, insincere positive remarks could be even more toxic and detrimental than negative comments.

          In addition to being sincere, words that give people a positive charger should be as specific as possible. A series of six experiments published in 2014 reveals why specificity is essential for motivating other people. Participants in one experiment were asked to “give those who need bone marrow transplants greater hope.” Phrasing the goal that way was less motivating compared with a request for participants to “give those who need bone marrow transplants a better chance of finding a donor.” It was also more effective when researchers asked participants to “increase recycling” rather than “save the environment.

BOTTOM LINE:

          The more specific your language is during even brief interactions, the greater the influence. As you help other people see what they do best, you will help them build a cumulative advantage over time. You could also make a contribution to their future health and well being that you may not be able to see in the moment.  

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

What is the earliest example you can remember of someone spotting a unique talent of your and encouraging you to spend time building on that strength?

When was the last time you noticed someone performing at an exceptional level and you pointed it out to that person?

RECAP: The more you focus on another person’s strengths, the faster they grow.

Who can you recognize in the next day with great specificity, sincerity, and detail?

NEXT UP: Epilogue: Create a Positive Charge

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ALWAYS, ALWAYS – MAXIMIZE RELATIONSHIPS!

My apologies for my AM/PM typo yesterday. I typed 12:05 PM rather AM; hence the posts were 12 hours later than usual… merlin

Chapter Twelve: Take A Break for Relationships

When Bank of America first set up its call centers, it deliberately designed them for maximum efficiency in handling customer calls. Employees’ breaks were timed so they didn’t coincide with any of their peers’ breaks. The intent was to ensure that the phone lines were always covered. Yet employee turnover was unacceptably high.

          When the bank’s leaders looked into the retention issue, they discovered that a lack of relationships and daily communication was the root of the problem. This lack of cohesion was six times more predictive of performance than any other metric. Because of these findings, the bank’s leaders changed the shift schedules to ensure that groups of employees could have lunch and take breaks at the same time. Three months later, the same group of employees was handling calls 23 percent faster, and group cohesion had gone up 18 percent. These increases translated into $15 million in added revenue for the company.

          Recent experiments suggest the best way to produce sustainable increases in well-being is to appreciate what you already possess and to continue creating new positive experiences with the people who matter most. When you value what you already have, not only will you grow, you won’t feel the angst of wanting more. Any time you create experiences in the context of your existing resources and relationships, it has a compounding effect om your well-being.

Use Your Phone When You’re Alone

          Paying attention requires a little effort, but the rewards are great. Nothing adds more value to life than close social relationships. This why it is important to focus on the people you are with when you are with them! There are countless distractions around you. When I’m stuck in a long line at a grocery store or the BMV, my digital pacifier (phone) is remarkably useful. Having the internet in my pocket converts those boring and frustrating moments into an opportunity to research a recent topic of interest, or to text a friend. However, these distractions create problems when you use them while spending time with friends, colleagues, or loved ones.

          FYI, other studies noted anytime a cell phone was visible, the quality of conversation was less fulfilling and people reported having higher levels of empathetic concern. Often simply seeing a cellphone is bad for my concentration, for others in the room, and the quality of my relationships. Giving your undivided attention to others tells them how much you value their thoughts, opinions, and time. Intently listening to what another person is saying is a great way to forge new relationships and invest in your existing friendships. Unfortunately, most of the time when people are talking to you, you are not truly listening. You may think you are good at faking listening, but chances are, you’re not. People read facial expressions in a matter of milliseconds. So when you’re not paying full attention, other people can tell subconsciously, even if they don’t say anything about it.

BOTTOM LINE:   When you chose to have dedicated time with another person, such as dining, driving somewhere, or going on a walk, give that person your undivided attention. Talking on your phone, using apps, or reading a message tells others you don’t value their time as much as you could. You chose to be with them, so make it count!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

How can you build more in-person social time into your work?

Which friends and family members improve your health and well-being when you spend time with them?

RECAP: Social networks that we often take for granted profoundly shape our lives.

What is one practical step you could take to pay attention to other people better when you are together?

How will they know they have your full and undivided attention?

NEXT UP:  ASAP, Realize Our Ultimate Strength Is FINDING & DEVELOPING Talent in Others.

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