Missionary Church

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Missionary Church
MC-logo.png
Missionary Church Logo
Classification Protestant
Orientation Evangelical, Anabaptists, Pietism, Wesleyanism, Higher Life movement
Associations National Association of Evangelicals
Headquarters Fort Wayne, Indiana
Origin1969 [1]
Detroit, Michigan
Merger of United Missionary Church and the Missionary Church Association
Separations Bible Fellowship Church
Congregations463 in the United States [2]
Members57,638 in the United States [2]
Official website www.mcusa.org

The Missionary Church is an evangelical Christian denomination of Anabaptist origins with Wesleyan and Pietist influences. [3]

Contents

Faith and practice

The Missionary Church is a Trinitarian body which believes the Bible is the inspired Word of God and authoritative in all matters of faith; that "salvation is the result of genuine repentance of sin and faith in the atoning work of Christ"; and that the "church is composed of all believers in the Lord Jesus who have been vitally united by faith to Christ". They hold two Christian ordinances, baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, as outward signs, not a means of salvation. [4]

History

The Missionary Church has diverse roots, especially in Anabaptism (directly through the Mennonites), German Pietism, the holiness movement, and American evangelicalism, (and to a smaller degree fundamentalism and Pentecostalism). The preamble to their Constitution references this by stating:

...the Missionary Church will be better understood by the reader who recognizes that a singular commitment of our early leaders was to the position that the Scriptures were to be the primary source of doctrine and life. In addition to this commitment to be a biblical church, we recognize the contribution of John Wesley's emphasis on "the warmed heart"; A.B. Simpson's fourfold emphasis on Jesus Christ as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King; the Anabaptist concepts of community and brotherhood; the evangelical emphases of the lost estate of mankind and redemption through Jesus Christ. The Missionary Church, then, is a unique blend of the thought and life of a people who have sought to build their church according to Scriptures and who have appreciated their historical roots. [4]

In the late 19th century, several Mennonite preachers embraced pietism and revivalism, and were excluded from their conferences. Among the leaders were Solomon Eby (1834–1929) of Ontario, William Gehman (1827–1917) of Pennsylvania, Daniel Brenneman (1834–1919) of Indiana, and Joseph E. Ramseyer (1869–1944). These brethren gradually found one another and their movements merged. Daniel Brenneman and Solomon Eby established the Reformed Mennonites in 1874. The Reformed Mennonites joined with some other expelled Mennonite members (called the New Mennonites) and formed the United Mennonites. In 1879 the followers of William Gehman (called Evangelical Mennonites) merged with the United Mennonites, creating the Evangelical United Mennonites. [5] In 1883 a group from Ohio (called Brethren in Christ or Swankites) joined the movement. The denomination became the Mennonite Brethren in Christ on December 29, 1883, in Englewood, Ohio. [6] The Mennonite Brethren in Christ changed their name to the United Missionary Church in 1947. [7] The Mennonite Brethren in Christ Pennsylvania Conference disliked the name change and received permission to maintain their existing name. [8] In 1952, the Pennsylvania Conference voted to secede from the United Missionary Church, and, in 1959, it would rename itself the Bible Fellowship Church.

The Missionary Church Association was founded in Berne, Indiana, in 1898. In that year, Joseph E. Ramseyer was excluded from the Égly Amish because he was rebaptized at a revival meeting. The Égly Amish rejected both the nature of the baptism (immersion) and its non-Amish and Mennonite connections (he had already been baptized by the Égly Amish). [9] The Missionary Church Association and the United Missionary Church (formerly the Mennonite Brethren in Christ) carried on fraternal relations for many years, and then merged in 1969 to form the Missionary Church. [10]

Branches

The Missionary Church (and the movements that formed it) has experienced three divisions — the withdrawal of several leaders from the Missionary Church Association in 1923 over disagreements concerning the Holy Spirit; in 1947 the Pennsylvania Conference of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ withdrew over issues of doctrine and polity, and in 1959 became the Bible Fellowship Church; and the Missionary Church of Canada withdrew from the Missionary Church in 1987 (and merged with the Evangelical Church of Canada in 1993 to form the Evangelical Missionary Church). The first two divisions occurred because of doctrinal differences, while the third was a friendly separation in response to legal issues pertaining to the church existing in two nations, the United States and Canada. [11]

Status

As of 2020, in the United States there were 463 congregations. [2] Indiana remains the geographic center of the denomination, with nearly half of its members. [12] Ohio and Michigan also contain sizable numbers of members. [12]

The organization of the church is divided into 11 regions or districts (and 5 mission regions). Offices are located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Its ministries include World Partners USA, the Missionary Church Investment Foundation, U.S. Ministries, the Pastoral leadership institute (PLI), and Bethel University. [13] Bethel University (Indiana), located in Mishawaka, Indiana, currently has about 1,350 students. [14]

Also, the Missionary Church Historical Society (founded in 1979) located at Bethel University was established to maintain and keep historical records.

"The archives of the Missionary Church, as the memory center for records of historical significance, is a collection of the official papers of the denomination as well as materials relating to its origin and development. Its task is to organize and preserve these materials so they may be a valuable resource for reference and research."

In recent years, the Missionary Church has sought a closer return to its Mennonite roots. In 2003, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, another body with Mennonite and Pietist heritage, began pursuing an attempt to join their 200-some churches in the United States with the Missionary Church. The leadership of both denominations were firmly behind this. However, United Brethren members in the United States voted against the idea 56% to 44%, thereby halting the discussions. [15]

The Missionary Church is a member of the National Association of Evangelicals.

Related Research Articles

Anabaptism is a Christian movement which traces its origins to the Radical Reformation in the 16th century. Anabaptists believe that baptism is valid only when candidates freely confess their faith in Christ and request to be baptized. Commonly referred to as believer's baptism, it is opposed to baptism of infants, who are not able to make a conscious decision to be baptized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mennonites</span> Anabaptist groups originating in Western Europe

Mennonites are a group of Anabaptist Christian communities tracing their roots to the epoch of the Radical Reformation. The name Mennonites is derived from the cleric Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland, part of the Holy Roman Empire, present day Netherlands. Menno Simons became a prominent leader within the wider Anabaptist movement and was a contemporary of Martin Luther (1483–1546) and Philip Melanchthon (1497–1560). Through his writings about the Reformation Simons articulated and formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss Anabaptist founders as well as early teachings of the Mennonites founded on the belief in both the mission and ministry of Jesus. Formal Mennonite beliefs were codified in the Dordrecht Confession of Faith (1632), which affirmed "the baptism of believers only, the washing of the feet as a symbol of servanthood, church discipline, the shunning of the excommunicated, the non-swearing of oaths, marriage within the same church", nonresistance, and in general, more emphasis on "true Christianity" involving "being Christian and obeying Christ" as they interpret it from the Holy Bible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evangelical United Brethren Church</span> American Protestant group formed in 1946

The Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB) was a North American Protestant denomination from 1946 to 1968 with Arminian theology, roots in the Mennonite and German Reformed communities, and close ties to Methodism. It was formed by the merger of a majority of the congregations of the Evangelical Church founded by Jacob Albright and the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. The United Brethren and the Evangelical Association had considered merging off and on since the early 19th century because of their common emphasis on holiness and evangelism and their common German heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brethren Church</span> Anabaptist denomination

The Brethren Church is an Anabaptist Christian denomination with roots in and one of several groups that trace its origins back to the Schwarzenau Brethren of Germany, and is a member of the National Association of Evangelicals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brethren in Christ Church</span> River Brethren Christian denomination

The Brethren in Christ Church (BIC) is a River Brethren Christian denomination. Falling within the Anabaptist tradition of Christianity, the Brethren in Christ Church has roots in the Mennonite church, with influences from the revivals of Radical Pietism and the holiness movement. They have also been known as River Brethren and River Mennonites. The Canadian denomination is called Be In Christ.

The Church of the United Brethren in Christ is an evangelical Christian denomination with churches in 17 countries. It is Protestant, with an episcopal structure and Arminian theology, with roots in the Mennonite and German Reformed communities of 18th-century Pennsylvania, as well as close ties to Methodism. It was organized in 1800 by Martin Boehm and Philip William Otterbein and is the first American denomination that was not transplanted from Europe. It emerged from United Brethren churches that were at first unorganized, and not all of which joined this church when it was formally organized in 1800, following a 1789 conference at the Otterbein Church.

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The Rosedale Network of Churches is a Christian body of Mennonite churches in the Anabaptist tradition. Rosedale Network of Churches was originally formed in 1910 by a group of Amish Mennonites to promote unity while preserving autonomy of the local congregation.

The Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches (FEBC) is a small evangelical Christian denomination with an Anabaptist Mennonite heritage. Most of the denomination's approximately 5000 members are in congregations located in the U.S. and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anabaptist theology</span> Theological tradition reflecting the doctrine of the Anabaptist Churches

Anabaptist theology, also known as Anabaptist doctrine, is a theological tradition reflecting the doctrine of the Anabaptist Churches. The major branches of Anabaptist Christianity agree on core doctrines but have nuances in practice. While the adherence to doctrine is important in Anabaptist Christianity, living righteously is stressed to a greater degree.

Peace churches are Christian churches, groups or communities advocating Christian pacifism or Biblical nonresistance. The term historic peace churches refers specifically only to three church groups among pacifist churches:

Amish Mennonites came into existence through reform movements among North American Amish mainly between 1862 and 1878. These Amish moved away from the old Amish traditions and drew near to the Mennonites, becoming Mennonites of Amish origin. Over the decades, most Amish Mennonites groups removed the word "Amish" from the name of their congregations or merged with Mennonite groups.

The Fellowship of Evangelical Churches (FEC) is an evangelical body of Christians with an Amish Mennonite heritage that is headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States. It contains 46 churches located in Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Conservative Mennonites include numerous Conservative Anabaptist groups that identify with the theologically conservative element among Mennonite Anabaptist Christian fellowships, but who are not Old Order groups or mainline denominations.

Belize Evangelical Mennonite Church is a church denomination of the Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches in Belize.

Brethren is a name adopted by a wide range of mainly Christian religious groups throughout history. The largest movement is Anabaptist.

Conservative Anabaptism includes theologically conservative Anabaptist denominations, both in doctrine and practice. Conservative Anabaptists, along with Old Order Anabaptists and assimilated mainline Anabaptists, are a subset of the Anabaptist branch of Christianity.

References

  1. ↑ "History of the Missionary Church". Archived from the original on 1 January 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "U.S. Membership Report (2020)". The ARDA. The Association of Religion Data Archives. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  3. ↑ Engbrecht, Dennis. "Merging and Diverging Streams: The Colorful Complex History of the Missionary Church" (PDF). Missionary Church USA. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Constitution of the Missionary Church". Missionary Church USA. Missionary Church, Inc. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  5. ↑ Jasper, Huffman (1920). History of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church. New Carlisle, Ohio: Bethel Publishing. p. 59.
  6. ↑ Jasper, Huffman (1920). History of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church. New Carlisle, Ohio: Bethel Publishing. p. 88.
  7. ↑ Everek, Storms (1958). History of the United Missionary Church. Bethel Publishing.
  8. ↑ Taylor, Dick. "A Brief History of the Bible Fellowship Church". Bible Fellowship Church Online History Center. Archived from the original on 2023-07-10. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  9. ↑ Lugibihl, Walter (1951). The Missionary Church Association: Historical Account of its Origin and Development. Berne, IN: Economy Printing Concern.
  10. ↑ Eileen, Lageer (1979). Merging streams : Story of the Missionary Church. Elkhart, IN: Bethel Publishing.
  11. ↑ Lageer, Eileen (2004). Common bonds: the Story of the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada. Calgary, AB: Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada. ISBN   9780973250008.
  12. 1 2 "2000 Religious Congregations and Membership Study". Glenmary Research Center. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
  13. ↑ "Bethel Becomes University - Bethel University". 16 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "National Center for Education Statistics. College Navigator. Bethel University" . Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  15. ↑ "The United Brethren Decade in Review". UBCentral. Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA. 31 December 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
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