On Saturday morning, January 5^th,  Alan Robinson, the National Director of the Brethren in Christ denomination – will be coming to Five Forks to speak to the entire congregation on the topic of 494andMe – Connecting with our Anabaptist DNA.  And we want you to join us!  This event will be held in our Auditorium, starting at 9:00am and ending at noon with a mid-morning break.

We can’t stress enough how beneficial we believe this will be for our congregation.  At the same time, you might be asking “Why should I take 3 hours on a Saturday morning to come to the church and talk about Anabaptism?”

It’s very likely that over the past few months you have seen or heard the word “Anabaptism” used quite a bit around here.  Even if you know it has something to do with the historical roots of the Brethren in Christ, there may be uncertainty on your part in regards to what it means and why we are talking about it.

What It Means

Anabaptism is one of two streams (the other being Pietism) that merged over 200 years ago to give birth to the Brethren in Christ.    So what is Anabaptism?   As I wrote in a previous letter, it’s where the emphasis is not primarily on what we know (though knowledge is important), but on how we live.  It’s where the emphasis is not just on the death of Jesus (and the forgiveness of sin), but on the life of Jesus (and what it means to follow Him).

Of course, Anabaptism is much more than that, and so if you have not already done so, let me encourage you to go to this link:  https://www.mennonitemission.net/Downloads/DL.MissioDei18.E.pdf to read an article called “What is an Anabaptist Christian?”   I believe you will find it extremely valuable in helping you to understand the basics of Anabaptism…and prepare you for the 494andMe event.

Why We Are Talking About It

In the letter you received from Pastor Bill last month, he wrote about how we have been a church without an identity.    Who are we at Five Forks?  How are we impacting this community? What theology do we emphasize?  Where are we headed?   These are questions that the Church Board has been wrestling with for the past year.   As a Board, we believe that the Lord has been steering us back to our roots. Anabaptism resonates with us!  Understanding our identity is crucial!  How we live as followers of Jesus should matter!

And so the Board has been taking steps that will help us further understand and hopefully embrace our identity as Brethren in Christ, as well as our Anabaptist heritage.    One of the most significant steps is a year-long emphasis in 2019 on Knowing, Loving and Following Jesus.  Another is the invitation that we have extended to Alan to come and share about our Anabaptist DNA.

We hope that you will block out this 3-hour window on the morning of January 5^th so that you can join us as we listen, ask questions and continue to seek the Lord’s direction for our congregation.  A congregation that longs to know Jesus.  Love Jesus.  And follow Jesus.